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Math Science Humanties

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

Build lessons, develop teaching materials, and vary your approach so that all students, regardless of where they are starting from, can learn content effectively, according to their needs.

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How math choice boards can enable new elementary teachers to meet the needs of their individual learners while employing mathematical rigor.

Though remote learning during the pandemic has brought many challenges, some students seem to be thriving in the new circumstances. What can we learn from them?

Support every student by breaking learning up into chunks and providing a concrete structure for each.

Five ways teachers can celebrate and extend the linguistic expertise of young students who speak two or more languages.

Every teacher already has the tools to differentiate in powerful ways for all learners.

Teachers can use artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to generate rich math tasks and differentiate instruction.

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Build lessons, develop teaching materials, and vary your approach so that all students, regardless of where they are starting from, can learn content effectively, according to their needs.

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A Reading List for Differentiated Instruction

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A Reading List for Differentiated Instruction

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One of the many hopes that we as educators have for our students is that they become lifelong learners. We want them to explore their passions, which in time might turn into career opportunities. Through conversations, books, and media, we plant ideas that may someday grow into something useful in a student's life journey.

I often refer to the stories told by Steve Jobs in his 2005 commencement speech to Stanford University graduates as an example of a lifelong learning journey. Jobs discussed how following his "curiosity and intuition" led to "connecting the dots" of self-exploration, which led to professional opportunities and success.

Jobs's words in that speech inspired over 27 million views. Through practicing lifelong learning, we can connect the dots with learners and model how they can accomplish much by following their curiosity and intuition.

Meeting the needs of all learners does not have to be difficult. Any instructional practice or system we explore that attends to student voice and agency can be personalized to individuals and groups-which is differentiation. I've written a book on differentiation, So All Can Learn, but you can get ideas on the topic from all sorts of sources. To that end, here are readings that encourage reflection and conversation about effective practices that we might include in our toolbox.

"Free Is Good"
This article by Bethany Rayl is packed with ideas for accessing open educational resources (OER). Use it to differentiate by flipping its ideas and showing students how they can revise, remix, and redistribute content, sharing their voice with a public audience. Use the wealth of materials to personalize activities for individuals or groups in order to meet the needs of your learners.

Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
This classic book by Ceri B. Dean, Elizabeth Ross Hubbell, Howard Pitler, and Bj Stone covers nine practices that can provide high yields in learning. All of them can be differentiated by simply giving students options so they can make their own choices. Here are examples for differentiating each practice.

Developing Natural Curiosity Through Project-Based Learning: Five Strategies for the PreK-3 Classroom
With this book by Dayna Laur and Jill Ackers, explore how young kids can do project-based learning (PBL) with strong authentic experiences beyond the traditional classroom. For example, the authors' take on unpacking standards into powerful learning experiences is gold. Relating curriculum to students' lives leads to differentiation connections by fostering voice and choice-key elements in PBL-and helps learners see relevance and purpose in assignments.

The Space: A Guide for Educators
Rethinking and reimagining classroom space setups can develop a culture of learning if we include students in the shaping of the environment. Student voice is a powerful differentiation tool. This accessible book by Rebecca Hare and Robert Dillon provides a thoughtful way to rethink classroom space based on what students determine is valuable to their learning experiences.

Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools
Be prepared to be challenged by what students need versus what is comfortable for adults. The ideas in this book by Ron Ritchhart, backed by powerful examples, will challenge most educators about what we know is best for students, and our perceptions of what can be done. If you believe that students should be at the center of all decisions, use this book to become an innovator of a can-do philosophy.

Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn
This treasure trove of research-backed ideas by John Hattie and Gregory Yates will challenge cherished practices and inspire permission to expand one's teacher toolbox to meet each student's needs. The chapter "The Role of Feedback" alone makes this book a necessary read if we are to help all students achieve.

Breathing In, Breathing Out: Keeping a Writer's Notebook
Joy Write: Cultivating High-Impact, Low-Stakes Writing
What a Writer Needs
Ralph Fletcher is an essential mentor for all who teach writing. It's hard to choose just one of his books, so here are three that help teachers understand the perspective of students, who typically do not view themselves as writers. Teachers can address the needs of diverse learners by using Fletcher's concrete ways to transform fearful students into confident writers.

As Yoda says, "Do. Or do not. There is no try." Being a lifelong learner requires perseverance and a willingness to be vulnerable with oneself. Choose a couple of these suggested readings. Find affirmation of what you already know is important, and explore ideas that might shift your thinking. Reflect with honest self-assessment on the weaknesses in your practice-we all have them. No apologies need be offered for being a flawed human being. So long as we strive and struggle to become better than our past self, there is renewed hope.

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A Reading List for Differentiated Instruction

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One of the many hopes that we as educators have for our students is that they become lifelong learners. We want them to explore their passions, which in time might turn into career opportunities. Through conversations, books, and media, we plant ideas that may someday grow into something useful in a student's life journey.

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Gifted Education and Gifted Students: A Guide for Inservice and Preservice Teachers (Book)

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Gifted Education and Gifted Students: A Guide for Inservice and Preservice Teachers (Book)

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by Kelly C. Margot & Jacque Melin

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Gifted Education and Gifted Students: A Guide for Inservice and Preservice Teachers

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Tough Teaching Interview Questions - How to Overcome Them

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Tough Teaching Interview Questions - How to Overcome Them

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Don't kid yourself - in teacher job interviews, interviewers will try their best to detect problems or limitations in your skills. These deficits may affect how you will perform as a teacher.

For example, if you had a two-year gap in employment on your resume, many would consider it a problem or 'red flag.' Do you have a good reason for it?

Do you know how to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself"? Open-ended questions such as this are difficult to answer, and many candidates respond by rambling. Knowing how to respond to difficult interview questions is critical to securing a job offer.

Here Are a Just a Few Difficult Teaching Interview Questions and Answers
Problem interview questions that may be asked include:
Understand that interviewers are more likely to hire someone who presents him/herself well, over a candidate with extensive credentials. The safest way to answer these questions is to emphasize your strongest personal strengths, and back them up with examples that demonstrate your value to the school district.

There are many difficult questions that will be asked during the interview. Many interviews last 45 minutes or longer, so you must be prepared for a variety of interview questions. Recognizing that situations for every candidate may vary, the responses to each question will serve to provide you with some general guidelines. It is extremely important to conduct extensive research on the district or school's needs in order to respond to these tough teacher interview questions thoroughly and competently.

Describe your philosophy of discipline.

This philosophy is based not only on discipline, but the underlying topics that are concerned with it as well - morals, ethics, values, personal responsibility, and so forth. Though families should serve as the primary resource for instructing children about these concepts, some fail to do so or do not set a good example; thus leaving it up to formal educators to take the lead and help develop our leaders of tomorrow.

Discipline in a classroom should be fair and consistent. Students must know the rules and procedures right from day one and understand the resulting consequences for obeying and breaking the rules. The classroom must be managed in an orderly fashion, where students are able to maintain maximum focus, productivity, and learning. Discipline does not solely rest on the individual, but is also influenced by the class as a whole, as well as the atmosphere of the learning environment.

Teachers should exhibit good morals and values, display proper manners, teach right from wrong, mediate peer conflicts, employ effective and impartial listening, and show support for students and colleagues. Teachers should also emphasize following the Golden Rule, promote tolerance and compassion, and strive to help each student reach his/her full potential via strong discipline and focus.

Furthermore, it is a good idea that instructors maintain communication with parents and really encourage parental involvement within the school community, as well as promoting education in the home. If parents are more aware of what their children are learning in school and what type of behavior they should observe in the home, they are far more likely to set a good example for their children and reinforce the need to gain a solid education and develop into respectable, caring, and productive members of society.

What types of manipulatives do you use? How do they positively impact the classroom and help students?

Your answer to this question should point out at what level you use manipulatives and which manipulatives you use. You should talk about the ones you use most frequently and also about the results you obtained.

Here's a response example that you could adapt during the interview to your own experience:

"Manipulative elements always enhance student learning as they provide excellent tools for creating and supporting "learning by doing." I believe that manipulatives promote the retention of concepts and information over time, as well as motivate students to participate in lessons.

Computers are great for getting students involved in learning. Computer programs are manipulative in the sense that students can participate in activities that would be impossible in the classroom, such as searching the world to find Carmen San Diego, learning geography along the way. Other computer programs provide beautiful graphics that promote learning science and math. In addition, computers simplify writing by making writing and editing easier and faster. Another terrific technology is CDs. There are wonderful programs on CD that teach fractions, for example, with explicit graphics that help students understand sometimes difficult concepts.

Besides computers, I use math manipulatives constantly. Teaching math by rote does not promote understanding of mathematical concepts. I use Cuisenaire rods to teach addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The more the children use the rods to work out problems, the more they create a conceptual understanding of these processes, instead of just learning rote math facts. I also use manipulatives to teach fractions, measurement, and telling time.

There are so many to mention, but I'll finish quickly by saying that games, puzzles, and projects, such as history dioramas and murals, are great for motivating children to learn.

How do you handle classroom discipline?

For obvious reasons everyone will have a different answer; it will depend on your teaching style, grade interviewing for, and past experiences. The interviewer will be looking to see if you have a plan, you know how to implement it, and if you think that discipline is an important part of the position. What I have found from coaching clients is they fail to provide a clear action plan that can be backed up with examples. Also it is important to find out what is the philosophy of the school or district, this will give you some additional information. A few things to bring up when answering this question is the following:

It is essential to develop ground rules the first week of class, this allows the students to understand what is and isn't acceptable behavior. These rules are discussed and agreed upon with the students, this makes the students accountable and responsible. You may want to touch on your philosophy of classroom discipline. This of course would depend on your style; you will have to be honest with yourself. But you may believe that you reduce negative behavior by offering the students a intellectually stimulating, organized, and respectful environment.

You will want to get an example of your plan; use a real situation to show your expertise in this very critical area. Whether you use the red light/green light, time-outs, or removing the student from the classroom, it is vital that you can back up why it is effective and use examples. You will want to explain why you feel the discipline action is effective and why you enjoy using it.

It is also important to indicate there are always two sides to every story, so if the action involves discipline of two students, you must listen to both sides. Indicate that you try to get the students to resolve their own disagreements, which may involve compromise. And end the discussion by asking them, "How will you handle the situation next time?"

Again, you must be honest when answering this question or any other question during the interview, but by organizing your thoughts and stories will make your response concise, truthful, and show your skills to the district.
Let's imagine an interview for a grade one teaching position wherein the interviewer asks: "Describe your classroom's physical appearance." Having prepared ahead of time, you understand the interviewer[s] attempt to determine:
*Your teaching style,* Your ability to effectively manage the class, * The level and quality of student interaction, * Your teaching philosophy,

Within this context, you might respond: "Upon entering my classroom you will find a lively and colorful room completely centered upon children and active learning. Sight words, the alphabet, numbers, and inspirational quotes cover the walls while large bulletin boards proudly display student's work. A large area contains a carpeted reading or group corner specifically for storytelling, show-and-tell, weather discussions and calendar and day-of-the-week conversations. This classroom includes an abundance of age appropriate reading materials and student mailboxes where children place personal journals, home reading books and workbooks in the morning and then collect newsletters or other parent communication at the end of the day."

NOTE: Presenting floor plans successfully used in the past demonstrates strong organization, preparation and classroom management skills. Indicate various potential seating plans used throughout the year and offer pictures of your old classrooms as a way means to provide the principal and interviewing board a first-hand view of your potential classroom. As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Remember, each person's answer will vary depending upon teaching style and philosophy. The district representatives will look to see if your style is compatible with their needs. Thoroughly researching each specific district needs will allow you to tailor your answers which is the key to a successful interview.

In what ways do you help special needs students?

The interviewers want to appraise your general knowledge, as well as expertise, in addressing students with special needs. As "special needs" may refer to many different things, such as paying attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, physical ailments, learning difficulties, or lower I.Q., you should be prepared with a few ideas for each.

Consider a response like this:

In my experience, I have been the teacher of a child who was a slower learner than others. After learning about his difficulty, I kept in mind that learning begins where the child is, not where I set the bar. So, I used interventions to help him.

I remember I gave him extra time to complete his work. I helped him learn self-monitoring skills and I observed that daily assignment sheets really helped him. I gave him extra time to think before answering questions and, sometimes, prompted him. Finally, I asked for more family engagement and had regular meetings with his mother to discuss his progress and the areas that still needed improvement.

What are your thoughts on team-teaching?

I am sure many of you have participated in team-teaching and realize the benefits of this strategy. The interviewer who asks this question wants to discover, if you are flexible, enjoy working in a team environment, have experience in this area, and what your viewpoints are on the subject.

It is always wise to speak about some of the positive aspects of team-teaching, such as:

It is an effective strategy for teaching large groups of students. It is a method for teachers to collaborate in generating ideas ... two heads is always better than one! Talk about team-teaching experiences you have had, and the positive results that transpired.

If you haven't had any hands-on experience, you may explain that you enjoy working in a team setting and are excited about the possibility of participating in this approach. OR, maybe you have done some reading on the subject and can share some of the insights you gained with the interviewer ... this will definitely be impressive!

Do you have any questions for us?

An interview isn't just about responding to the prospective employer's questions; it is an opportunity for you to impress the panel with examples of your foresight regarding the position they are offering. By asking questions, you can also determine if the job is a good fit, it also shows your interest in the position, and helps to develop rapport. If you feel comfortable, and the interviewer seems amenable, you may ask questions at appropriate times throughout the interview. Once you have been in the interview for a few minutes, you will start to get a feel for your comfort level in this regard. If you don't ask questions during the interview, you will most likely be given the chance to do so at the end of the interview. So be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity!

So what questions should you ask? First, only ask questions you can't get answers to through your research, for example, by investigating, you may easily determine how many students attend the school -- so, think of a different question to ask. Be sure you think carefully about what questions you would like answered, make them genuine, and recognize that it is always advantageous to ask questions. Remember, don't try to dominate the interview with your questions, keep in mind your position as the interviewee. A good idea is to practice asking the questions you created in front of a mirror the day before the interview. Write your questions down on a professional pad of paper or an index card and bring them to the interview.

Some suggestions of appropriate questions are provided here ... ask them only if they are not addressed in the interview and if you don't have access to the answers. If the questions are structured correctly, you will provide yourself with a further opportunity to sell yourself, for example; "I am very interested in team sports, what extracurricular activities are available for teacher participation?" What does this show the interviewer? You are a team player and are willing to participate in extra-curricular activities.

Other potential questions are:

I have always been successful with getting parents involved in the classroom, how active are parents at this school or within the district?

I am well-versed at integrating computer technology into the classroom, what kind of resources does the school have available?

Do teachers work in teams? If so, how is this organized?

I consider myself a life-long learner, what professional development opportunities will be available?

What is the student/teacher ratio?

I have been instrumental in developing new programs in previous positions I have held. Will the school be implementing any new programs this year, or require input to develop programs already in place?

Will the school be addressing any major issues this year?

If you are new to the industry you may ask, "Is there is a mentor teacher program available?"

When do you hope to reach a decision as to who the successful candidate will be, or what is the next step in the hiring proccess?

The Main Steps Involved in Answering Teacher Interview Questions

Provide the Interviewer With the Information They Want

Answer the question. Especially when you are nervous, it is easy to go off on a tangent and not provide a direct answer to the questions posed. A good practice is to echo the interviewer's question. Here is an example:

Interviewer: Why did you pursue a career in sales prior to teaching?

Answer: I worked for 5 five years in educational publishing sales prior to teaching because...

Understand what the interviewer wants to find out. They may be wondering if you are dependable, able to handle a classroom, or if you are a team player and honest in your dealings with others. It will be frustrating for an interviewer if they have to repeat questions in different ways to get a complete answer.

There are many ways to prepare to answer different types of interview questions.

Ask other teachers who have been interviewed in the same school district, and ideally the same school and by the same person, what questions they were asked.

Review the district and school websites and find out what is important to them. What is their teaching philosophy? What lesson programs, tools and apps do they use?

Work with a teacher interview coach who has interviewed many teachers. She will have the pulse as to what questions teachers are being asked in recent interviews.

Ensure the answers are targeted towards your teaching position, whether it be elementary school teacher, math teacher, music teacher, and so on. While there will be some commonality across questions, very different demands and questions will be asked of these positions.

(Here's a tough education interview question you may not have come across yet, and the answer: Can a school be too student-centered? How would you tackle this question?)

Be Brief and Concise

Don't give too much information. Talking when you have nothing more to add can dilute the key points you are trying to make. Present the answer in a concise manner and a way that is to your 'best' advantage.

Think before you respond. Get in the habit of organizing your answers.

Use Transition Words

Transition words and phrases will help you lead the listener from point to point. Importantly, you will come across as a more intelligent and articulate speaker. Here are some examples.

Sequence

First, second, third...

Main point, then, next, finally...

Cause and Effect

I implemented a new math app. As a result, grades increased by...

Locate a list of transition words and phrases (many good lists by function can be found on the internet). Start using transition words in your practice sessions.

Use a Formula to Answer Questions

This is one of the most powerful tools to providing well thought out, logical answers in a teacher interview. If you are asked a question related to how you resolve problems, here is a standard formula:

State the problem.
I took over a grade 3 class whose overall reading grades had fallen after the transition to an inclusive classroom model.
Describe how you solved the problem.
I took a three-step approach to improving reading literacy. First, I switched to a more engaging textbook with more pictures and interactive exercises. Second, I implemented a peer-to-peer reading circle, in which students tested each other on reading comprehension. Third, I brought real world examples into the classroom through the media and internet.
Mention any quantitative and qualitative benefits that have arisen as a result of your solving the problem.
As a result of my reading intervention, class grades increased 10 percent in the first semester. Student participation increased 15 percent.
Use Paragraph Structure

A paragraph starts with a topic or umbrella sentence. It then moves from the general to the specific. Framing your answers with an umbrella statement will help keep you from rambling or straying too far from the main topic.

The above techniques are particularly useful when answering behavioral interview questions. Now used in most teacher interviews, behavioral questions ask you to describe how you dealt with past experiences such as potential conflict and other challenging situations. Reviewing secrets behind the use of behavioral interviews used by many districts will be a constructive investment of your interview preparation time.

Present Relevant Skills and Examples

Back up your response to questions with evidence. Types of evidence include skills, examples and quantitative and qualitative outcomes.

"Tell me about yourself" is the open ended question many teaching job candidates fear. One way to answer this question is by discussing your skills and attributes. Rather than throwing out skills in no logical fashion, try to organize your answer.

Remember to move from the general to the specific. You may first want to discuss general teaching skills, then class behavioral management and engagements skills, then math skills, and so on. You do want to avoid jumbling all these skills together and having your answers look like a scrabble board.

Use examples. When you are lost for words, coming up with an example is a useful technique. Let's say, the interview asks you: "How would you respond to a student who continues to ask questions on a math problem all of the other students have mastered?" Your first response may be to limit your answer to how you personally respond. Visualize this scenario in your classroom. Then you may explain how you use teacher assistant-led breakout sessions at the back of the class to provide independent instruction.

This is just a sample of the many types of questions you may ask in an interview. Be sure you don't overwhelm the interviewer with questions ... three or four questions is usually sufficient.

Furthermore, it is important to be honest when answering all questions during the interview, by organizing your thoughts in advance will serve you in delivering truthful and concise responses, while illustrating your skills and compatibility to the district.

Knowing common teacher interview questions and answers can also be pretty helpful as you can well image. We have created two ebooks to do just that, the first is A+ Teachers' Interview Edge and the second is A+ Principals' Interview Edge .

Many teachers contact a career coach because they feel unprepared. If you feel anxious, nervous or overwhelmed, practice will build your confidence and calm your nerves. If you have had some negative experiences, you may enter the teacher interview with negative thoughts. This negativity can be picked up in many different ways during the interview.

Learn more about Candace Alstad-Davies by reviewing my about me page. From that page, you can review testimonials and frequently asked questions.

Have questions, please connect by sending an email to Candace or call toll-free at 1 877 738-8052. I would enjoy chatting with you.

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Tough Teaching Interview Questions | A+ Resumes for Teachers

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Don't kid yourself - in teacher job interviews, interviewers will try their best to detect problems or limitations in your skills. These deficits may affect how you will perform as a teacher. For example, if you had a two-year gap in employment on your resume, many would consider it a problem or 'red flag.'

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18 Interview Questions Every Teacher Must Be Able to Answer

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18 Interview Questions Every Teacher Must Be Able to Answer

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Getting ready to interview for a new teaching job? You're probably excited but also nervous. The best way to overcome those nerves is to prepare in advance. Take a look at this list of the most common teacher interview questions and answers. Practice your responses, and you'll feel much more confident when you walk through that door.

Remember, though, that interviews are a two-way street. Impressing your interviewers is important, of course. But so is finding out if this school is a place where you'll truly thrive. That's why in addition to the most common teacher interview questions and answers, we've also included five questions you should consider asking when the opportunity arises. Make your interview time count for everyone involved!

Most Common Teacher Interview Questions and Answers

1. Why did you decide to become a teacher?

It seems like a trite softball question, but don't let that fool you. Most administrators are looking for something more than "I've just always loved kids." If you don't have a substantive answer, then why are you even applying? Schools want to know you are dedicated to enriching the lives of students. Answer honestly with anecdotes or examples that paint a clear picture of the journey that you took to become a teacher.

2. How do you cope with stress?

This one didn't always appear on older lists of common teacher interview questions and answers, but it's showing up now big time. School administrators are well aware of the toll teaching in today's world takes on educators' mental health and wellness. While they, hopefully, are taking steps to help their teachers deal with the stress and challenges of the job, they want to know if you have coping strategies in place. This is a great place to talk about hobbies, family/friends, and anything else outside the job that you turn to when things get tough. It's important to note that this is also a great opportunity for you to ask the interviewer what steps their district has taken to prioritize teacher health and wellness.

3. What is your teaching philosophy?

This is one of the most common, as well as one of the trickiest, teacher interview questions. Don't answer with a clichéd, generic response. In fact, your response is your teaching mission statement. It's the answer to why you're a teacher. It's helpful if you write out your mission statement before the interview and practice reciting it. Discussing your teaching philosophy is a chance to show off why you're passionate, what you want to accomplish, and how you are going to apply it in this new position, in a new classroom, at a new school.

4. How do you incorporate social-emotional learning in your lessons?

Many states and districts have added requirements for social-emotional learning into their standards. Explain how you will not only tend to the academic needs of your students but tie in lessons that satisfy the core SEL competencies. Describe how you will help students build their self- and social-awareness skills, how you will support them in building relationships, and how you will give them the skills to make responsible decisions.

5. How do you use technology in the classroom?

Technology is at the forefront of education, so your interview is the time to show off that you're savvy. Talk about why you're excited to use technology with students. How did you manage remote classrooms and engage students? What technology did you incorporate and use while teaching at home and in the classroom? Your administration needs teachers who are tech-savvy and have innovative thinking around technology.

6. Describe your classroom management structure.

If you're a veteran teacher, discuss how you handled your classroom in the past. Give specific examples of things that worked the best and why. If you're new, then explain what you learned as a student teacher and how you'll map out a plan to run your first classroom. No matter how long you've been teaching, familiarize yourself with the school district's philosophies on classroom management and discipline. Mention how you'll incorporate their philosophy and stay true to your own. If you're unable to find out much about the school's policies beforehand, ask the interviewer to explain.

7. How do you feel about classroom observations and walk-throughs?

This one sounds simple, but be careful. It's fine to say observations make you nervous, but most administrators want teachers who are comfortable with other adults seeing what goes on in their classroom. This is a great chance to talk about how exciting you find it to share all the wonderful learning activities that happen in your classroom with students' parents and administration, even if you still get a bit nervous when being observed by other adults.

8. Do you think students are different than they were before COVID-19? What changes have you observed, and how have you dealt with them in your classroom?

While these teacher interview questions have only been asked in more recent years, they're becoming common, so it's important to prepare your answers. They might actually be easier if you're interviewing for your first teaching job. If that's you, feel free to explain that while you don't have a basis for comparison that others might, your classroom management plan is set up with today's kids in mind.

If, however, you're a veteran teacher, take more time to prep for these questions. Many educators have been quite vocal about the negative emotional, behavioral, and mental changes they've noticed in their students post-COVID. If you've had similar experiences, you can be honest about them. But make sure you explain what steps you've taken to address these changes in a proactive and positive way. No school district wants to hire a teacher who is going to throw up their hands and proclaim, "These kids just don't listen anymore!" Let them know you are going to meet your students where they are and help them reach your high standards.

9. What did you like/dislike about working remotely?

If you were working or going to school during the pandemic, you're likely going to be asked about how you dealt with the challenges of working remotely. Be honest. If you hated teaching via Zoom and couldn't wait to get back to in-person instruction, you can say so. You may want to add, however, that you appreciated the opportunity to learn more about how technology could be used to engage different learners. Similarly, if you loved teaching from home, but you're applying for an in-person position, you may want to be clear about the fact that while you loved being able to be at home, you love building relationships with your students in-person more.

10. What impact does trauma have on student learning? How do you address this in your classroom?

Whew, questions like these are tough. As our understanding of the role trauma plays in learning grows, the need for educators to know about it and how to deal with it in their classrooms does as well. If you've received professional development on the topic, this is a perfect opportunity to show off a bit. If not, take some time to learn more about how trauma can affect not only students but the individuals who work with them. That way, you'll feel more comfortable discussing the issue when it comes up.

11. What role do you believe diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives should play in your classroom and in the school?

Questions about DEI initiatives, policies, and mindsets are challenging but have definitely become standard in most teacher interviews. Many school districts want to know that incoming educators are open to having the challenging conversations and doing the difficult work of building anti-racist curriculum and policies. In more traditional districts, interviewers might be on the lookout for teachers whose views might be "too progressive" for the parents in their schools. Answer these questions truthfully. If you feel strongly that anti-racist policies are important and want DEI initiatives to be respected and valued in the district where you work, you should know that before you accept a teaching position.

12. How will you encourage parents to support their children's education?

The home-school connection is imperative yet tough to maintain. Administrators lean on teachers to keep open lines of communication with parents. They even see you as a "publicist" for the school, reinforcing the culture, strengths, and values of the school to parents. So, answer this question with concrete ideas. Share how parents will volunteer in your classroom and how you'll maintain regular contact, providing updates on both positive and negative events. It's great to also share your plan for providing resources to parents when students are struggling.

13. What are some methods you use to check for understanding as you're teaching?

It's one thing to prepare a high-quality lesson plan, but if students are not following along, what's the use? Explain how your instruction will be responsive to students' needs. Will you incorporate tech tools for assessments? Or implement exit slips summarizing what they've learned? Do you have a quick-check method, like thumbs-up/thumbs-down, to quickly scan for understanding?

14. How do you assess students' progress?

Here's your chance to preview your lesson plans and reveal your methods for keeping on top of students' social, academic, and physical development. Explain the types of quizzes you give because you know that they're most telling about students' strengths and weaknesses. Give insight into how you use oral reports, group projects, and seat work to determine who's struggling and who's ahead. And share how you implement open communication with your students to discover what they need to succeed.

15. What are your thoughts about grades?

Grading and assessment are set to become hot topics in education in the next few years. While many feel that we've become lax in grading during the pandemic and want to tighten up traditional grading, others are arguing for drastically changing our grading systems. Regardless of what you believe personally about this issue, it's a good idea to start by knowing how the district you are interviewing in handles grades. You can (and should!) absolutely discuss how you believe standards-based grading to be superior to traditional methods, but make sure you also state that you can and will follow district protocols and believe you can accurately measure student learning in this way.

16. Why do you want to teach at this school?

Research, research, and research more before your interview. Google everything you can about the school. Do they have a theater program? Are the students involved in the community? What type of culture does the principal promote? Use social media to see what the school proudly promoted most recently. Then, ask around. Use your network of colleagues to find out what (current and former) teachers loved and hated about it. The point of all this digging? You need to know if this school is a good fit for you. If it is a good fit, you'll demonstrate how much you want the job by explaining how you would get involved with all the amazing school programs you've heard so much about!

17. What is the greatest challenge facing teachers today?

Remote learning? Hybrid learning? Diversity and inclusion? Social-emotional learning? Engaging parents? The challenges are plenty! Think about your specific school, district, city, and state. What issue is most pressing, and what can you, as a teacher, do to help?

18. How would you handle a parent challenging your teaching methods/curriculum/classroom management?

Even a district that is going to strongly support its teachers against parent complaints may ask how you will handle such conflicts when they arise. This is a great opportunity to discuss how you stay calm in tense situations. Discussing how you prefer to call parents who are upset rather than emailing, or how you would forward particularly angry emails to a supervisor just to keep everyone in the loop, are excellent ways to show that you are a calm and proactive educator.

19. How can you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?

Today's inclusive classrooms require that teachers know how to meet each child's unique educational needs, especially those with disabilities. Perhaps most importantly, meeting the needs of students with IEPs (and 504 plans) is required by law. Districts definitely want to hear that you know that and you will be following those legal requirements. Even if you have not worked extensively with special needs students, educate yourself on the process and be familiar with the lingo. Prepare a couple of examples of ways you can differentiate instruction to support their particular needs.

20. How would you handle a situation in which you believe a student doesn't need all of the accommodations listed in their IEP?

This is a variation of the last question, and it's also a bit of a "gotcha" question. It's important to remember that special education paperwork is legally binding. If an IEP states that a student gets extended time to complete work, preferential seating, or any other specially designed instruction, they have to receive it, or the district has broken the law. An administrator or principal who asks this question wants to know that you are aware of how important following a student's IEP is and that you won't ignore things when you don't think they are needed. Make sure you express that you understand that.

Want to make your answer even stronger? Acknowledge that part of your job as a teacher is to monitor how a student is performing and let the student's case manager (or whoever is writing their IEP) know if you believe they do not need a particular support or if they need more. This way, you demonstrate a strong understanding of how the IEP works and that you play an important role as a member of that students' support team.

21. How will you meet the needs of the students in your class who are advanced or say they're bored?

School leaders don't want to hear canned responses about how you can differentiate; they want you to give some concrete answers and support your ideas. Perhaps you help get kids prepared for scholastic competitions once they've mastered the standard (spelling bee or chemistry olympiad, anyone?). Maybe you offer more advanced poetry schemes for your English classes or alternate problem-solving methods for your math students. Whatever it is, make sure that you express the importance that all students are engaged, even the ones who are already sure to pass the state standardized test.

22. How will you engage reluctant learners?

Teaching in an age when we must compete with TikTok, Snapchat, and other forms of instant entertainment makes this question valid and necessary. How will you keep students engaged? Share specific incentive policies, lessons you've used, or ways you've built relationships to keep students on task. An anecdote of how a past student (remember to protect privacy) that you taught was turned on to your subject because of your influence would also help your credibility here.

23. Describe a troubling student you've taught. What did you do to get through to them?

This question addresses more than just your reluctant learners. This speaks to any discipline measures you've had to address. As a teacher, you need to control the classroom and provide a safe space for all of your students. Think about your approach to troubling students and any successes you've had in the past.

24. Tell us about a mistake you made with a student. What happened, and how did you address it?

This is one of those tough but important teacher interview questions that's more common than you may think. Your interviewer is asking you to be a bit vulnerable here, but be careful with your choice of anecdote. While we've all made mistakes when dealing with students, what you're really looking for is an example where you made a mistake and then addressed it appropriately. Think carefully about a situation in which you didn't handle things as well as you could have, but you got it right in the end. Explain why you handled it the way you did initially, what caused you to reflect and change your mind, and how the situation was resolved.

25. Which activities, clubs, or sports are you willing to sponsor if you are offered a position?

While this expectation may be more real for middle and secondary teachers, being the new kid on the block often comes with a conversion of your title from teacher to coach. If athletics isn't one of your strengths, you can still get an edge on your competition by sponsoring a science club, yearbook, or academic team. You might also share a special skill, like knitting or creative writing, and offer to teach it to interested students.

26. What three words would your peers, administrators, or students use to describe you?

Having been caught off-guard by this prompt at a previous competitive interview, I would encourage you to have some thoughtful options to describe yourself. It's tempting to say things you think your new boss might want to hear, like intelligent or hardworking, but don't discount character traits or terms that paint you as a team player among peers and a role model for students. Some options to consider are empathetic, creative, caring, or cooperative.

27. What do you feel you can contribute to our school's PLC for your subject?

The days of shutting your door to do your own thing are out, and professional learning communities are in! Go in ready to discuss topics such as common planning, benchmarks, and data analysis. This is a key time to highlight your strengths. Whether you shine in making high-level DOK assessment questions or have a plethora of student-centered activities for your subject, let the interviewers know what you have to offer to your prospective peers and what you hope to glean from collaborating with them.

28. Which component of your résumé are you most proud of and why?

Pride may come before a fall, but if asked about your accomplishments, don't be bashful about conveying your worth. Have you won a grant for classroom materials? Share the details and how they helped your students succeed. Did you receive an award for excellence in instruction? Talk about how the application process helped you reflect and grow. If you're a recent graduate, you can still brag on yourself: Describe your student-teaching experience and how it prepared you for opportunities like the job opening you're vying for. Small things, like professional organization memberships, can also help you relay your interest in staying up-to-date on the latest educational research and best professional development.

29. What are you learning right now?

It's no secret that successful teachers pursue professional development opportunities whenever they get the chance. Share a PD book you've been reading, a recent TED talk that inspired you, or something new about your subject matter you've been brushing up on. Show your interviewers that you're engaged in exploring new information and always willing to learn.

30. Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

Universally, this is probably one of the most common interview questions, and a teacher should definitely be prepared to answer it. With more teachers leaving the classroom than ever before, many districts are going to be looking for educators who are ready to stay put for the foreseeable future. That being said, if your dream is to become a principal, reading specialist, or some other role within the district, it's OK to mention that. However, it's probably wise to state that your main goal is to be the best classroom teacher you can be and see what opportunities arise after 5 or 10 years.

Best Questions To Ask in Teaching Interviews

At the end of almost every interview, you'll be asked, "Do you have any questions?" This might seem like it's just a way to wrap things up. But it's actually one of the most important parts of the interview. In addition to practicing your answers to the most common teacher interview questions, you should prepare a handful of questions to ask your interviewer.

"The way some job candidates handle the portion of the interview where it's their turn to ask questions has always surprised me," shares Alison Green, workplace advice columnist and author of How To Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager. "A lot of people don't have many questions at all-which is ill-advised when you're considering spending 40+ hours a week at the job and when it is likely to have a huge impact on your day-to-day quality of life."

On her incredibly popular Ask a Manager advice website, Green shares 10 questions that will help you find out if you truly want the job you're interviewing for. "To be fair, a lot of people worry about what questions are okay to ask," she notes. "They're concerned about seeming demanding or nitpicky." You don't need to ask 10 questions, of course. Choose a few that seem the most important to you. We like these 5 in particular for teaching positions:

1. What are some of the challenges you expect the teacher in this position to face?

Green points out this can get you information that might not have already been shared. You might learn that parents are overly involved or not involved at all, or that resources are stretched incredibly thin, or that teachers here regularly work 60-hour weeks. This could lead to a discussion about how you've faced similar challenges in the past, or it can simply give you some points to think about as you consider the job.

2. How would you describe your school's culture? What types of teachers tend to thrive here, and what types don't do as well?

School cultures vary widely, and not all teachers thrive in every environment. Find out if this school will expect you to regularly attend extra-curricular events, or if your time out of the classroom is truly your own. Do teachers work closely with admin, or is it more of a "everyone is on their own" atmosphere? Think hard about whether you're the sort of person to fit in with this school's culture. This can help you decide if this role is really right for you.

3. How long did the previous teacher in the role hold the position? What has turnover in the role generally been like?

It's OK to probe a little to see what others' experiences have been. "If no one has stayed in the job very long, that could be a red flag about a difficult manager, unrealistic expectations, lack of training, or some other land mine," Green cautions. It's also worth knowing if you're interviewing to take over the position a beloved teacher has held for 30 years. Will your school be open to fresh new ideas, or are they looking for someone to match up to a previous teacher's reputation?

4. Thinking back to teachers you've seen hold this role previously, what differentiated the ones who were good from the ones who were really great?

Green calls this the "magic question" and has had multiple readers write in to tell her how much it impressed their interviewers! "The thing about this question is that it goes straight to the heart of what the hiring manager is looking for," enthuses Green. "Hiring managers aren't interviewing candidates in the hopes of finding someone who will do an average job; they're hoping to find someone who will excel at the job." This question shows you really want to be a great teacher, and it might offer you a chance to mention something about yourself that hasn't already come up in earlier discussion.

5. What's your timeline for next steps?

While this shouldn't be your only question, it's definitely OK to use this one as you're wrapping up. As Green says, "It's much better for your quality of life if you know that you're not likely to hear anything for two weeks or four weeks ... or whatever the case might be." Then, if you haven't heard anything in that time frame, you can follow up (once only!) to see where things stand.

If you liked this list of common teacher interview questions and answers, check out what to wear to a teacher interview.

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30 Interview Questions Every Teacher Must Be Able To Answer

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Getting ready to interview for a new teaching job? You're probably excited but also nervous. The best way to overcome those nerves is to prepare in advance. Take a look at this list of the most common teacher interview questions and answers. Practice your responses, and you'll feel much more confident when you walk through that door.

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Site has project ideas for various grade levels and lots of tips, etc.

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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

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PBS Learning Media-Elementary Social Studies

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PBS Learning Media-Elementary Social Studies

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Packed with PreK-5 resources, videos, documents, images, and interactive lessons for a variety of social studies topics: family/communities, states/regions, US history, US leaders-symbols-events-holidays, world history by grade

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Elementary Social Studies | PBS LearningMedia

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Find elementary social studies resources for the classroom and home. Motivate your students with free lesson plans, videos, and games.

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This site is LOADED with resources that can be used with history lessons (for 3rd-12th grades). Images, documents, articles, lesson plans (though these are geared toward secondary grades), virtual exhibits are collected in a well-organized site for teachers wanting to incorporate tech into their lessons.

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Please visit our home page to experience our new look and updated navigation.

On August 8, 2012, Digital History switched to a new interface.

We have been restructuring the database and the organization of Digital History for the past three years, and we feel this makeover will significantly improve the usability of our materials. In our new interface, materials are organized by era, so users will easily be able to view many different types of resources for a particular era such as the textbook, images, primary sources, multimedia and teacher materials.

Although the links to our textbook, primary sources, and other educational materials changed in the new interface, we believe the benefits significantly outweigh any inconvenience.

Please email Sara McNeil at smcneil@uh.edu if you have any questions about Digital History.

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Please visit our home page to experience our new look and updated navigation. On August 8, 2012, Digital History switched to a new interface. We have been restructuring the database and the organization of Digital History for the past three years, and we feel this makeover will significantly improve the usability of our materials.

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Shared by Liz Storey. Lots of amazing sites provided here!

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Excellent site that promotes learning through reading, writing, and communicating for ALL students with a focus on those in Title I schools. Reading passages for grades 3-12 can be easily searched, shared with students, and tracked by teachers.

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For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your web browser.

World-class content

Access thousands of reading lessons and our comprehensive ELA curriculum, CommonLit 360.

Accessible for all learners

Tailor instruction to students' needs with text-to-speech, translation, and digital note-taking.

Actionable data

Track students' reading performance, set goals, and plan instructional next steps.

CommonLit
Digital Library

Discover thousands of free, supplemental lessons and quizzes in English and Spanish - all featuring great authors.

CommonLit
Assessment Series

Measure growth in reading comprehension with three benchmark assessments when you unlock our premium packages.

CommonLit 360 &
Professional Development

Support a successful rollout of our research-backed ELA curriculum with personalized webinars and on-demand trainings.

"

CommonLit has made a tremendously positive impact on my teaching practice. I'm very proud to teach CommonLit!

Jennifer Lane ELA Teacher

"

CommonLit definitely keeps me organized. It's easy for me to grade and it's easy for me to see students' reading growth increase throughout the year.

"

The CommonLit assessment questions are aligned to our ELA standards, which is extremely helpful when prepping for the state exam.

Teachers trust CommonLit to foster students' reading comprehension

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CommonLit | Free Online Reading Passages and Literacy Resources

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CommonLit is a comprehensive literacy program with thousands of reading lessons, full-year ELA curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based data for teachers.

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Wonder Ground, which is a spring-off of Wonderopolis, was created for educators. Both sites provide amazing resources with short, simply worded one-sentence questions to pose to students who can then use inquiry-based learning principles to find answers. There is even a CCSS menu with lesson ideas for teachers that relate to specific wonders.

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Welcome to the Wonder Ground, a new part of Wonderopolis® created especially for educators.

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Allows teacher to pull/share/create activities that can be pushed to the students' devices in all content areas! Multiple opportunities for students to create (images, videos, audio recordings) and publish to class, teacher, and parents

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The Seesaw Library is filled with lessons to support core instruction, acceleration, remediation and differentiated learning. Ready-to-teach lessons built with Seesaw's engaging multimodal learning tools help educators deliver evidence-based, standards-aligned instruction. Lessons include everything educators need to teach with confidence, including:

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Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform

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Seesaw elevates student learning and family engagement with multimodal learning tools, intuitive messaging, and research-based curriculum.

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An amazing science education site that provides engaging, curated lessons for various grade levels.

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Stress-free science lessons for K-5 distance learning

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This site connects classrooms across the globe to make meaningful connections with people from many diverse cultures to encourage empathy and kindness.

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Created by Empatico, the Empathy Framework is a tool that takes the current science one step further by recognizing there are also different levels of application. These include practicing empathy toward oneself, toward others and toward the rest of the world.

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Site full of animated games, lessons, quizzes, manipulative options, and brain teasers.

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Math and Games for Kids, Teachers and Parents. Math lessons and fun games for kindergarten to sixth grade, plus quizzes, brain teasers and more.

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App that K-8th graders can build their (state's curriculum aligned) math skills while playing through an adventure-based platform, earning badges, and being a WIZARD! Progress is reported to parents/students and it is FREE (upgrades are available at a cost).

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Math practice used to be a struggle - but not anymore. Prodigy, a no-cost math game that's loved by over a million teachers and 50 million students around the world, is using game-based learning to transform education.

Prodigy delivers a unique learning experience through an interactive math game where success depends on correctly answering skill-building math questions. Players can earn rewards, go on quests and play with friends - all while learning new skills!

And the best part? All of our educational content is engaging, effective and completely zero cost.

We know that every student faces unique challenges when it comes to math learning. That's why:

* Content is tailored to every player's strengths and weaknesses
* Math questions are fully aligned with state-level curricula, including Common Core and TEKS, so Prodigy is always connected to the classroom.
* 1,400 available skills give students the chance to learn more and keep growing.

For a full list of the skills Prodigy supports, visit prodigygame.com/math/skills.

Are you a parent? Connect a free parent account today to:

*See what math practice your child is working on
*Monitor your child's understanding and progress
*Set goals and give reward to encourage even more math practice!

To sign up for your free parent account, visit prodigygame.com.

>>Want your child to learn more?<<

You can use Prodigy to turn playtime into education time. Premium members level up faster, spend more time answering math questions and get exclusive access to pets, member-only game areas and extra rewards. To sign up today, visit prodigygame.com/membership.

Don't want a membership just yet? All of our educational content is zero cost and always will be.

To learn more about Prodigy and to get started, visit www.prodigygame.com.

One of the American Association of School Librarians' Best Websites for Teaching and Learning 2018
A 2018 Top Pick for Learning from Common Sense Education
iKeepSafe FERPA Certification
iKeepSafe COPPA Safe Harbor Certification

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Math practice used to be a struggle - but not anymore. Prodigy, a no-cost math game that's loved by over a million teachers and 50 million students around the world, is using game-based learning to transform education. Prodigy delivers a unique learning experience through an interactive math game where success depends on correctly answering skill-building math questions.

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Not just for cat memes and high school classmates anymore, Facebook is a GREAT resource for pages and groups dedicated to teachers: various grade level group, Units of Study groups, Reading/Writing Strategies Groups, and Marketplace or teacher garage sale pages (to score inexpensive items for classrooms).

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This blog is amazing! (Referred to me by fellow GVSU COE student Lesley Lobdell) Pernille is a book guru (teacher, author, speaker, mom) whose suggestions never disappoint! Also...tons of tips for teaching, too!

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5 million educators can't be wrong! Filled with standards-based digital curriculum and resources, professional development, and opportunities to collaborate with other educators.

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Discovery Education | Your Daily Learning Platform

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Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Learn more today!

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Incredible tips, tricks, lessons, materials, real-time teaching videos, giveaways, etc. for kinder and beyond

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Pinterest for teachers/learning

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Edhabit is the open community for learners, contributors, innovators to discover and share best learning resources. Spend more time learning, less time searching.

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Edhabit is the open community for learners, contributors, innovators to discover and share best learning resources. Spend more time learning, less time searching.

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Chock full of teaching resources for professional development, technology, inspiration, tips, etc, etc, etc.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

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A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

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App that is full of kid-friendly podcasts: 6 minutes (VERY popular in classrooms!), KidLit Radio, Kid Nuz—just to name a few.

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children kids podcast ios apps education science discovery sharing

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Smalltalk.fm helps you discover, listen to, and share great podcasts for kids

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Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
*Such a moving tale about perseverance and loss—also one a fifth grade teacher of mine read. Several former classmates (one who has gone on to teach fifth grade and read this aloud each year) and I still remember well today.

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Where the Red Fern Grows is a beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man's best friend. This edition also includes a special note to readers from Newbery Medal winner and Printz Honor winner Clare Vanderpool.

Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he's finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own-Old Dan and Little Ann-he's ecstatic. It doesn't matter that times are tough; together they'll roam the hills of the Ozarks.
Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan's brawn, Little Ann's brains, and Billy's sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters-now friends-and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.

Praise for Where the Red Fern Grows

A Top 100 Children's Novel, School Library Journal
A Must-Read for Kids 9 to 14, NPR
A Great American Read's Selection (PBS)
Winner of Multiple State Awards
Over 14 million copies in print!

"A rewarding book . . . [with] careful, precise observation, all of it rightly phrased.... Very touching." - The New York Times Book Review

" One of the great classics of children's literature . . . Any child who doesn't get to read this beloved and powerfully emotional book has missed out on an important piece of childhood for the last 40-plus years." - Common Sense Media

" An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget." - School Library Journal

"A book of unadorned naturalness." - Kirkus Reviews

" Written with so much feeling and sentiment that adults as well as children are drawn [in] with a passion." - Arizona Daily Star

"It's a story about a young boy and his two hunting dogs and . . . I can't even go on without getting a little misty." - The Huffington Post

"We tear up just thinking about it." - Time on the film adaptation

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Where the Red Fern Grows is a beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend. This edition also includes a special note to readers from Newbery Medal winner and Printz Honor winner Clare Vanderpool. Billy has long...

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The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
*Ties in with Units of Study curriculum and the DRAMATIC ending is so exciting for students!

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Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
Kate DiCamillo follows up her Newbery Honor-winning novel, Because of Winn-Dixie, with an emotionally rich and poignant tale of one boy's struggle to find himself in a confusing and harsh world. The Tiger Rising is about the heartbreak of loss, the hope of new beginnings, and the unexpected events that often color our lives.

Twelve-year-old Rob Horton's life has been thoroughly uprooted: Following his mother's recent death, his father has moved them to a rundown motel in northern Florida. Faced with a grief he doesn't understand and his father's refusal to talk about it, Rob stumbles through his new life like an automaton. At school he is constantly bullied because of his newcomer status and an inexplicable leg rash he's had since his mother's death. The only bright light in Rob's day is another new student the bullies have targeted, a girl named Sistine ("like the chapel"), who is as openly angry and pugilistic as Rob is withdrawn and passive. Drawn together by their shared outsider status and a common emotional void (Sistine's parents have divorced) the two quickly become friends.

Even when Rob is suspended from school, he continues to see Sistine each day when she stops by to deliver his homework. Their bond is strengthened when he shares with her a startling discovery -- a live tiger trapped inside a cage in the woods behind the motel where he lives. They immediately start scheming up ways to help the creature escape and eventually, fate provides them with the perfect means to do so. But they fail to weigh all the consequences of their actions, a fact that becomes tragically clear within minutes of the tiger's release. Yet there is triumph in the outcome as well, for it leads to an epiphany of sorts for both Rob and his father, setting Rob at long last on the road toward emotional healing.

At just over 100 pages, The Tiger Rising is a quick read, despite its apparently languid pace. But don't let the story's slimness fool you -- DiCamillo packs a powerful punch and plenty of satisfaction into those few pages, filling each one with vivid imagery, poetic prose, and high emotional impact. (Beth Amos)

The Barnes & Noble Review
Kate DiCamillo follows up her Newbery Honor-winning novel, Because of Winn-Dixie, with an emotionally rich and poignant tale of one boy's struggle to find himself in a confusing and harsh world. The Tiger Rising is about the heartbreak of loss, the hope of new beginnings, and the unexpected events that often color our lives.

Twelve-year-old Rob Horton's life has been thoroughly uprooted: Following his mother's recent death, his father has moved them to a rundown motel in northern Florida. Faced with a grief he doesn't understand and his father's refusal to talk about it, Rob stumbles through his new life like an automaton. At school he is constantly bullied because of his newcomer status and an inexplicable leg rash he's had since his mother's death. The only bright light in Rob's day is another new student the bullies have targeted, a girl named Sistine ("like the chapel"), who is as openly angry and pugilistic as Rob is withdrawn and passive. Drawn together by their shared outsider status and a common emotional void (Sistine's parents have divorced) the two quickly become friends.

Even when Rob is suspended from school, he continues to see Sistine each day when she stops by to deliver his homework. Their bond is strengthened when he shares with her a startling discovery -- a live tiger trapped inside a cage in the woods behind the motel where he lives. They immediately start scheming up ways to help the creature escape and eventually, fate provides them with the perfect means to do so. But they fail to weigh all the consequences of their actions, a fact that becomes tragically clear within minutes of the tiger's release. Yet there is triumph in the outcome as well, for it leads to an epiphany of sorts for both Rob and his father, setting Rob at long last on the road toward emotional healing.

At just over 100 pages, The Tiger Rising is a quick read, despite its apparently languid pace. But don't let the story's slimness fool you -- DiCamillo packs a powerful punch and plenty of satisfaction into those few pages, filling each one with vivid imagery, poetic prose, and high emotional impact. (Beth Amos)

barnesandnoble.com

After Rob's mother dies, he and his father move to a new town to get a fresh start, he discovers a caged tiger in the woods. An emotionally rich story about a boy caught in the powerful grip of grief. Ages 8-up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

DiCamillo's second novel may not be as humorous as her debut, Because of Winn-Dixie, but it is just as carefully structured, and her ear is just as finely tuned to her characters. In the first chapter, readers learn that Rob lost his mother six months ago; his father has uprooted their lives from Jacksonville to Lister, Fla.; the boy hates school; and his father's boss, Beauchamp, is keeping a caged wild tiger at Beauchamp's abandoned gas station. The author characterizes Rob by what he does not do ("Rob had a way of not-thinking about things"; "He was a pro at not-crying"), and the imprisoned tiger becomes a metaphor for the thoughts and feelings he keeps trapped inside. Two other characters, together with the tiger, act as catalyst for Rob's change: a new classmate, Sistine ("like the chapel"), who believes that her father will rescue her someday and take her back to Pennsylvania, and Willie May, a wise and compassionate woman who works as a chambermaid at Beauchamp's hotel. The author delves deeply into the psyches of her cast with carefully choreographed scenes, opting for the economy of poetry over elaborate prose. The climax is sudden and brief, mimicking the surge of emotion that overtakes Rob, who can finally embrace life rather than negate it. DiCamillo demonstrates her versatility by treating themes similar to those of her first novel with a completely different approach. Readers will eagerly anticipate her next work. Ages 10-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

DiCamillo is a Newbery Honor author for Because of Winn-Dixie and someone whose writing defies categories. The Tiger Rising is about two twelve-year-old friends, which would seem at face value to limit the audience for this book to children—not even YAs. And yes, older children would like the story on one level, but so would YAs and adults, reading it from a different perspective but appreciating it fully. The cover sets the mood: a hazy view of a tiger, a boy, and a girl in a forest, the girl riding the tiger and the whole looking like a tale of fantasy—something like a story of a unicorn. We meet the boy and his father, wounded people mourning the death of the boy's mother some months ago. The father has forbidden the boy to speak of the death, not out of cruelty, just ignorance and pain. Rob is bullied terribly at school, suffers from a disfiguring skin rash, and gets his only comfort and solace from carving wood as his mother taught him to do, and from the wisdom and care of Willie May who cleans rooms at the rundown motel where Rob's father works. One day a fierce girl comes to town, angry and bitter at her parents' divorce. Her name is Sistine (named after the Sistine Chapel in Rome where her parents met). She becomes Rob's ally, probably because it gives her an excuse to fight. The owner of the motel, a redneck if there ever was one, has obtained a tiger that he keeps in a cage in the woods and hires Rob to feed it. The children are convinced they must free the tiger, which provides the catalyst they need to get beyond their own fetters—emotional ones. The writing is spare, poetic, moving. The setting, rural Florida, seems vividly real as DiCamillo describes it.The story has a timeless quality about it, which reminds me of the book Sounder, for example. I'm sure it will speak powerfully to many readers of all ages. KLIATT Codes: JSA*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2001, Candlewick, 116p, 99-088635, $12.99. Ages 13 to adult. Reviewer: Claire Rosser; May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3)

Another winning novel by the author of Newbery 2001 Honor Book Because of Winn-Dixie (Candlewick, 2000), this story of loss and healing follows twelve-year-old Rob Horton as he grieves for his dead mother and learns that to survive the cinch around his heart, he must let his pain go. In the opening scene, Rob finds a caged tiger in the woods, a beautiful golden animal that paces away his captive days. At school, Rob befriends the new girl, Sistine, and she insists that together they must set the tiger free. The tiger as the symbol of Rob's pent-up grief will not be lost on young students. Neither will they miss the wisdom handed down throughout the story by the chambermaid at the motel where Rob and his father, the motel handyman, live. Willie May knows that the horrible, itchy rash on Rob's legs is the manifestation of his anguish. She tells him, "You keeping all that sadness down low, in your legs. You not letting it get up to your heart, where it belongs. You got to let that sadness rise on up." By the end of the story, Rob is finally able to say his mother's name aloud, and he demands that his father say it too—a simple act that begins the healing process for both of them. This short novel will be especially useful for those students dealing with the loss of a loved one, but fine stories are rare, and this one will be read eagerly by all audiences. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2001, Candlewick Press, 116p, $12.99. Ages 12 to 14. Reviewer: Leslie Carter SOURCE: VOYA, August 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 3)

Fresh on the heels of her Newbery Honor award for Because of Winn Dixie comes DiCamillo's latest, The Tiger Rising. DiCamillo has a talent for getting inside the heads of lonely children and figuring out exactly where their pain is. In this book, we meet Rob who lives in a motel with his father as they are trying to get themselves on their feet following Mom's death. Rob is desperately unhappy as he tries to cope with his loss and finds that pretending nothing is wrong is the safest way to go. He likens it to putting all of his problems into a stuffed suitcase and sitting on the lid. School is a nightmare for Rob, where he is the victim of two awful bullies. When the principal suggests that he take some time off while a rash on his legs heals, Rob feels like he has been sprung from prison. On his last day of school two important things happen, he finds a tiger in a cage and he meets Sistine. Sistine is a kindred spirit who is also dealing with the loss of her father due to divorce. It is their friendship and the voice of reason¾an adult friend at the motel named Willie May¾that starts the healing process. Like Because of Winn Dixie, the writing is deceptively simple and sparse. The characters are well drawn and very believable. While the story is a sad one it ultimately becomes one of hope, as these two lost souls begin to mend. Artfully executed, this short novel is a treat for the heart and soul. 2001, Candlewick Press, . Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Joan Kindig

Children's Literature

Gr 4-6-Kate DiCamillo's novel (Candlewick, 2001) is about the distances between people, and the giant leaps of faith that are sometimes needed to bridge those distances. Rife with symbolism, this story focuses on Rob's losses--not just of his mother who died of cancer, but his loss of his father, who is struggling with his own grief. Rob has two talents: keeping his emotions under cover, and carving wood into beautiful shapes. Life at the Kentucky Star Motel in rural Florida, where Rob's father works as a handyman, is lonely and bleak until a caged tiger appears in the woods and a new friend helps to open Rob's heart. Sistine, the new girl at school, also suffers, but she is alive with raw emotions and spunk. She and Rob form a friendship, and together they set out to free the tiger whose caged existence represents their own limited horizons. Film and Broadway actor Dylan Baker reads with a gentle drawl, changing his voice just enough to breath life into the characters. Even so, the characters remain rather contrived. In particular, the figure of the tiger is not vividly portrayed, partly because it carries more symbolic weight than the story can plausibly sustain. DiCamillo's somewhat heavy-handed symbolism leads to an inconclusive climax that ends with Rob's father shooting the tiger after Rob and Sistine release it. The sacrifice of the tiger as a condition for Rob's bonding with his father and his emergence as a character is not an ending that will appeal to animal lovers.-Emily Herman, Hutchinson Elementary School, Atlanta, GA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Themes of freedom and responsibility twine between the lines of this short but heavy novel from the author of Because of Winn-Dixie (2000). Three months after his mother's death, Rob and his father are living in a small-town Florida motel, each nursing sharp, private pain. On the same day Rob has two astonishing encounters: first, he stumbles upon a caged tiger in the woods behind the motel; then he meets Sistine, a new classmate responding to her parents' breakup with ready fists and a big chip on her shoulder. About to burst with his secret, Rob confides in Sistine, who instantly declares that the tiger must be freed. As Rob quickly develops a yen for Sistine's company that gives her plenty of emotional leverage, and the keys to the cage almost literally drop into his hands, credible plotting plainly takes a back seat to character delineation here. And both struggle for visibility beneath a wagonload of symbol and metaphor: the real tiger (and the inevitable recitation of Blake's poem); the cage; Rob's dream of Sistine riding away on the beast's back; a mysterious skin condition on Rob's legs that develops after his mother's death; a series of wooden figurines that he whittles; a larger-than-life African-American housekeeper at the motel who dispenses wisdom with nearly every utterance; and the climax itself, which is signaled from the start. It's all so freighted with layers of significance that, like Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue (2000), Anne Mazer's Oxboy (1995), or, further back, Julia Cunningham's Dorp Dead (1965), it becomes more an exercise in analysis than a living, breathing story. Still, the tiger, "burning bright" with magnificent,feralpresence, does make an arresting central image. (Fiction. 10-12)

Kirkus Reviews

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The Barnes & Noble Review Kate DiCamillo follows up her Newbery Honor-winning novel, Because of Winn-Dixie , with an emotionally rich and poignant tale of one boy's struggle to find himself in a confusing and harsh world. The Tiger Rising is about the heartbreak of loss, the hope of new beginnings, and the unexpected events that often color our lives.

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Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
*Moving and powerful also can be tied to GLCE for social studies (rights and responsibilities in American democracy)

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Overview

A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.

Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday -- his first day of freedom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:

9780439777339

Publisher:

Scholastic, Inc.

Publication date:

01/01/2007

Pages:

40

Sales rank:

28,875

Product dimensions:

9.30(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)

Lexile:

AD490L ( what's this?)

Age Range:

5 - 8 Years

About the Author

How did people escape on the Underground Railroad? What was it like to land on Ellis Island?How did it feel to travel the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon? Ellen Levine has revealed worldsof fascinating adventure with her nonfiction books for young readers.

Although Ellen Levine enjoys reading and writing fiction, most of her books for young readershave been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoylearning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."

"Real heroes," Levine says, "aren't necessarily on TV or in the news. They can be ordinarypeople who are willing to take risks for causes they believe in. Nonfiction offers a way tointroduce young readers to real people who have shown tremendous courage, even when facedwith great danger. All of us have the potential. And one doesn't have to be a grown-up," sheadds.

When she's not writing, Levine likes to share the excitement of research and the importance ofaccuracy with young readers. "Many young people think research is dull; you go to anencyclopedia, copy information, give it a title, and call it a report." Using her books asexamples, Ellen explains how to get other, more interesting information. "I may not mention theexact words, but I talk to young people about primary and secondary sources. If I'm speakingwith third graders, I ask them, 'Where would I go if I wanted to find out what it's like to be athird grader?' Most will say, 'Read a book.' But when they say, 'Ask a third grader,' I knowthey've understood what I mean by a primary source of inspiration."

For If You Were an Animal Doctor, for example, Ellen witnessed an emergency operation on acow. While doing research in Wyoming for Ready, Aim, Fire!, her biography of Annie Oakley,she got to hold the gun Ms. Oakley is believed to have shot in the presence of the Queen ofEngland. "It gave me such a strong feeling about this person," she says. "That's part of research,too."

Ellen Levine is the author of many acclaimed books, both fiction and nonfiction. Among them:If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon, If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island, I Hate English!, If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King, and Secret Missions. Her recent book, Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories, was named one of the Ten Best Children's Books of the Year by The New York Times, and Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association.

Ellen divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.

Kadir Nelson illustrated two Caldecott Honor Books: MOSES and HENRY'S FREEDOM BOX. ELLINGTON WAS NOT A STREET by Ntozake Shange won the Coretta Scott King Award. Will Smith's JUST THE TWO OF US won an NAACP Image Award, and his new book, WE ARE THE SHIP continues to garner major awards. Nelson showed artistic talent at age 3 and began working in oils by age 16. He lives with his family in San Diego, California.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Starred
Nelson's powerful portraits add a majestic element to Levine's history-based tale of Henry "Box"
Brown, a slave who escaped by having himself mailed to freedom in a crate. Depicted as a solemn boy
with an arresting gaze on the cover, Henry displays riveting presence in every successive scene, as he
grows from child to adult, marries and is impelled to make his escape after seeing his beloved wife and
children sold to slaveowners. Related in measured, sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art,
this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved, especially those who may
have been tantalized by the entry on Brown in Virginia Hamilton's Many Thousand Gone: African
Americans from Slavery to Freedom (1993). (afterword, reading list) (Picture book. 8-10)

From the Publisher

Kadir Nelson's hauntingly beautiful images for Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom netted him a 2007 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. Now the artist teams with children's author Ellen Levine to re-create another tale from Tubman's time: the amazing true story of Henry "Box" Brown, a runaway slave from Virginia who "mailed himself to freedom" in a cramped wooden crate. Although the cruelties of slavery and the sad events of Henry's life may prove too intense for the youngest readers, grade-schoolers with some knowledge of American history will thrill to this astonishing tale of bravery, ingenuity, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit.

Levine ( Freedom's Children) recounts the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. Thanks to Nelson's ( Ellington Was Not a Street) penetrating portraits, readers will feel as if they can experience Henry's thoughts and feelings as he matures through unthinkable adversity. As a boy, separated from his mother, he goes to work in his new master's tobacco factory and eventually meets and marries another slave, with whom he has three children. In a heartwrenching scene depicted in a dramatically shaded pencil, watercolor and oil illustration, Henry watches as his family-suddenly sold in the slave market-disappears down the road. Henry then enlists the help of an abolitionist doctor and mails himself in a wooden crate "to a place where there are no slaves!" He travels by horse-drawn cart, steamboat and train before his box is delivered to the Philadelphia address of the doctor's friends on March 30, 1849. Alongside Henry's anguished thoughts en route, Nelson's clever cutaway images reveal the man in his cramped quarters (at times upside-down). A concluding note provides answers to questions that readers may wish had been integrated into the story line, such as where did Henry begin his journey? (Richmond, Va.); how long did it take? (27 hours). Readers never learn about Henry's life as a free man-or, perhaps unavoidably, whether he was ever reunited with his family. Still, these powerful illustrations will make readers feel as if they have gained insight into a resourceful man and his extraordinary story. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)
Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Publishers Weekly

Gr 2-5-One of the most interesting stories from the Underground Railroad is that of Henry "Box" Brown. Raised a slave, he found a unique way to escape after his wife and children were sold away from him. With the help of friends, he mailed himself to Philadelphia and freedom in a small wooden crate. The 350 mile journey was rife with risk. Ellen Levine tells his tale (Scholastic, 2007) with well-crafted, evocative text, beautifully paired with Kadir Nelson's heart-touching illustrations. These are scanned iconographically, giving viewers the chance to appreciate the finer details of the powerful art, and are brighter and more clearly defined in the film than on the pages of the book. An interview with the author provides additional insight into her research, the Fugitive Slave Law, and her motivation for telling the story. Nicely narrated by Jerry Dixon, with original music and sound effects that help bring the story to life, this Caldecott Honor book is well-served by this presentation. When text, narration, and music combine in a joyous celebration at the end of Henry's journey, viewers will hopefully gain a greater understanding of the value of freedom.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA

School Library Journal

Nelson's powerful portraits add a majestic element to Levine's history-based tale of Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who escaped by having himself mailed to freedom in a crate. Depicted as a solemn boy with an arresting gaze on the cover, Henry displays riveting presence in every successive scene, as he grows from child to adult, marries and is impelled to make his escape after seeing his beloved wife and children sold to slaveowners. Related in measured, sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art, this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved, especially those who may have been tantalized by the entry on Brown in Virginia Hamilton's Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom (1993). (afterword, reading list) (Picture book. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad|Hardcover

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A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but...

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The Doll People by Ann M Martin
*All about family, friendship, loyalty with some mystery and adventure thrown in, too—and kids absolutely LOVE it! There are now 4 books in this series, so it's a great introductory that encourages kids to keep reading the sequels on their own.

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Overview

Annabelle Doll is eight years old-she has been for more than a hundred years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll family, day after day, year after year. . . until one day the Funcrafts move in.

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Doll People:
An ALA Notable Children's Book
A Capitol Choices Noteworthy Title for Children and Teens
CCIRA Colorado Children's Book Award Runner-Up
A Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book award Masterlist
An Indian Paintbrush Book Award Nominee
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
Maryland Children's Book Award
Massachusetts Children's Book award Master List
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
A National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Master List
A Publishers Weekly Best Book
A Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee
A School Library Journal Best Book
A Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
A Volunteer State Book Award Nominee

From the Publisher

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The Doll People (Doll People Series #1)|Paperback

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Annabelle Doll is eight years old-she has been for more than a hundred years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll family, day after day, year after year. . . until one day the Funcrafts move in.

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Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
*My first-grade teacher—my favorite AND the reason I wanted to become a teacher—read this to my class.

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Don't miss one of America's top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS's The Great American Read.This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's...

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Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
*Instant classic, kids LOVE the pigeon

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Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded three Caldecott Honors for his picture books, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors for his celebrated Elephant & Piggie series. He lives in Massachusetts with his family. Learn more at pigeonpresents.com.

Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, has been awarded three Caldecott Honors for his picture books, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors for his celebrated Elephant & Piggie series. He lives in Massachusetts with his family. Learn more at pigeonpresents.com.

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Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!|Hardcover

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When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate.In his hilarious...

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Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had (Book)

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Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had (Book)

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by Tracy Johnston Zager
This book changed my LIFE! I was terrified to teach math, given it was my weakest subject as a student myself. Incredibl strategies and growth-mindset ideology within!

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Free shipping on all orders!

While mathematicians describe mathematics as playful, beautiful, creative, and captivating, many students describe math class as boring, stressful, useless, and humiliating. In her new book, Tracy Zager helps teachers close this gap by making math class more like mathematics.

Shipping Details

In stock. Free ground shipping. No minimum.

While mathematicians describe mathematics as playful, beautiful, creative, and captivating, many students describe math class as boring, stressful, useless, and humiliating. In Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had, Tracy Zager helps teachers close this gap by making math class more like mathematics.

Tracy spent years with highly skilled math teachers in a diverse range of settings and grades. You'll find this book jam-packed with new thinking from these vibrant classro

About the Author(s)

Table of Contents

Foreword by Elham Kazemi

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Breaking the Cycle

Chapter 2: What Do Mathematicians Do?

Chapter 3: Mathematicians Take Risks

Chapter 4: Mathematicians Make Mistakes

Chapter 5: Mathematicians Are Precise

Chapter 6: Mathematicians Rise to a Challenge

Chapter 7: Mathematicians Ask Questions

Chapter 8: Mathematicians Connect Ideas

Chapter 9: Mathematicians Use Intuition

Chapter 10: Mathematicians Reason

Chapter 11: Mathematicians Prove

Chapter 12: Mathematicians Work Together and Alone

Chapter 13: "Favorable Conditions" for All Math Students

References

Index

While mathematicians describe mathematics as playful, beautiful, creative, and captivating, many students describe math class as boring, stressful, useless, and humiliating. In her new book, Tracy Zager helps teachers close this gap by making math class more like mathematics.

Shipping Details

In stock. Free ground shipping. No minimum.

While mathematicians describe mathematics as playful, beautiful, creative, and captivating, many students describe math class as boring, stressful, useless, and humiliating. In Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had, Tracy Zager helps teachers close this gap by making math class more like mathematics.

Tracy spent years with highly skilled math teachers in a diverse range of settings and grades. You'll find this book jam-packed with new thinking from these vibrant classro

Readers, be warned: you are about to fall in love. Tracy writes, "Good math teaching begins with us." With those six words, she invites you on a journey through this most magnificent book of stories and portraits.... This book turns on its head the common misconception of mathematics as a black-and-white discipline and of being good at math as entailing ease, speed, and correctness. You will find it full of color, possibility, puzzles, and delight.... Let yourself be drawn in.

Professor, math education, University of Washington

Foreword by Elham Kazemi

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Breaking the Cycle

Chapter 2: What Do Mathematicians Do?

Chapter 3: Mathematicians Take Risks

Chapter 4: Mathematicians Make Mistakes

Chapter 5: Mathematicians Are Precise

Chapter 6: Mathematicians Rise to a Challenge

Chapter 7: Mathematicians Ask Questions

Chapter 8: Mathematicians Connect Ideas

Chapter 9: Mathematicians Use Intuition

Chapter 10: Mathematicians Reason

Chapter 11: Mathematicians Prove

Chapter 12: Mathematicians Work Together and Alone

Chapter 13: "Favorable Conditions" for All Math Students

References

Index

ProductGeneral - JS Fix - 20180301

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had

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Free shipping on all orders! While mathematicians describe mathematics as playful, beautiful, creative, and captivating, many students describe math class as boring, stressful, useless, and humiliating. In her new book, Tracy Zager helps teachers close this gap by making math class more like mathematics. Shipping Details In stock. Free ground shipping.

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by Stephanie Harvey & Annie Ward
LOVED this resource shared in a GVSU COE Teaching Reading course. Full of creative, brilliant ideas about setting up a class library and getting students to LOVE reading.

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Hundreds of TED-Ed animations, lessons, and talks for students. Allows teacher to add discussion topics and questions (even to youtube videos!). Sharable to students online, too!

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Bring TED-Ed Student Talks to Your School

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Transform your classroom with TED-Ed! Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and inspire your students to share their big ideas.

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The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide (Book)

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The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide (Book)

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by Julia G Thompson
Great resource introduced in a GVSU COE course on classroom management. Lots of templates and checklists that will be useful.

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Designed for new educators, this award-winning book covers the basic strategies, activities, and tools teachers need to know in order to succeed in the classroom.

Now it its fourth edition, The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide contains new and updated material on essential topics including: classroom management (how to prevent or minimize disruptions), sustaining professional growth, differentiated instruction, nurturing a growth mindset, and much more.

The fourth edition also offers downloadable forms, and worksheets, and video instruction on key topics. In addition, this must-have guide:

Offers ideas for dealing with homework and instructional concerns from parents and guardians

Includes suggestions for helping new professionals maintain a successful work-life balance

Contains guidelines to classroom technology and ideas for using digital tools to create engaging lessons

Proposes proven strategies for forging positive, supportive relationships with students

Presents recommendations for successfully managing the most common discipline problems

"Each page contains wisdom and helpful strategies that every educator can use to meet the needs of all their learners. Every student teacher, new teacher, and their mentor needs this book to explore this treasure trove of experienced guidance to grow successful learners."

-JOHN MCCARTHY, EdS, Educator & Founder of Opening Paths, and author of So All Can Learn: A Practical Guide to Differentiation

"The fourth edition of Julia Thompson's classic book, The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide, is THE book that every new teacher needs to have marked-up and readily accessible on their bookshelf!"

-LARRY FERLAZZO, teacher, author, and Ed Week advice columnist

"The latest edition of Julia Thompson's The First Year Teacher's Survival Guide has everything you need to get started in the profession! A once-in-a-generation text for all new teachers!"

-ANDREA HONIGSFELD, Ed.D., Associate Dean, Division of Education, Molloy College

"This book will be your most treasured resource as a new teacher! You will turn to it often for the comfort and inspiration you need as well as to sustain the passion you brought to teaching in the first place. The practical tips on collaboration, instructional strategies, freebie resources, student engagement, behavior, and more will empower you every step of the way."

-PAT WYMAN, Founder, How to Learn Academy at HowtoLearn.com

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discipline survival guide for the secondary teacher

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Designed for new educators, this award-winning book covers the basic strategies, activities, and tools teachers need to know in order to succeed in the classroom. Now it its fourth edition, The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide contains new and updated material on essential topics including: classroom management (how to prevent or minimize disruptions), sustaining professional growth, differentiated instruction, nurturing a growth mindset, and much more.

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by Jennifer Serravallo
My go-to for ELA (writing) mini-lessons.

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Coming soon in Spanish! The Reading Strategies Book has helped hundreds of thousands of teachers and their readers. Now The Writing Strategies Book does the same for writing.

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by Jennifer Serravallo
My go-to for ELA (reading) mini-lessons!

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Now available in Spanish! Strategies make the often invisible work of reading actionable and visible. In The Reading Strategies Book, I collected 300 strategies to share with readers in support of thirteen goals-everything from fluency to literary analysis. Each strategy is cross-linked to skills, genres, and Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to give you just-right teaching, just in time. With this book you'll:

develop goals for every reader

give students step-by-step strategies for skilled reading

guide readers with prompts aligned to the strategies

adjust instruction to meet individual needs with Jen's Teaching Tips

craft demonstrations and explanations with her Lesson Language

learn more with Hat Tips to the work of influential teacher-authors.

Whether you use readers workshop, Daily 5/CAFE, guided reading, balanced reading, a core reading program, whole-class novels, or any other approach, The Reading Strategies Book will complement and extend your teaching. Rely on it to plan and implement goal-directed, differentiated instruction for individuals, small groups, and whole classes.

"We offer strategies to readers to put the work in doable terms for those who are still practicing," writes Jen Serravallo. "The goal is not that they can do the steps of the strategy but that they become more comfortable and competent with a new skill." With The Reading Strategies Book, you'll have ways to help your readers make progress every day.

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Now available in Spanish! Strategies make the often invisible work of reading actionable and visible. In The Reading Strategies Book , I collected 300 strategies to share with readers in support of thirteen goals-everything from fluency to literary analysis. Each strategy is cross-linked to skills, genres, and Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to give you just-right teaching, just in time.

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Online lesson planner sharable to students, peers, admin, etc. Worth every dime-but many districts have for free!

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Planbook - The Leader in Lesson Planning

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With over one million teachers and one billion lessons, Planbook is the established leader in online lesson planning!

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It's Kahoot on steroids and then some!

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Pear Deck is on a mission to help teachers create powerful learning moments for every student, every day - using the tools you already know and love.

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Create, share, view, and mark assignments (docs, photos, videos) online with student(s) or whole class.

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Connect with your classes and do assignments on the go.

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Record screen and webcam simultaneously

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millions use Screencastify to create amazing videos

/* Sets tab pane to display block instead of default display:none */ /* Allows CSS opacity transitions */ .w-tab-pane, .w--current { display: block; } /* Any .w-tab-pane that does not have webflow .w--curent sets opacity 0 */ .w-tab-pane:not(.w--curent) { opacity: 0; } /* Any element with .w-tab-pane that has .w--tab-active sets the opacity 100% */ .w-tab-pane.w--tab-active { opacity: 1; } /* Set the opacity transition to 1 second ease-in */ .w-tab-pane { transition: opacity 1s ease-in; }

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

loved by everyday video creators

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Screencastify | Screen Recording and Video Editing

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Screencastify is the leading screen recorder for Chrome. Install the extension to record, edit, and share videos in seconds. Create video class assignments, training and tutorials, and make business communication faster.

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Must-have in every teacher's arsenal!

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Flippity.net: Flashcards and Other Resources for Educators and Learners

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Create an interactive virtual breakout activity.