Best of
Teachers

2016

Ms. Bixby's Last Day


John David Anderson - 2016
    The good ones. The not-so-good ones. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard. The ones you’ll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. But Ms. Bixby is none of these. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like the indignity of school is worthwhile. Who makes the idea of growing up less terrifying. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she is very sick and won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a plan. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand just what Ms. Bixby means to Topher, Brand, and Steve—and what they are willing to go to such great lengths to tell her.John David Anderson, the acclaimed author of Sidekicked, returns with a story of three kids, a very special teacher, and one day that none of them will ever forget.

The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading: An Assess-Decide-Guide Framework for Supporting Every Reader


Jan Richardson - 2016
    - Prompts, discussion starters, teaching points, word lists, intervention suggestions, and more to support all students, including dual language learners and struggling readers. - 29 comprehension modules that cover essential strategies—monitoring, retelling, inferring, summarizing, and many others. - Plus an online resource bank with dozens of downloadable assessment and record-keeping forms, Richardson’s all-new, stage-specific lesson plan templates.- More than 40 short videos showing Jan modeling key parts of guided reading lessons for every stage.

The Happy Teacher Habits: 11 Habits of the Happiest, Most Effective Teachers on Earth


Michael Linsin - 2016
    In The Happy Teacher Habits, Michael Linsin guides you through 11 little-known habits of the happiest, most effective teachers on Earth. Based on the latest research, and drawing on experts from the worlds of business, marketing, sports, entertainment, music, and medicine, you will learn simple, actionable strategies that will eliminate your teaching stress, supercharge your ability to motivate and inspire your students, and empower you to really love your job. This is no ordinary teaching book. It is a success roadmap through an educational system that is becoming increasingly harder to navigate. It will expose the falsehoods and misinformation teachers are bombarded with every day, and reveal the secrets to what really matters in creating a happy and fulfilling career.

Looking Into You


Chris Fabry - 2016
    . Every day, Paige Redwine is haunted by a choice she made when she was only seventeen. Now, just past forty, still single, she lives a tidy, controlled life as a well-respected English professor at a college in Nashville. Nothing could prepare her for the day Treha Langsam the daughter she secretly placed for adoption walks into her classroom as a student, unknowingly confronting Paige with both her greatest longing and her greatest fear. As Treha sets aside the search for her birth mother to concentrate on her education, Paige summons the courage to reach out to her daughter, never dreaming her actions will transform them both as she faces a past she thought she d laid to rest."

Under a Sky of Ash


Brandon Witt - 2016
    When he meets Ben Woods, the mentor of one of his students, the attraction is immediate. The revelations that they’ve both suffered traumatic childhoods form a bond between them. Raised by an abusive grandmother, Ben is a recovering addict who has made a family with his construction worker boss, Hershel, and Hershel’s husband, Daniel—drag queen ManDonna. Adding Isaiah to his life gives Ben a glimpse of a future he’d never dreamed possible for himself. Both Isaiah and Ben are survivors, but when guilt drives a wedge between them, the past threatens to end their relationship. Ben and Isaiah embark on journeys of self-discovery. Though their path will be difficult at times, humor and love find a way to bring light to the darkness.

Mommy’s Little Soldier: A troubled child. An absent mom. A shocking secret.


Casey Watson - 2016
    Despite letters being sent home regularly, his mother never turns up for any appointments, and when the school calls home she always seems to have an excuse.Though Casey has her hands full, she offers to intervene for a while, to try get Leo engaged in learning again and remaining in school. The head’s sceptical though and warns her that this is Leo’s very last chance. But Casey’s determined, because there’s something about Leo that makes her want to fight his corner, and get to the bottom of whatever it is that compels this enigmatic boy to keep running away. With Leo so resolutely tight-lipped and secretive, Casey knows that if she’s going to keep this child in education, she’s going to have to get to the bottom of it herself…

The World from Up Here


Cecilia Galante - 2016
    She doesn't even know what she's afraid of, really. Only that if she raises her voice or leaves her mark or ventures too far from home, she'll risk falling flat on her face.But that all changes when Wren's cousin Silver walks into her life. Silver is totally fearless. Maybe that's why she's the most popular girl in the sixth grade. She dares Wren to take risks, to live out loud, to finally spread her wings. So when Silver decides to break all the rules, Wren is forced to make a choice: Is she in or is she out?There's only one way Wren will ever learn to fly. It's time for her to stand at the edge of the unknown . . . and jump.Full of heartache and hope, The World From Up Here is a tender, moving story about old secrets, new friendships, and what it means to face the things that scare us most.

Just My Luck


Cammie McGovern - 2016
    He hasn’t found a new best friend. He’s still not a great bike rider—even though his brother George, who’s autistic, can do tricks. And worst of all, he worries his dad’s recent accident might be all his fault. Benny tries to take his mom’s advice and focus on helping others, and to take things one step at a time. But when his dad ends up in the hospital again, Benny doesn’t know how he and his family will overcome all the bad luck that life has thrown their way.Just My Luck is a deeply moving and rewarding novel about a down-on-his-luck boy whose caring heart ultimately helps him find the strength to cope with tragedy and realize how much he truly has to offer his friends and family.

In Vino


Alexis Hall - 2016
    A giveaway to folks who sign up for Hall's mailing list.

Runs with Courage


Joan M. Wolf - 2016
    Set in the Dakota Territory, it is the year 1880. Four Winds has been taken away from her family and brought to a boarding school run by whites. It is here she is taught English and learns how to assimilate into white culture. But soon she discovers that the teachers at this school are not interested in assimilation but rather in erasing her culture. On the reservation, Four Winds had to fight against starvation. Now she must fight to hold on to who she is.

For the Love of English


A.M. Hargrove - 2016
    Hargrove, comes a New Adult, Single Dad, Sexy, Stand Alone Romance.Single dad, Beckley Bridges, is sexy as hell. No, really, he’s the hottest thing since the sun was created. Honest to God, crack an egg on him and the thing will sizzle.So what’s the problem? He’s also a gigantic jerk. I hate the bastard. I try to avoid him at all costs. But for some reason, everywhere I go he seems to show up. Only the real issue is his daughter, English.She’s an adorable quirky first-grader who’s the sweetest thing since iced tea.And she’s one of my students but also the love of his life.So I have to deal with him on a professional level. It’s not easy. On a scale of easy to hard, dealing with Beckley Bridges is like nails screeching across a blackboard.But when English’s mother tries to gain custody after abandoning her on Beckley’s doorstep as an infant, he’ll do anything possible to keep English under his roof. That’s how he ends up propositioning me.And crazy as it sounds? I find myself considering it. This is a full-length novel that includes mature content not suitable younger readers.

The Boy They Tried to Hide: The true story of a son, forgotten by society


Shane Dunphy - 2016
    She is worried for her troubled young son, who has been found leaving the house late at night to go deep into the woods near their home. He has spoken of meetings with a friend, Thomas, but no one else has seen him or knows who he is. As Shane tries to discover what's going on, a sexual predator he helped bring to justice years before reappears. The man is looking to settle a score, and has picked someone close to Shane as his next victim.In The Boy They Tried to Hide, Shane Dunphy revisits cases he encountered during his time as a child protection worker and journalist and, in doing so, once again discovers that leaving the past behind is harder than it seems.

Gardens of Hope


Michael Holloway Perronne - 2016
    But one night when he accidentally stumbles upon a shadow life of men who desire other men in a Downtown Los Angeles park, he begins to realize exactly what has always left him with a feeling of emptiness.Despite the constant danger of being arrested by vice cops, Jack continues to visit the park every chance he has to feel a connection, no matter how fleeting, with another man. One night he meets a handsome and charismatic Japanese-American, Hiro, who appears to want more than a quick encounter, and Jack surprises himself by starting to truly fall in love for the first time.However, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issues Executive Order 9066 and orders the mandatory relocation of over 100,000 Japanese-Americans, who have never been charged with a crime, to far flung internment camps sites. Jack and Hiro suddenly find themselves torn apart before their secret, fledgling romance can blossom.Desperate to find and reconnect with Hiro, Jack accepts a high school teaching position at an internment camp in the California desert, Manzanar. There, surrounded by armed guard towers and a prison-like environment, Jack begins to fully realize the injustices being faced by Japanese-Americans during one of the most controversial times of United States history and shifts his world view- forever.

Me? Teach Piano?


Amanda Tero - 2016
    "Me? Teach piano? I can barely play myself! Do they know what they're trying to get themselves into?!""Me? Teach Piano?" is a simple guide to clear up some of your questions as you learn a down-to-earth approach to creating piano policies, interacting with students, and choosing the correct curriculum.Table of Contents:1. Welcome to the World of Teaching - Can you do this? - Not all musicians are teachers - When a pianist should begin teaching - Some personal advice - The one thing I wish I knew2. Running a Piano Studio - How do you get students? - Where should you teach? - How much should you charge? - How to organize billing/payments - Creating a studio policy - Scheduling lessons - Recitals - How to organize lessons or lesson plans3. Parents and Students - You and the parents - You and the students - Practice - Student problems4. About Books - Lesson books and beyond - Supplemental material - Duets - Theory - Hymn Playing5. About Teaching - The fundamentals (piano keys, finger numbers, note reading, timing, chords, cadences) - This thing called “ear”

Your First Year: How to Survive and Thrive as a New Teacher


Todd Whitaker - 2016
    They offer step-by-step guidance to thriving in your new role and overcoming the challenges that many new teachers face. Topics include:•  Learning classroom management skills such as building relationships and maintaining high expectations and consistency•  Setting up your classroom and establishing procedures and rules•  Planning effective lessons and making your instructional time an engaging experience•  Managing your own emotions in the classroom and dealing effectively with misbehavior•  Working with peers, administrators, and parents to build support and foster collaborationThe book is filled with specific examples and vignettes from elementary, middle, and high school classes, so you ll gain helpful strategies no matter what grade level and subject area you teach. You ll also find out how to make tweaks or hit the "reset" button when something isn t going as planned. Things may not always go perfectly your first year, but the practical advice in this book will help you stay motivated on the path to success!

Reading, Writing, and Talk: Inclusive Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners, K-2


Mariana Souto-Manning - 2016
    Readers are invited into classrooms where racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse children's experiences, unique strengths, and expertise are supported and valued. Chapters focus on oral language, reading, and writing development and include diverse possibilities for culturally relevant and inclusive teaching. Featured teaching strategies foster academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness--leading students to read their worlds and question educational and societal inequities.Early childhood teachers will find this book invaluable as they consider effective ways to teach diverse children. The hands-on examples and strategies portrayed will help educators expand their thinking and repertoires regarding what is possible--and needed--in the language and literacy education curriculum. Unique in its focus on equitable, fully inclusive, and culturally relevant language and literacy teaching, this important book will help K-2 teachers (re)think and (re)conceptualize their own practices.Book Features: Showcases culturally relevant and inclusive ways of teaching reading and writing in the early childhood classroom. Uses vivid classroom examples to show how teachers and students build on diversities as strengths, fostering educational success. Includes the voices of teachers who employ theoretically informed and equitable language and literacy teaching practices in their own K-2 classrooms.

Get Ready for School: Pre-K


Heather Stella - 2016
    Created by a teacher for parents to explore with their kids, Get Ready for School: Pre-K -- complete with an answer key and frameable achievement certificates -- makes learning fun and rewarding while boosting self-confidence and a love of learning.

Daniel & Erik’s Super Fab Ultimate Wedding Checklist


K.E. Belledonne - 2016
    Will Daniel’s groomzilla ways give them the wedding of their dreams, or ultimately lead to their relationship’s demise?

Every Young Child a Reader: Using Marie Clay's Key Concepts for Classroom Instruction


Sharan A. Gibson - 2016
    Clays theories have created literacy success for more than 2 million struggling first-grade readers in the United States and internationally through the Reading Recovery program. This practical volume gives primary grade teachers specific suggestions for using these principles and includes rich, robust instructional examples to ensure that all children meet new and rigorous standards in all facets of literacy learning. Replete with explicit depictions of classroom practice, the book addresses the critical aspects of K2 literacy instruction.

The Power of Our Words for Middle School: Teacher Language That Helps Students Learn


Responsive Classroom - 2016
    You'll gain practical information about the key types of positive teacher language, including: envisioning language; reinforcing language; reminding language; redirecting language; open-ended questions. Book features: guidelines for using each type of language; practical tips to strengthen your use of language; numerous examples to use as models; charts to help you track your progress.

Restore the Respect: How to Mediate School Conflicts and Keep Students Learning


Ondine Gross - 2016
    When teacher-student conflicts occur, the negative effects can be long-lasting without a safe and structured way to repair the relationship.This reader-friendly guidebook has a concrete, evidence-based solution: an easy and effective 50-minute mediation technique for teachers and students in Grades K-12. School psychologist Ondine Gross guides you through the whole process of starting a teacher-student mediation program, conducting successful mediations, and collecting and monitoring data to determine the effectiveness of the program. You'll also learn how to use the technique to mediate conflicts between students and between adults in schools, including staff members and parents. Highly successful as a Tier II intervention, this common-sense solution will help your school leave ineffective discipline techniques behind—and embrace more supportive approaches that model social and problem solving skills, reduce suspensions, and keep students learning.WHY MEDIATION?Reduces disciplinary actions—82% of students who participated in mediation had no further disciplinary referrals from that teacher*Removes or reduces obstacles to student learning and achievementGives teachers insights into student stressors so they can develop positive solutionsStrengthens and repairs relationships among all members of a school community: teachers, students, staff members, and parentsBoosts teacher moraleEnhances social-emotional learningBuilds trust and promotes an environment of caring and respect among people of different backgroundsFits perfectly within response to intervention and systems of schoolwide positive behavior support frameworksWorks in any school—embed it as a Tier II intervention in your multitiered system of supports or use it as a standalone strategy*Statistic derived from average of three years of data from the author's schoolPRACTICAL MATERIALS: Compelling case stories; candid feedback from teachers, students and administrators; sample mediation dialogue; step-by-step mediation training and practice scenarios; an intervention tracking tool; and a "mediation toolbox" of handouts and forms.

27 Magic Words


Sharelle Byars Moranville - 2016
    If she says "Avanti!" she can see them. Now that her life is being turned upside down again, she will need the magic words her mother left behind more than ever. Instead of living with wealthy Grandmamma in Paris, Kobi and her sister will temporarily stay in Des Moines, Iowa. There, the girls will, as Uncle Wim puts it, "live like normal kids for a change." To fit in at her new school Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her.In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.

Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation [with REVEL Access Code]


Sue Bredekamp - 2016
    

Lesson Plans


Holly Pepe - 2016
    James is a special education instructor with a lackadaisical work ethic and questionable classroom methods that make him quite popular with the students. When the two are unhappily paired up for "team teaching" in September, it's unsurprisingly disastrous from the start. To make matters worse, there are a couple of students who are eager to give them a run for their money. We can't help but wonder if they'll survive the school year, or each other!Despite their rocky start, James and Maureen form an unlikely friendship. However, long kept secrets and personal demons threaten to derail their budding relationship, and it all comes down to whether or not they can overcome them together.

Excellent Books for Early and Eager Readers


Kathleen T. Isaacs - 2016
    Eager readers are often interested in ideas and topics that seem advanced, but situations and subjects that sixth graders can handle with aplomb may be emotionally confusing for a younger child. Early and eager readers deserve stories they can get into, information that's challenging and up-to-date, and ideas that are new and stimulating, all while remaining age appropriate. Here, children's lit expert Isaacs offers 300 book recommendations for early able readers ages 4–10, honing in on writing that will challenge but not frustrate young readers. Assisting librarians, teachers, and caregivers, this resourceprovides recommended titles both old and new in a multitude of genres, including short stories, mystery, fantasy, adventure, picture books, poetry, historical fiction, classics, biography, folklore, mythology, fairy tales, animal fantasy, and nonfiction;offers guidance on steering kids towards the best books for their age;points to resources for finding quality books; andincludes an extensive index for locating titles, authors, and themes quickly.Isaacs' experienced guidance will help adults encourage children who love to read … to read even more!