Teach Smarter

Discover new, practical methods for teaching literacy skills in your early childhood classroom. Has teaching early literacy skills become a stumbling block to getting your preschool students kindergarten ready? Break out of the tired “letter of the week” routine and learn how to transform your lessons with fun and effective techniques. Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers will equip teachers to infuse every aspect of their teaching with exciting hands-on literacy teaching methods that engage students and help them build authentic connections with books, so that 100% of their students will have a strong literacy foundation and will be fully prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. Respected author Vanessa Levin, veteran early childhood educator and author of the “Pre-K Pages” blog, breaks down the research and translates it into realistic, actionable steps you can take to improve your teaching. Features specific examples of teaching techniques and activities that engage students in hands-on, experiential learning during circle time, centers, and small groups. Offers a simple, four-step system for teaching literacy skills, based on the foundational principles of early literacy teaching Demonstrates how to build your confidence in your ability to get 100% of your students ready for kindergarten, long before the end of the school year Understand the problems with traditional literacy teaching and identify gaps in your current teaching practice with this valuable resource.

As a teacher, the more efficient you are, the less stressful work becomes, and the more effective you are, the more you can focus on teaching those in front of you. Teach Smarter is an essential guide that helps early career teachers reduce their unnecessary workload by offering practical classroom strategies that can save you, and those you work with, time. With a focus on keeping teaching simple and ensuring everything has a meaningful purpose, this book offers guidance on reducing workload through careful reflection and evaluation of your teaching practice. Offering ways to adjust your pedagogy and streamline your approaches in the classroom, Teach Smarter gives you more time to focus on what is important: helping your students progress. Questioning what it means to "teach smart", the chapters explore topics including: Planning Feedback Classroom space Expectations Reflecting on your teaching and managing stress Written by an experienced classroom teacher, coach and mentor, this book is essential reading for trainee teachers, NQTs and RQTs.

"As a teacher, the more efficient you are, the less stressful work becomes, and the more effective you are, the more you can focus on teaching those in front of you. Teach Smarter is an essential guide that helps early career teachers reduce their unnecessary workload by offering practical classroom strategies that can save you, and those you work with, time. With a focus on keeping teaching simple and ensuring everything has a meaningful purpose, this book offers guidance on reducing workload through careful reflection and evaluation of your teaching practice. Offering ways to adjust your pedagogy and streamline your approaches in the classroom, Teach Smarter gives you more time to focus on what is important: helping your students progress. Questioning what it means to 'teach smart, ' the chapters explore topics including: Planning Feedback Classroom space Expectations Feedback Reflecting on your teaching and managing stress Written by an experienced classroom teacher, coach and mentor, this book is essential reading for trainee teachers, NQT and RQTs"--

Discover new, practical methods for teaching literacy skills in your early childhood classroom. Has teaching early literacy skills become a stumbling block to getting your preschool students kindergarten ready? Break out of the tired “letter of the week” routine and learn how to transform your lessons with fun and effective techniques. Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers will equip teachers to infuse every aspect of their teaching with exciting hands-on literacy teaching methods that engage students and help them build authentic connections with books, so that 100% of their students will have a strong literacy foundation and will be fully prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. Respected author Vanessa Levin, veteran early childhood educator and author of the “Pre-K Pages” blog, breaks down the research and translates it into realistic, actionable steps you can take to improve your teaching. Features specific examples of teaching techniques and activities that engage students in hands-on, experiential learning during circle time, centers, and small groups. Offers a simple, four-step system for teaching literacy skills, based on the foundational principles of early literacy teaching Demonstrates how to build your confidence in your ability to get 100% of your students ready for kindergarten, long before the end of the school year Understand the problems with traditional literacy teaching and identify gaps in your current teaching practice with this valuable resource.

Praise for How Learning Works "How Learning Works is the perfect title for this excellent book. Drawing upon new research in psychology, education, and cognitive science, the authors have demystified a complex topic into clear explanations of seven powerful learning principles. Full of great ideas and practical suggestions, all based on solid research evidence, this book is essential reading for instructors at all levels who wish to improve their students' learning." —Barbara Gross Davis, assistant vice chancellor for educational development, University of California, Berkeley, and author, Tools for Teaching "This book is a must-read for every instructor, new or experienced. Although I have been teaching for almost thirty years, as I read this book I found myself resonating with many of its ideas, and I discovered new ways of thinking about teaching." —Eugenia T. Paulus, professor of chemistry, North Hennepin Community College, and 2008 U.S. Community Colleges Professor of the Year from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education "Thank you Carnegie Mellon for making accessible what has previously been inaccessible to those of us who are not learning scientists. Your focus on the essence of learning combined with concrete examples of the daily challenges of teaching and clear tactical strategies for faculty to consider is a welcome work. I will recommend this book to all my colleagues." —Catherine M. Casserly, senior partner, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching "As you read about each of the seven basic learning principles in this book, you will find advice that is grounded in learning theory, based on research evidence, relevant to college teaching, and easy to understand. The authors have extensive knowledge and experience in applying the science of learning to college teaching, and they graciously share it with you in this organized and readable book." —From the Foreword by Richard E. Mayer, professor of psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara; coauthor, e-Learning and the Science of Instruction; and author, Multimedia Learning

This refreshingly frank handbook shows teachers how to close the achievement gap in their classrooms by teaching students innovative paths to academic success. Drawing on over 20 years’ experience, Kelley presents straightforward strategies for helping learners improve their grades and test scores and experience greater school engagement—all while streamlining the teacher’s work to yield maximum efficiency. Strategies include team-grading essays, using Socratic seminars and sworn statements, allowing for re-dos, and ruthlessly pruning assignments, among others. Often humorous and irreverent in tone, this guide will be the talk of the break room. Includes online digital content.

`This concise book is strongly recommended as an invaluable source both for new teachers and for their mentors who may be well experienced, but nevertheless glad of new ideas for coping with the demanding and fundamental shifts in how teaching is undertaken and assessed′ - ESCaslate Making Teaching Work provides a down-to-earth, jargon-free book for teaching staff in universities and colleges and includes reference to some of the best modern literature on assessment, teaching and feedback. By focusing on the learner in a variety of situations and contexts, the book explores how teachers can help learners to make learning happen. The authors emphasize ′teaching smarter′ - helping busy, hard-pressed teachers to increase the efficiency as well as effectiveness of their work. Written with both full-time and part-time staff in mind, the book allows teaching staff to balance the various tasks which make up their workload, including the increasing paperwork and administration they encounter whilst carrying out assessment, teaching and providing feedback to students. The book addresses a wide range of aspects of assessment, learning and teaching in post-compulsory education including: - how to provide a supportive learning environment - including online learning - how to design and manage formative assessment and feedback - how to support diverse students - including addressing and achieving student satisfaction. - developing teaching - including lecturing, small-group teaching, supporting individual learning and dealing with disruptive students - how to use research to improve teaching - creatively designing curriculum - promoting student employability - broadening horizons - including widening and deepening participation - addressing and achieving student satisfaction. It is a self-sufficient and thought-provoking resource about teaching and learning for all practitioners in post-compulsory education.