"I have not seen a more teacher-friendly resource for using the Web in the classroom. The authors took both novices and experts into consideration. A must-have in every school." a?Elizabeth Alvarez, Math and Science Coach Chicago Public Schools, IL "A user-friendly tool on many levels. I would recommend this book to media specialists, instructional technology teachers, and district coordinators for both content and technology." a?April DeGennaro, Gifted Education Teacher Peeples Elementary School, Fayetteville, GA Translate Web technology into practical applications for the daily curriculum! Designed for novices and experienced users, this comprehensive guide includes all the need-to-know aspects of using the World Wide Web to support student learning. Making the Most of the Web in Your Classroom covers the language of the Web, describes Web-editing software, and shows how to use Web tools that offer unique learning opportunities for students. This book examines issues of student safety, appropriate "netiquette," and copyright and other legal considerations and provides field-tested strategies, examples, and reproducibles to help teachers create powerful learning opportunities. Educators will be able to meet ISTE NETS technology and content standards as they: Design and build Web sites Help students develop their own Internet projects Evaluate and manage Web projects Featuring a list of key terms in each chapter, this timely resource will motivate your students and help make technology a seamless part of your classroom instruction.

The best classes have a life of their own, powered by student-led conversations that explore texts, ideas, and essential questions. In these classes, the teacher’s role shifts from star player to observer and coach as the students Think critically, Work collaboratively, Participate fully, Behave ethically, Ask and answer high-level questions, Support their ideas with evidence, and Evaluate and assess their own work. The Spider Web Discussion is a simple technique that puts this kind of class within every teacher’s reach. The name comes from the weblike diagram the observer makes to record interactions as students actively participate in the discussion, lead and support one another’s learning, and build community. It’s proven to work across all subject areas and with all ages, and you only need a little know-how, a rubric, and paper and pencil to get started. As students practice Spider Web Discussion, they become stronger communicators, more empathetic teammates, better problem solvers, and more independent learners—college and career ready skills that serve them well in the classroom and beyond. Educator Alexis Wiggins provides a step-by-step guide for the implementation of Spider Web Discussion, covering everything from introducing the technique to creating rubrics for discussion self-assessment to the nuts-and-bolts of charting the conversations and using the data collected for formative assessment. She also shares troubleshooting tips, ideas for assessment and group grading, and the experiences of real teachers and students who use the technique to develop and share content knowledge in a way that’s both revolutionary and truly inspiring.

Instead of asking students to power down during class, power up your lesson plans with digital tools. Design and deliver lessons in which technology plays an integral role. Engage students in solving real-world problems while staying true to standards-aligned curricula. This book provides a research base and practical strategies for using web 2.0 tools to create engaging lessons that transform and enrich content.

Read Rafe Esquith's posts on the Penguin Blog. The New York Times bestseller that is revolutionizing the way Americans educate their kids-"Rafe Esquith is a genius and a saint" (The New York Times) Perhaps the most famous fifth-grade teacher in America, Rafe Esquith has won numerous awards and even honorary citizenship in the British Empire for his outstandingly successful methods. In his Los Angeles public school classroom, he helps impoverished immigrant children understand Shakespeare, play Vivaldi, and become happy, self-confident people. This bestseller gives any teacher or parent all the techniques, exercises, and innovations that have made its author an educational icon, from personal codes of behavior to tips on tackling literature and algebra. The result is a powerful book for anyone concerned about the future of our children.

A cutting edge collection of 59 essays solicited from Web-based instructors offering a variety of perspectives, notions, and experiences in the practice of virtual teaching. The compendium introduces the evolution and status of distance learning, critical issues in Web-based learning environments such as the similarities and differences between Web-based and traditional classrooms, specific discussions on designing learning activities and electronic textbooks, an evaluation of delivery systems for instruction, and case studies of Web-based courses from kindergarten and beyond to the instruction of literature, astronomy, and foreign languages. Includes illustrations. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book brings teachers a bold vision and on-the-ground Monday morning practicality. It will move educators to think differently about technology's potential for strengthening students' critical thinking, writing, reflection, and interactive learning. Will Richardson demystifies words like "blog," "wiki," and "aggregator," making classroom technology an easily accessible component of classroom research, writing, and learning.

Textbooks are symbols of centuries-old education. They're often outdated as soon as they hit students' desks. Acting "by the textbook" implies compliance and a lack of creativity. It's time to ditch those textbooks--and those textbook assumptions about learning In Ditch That Textbook, teacher and blogger Matt Miller encourages educators to throw out meaningless, pedestrian teaching and learning practices. He empowers them to evolve and improve on old, standard, teaching methods. Ditch That Textbook is a support system, toolbox, and manifesto to help educators free their teaching and revolutionize their classrooms.

Written in a warm and understanding tone, this guide takes the best in secular early childhood education and applies it to Jewish early childhood education. With extensive bibliographies as well as background information for teachers, individual chapters review developmentally appropriate practice, anti-bias education, storytelling, music, Jewish thematic units, reaching out to interfaith families, keeping kosher at school, and much more.

Your Groundbreaking Framework for Measurement and Reporting Most people find measurement, analytics, and reporting daunting—and L&D professionals are no different. As these practices have become critically important for organizations’ efforts to improve performance, talent development professionals have often been slow to embrace them for many reasons, including the seeming complexity and challenge of the practices. Few organizations have a well-thought-out measurement and reporting strategy, and there are often scant resources, limited time, and imperfect data to work with when organizations do attempt to create one. Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy is a much-needed and welcomed resource that breaks new ground with a framework to simplify the discussion of measurement, analytics, and reporting as it relates to L&D and talent development practitioners. This book helps practitioners select and use the right measures for the right reasons; select, create, and use the right types of reports; and create a comprehensive measurement and reporting strategy. Recognizing the angst and reluctance people often show in these areas, authors and experts David Vance and Peggy Parskey break down the practices and processes by providing a common language and an easy-to-use structure. They describe five types of reports, four broad reasons to measure, and three categories of measures. Their method works for large and small organizations, even if yours is an L&D staff of one or two. The guidance remains the same: Start small and grow. Measurement Demystified is a great first book for talent development professionals with no prior knowledge of or experience with measurement and a valuable resource for measurement experts. Those adept at lower levels of training evaluation will grow their knowledge base and capabilities, while measurement experts will discover shortcuts and nuggets of information to enhance their practices. A more comprehensive treatment of these important topics will not be found elsewhere.

Help students in grades PK–K make connections and reinforce learning while keeping the classroom manageable using Giant Book of Preschool Activities. This 304-page book provides practice for the skills and functions needed for early childhood development. With more than 26 themes and 500 activities, this book makes it practically impossible to run out of ideas for teaching social, motor, memory, and auditory skills. The book includes ideas for movement, rhyming, circles, counting, games, and centers and comes with reproducibles, literature selections, Web site suggestions, and an index of activities by skill. This book supports NAEYC standards and aligns with state, national, and Canadian provincial standards.