Finally, a book that demystifies our daunting education system by giving parents the insights and strategies they need to build positive relationships with teachers and connect to their children’s learning in productive ways. Involved Parents = Better Students How do you ensure your child gets the best education possible when U.S. schools have become overburdened, test-driven institutions that rank only average worldwide? Decades of research confirm that when parents engage with their children’s learning, kids do better in school—and life. This straight-talking guide helps you: • understand the critical role you play in your child’s education, • connect with educators in respectful ways, • encourage a love of reading in your kids, • minimize homework meltdowns and disorganization, • support students who struggle academically, • help children navigate social situations and bullying, and • fuel your child’s mind and body for learning. Parent involvement looks different for every family and every child. Packed with real stories and tested strategies, The Parent Backpack demystifies our complex education system and gives you the insights you need to help your kids thrive.

As a resource book designed for teachers of preschool and kindergarten students, the text provides classroom strategies, case studies, classroom management techniques, and home-school connections to facilitate teaching the language arts. Strategies for the bilingual classrooms are also included.

A year's worth of ideas and activities to revitalize every teacher's class "I see this as an absolutely necessary tool no matter what your subject area or grade level. The information contained in the index alone is worth the price of this book!" --Alexis Ludewig, Wisconsin Teacher of the Year, 2002 "The kids especially like the Internet links to find special facts about a given day of the year." --Tracy Callard, Kansas Teacher of the Year, 2002 "A wonderful resource to supplement our required curriculum!" --Melinda Day Webster, Tennessee Teacher of the Year, 2002 For more than five years, The Teacher's Calendar has been a fixture in classrooms and school libraries across the country. You will find innovative ideas for lessons, bulletin boards, and school calendars on every page. Sidebars highlight specific dates and provide curriculum ideas, lists of appropriate books, and related websites. 5,000 month-by-month, day-by-day listings, all fully updated and revised 50 new essays on how to use this material in your classroom Appendixes with U.S., Canada, and Mexico at-a-glance facts And more! With its extensive listings and seemingly inexhaustible treasure of classroom ideas, The Teacher's Calendar will take the guesswork out of lesson planning and put fun and creativity back into your classroom.

Features 5,000 month-by-month, day-by-day listings for every day of the school year, including summer school The 2006-2007 edition features information on the 300th founding anniversary of Jamestown, the 200th birth anniversary of Henry Longfellow, the 100th anniversary of the first Mother's Day, and much more