"Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Education" provides a much-needed blueprint for how school leaders can leverage the power of collaborative learning to create more culturally and linguistically responsive schools. The book describes an innovative network of twenty preK-8 schools located across the United States striving to…

At the heart of the effort to enact and scale up successful school reforms is the need for more robust links between research and practice. One promising approach is design development, a methodology widely used in other fields and only recently adapted to education, which offers a disciplined process for identifying practical problems, assessing…

The inclusion of new and emerging technologies in the education sector has been a topic of interest to researchers, educators, and software developers alike in recent years. Utilizing the proper tools in a classroom setting is a critical factor in student success. "Tablets in K-12 Education: Integrated Experiences and Implications"…

The most promising intervention for improving learning and reducing academic gaps in outcomes is present in every classroom: the "teacher". Teachers empowered to create relationship-centric, supportive classroom and school cultures, combined with rigorous academics, produce breakthrough results for their students. Three nonprofits'…

This authoritative text and practitioner resource has now been extensively revised and expanded with 70% new material covering new topics and standards in literacy leadership. Prominent experts present research-based methods for improving instruction, assessment, and professional learning experiences in PreK-12. The distinct roles of teachers,…

Like medical practitioners, educators share the moral obligation to "first, do no harm." But as this provocative volume shows, education policies do not always live up to this ideal, especially policies intended to help our most vulnerable students. "When School Policies Backfire" draws our attention to education policies…

Exemplary Middle Grades Research: Evidence-Based Studies Linking Theory to Practice features research published throughout 2009 in MGRJ that has been identified by the Information Age Publishing's review board as the most useful in terms of assisting educators with making practical applications from evidence-based studies to classroom and school…

Seven papers discussing practical strategies and examples for designing and implementing inclusive educational programs for Minnesota public schools are presented. The papers include: (1) "Strategies for Achieving an Integrated Education for Middle School Learners with Severe Disabilities" (Jennifer York and Terri Vandercook); (2)…

This eighth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" contains five articles on the organization of a middle school counseling program. "The Counselor and Modern Middle-Level Schools: New Roles in New Schools," by Paul George, examines characteristics of successful schools and considers some new roles for the counselor. "Teacher…

This publication focuses on 14 colleges and universities that are successfully meeting the challenge of preparing middle level teachers. After the Foreword (John H. Swaim), the 16 chapters are: (1) "Middle Level Teacher Preparation in Perspective"; (2) "Elizabeth City State University" (Eloise B. Roberts); (3) "Georgia Southwestern College" (Lynn…

While incorporating digital technologies into the classroom has offered new ways of teaching and learning into educational processes, it is essential to take a look at how the digital shift impacts teachers, school administration, and curriculum development. "Academic Knowledge Construction and Multimodal Curriculum Development" presents…

This book tells the story of two African-centered schools, an elementary school and a middle school, in an urban public school system. Both schools were originally conceived as "all male academies," but legal and political obstacles caused both to become coeducational, although still African-centered. The factors that affected the…

The Teacher Advisor Program (TAP) is an innovative developmental approach to counseling that directly involves teachers as advisors to 18 to 20 students, with whom they meet both individually and in group sessions. An introductory chapter that cites the need for a developmental approach to counseling in contemporary schools and the potential role…

This comprehensive handbook focuses on literacy issues in grades 4-9. It is a reference guide that covers everything from the role of the principal and the characteristics of the learners to teaching the gifted and motivating the reluctant learner. Chapters offer an array of examples of student work, classroom vignettes, sample lessons, and…

This issue of "Civic Partners" is a call to action on behalf of American's cities. The issue opens with John W. Gardner's discussion of the "responsibles" whose vision and energy sustain communities. He stresses that all of us are "responsibles." Among the many tasks that face those responsible for urban improvement is the teaching of conflict…