"Textured Teaching is a framework for teaching and learning about texts, centered in love and social justice. The term social justice refers to a redistribution of resources, opportunities, wealth, and power that promotes equity. A teaching approach that strives for social justice, then, is one that openly addresses social injustices and functions in a way that leads students to reimagine an equitable redistribution. Our framework is built upon the values that a Textured Teacher must hold. The strategies we use to bring those values to life are the traits of Textured Teaching. Therefore, a thoughtful and intentional implementation of Textured Teaching leads to social justice work"--

"Textured Teaching is a framework for teaching and learning about texts, centered in love and social justice. The term social justice refers to a redistribution of resources, opportunities, wealth, and power that promotes equity. A teaching approach that strives for social justice, then, is one that openly addresses social injustices and functions in a way that leads students to reimagine an equitable redistribution. Our framework is built upon the values that a Textured Teacher must hold. The strategies we use to bring those values to life are the traits of Textured Teaching. Therefore, a thoughtful and intentional implementation of Textured Teaching leads to social justice work"--

The Power to Save a Life Jacob Chastain grew up in an environment filled with drugs and violence. Inside the home that should have felt safe, fear and anxiety were the desperate norm. Stability and security eluded him as he was shuffled between family and friends that would take him in. But at school, things were different. There, day after day, year after year, Chastain's teachers saved him. Teach Me, Teacher is the true story of a childhood marked by heartache--a story that may be similar to that of the children sitting in your classroom. It's the story that shaped Jacob Chastain into the educator he is today. Lessons learned from his experiences as a child and as a growing educator offer reflections on the trials and triumphs facing teachers and students everywhere. From these lessons, we learn that one's darkest moments can ultimately lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life when someone cares enough to step in and make a difference. Written in celebration of teachers and the power of education, Teach Me, Teacher affirms that you have the power to save a life. "Jacob Chastain pours his heart out on the pages of Teach Me, Teacher by sharing his personal journey through childhood trauma. His message that "action is the antidote to suffering" is a powerful reminder to us all to do more, be more, understand more, and care more for our students." --Kim Bearden, co-founder and executive director, The Ron Clark Academy, author of Talk to Me "Teach Me, Teacher is one of the most courageous, heartbreaking, hopeful books I've ever read." --Regie Routman, author of Literacy Essentials "Jacob Chastain's raw honesty is something that we need more of in the education world." --Halee Sikorski, A Latte Learning "Teach Me, Teacher is both an uplifting memoir and a message to all of us in education of the power we have to build relationships and make a difference for all of our students." --Dr. Sue Szachowicz, senior fellow, Successful Practices Network "Jacob Chastain takes us on a transformational journey where past and present converge into possibility. His story of resilience and hope is a celebration of the impact each of us can have when professional purpose leads the way." --Dr. Mary Howard, author of Good to Great Teaching

This book examines both the promise and complexity of diversifying today's teaching profession. Drawing from a 5-year study of 21 new teachers of colour working in urban, hard-to-staff schools, this book uncovers a systemic paradox that the teachers confront. They are committed to improving educational opportunities for students of colour by acting as role models, culturally/linguistically responsive teachers, and change agents. The teaching profession encouraged such commitments and some teachers acted with support from individual, organizational, and community-based sponsors. However, many of these new teachers work in schools that are culturally subtractive and have restrictive accountability policies that challenge their ability to perform cultural/professional roles to which they are committed. Many teachers internalize the contradiction, resulting in their becoming changed agents within the educational system they sought to change. This book is essential reading for educators, leaders, and policymakers.

Soft, gooey, fluffy, prickly—textures are all around us. What clever words will you use to describe the textures pictured in this book? Jane Brocket's appealing photography and simple, whimsical text give a fresh approach to a topic all young children learn about.

"Author discusses how sharing his writing has opened up his students and their writing. Ultimately, student outcomes increased from authentic writing, which also strengthened students' other writing styles"--

A practical guide to the essential practice that builds better teachers. Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher is the landmark guide to critical reflection, providing expert insight and practical tools to facilitate a journey of constructive self-critique. Stephen Brookfield shows how you can uncover and assess your assumptions about practice by viewing them through the lens of your students' eyes, your colleagues' perceptions, relevant theory and research, and your own personal experience. Practicing critical reflection will help you… Align your teaching with desired student outcomes See your practice from new perspectives Engage learners via multiple teaching formats Understand and manage classroom power dynamics Model critical thinking for your students Manage the complex rhythms of diverse classrooms This fully revised second edition features a wealth of new material, including new chapters on critical reflection in the context of social media, teaching race and racism, leadership in a critically reflective key, and team teaching as critical reflection. In addition, all chapters have been thoroughly updated and expanded to align with today's classrooms, whether online or face-to-face, in large lecture formats or small groups. In his own personal voice Stephen Brookfield draws from over 45 years of experience to illustrate the clear benefits of critical reflection. Assumptions guide practice and only when we base our actions on accurate assumptions will we achieve the results we want. Educators with the courage to challenge their own assumptions in an effort to improve learning are the invaluable role models our students need. Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher provides the foundational information and practical tools that help teachers reach their true potential.

"While no check-list of attitudes, dispositions, behaviors, or actions can define what thriving teachers look like, the teachers interviewed here give us powerful examples of what it takes to face their profession with courage, their content with enthusiasm, and their students with love." -Sonia Nieto One in four public school students in the U.S. now speaks a language other than English at home, and the number of emergent bilingual and immigrant children in our schools continues to grow daily. What does it mean to be a teacher today, when students are more diverse in language, culture, race, and social class than ever before? What does it take to thrive, when the demands of teaching have never been greater? Sonia Nieto found and interviewed 22 teachers of varying backgrounds and school settings who help answer the question of what effective, culturally responsive teaching looks like in the real world. Their stories of success, failure, frustration and hope will resonate with everyone who has struggled to meet the needs of diverse students in our current sociopolitical context. Nieto explores the common themes that arose throughout the interviews, of teaching with a social justice perspective, the moral dimensions of teaching, advocating for students, and challenging the status quo. She raises a persuasive argument that teaching is an ethical endeavor, that we must honor students' identities and believe in their futures, and that ultimately teaching is an act of love. The stories of Nieto's passionate teachers will inspire and motivate you to find joy in teaching students of diverse backgrounds. Read a sample chapter

Capture the Rich Textures of Nature, Step by Step Capture nature's beauty as you never have before. Beloved artist and teacher Claudia Nice leads you on an inspired journey through the great outdoors. With paints in hand, she shares with you her best techniques for creating landscapes that come alive with richness, depth and textured detail. Open this guide and start painting right away. As you follow engaging, step-by-step demonstrations and exercises, you'll learn to recreate the textural elements of a range of terrains and landscapes. Chapters include: • Creative clouds and skies • Majestic mountains, hills and mesas • Texturing trees, trunks and foliage • Rugged rocks and gritty gravel • Transparent textures for rivers, falls and lakes • Flowers of the field In a special section, Claudia covers basic texturing techniques with mini demos using lines, dots, bruising, scribbling, spattering, blotting, printing, stamping and more. From paints and pens to sponges, leaves and facial tissue, you'll explore all kinds of fun and inventive ways to create amazing textures. And to help you put it all together, Claudia includes her masterful advice for creating compositions using reference photos, field sketches and your own creative license. Each demonstration features a large image of the completed landscape, so you can see exactly how Claudia's methods work - from start to finish.

Carle is one of the most beloved illustrators of children's books. This retrospective is more than just an appreciation of his art, however. The book also contains an insightful autobiography illustrated with personal photographs, an anecdotal essay by his longtime editor, a photographic essay on how Carle creates his collages, and writings by Carle and his colleagues. Still, it is the artwork in the oversize volume that seizes the imagination. More than 60 of his full-color collage pictures are handsomely reproduced and serve as a statement of Carle's impressive talent. - Booklist