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The Obstacle is the Way By Ryan Holiday 

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The Obstacle is the Way By Ryan Holiday 

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The book I read "The Obstacle is the Way," the timeless art of turning trials into triumphs by Ryan Holiday will help me understand the many difficulties in teaching that I can turn into positives. The book teaches us how to deal with life's adversities and turn situations around in order to keep pushing forward in life. Overall I read this book to learn how to be more positive in the moment, something that will benefit my students and football players greatly. The many lessons of Marcus Aurelius seek to summon the best versions of ourselves. One of the biggest takeaways of this book is really honing in on controlling the controllable. My attitude, perspective, and in general listening skills can all me controlled by me. These three concepts can make for a better classroom environment by being positive, understanding the students' perspective, and improving my listening skills to better attend to their individual needs.

Matt Kostelnik ALHS

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In reviewing previous posts of other book synopsis on this board I notice the common theme of connecting with students.  Brene Brown's Atlas of the Heart provides insight and understanding of the many varied complex emotions we feel. With this awareness readers will hopefully have more self empathy and compassion for others. Brown shares "So often, when we feel lost, adrift in our lives, our first instinct is to look out into the distance to find the neatest shore. But that shore, that solid ground is within us. The anchor we are searching for is connection, and it is internal. To form meaningful connection with others, we must first connect with ourselves, but to do either, we must first establish a common understanding of the language of emotion and human experience." While we do have a common human experience it is noted we experience emotions differently based on our own bodies, life experiences, individual habits and contexts. My biggest take away is awareness of near enemies, "near enemies may seem like the qualities that we believe are important, and may even be mistaken for them, but they are different and often undermine out practices...On the surface, the near enemies of emotions or experiences look and even feel like connection, but ultimately they drive us to be disconnected from ourselves and from each other. Without awareness, near enemies become the practices that fuel separation." Brown provides a framework of near enemies in different contexts but to summarize in conversations that the listener thinks they are helping but are actually practicing a near enemy, the sharer ends up not feeling heard or understood. Often times our reactions to the sharer are to align with our own experience or we are quick to react with it's ok, give unwanted advice or just dismiss the sharer. She recommends the idea of "walking alongside." On pg. 267 there is a powerful cartoon that illustrates how the listener thinks they are connecting with the sharer but the sharer ends up feeling frustrated, unheard, and misunderstood. In conclusion, I am reminded that when students share they are being vulnerable and are looking for connection, to honor this with genuine, non-judgmental listening and follow up questions to connect.
Amy Swislocki, Troy

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Conquering Dyslexia, A Guide to Early Detection and Prevention for Teachers and Families

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Conquering Dyslexia, A Guide to Early Detection and Prevention for Teachers and Families

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Throughout my teaching career, I have always been interested in learning about dyslexia and how to help our students.  I wanted to read this book to expand my knowledge and learn more about dyslexia and the dyslexic student.   The book, "Conquering Dyslexia", is an excellent overview for teachers starting the profession or as a review for veteran teachers.    It helps teachers and parents understand the dyslexic student and  the necessary components needed to help this type of learner succeed in the classroom.  Through different examples and resources shared, teachers and parents can help advocate and instruct students.   I particularly liked the fact that in this book, the author affirms the fact that systematic instruction is essential to the success of the dyslexic individual.  Basically, slow down!  Build on skills to help our students and be sure to incorporate phonological and phonemic awareness in our instruction.   Take time to show the children how it is we read rather than just expect them to know how to read and then make sure to teach them the purpose- the "why".   After all, don't we do this in math?  We break down skills and then explain the process.  We focus mostly on process- not the end product.  It is our time now to do this in our reading instruction and let all of our learners shine!   Read this book, whether young or a veteran- it affirms and informs.  Very well worth the read.
Brenda Jones, Erieview

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The Writing Revolution by Hochman and Wexler

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The Writing Revolution by Hochman and Wexler

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This is a very interesting book with some really practical suggestions for how to help students improve their writing and become better thinkers. One of the more practical suggestions is the "Because, But, So" questions. These help students shape their understanding, along with making logical arguments. There's also quite a bit about sentence combining, which helps students increase the fluency of their writing. Overall, this is a nice book with actual practical suggestions/activities that any teacher that teaches writing could use.
-Jeff Stratton, ALHS

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I read this book in one sitting and was engaged throughout the entire book.  I agree with Jennifer that we "can't give away what we haven't received" that Jody repeated numerous times. I never really thought about the fact that kids can't do something that they haven't experienced in the way we as educators might want them to react. It was also a helpful reminded to remember to  model behaviors we want the kids to implement as well. I really, really liked Jody's theory that kids can't change or learn until them are ready to learn and that when someone is upset that is not the optimal learning time. I loved when she said that no one has "calmed down" just because someone told them to calm down!  Her quote "Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent that the one derived from fear of punishment" Wow. what a mantra to start a new school year with.  I'm hoping to use her 6 practices this year as well. Basically these 6 practices ask us to look for the joy and positivity in our lives and those that surround us. I think that's a pretty good way to approach life.

Patty Forte, Erieview

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STEM Education: Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs

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STEM Education: Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs

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I read this book to get ideas to inspire my students with disabilities.  The book is organized into chapters covering different disabilities ranging from learning disabled to visual and hearing impaired students.  I think the book does a good job of making a case that students with disabilities have traditionally been left out of upper level STEM classes.  I teach a mixture of upper and lower level classes so I found it very useful to see the strategies that have been proven to be useful for different disabilities specifically within the STEM classroom.  I look forward to trying out these strategies this coming school year.
- Caleb Reutter, ALHS

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Habits of a Successful Band Director by Scott Rush

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Habits of a Successful Band Director by Scott Rush

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Has been an OUTSTANDING book for my subject. It has taken the busy schedule of a Band Director and put it in to one resource. I have read this several times and I can never put it down!

Scott addresses many topics that are not commonly discussed and truly helps Band Directors at every level of their career to be precise, successful, and as stress free as possible!

Every Band Director should give their student teacher this book!

-Josh Brunger, ALHS

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Habits of a Successful Band Director: Pitfalls and Solutions - Revised edition

Habits of a Successful Band Director: Pitfalls and Solutions - Revised edition

© 2006 GIA.

Description:

"Habits of a Successful Band Director by Scott Rush will be a tremendous addition to the standard material currently being used in instrumental methods classes. It will provide a much needed practicality for all prospective instrumental teachers."
-Ray Cramer
President, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic

In Habits of a Successful Band Director,Scott Rush provides:

A how-to book for young teachers

A supplement for college methods classes

A common-sense approach to everyday problems band directors face

Sequential models for instruction that are narrow in scope

Solutions, in the form of information and probing questions, that allow assessment of a classroom situation

Valuable information in a new format and references to other helpful publications

A contemporary text for all band directors

Some of the topics covered in the ten chapters include: classroom organization and management, working with parents and colleagues, the importance of the warm-up, rehearsal strategies, selecting high-quality literature, and student leadership. The appendices provide valuable outlines and reproducible forms such as medical releases and pitch tendency charts.

This is an accessible resource you'll want to turn to again and again! This book, which quickly became a classic, is newly revised and reissued by GIA.

Scott Rush is the Director of Fine and Performing Arts in Dorchester School District Two in South Carolina.

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habits of a successful band director: pitfalls and solutions - revised edition

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Habits of a Successful Band Director: Pitfalls and Solutions - Revised edition

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Habits of a Successful Band Director: Pitfalls and Solutions - Revised edition © 2006 GIA. Description: "Habits of a Successful Band Director by Scott Rush will be a tremendous addition to the standard material currently being used in instrumental methods classes. It will provide a much needed practicality for all prospective instrumental teachers."

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I read the book "Kids These Days" by Jody Carrington, Ph.D.  The focus of her book is the importance of (re)connecting with the kids we teach and that without connection kids are less likely to learn from us.  She goes on to explain ways to connect with different kinds of kids - the challenging ones, and the ones with difficult pasts.  Throughout the book she used the quote, "You can't give away something you never received."  I thought it was a good way to remember that the kids in our care don't know what hasn't been modeled for them or taught, and can be helpful in thinking about why kids react the way they do and how they may need help regulating their emotions.  She also wrote how behaviorism isn't the way to get kids to change their ways but that everything comes down to connections.
Many of her ideas I implement in my lessons as I teach students to communicate in Spanish.  For example, learning names and finding out what their interests are are all part of how we start to learn the language.  She also reminds of the importance of greeting kids at the door, being excited that they're there, and creating a safe classroom environment.  Her down to earth nature made this an easy read and was a good way to get excited for all the new students we'll meet in a couple weeks!
Jennifer Farney - Learwood/High School

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This summer I read "Atlas of the Heart" by Brene Brown.  This book just happened to be in my TBR pile, so I was happy when I saw it as a PD choice!  The book discusses emotions and feelings people go through when things don't go as planned (boredom, disappointment, regret), etc. While the book is written for adults, I was able to relate some of the topics to elementary students.  For example, how people process and deal with grief. She writes that people need to feel that someone is present in their grief and not trying to tell them there is a silver lining. People going through grief feel lost and need to reorient themselves.  I had a few students dealing with grief this year, and this chapter was reassuring to me that I did handle it correctly and let them know I was there to listen or talk.  The most interesting chapter for me was Places We Go When We Fall Short.  This chapter discussed shame, self-compassion, perfectionism, guilt, humiliation and embarrassment.  I feel as educators we have all felt these emotions at some point whether it is guilt from the classroom or guilt about not being with family, etc.  Don't all teachers have some degree as perfectionism as well? I liked the way Brene described  the difference between humiliation and embarrassment. She also gave a self-compassion inventory website www.self-compassiom.org.  I suggest checking out the site if you are interested in learning your strengths and weaknesses! Overall, this was a great self-help book.
-Heather Contreras, Redwood

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Out Of Sync: Essays on Giftedness by Stephanie Tolan

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Out Of Sync: Essays on Giftedness by Stephanie Tolan

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Gifted students are often the most overlooked and least understood.   Because these students tend to catch on to information quickly, it is easy to move on and not incorporate the rigor that would make learning as meaningful as possible for them.   This book, written as a series of essays, looked at many different aspects of giftedness from the perspective of gifted students, their parents and teachers.   I found it to be very inspiring, and reminded me of the needs of this unique group of students.  What was really great about this is that each chapter looks at different things.   There are chapters on asynchronous development, spirituality,  the differences between the gifted student and her peers, gifted characteristics, giftedness and the preschool student are just some of the variety of topics.   What makes this book so readable is that it written by real people and details their personal experiences.   I recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about this group of students.
--Kristin Castrilla, Learwood

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Middle English Edition by Stephanie S. Tolan (Author)

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Out of Sync: Essays on Giftedness [Stephanie S. Tolan] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Out of Sync: Essays on Giftedness

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Conquering Dyslexia - A Guide to Early Detection and Intervention for Teachers and Families By Jan Hasbrouck, Ph.D.

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Conquering Dyslexia - A Guide to Early Detection and Intervention for Teachers and Families By Jan Hasbrouck, Ph.D.

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Great book for all teachers (not just reading specialists) and parents. Author is a parent  of a child with dyslexia, researcher, and teacher. She identifies what dyslexia is and what it isn't. She tells us what signs to look for and how to diagnose. Finally, we learn how to teach and what to teach. One of the great things that I learned is that we are ALREADY doing most of what we should be doing to help students with dyslexia become successful. I feel this book is a starting point. I found myself goggling and reading several pieces of literature/research that she referenced.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to borrow the book.
--Heidi Kuban, Eastview

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Better Than Carrots Or Sticks: Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey

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Better Than Carrots Or Sticks: Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey

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My biggest take away is that we are always learning and adjusting. We first believed that rewards and punishments work, but according to the book-they don't. The most important thing is to build positive relationships with students. The goal is to recognize patterns of behaviors and facilitate conversations. I really liked the idea of student surveys (I have done them, but really like the example questions from the book). Allowing the students to have a voice and be part of the learning is also key. Studies show that if there is a positive school culture and climate and positive relationships between staff/students/admin are there, the learning will happen.
Beth Moffat-Learwood

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Just finished reading this book by Dr. Jody Carrington. She offers a game plan for (re) connecting  with those we teach, lead and love.
One of the main takeaways from this book is that we cannot tell students to "calm down", we have to show them. In order to show them, we must make a connection with them (know their story). Through this connection, we can show them how to regulate their emotions, and then, and only then, can we teach literacy and numeracy.
Dr. Carrington also discusses the need for educators to stay "lit" and avoid compassion fatigue by creating teams so that we can stay connected and have a safe place.
This is a good read. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to borrow the book.
--Heidi Kuban, Eastview