Standards Books

The National Board Certification Workbook, Second Edition: How to Develop Your Portfolio and Prepare for the Assessment Exams

Adrienne Mack-Kirschner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first edition of The National Board Certification Workbook offered you top-notch preparation for the National Board certification process. Now the second edition, with 40% new material, goes even further, taking you through every step of the process, and giving you the guidance you need to achieve certification.

Adrienne Mack-Kirschner's work as a National Board support provider makes her the ideal person to advise certification candidates, and her workbook is the next-best thing to attending her workshops. In addition to the comprehensive forms, checklists, and step-by-step portfolio instructions from the first edition, she's now expanded the workbook to include more guidelines for documenting your instruction with video as well as many useful suggestions on understanding the assessment exams and succeeding on them.

Beginning with Personal Inventory Sheets keyed to the Core Propositions, right through scoring your own work, Mack-Kirschner offers numerous helpful tools, including:

• best-practices charts
• guides to videotaping your teaching and analyzing the footage
• graphic organizers for thinking through your practice
• data-collection techniques for correlation with student achievement
• plentiful opportunities for self-reflection and assessment
• updated information about the new portfolio requirements
• strategic advice about taking the NB assessment examinations.

The National Board has raised the standards for the profession and brought a new level of distinction to its certified teachers because it requires "clear, consistent, and convincing evidence" of meeting its demanding standards. How do you measure up? Where do you need to stretch and grow? Use The National Board Certification Workbook, Second Edition, in conjunction with The Teacher's Guide to National Board Certification and find out how to examine your teaching practices and present the evidence of your classroom excellence in a way that helps your professionalism shine brightly.

Power Standards: Identifying the Standards that Matter the Most

Larry Ainsworth

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Advanced Learning Press Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $11.46

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Revolutionary teaching! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The concepts in this book, along with those found in Larry's other book, Unwrapping the Standards, can revolutionize the way state standards are met in the classroom. I recently had the honor of meeting Larry in person and taking a four day workshop from him. He is a wonderful human being who is passionate about teaching children in a manner that actually matters. I have implemented some of Larry's strategies in my own classroom, and my students found them engaging and exciting. These books are well written and packed with information. Although I would recommend taking a workshop from Larry in order to make the best use of the books, one could certainly read the books independently and use them effectively.

Editorial Review:

Power Standards is a step-by-step, practical manual that explains how educators can distinguish the Power Standards--standards that are absolutely necessary for student success--from those that are nice to know. Larry Ainsworth shows all educators not only how to create a prioritized subset of their own state or district standards, but also how to use these Power Standards to guide the development of meaningful curriculum and assessment. The straightforward and easy-to-read format enables readers to immediately apply these proven, practical strategies and to significantly improve achievement for all students--by first identifying the standards that matter the most!

How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards

Amazon Price: $32.35 List Price: $35.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Corwin Press Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $24.90

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Teachers: Are You Grading for Learning? 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This book is a great resource for anyone looking to make changes to their grading system to be more informative to teaching. It is one of those books that can lead to an epiphany in teaching. You know the kind, "What was I doing before I read this book? Why!?!" This is a great, quick read that can lead you to make a meaningful change in your classroom that will directly benefit your students.

Editorial Review:

Teachers will never look at grading the same way again. In this new edition of a SkyLight best seller, O`Connor shows how to link grades and standards. He updates his eight models, which assist teachers in designing and conducting grading practices that help students feel more in control of their academic success. This comprehensive resource defines the purpose of each guideline, illustrates an example, discusses and analyzes key elements, and supplies overviews of various grading programs and calculation strategies.

`In How to Grade for Learning, Ken O`Connor combines the thoroughness of a scholar with the pragmatism of a veteran educator as he explains the relationship among content standards, performance standards, assignments, assessments, and grades.` -Jay McTighe, Author and Consultant

Writing Meaningful Teacher Evaluations - Right Now! Second Edition The Principal's Quick-Start Reference Guide

Cornelius L. Barker, Claudette J. Searchwell

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Teacher Evaluation Resource 5 out of 5 stars.
27 of 28 people found this review helpful.

If you need a great reference book on what to say on teacher observation and evaluation reports, this book is it. Offers compliments to give teachers who show strength in certain areas. As well, it offers suggestions for imporvoemnt for those who need it.

A Great Resource! 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

I found this book to be a great resource for Administrators who need to write Teacher Evaluations. This resource would also be extremely helpful for Graduate Students who are taking Administration courses. The comments are appropriate. The "pats on the back" are explicit with details. This book is most helpful when comments for improvement need to be written. The negative scenerios come with a bank of suggestions for improvement. The CD made my life easier. I am sure that you will keep this book within arm's reach as I have done.

Editorial Review:

Now, the second edition puts even more tools at your fingertips for writing fact-filled, performance-based, high-quality teacher evaluations, quickly and efficiently, including a timesaving CD-ROM. CD is PC and Mac compatible and not sold separately.

Common Formative Assessments: How to Connect Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment

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Editorial Review:

"A powerful resource. The authors clarify the terminology of assessment with painstaking precision and offer specific, practical steps to help educators develop their assessment literacy."
-Richard DuFour, Educational Author and Consultant

"Highly recommended-a clear and helpful guide to navigating the terrain of instruction, assessment, and standards."
-Mike Schmoker, Author, Speaker, and Consultant

"A powerful way of coping with accountability. This important book lays out a game plan for coming up with an educationally defensible response to today's score-boosting pressures."
-W. James Popham, Professor Emeritus
UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

Common formative assessments-the centerpiece of an integrated, standards-based system!

Now you have powerful means to closely align curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the standards essential for student success. You will learn how teams of teachers in the same content area or grade level can collaboratively develop, test, and refine common formative assessments in order to gain reliable and timely feedback on student progress. The results provide teachers with critical insight into how well students are understanding the standards, what changes are needed in instructional strategies, and how to best meet the needs of every student!

This timely resource presents the "big picture" of an integrated, standards-based instruction and assessment system and offers instructional leaders and teacher teams guidelines for:

• Developing high-quality common formative assessments
• Aligning school-based common formative assessments with district benchmarks and large-scale summative assessments
• Predicting likely student performance on subsequent assessments in time to make instructional modifications
• Implementing and sustaining common formative assessments within the school’s or district’s assessment culture

This book is a must-read for all educators and leaders committed to improving standards-based assessment practices in their district, school, or classroom.

(20050920)

Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching And Learning

Kathryn Parker Boudett

Amazon Price: $26.95 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harvard Educational Pub Group Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $23.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Useful how-to book on data use in schools 4 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Data Wise is exactly as the title describes. It tells you exactly how to implement data use in your school with case studies/examples. Great for all levels of experience, especially those just starting out. Little to no background knowledge in the area is required to benefit from the book. Lingo and definitions are given in the beginning. Great for use by all educators.

Well Written But Not a "Cookbook" 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The book appears to be a collection of chapters written by doctoral students of the editor. While the call to be "data driven" may be viewed as the latest educational fad, the central thesis (the making decisions in schools and classrooms based on student outcomes) makes sense. The question is whether this work serves as a standalone guide to an administrator moving in this direction. I would say yes to someone who has experience with instituting new programs and a rich understanding of the change process. My caveat is based on the fact that while the book generally outlines the steps involved in institutionalizing the use of data, implementation will require a practitioner who can anticipate problems and respond appropriately. Thus, the book should be viewed as a "primer" for planning purposes rather than a "cookbook." In fairness, I believe the author has tried to address this criticism in her companion volume "Data Wise in Action."

Editorial Review:

In the wake of the accountability movement, school administrators are inundated with data about their students. How can they use this information to support student achievement? This book presents a clear and carefully tested blueprint for school leaders. It shows how examining test scores and other classroom data can become a catalyst for important schoolwide conversations that will enhance schools' ability to capture teachers' knowledge, foster collaboration, identify obstacles to change, and enhance school culture and climate.

Unwrapping the Standards: A Simple Process to Make Standards Manageable

Larry Ainsworth

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Editorial Review:

The process of unwrapping the standards is a simple yet powerful practice to help educators realize higher student achievement levels in all content areas. Unwrapped standards clarify what students must know and be able to do; when educators analyze each standard and identify its essential concepts and skills, the result is more effective instructional planning, assessment, and learning. Included in this book are more than 80 examples of unwrapped standards from a variety of content areas and grade levels. Also included are ready-to-use checklists and templates to help educators immediately apply this simple, proven technique for making standards manageable.

National Science Education Standards

National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment, National Research Council

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

superb book 5 out of 5 stars.
22 of 22 people found this review helpful.

This book gave a comprehensive overview of the issues facing national science standards. Not only did it go over the history of standards, but it delved into the complex issues of teacher participation, community support, and school support equipment. I really enjoyed the organization of the book. it was divided into very coherent and logical arrangement, which enabled easy understanding of the complex issues even to a first-timer like me!

Editorial Review:

This volume offers a coherent vision of what it means to be scientifically literate, describing what all students regardless of background or circumstance should understand and be able to do in science as a result of their learning experience. The standards reflect the principles that learning science is an inquiry-based process, that science in schools should reflect the intellectual traditions of contemporary science, and that all Americans have a role in science reform.

Making Standards Work, 3rd Edition: How to Implement Standards-Based Assessments in the Classroom, School, and District

Douglas B. Reeves

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Making Standards Work 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is an interesting book in that it challenges all your previous ideas. I cannot say I fully agree with Reeves, but it has made me more aware of assessments and how I use them.

Editorial Review:

Making Standards Work leads educators through the steps of creating and using performance assessments to determine students' achievement throughout the school year. Dr. Reeves' straightforward approach to improving student achievement begins with using performance assessments that contain real-world scenarios, multiple tasks, and clear, consistent scoring guides. Thousands of educators have used this book as an essential guide to creating effective standards-based classrooms, schools, and districts.

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning

Committee on the Development of an Addendum to the National Science Education Standards on Scientific Inquiry, National Research Council

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Editorial Review:

Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning science - the 'eyes glazed over' syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar. "Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards" is the book that educators have been waiting for - a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards.This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand 'why we can't teach the way we used to.' "Inquiry" refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and in which students grasp science knowledge and the methods by which that knowledge is produced. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science.This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K-12 students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide. The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom."Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards" shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies. Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.