“This book brings new focus to the rich history of ideas and strategies shown to improve student learning, helping educators at all levels see not only the value of using proven strategies, but the importance of integrating those strategies into purposeful improvement efforts.”

—Thomas R. Guskey, Distinguished Service Professor

Georgetown College

“This is a book of action. The author calls for leaders in school communities to be bold, courageous, committed, and aggressive in the actions required to achieve desired increases in student learning.”

—Charles Patterson, Educational Consultant

Former President, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Dramatically raise student achievement by engaging educators in collaborative curriculum design and professional development!

Teachers, teacher leaders, principals, and staff developers can build a collaborative culture and improve staff and student performance with this content-focused, step-by-step model that ties curriculum design to teacher growth. Kay Psencik provides a powerful process whereby teachers work together in teams to examine standards, gain a deep understanding of content, create curriculum maps, and design common formative assessments. Professional development leaders can inspire and challenge teachers to:

Confront assumptions about learning and professional development; Clarify and establish complex standards; Embed conversations about the curriculum into daily work

With hands-on tools, templates, and resources, readers can help teachers become more skilled in their instruction, create a school-based curriculum that is tied to standards, and accelerate the learning of both students and staff.

Designing Instruction

Designing instruction

Children construct their own knowledge and understanding. We cannot transmit ideas to passive learners. Knowledge and understanding are unique to each learner. Reflective learning is the single most important ingredient for effective learning. Effective teaching is child-centered.

—John H. Van de Walle, Elementary School Mathematics

The human brain/mind is much like a dynamic kaleidoscope. The neurosciences are telling us that, energized by genetics, experience, and culture, students literally learn from everything. And as educators we are beginning to see that what this generation of students is learning beyond the classroom is unlike anything past generations have experienced.

—Geoffery and Renata Caine, Making Connections

“How has the telling of history shaped history?” The students looked puzzled. The teacher kept questioning, “I am wondering what voices were silenced during World War II? I wonder who was heard and why?” Students just sat ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles