The Thief In The Classroom

An undetected thief lurks in America’s classrooms: funding for public education. Dynamic instruction, robust learning, and student futures are stolen when funding for public education is inadequate and inequitable. The devastating impact of this thievery is examined throughout this book. Student engagement with the potential and promise of traditional public education is stolen by funding formulas crafted by state legislatures. Theft in the classroom results when these funding schemes misdirect and disconnect the resources required to educate all US students. Called upon to deal with an ever-changing cascade of mandates, standards, legislation, and counterproductive testing marathons, but provided with funding so inadequate that instruction is often little better than anemic “test prep,” public educators in pursuit of the common good are robbed by insufficient funding. Although funding for public education is a topic unlikely to command frequent public discussion, no topic is more consequential for achievement, adequacy, and social justice in the learning, lives, and futures of America’s children and young people.

"Tricks for Good Grades" provides students with methods and strategies to excel in school and get better grades. It shows how to zip through homework, do better in tests, and get along with teachers, among other topics. The book is aimed as middle school and high school students and is based on lessons from the School for Champions educational website (www.school-for-champions.com).

Zot lives in a world without colour – no green grass, no blue sky, no yellow sun and no red flowers. From his lonely mountaintop, he gazes at Earth, sparkling with brilliant colour, and thinks it must be a very happy place. He sets off to steal some of that happiness for himself . . . Visually stunning and thought-provoking, The Colour Thief is a heartwarming story set to become a firm favourite with fans of Oliver Jeffers and Jon Klassen.

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful rounds of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied... There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the House shows it's darker face — when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows — that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy. The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr. Hood has ambitious for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...

When Eliza Jane Murphy—line leader, captain of the worm rescue team—impulsively pockets a sparkly green stone from her classroom’s “Exploring Green” display table, her heart crumples. My heart stopped singing. My letters went wonky. I was too heavy to swing! I wanted to put it back . . . But what if someone saw? But when she discovers that nearly everyone in her family took something once in their lives—from her baby brother and mom, to her nana with her sausage-stealing dog—Eliza overcomes her shame to make things right. A hilarious and heartfelt story about stealing and finding the courage to do the right thing.

Having the ability to manage the learning environment, motivate students in the environment, and offer instruction that itself is motivating and which contributes to students learning what they need to learn and acquiring skills they need to acquire characterizes effective teachers. To meet these expectations, teachers need highly developed skills as instructional specialists, motivators, managers, and problem solvers. This new and expanded edition offers practical information for beginning as well as veteran teachers to become more knowledgeable, skilled, and effective in their work. Through study, application of what has been studied, and analysis and evaluation of the end result of this application, teachers who care to improve can improve. The text provides a specific context and focus for this active learning in areas of management and motivation. Additional sections discuss: understanding motivation and motivating environments, creating a managed environment with models and theories of management, best practice in teaching, creating and maintaining safe learning environments, responding to student motivation and behavior problems, and case studies for analysis in student motivation and classroom management. The text reviews appropriate strategies when responding to specific types of student misbehavior and also discusses zero tolerance policies, bullying, expulsion, teaching special students, addressing diversity, violence, school uniforms, and drug abuse as related to management and motivation. It is highlighted with supporting examples, question and activity sections by chapter, a helpful glossary, and 29 additional tables. This third edition continues to be an invaluable resource for teachers, student teachers, special educators, and school administrators in providing guidance, practical recommendations, and insight into developing sound management and motivation in the classroom.

Save both time and money with the downloadable version of Prestwick House Teaching Units! For the new teacher, Prestwick House's extensive line of title-specific Teaching Units may serve as a starting point. For the experienced teacher, the Unit may serve as a point of departure. Our aim is to save you time and energy while alleviating the frustration.

Restorative approaches are about more than just repairing relationships when things go wrong, they are also about making and maintaining relationships and they inform a style of teaching just as much as they do an approach to problem solving and conflict resolution. By giving everyone a voice, considering everyone's thoughts, feelings and needs and believing in people's ability to find solutions to their own problems by working together, young people will develop the language and skills they need to properly engage with their peers. The Restorative Classroom invites classroom teachers and teaching assistants to reflect on themselves, on their role, their purpose and their intention in the classroom and on their current style of engagement with their students. It combines a focus on the making, maintaining and repairing of relationships in the classroom with the development of social responsibility and a mutually supportive learning community in that classroom.