January 2023 MBR The Education Shelf

The Education Shelf

Teaching Kids to Pause, Cope, and Connect
Mark Purcell, Psy.D
Kellen Glinder, MD
Free Spirit Publishing
6325 Sandburg Road, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55427-3674
www.freespirit.com
9781631983474, $34.99, PB, 198pp

https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Kids-Pause-Cope-Connect/dp/1631983474

Synopsis: Elementary school students today face many challenges that did not exist a generation or two ago, and rates of emotional disorders (including anxiety and depression) have increased steadily over the years. Students must also manage an overwhelming amount of information. With today's reliance on technology and social media, they have fewer opportunities to develop effective self-regulation strategies and interpersonal and stress management skills.

Helping students understand their emotions and behavior when they're young will set them on a path to being successful learners and empathetic people throughout their lives. Comprised of thirty easy-to-implement, skill-based lessons and activities for grades 3-6, "Teaching Kids to Pause, Cope, and Connect: Lessons for Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness" provides educators with strategies to help students: Manage and reduce their anxiety with healthy coping skills; Understand and regulate physical responses to stress; Separate emotions from actions; Respond mindfully (rather than impulsively) to difficult situations; Improve social skills, social awareness, and self-regulation; Develop empathy and compassion.

Digital content includes reproducible student handouts that accompany each lesson, plus six bonus lessons.

Critique: An ideal and unreservedly recommended elementary school curriculum development resource, "Teaching Kids to Pause, Cope, and Connect: Lessons for Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness" is highly recommended for school district and academic library In-Service Training curriculums and college/university library Teacher Education collections. It should be noted that "Teaching Kids to Pause, Cope, and Connect: Lessons for Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.24).

Editorial Note: Mark Purcell, Psy.D., (www.drmarkpurcell.com) is a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating children and families with emotional regulation challenges. He has been working in various aspects of the mental health field for over twenty years. Mark's professional experience has ranged from providing psychotherapy to children to developing specialized treatment programs and teaching professionals and graduate students. In addition to teaching and training, he provides therapy in his private practice. Mark has particular interests in mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches, such as DBT and MBSR. He also has research interests in the effects of trauma and effective treatment modalities. He coauthored Mindfulness for Teen Anger, which integrates these interests into a self-help workbook for adolescents. He lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area and can be followed on Twitter @dr_mark_purcell

Editorial Note #2: Kellen Glinder, M.D., (https://profiles.stanford.edu/kellen-glinder) is a pediatrician and site lead for the Silicon Valley office of Private Medical. He is also the emeritus chair of pediatrics at the Palo Alto Division of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and an adjunct clinical assistant professor at Stanford University. He is active in both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. As a Wilderness Medical Society member, he enjoys figuring out how to get kids outside often and with smiles. Kellen is a Screen Actors Guild member, has trained as an improvisational actor, and has taught classes in medical improv and the art of communication, including a course at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. He can be followed on Twitter @drglinder

Equity in the Classroom
Todd M. Mealy, editor
Heather Bennett, editor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476687032, $39.95, PB, 298pp

https://www.amazon.com/Equity-Classroom-Curricular-Pedagogical-Approaches/dp/147668703 X

Synopsis: Almost 200 years after public schools moved toward free education for all children, educators are still exploring the best approaches for promoting equitable student growth.

In early 2020, Covid-19 operational changes and the challenge to confront America's most profound racial problems exposed many equity issues in schools. As a result, educators were called to reimagine the field of education as the curtain closed on the first quarter of the 21st century.

The essays comprising "Equity in the Classroom: Essays on Curricular and Pedagogical Approaches to Empowering All Students" challenge classroom instructors to consider new approaches to education theory, classroom praxis and teaching content. The chapters herein draw on mixed-methods and narrative form essays to provide practical tools and techniques for building equitable schools.

Viewing schools as extensions of society-at-large, collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Todd M. Mealy and Heather Bennett, delivers innovative curricular approaches to STEM education, the Humanities and applied theater. The authors offer methods for empowering student voices, managing moments of crisis, increasing representation in computer science and implementing restorative justice disciplinary practices in learning institutions. These essays provide all educators with proven instructional models for curricular equity with the goal of moving America closer to a multicultural democracy.

Critique: Along with an informative Introduction by the two editors, "Equity in the Classroom: Essays on Curricular and Pedagogical Approaches to Empowering All Students" is a compendium of thirteen deftly crafted contributions by experts. Of special note is a one page listing of the contributors and their credentials. Timely, thought-provoking, and 'real world' relevant, "Equity in the Classroom: Essays on Curricular and Pedagogical Approaches to Empowering All Students" is an especially recommended addition to professional and academic library Education Theory and Ethnic Education Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists of teachers, school district administrators, board of education policy makers, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Equity in the Classroom: Essays on Curricular and Pedagogical Approaches to Empowering All Students" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note #1: Todd M. Mealy (https://www.toddmealy.com) has Ph.D. in American studies from Penn State University, and is a writer who specializes in 19th and 20th century civil rights history and sports culture. A contributor to Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine, he resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Editorial Note #2: Heather Bennett (https://heatherlbennett.com) assists public school boards and districts with equity-focused tools, programming, and research. Her scholarship focuses on the intersection of education, law, and policy, primarily focusing on the impact of the educational experiences of marginalized students, families, and communities. She currently resides in Bangkok, Thailand.

The New Classroom Instruction That Works
Bryan Goodwin, et al.
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416631613, $32.95, PB, 178pp

https://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Instruction-That-Works-Research-Based/dp/1416631615
Synopsis: Built on a more rigorous research base and updated to emphasize student diversity, equity, and inclusion, "The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement" offers a streamlined focus on the 14 instructional strategies proven to promote deep, meaningful, and lasting learning including: Cognitive interest cues; Student goal setting and monitoring; Vocabulary instruction; Strategy instruction and modeling; Visualizations and concrete examples; High-level questions and student explanations; Guided initial application with formative feedback; Peer-assisted consolidation of learning; Retrieval practice; Spaced and mixed independent practice; Targeted support; Cognitive writing; Guided investigations; and Structured problem solving.

These strategies (all of which are effective and complementary) are presented within a framework geared toward instructional planning and aligned with how the brain learns. For each strategy, their are key research findings, the important principles of classroom practice, and recommended approaches for using the strategy with today's learners.

Both new and veteran teachers will finish "The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement" with a better understanding of how effective teaching boosts student achievement and a clearer idea of what to do, when to do it, and why.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement" is an ideal textbook for in-service training programs on lesson planning/instruction methods, and college/university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections.

Editorial Note #1: Bryan Goodwin (https://www.ascd.org/people/bryan-goodwin) is the president and CEO of McREL International, a Denver-based nonprofit education research and development organization. Goodwin, a former teacher and journalist, has been at McREL for more than 20 years, serving previously as chief operating officer and director of communications and marketing. Goodwin writes a monthly research column for Educational Leadership and presents research findings and insights to audiences across the United States and in Canada, the Middle East, and Australia.

Editorial Note #2: Kristin Rouleau (https://www.ascd.org/people/kristin-rouleau) serves as the executive director of learning services and innovation at McREL International, where she guides a team of consultants who help schools, districts, and state education agencies and ministries of education across the United States, Canada, Micronesia, Australia, the Middle East, and China translate research into solutions that transform teaching, leading, and learning. A licensed school administrator with more than 25 years of classroom and school leadership experience, she coauthored Learning That Sticks: A Brain-Based Model for K - 12 Instructional Design and Delivery, Curiosity Works: A Guidebook for Moving Your School from Improvement to Innovation and Unstuck: How Curiosity, Peer Coaching, and Teaming Can Change Your School.

Editorial Note #3: Cheryl Abla (https://www.edutopia.org/profile/cheryl-abla) is a senior managing consultant at McREL International, where she develops workshops and professional learning sessions for K-12 teachers on research-based instructional strategies in the areas of instructional technology, English learners, and developing a learner-centered classroom and school environment. She also provides consultation for technology integration, technology leadership, and McREL's classroom observation software, Power Walkthrough . Prior to joining McREL, Abla taught all grades from 1-12 for more than 20 years. She is a coauthor of Tools for Classroom Instruction That Works (2018) and a contributor to the George Lucas Educational Foundation's Edutopia blog.

Editorial Note #4: Karen Baptiste, EdD, is a consulting director of learning services and innovation at McREL International, where she provides professional learning and consulting services to schools, districts, and educational agencies. Baptiste's career started in the New York City Department of Education, where she was a special educator, instructional coach, and director of special education. She has worked with K-12 schools across the United States to support improved teaching and learning with an emphasis on quality implementation of evidence-based instructional strategies, including helping teachers create learning environments that encourage student voice and ownership of learning. Her experience also includes being an executive coach to state, district, and school leaders across the nation to transform school culture and educational experiences for students and their families.

Editorial Note #5: Tonia Gibson (https://www.ascd.org/people/tonia-gibson) is a senior managing consultant for McREL International's learning services team. She supports education ministries, district and school leaders, and teachers in using research to improve professional practices and support systemic improvement. She works with educators to address their identified needs, employing a range of strategies including using data for reflection, observations of practice, and analyzing people/organization performance data. In addition to leading workshops and presenting at conferences, Gibson has developed practical guides and materials for teachers and leaders and coauthored Unstuck: How Curiosity, Peer Coaching, and Teaming Can Change Your School (2018). She served as a teacher and assistant principal at primary schools in Melbourne, Australia.

Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew, second edition
Ellen Notbohm
Future Horizons, Inc.
107 W. Randol Mill Road, Suite 100, Arlington, TX 76011
www.fhautism.com
9781949177862, $17.95, PB, 184pp

https://www.amazon.com/Things-Your-Student-Autism-Wishes/dp/1949177866

Synopsis: This newly revised and expanded second edition of "Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew" is exciting companion to "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" and offers the unique perspective of an autistic child's voice describing for teachers, in the classroom and adults in the larger community, how to understand thinking and processing patterns common in autism, how to shape an environment conducive to their learning style, and how to communicate with autistic learners of all ages in functional, meaningful ways.

Simply stated, the second edition of "Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew" is the perfect guidebook every educator and family member, worldwide seeking to create effective and inclusive settings where child and adult are both teachers and learners.

This vibrantly updated and expanded edition of {"Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew" includes an imaginative, all-new guide adaptable for group discussion, self- reflection, or self-expression, an afterword from the author's autistic son, and added perspective from autistic adults about their experiences in education. Continuously in print for 16 years, and translated into multiple languages, "Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew" brings fresh perspective to a new generation of educators and autistic learners.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this second edition of "Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew, second edition" must be considered an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Autism collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew, second edition" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Ellen Notbohm (https://ellennotbohm.com) is internationally renowned for her work which has informed, inspired, and an instructed millions of readers in more than twenty languages. In addition to her four popular award-winning books on autism and her multiple-award winning novel The River by Starlight, her articles and posts on such diverse subjects as history, genealogy, baseball, writing and community affairs have appeared in major publications, and captured audiences on every continent.

The Death of Learning
John Agresto
Encounter Books
www.encounterbooks.com
9781641772686, $30.99, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Learning-American-Education-Students/dp/1641772689

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Death of Learning: How American Education Has Failed Our Students and What to Do about It" it is the contention of Professor John Agresto that the liberal arts are dying out. That they are diminishing in importance because most Americans don't see the point of them. Americans don't understand why anyone would study literature or history or the classics (or, more contemporarily, feminist criticism, whiteness studies, or the literature of postcolonial states) when they can get an engineering or business degree that will lead to higher incomes and standards of living.

Even more concerning is when they read how "Western civilization" has become a term
of reproach at so many supposedly thoughtful institutions; or how fanatical political correctness works hard to silence alternative viewpoints; or, more generally, how liberal studies have become scattered, narrow, and small. In this atmosphere, it's hard to convince parents or their progeny that a liberal education is all that wonderful or that it's even worthy of respect.

Over sixty years ago, we were introduced to the idea of "the two cultures" in higher education -- that is, the growing rift in the academy between the humanities and the sciences, a rift wherein neither side understood the other, spoke to the other, or cared for the other. But this divide in the academy, real as it may be, is nothing compared to another great divide -- the rift today between our common American culture and the culture of the academy itself.

So, how can we rebuild the notion that a liberal education is truly of value, both to our students and to the nation? Our highest hopes may be not to "restore" the liberal arts to what they looked like fifty or a hundred years ago but to ask ourselves what a true contemporary American liberal education at its best might look like. Remedying this situation will involve knowing clearly where we wish to go and then understanding how we might get there.

For those objectives, "The Death of Learning: How American Education Has Failed Our Students and What to Do about It" is meant to be the beginning.

Critique: Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Death of Learning: How American Education Has Failed Our Students and What to Do about It" is an extraordinary alert to what is happening in colleges and universities today. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Education History and Philosophy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Death of Learning: How American Education Has Failed Our Students and What to Do about It" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798200993789, $31.95, CD).

Editorial Note: John Agresto has taught at the University of Toronto, Kenyon College, Duke University, Wabash College, and the New School University. He was a scholar at the National Humanities Center in North Carolina and later served in senior positions at the National Endowment for the Humanities. He was president of St. John's College in Santa Fe for 11 years.

In 2003, Professor Agresto went to Iraq as the Senior Advisor for Higher Education and Scientific Research for the Coalition Provisional Authority. Between 2007 and 2010, he occupied roles including academic dean, provost, and chancellor at the American University of Iraq. He has also been the Lilly Senior Research Fellow at Wabash College, scholar-in-residence at Hampden-Sydney College, and fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.

Professor Agresto has authored five books and edited three others, including Rediscovering America; Mugged by Reality; The Supreme Court and Constitutional Democracy; The Humanist as Citizen; a cookbook; and a political/religious thriller under a pen name. His essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, among others.

A Curious Curriculum
Claire Banks, author
Mary Myatt, author
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785836435, $34.95, PB, 230pp

https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Curriculum-Teaching-foundation-subjects/dp/1785836439

Synopsis: Rather than simply offering a model curriculum that can be uprooted and planted in any school, "A Curious Curriculum: Teaching Foundation Subjects Well" by educators Claire Banks and Mick Waters is a model schools can use to design their own curriculum, one that not only encourages children to be active participants in their own learning, but also to see the benefits of being part of a bigger, wider family of learners.

"A Curious Curriculum" focuses upon the foundation subjects, particularly history, geography and science but also design and technology (DT) and art and design -- areas that are often challenging for teachers in primary schools. Subjects are brought together and explored under "big ideas" and, crucially, the emphasis is on avoiding the superficial and trivial and rooting teaching in extending and challenging children.

"A Curious Curriculum" also shares the story of one multi-academy trust (MAT) which designed and delivered a shared educational vision, a rationale for excellence in the curriculum, and the resources and support given to help reduce teachers' workload.

"A Curious Curriculum" presents a clear model both for supporting a group of schools or leading one school, offering a fresh perspective on working on a MAT-wide curriculum, as well as providing a range of snapshot examples of the curriculum in action -- in the form of documents, plans, photos and the learners' own work. Furthermore, "A Curious Curriculum" shares transferrable lessons from the trust's journey to success, setting out an educational philosophy that pairs pedagogy with a well-structured curriculum designed with learners' best interests at its heart.

All school children deserve an engaging, exciting curriculum designed to spark their curiosity, feed their imagination and develop their skills and knowledge. With clear timelines and an honest and transparent dialogue about the challenges and benefits of working together collaboratively and the importance of external expertise, "A Curious Curriculum" is an essential read for all school leaders.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, and an ideal textbook for school district in-service training programs and college/university teacher education curriculums, "A Curious Curriculum: Teaching Foundation Subjects Well" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, and academic library Teacher Education & Curriculum Development collections. It should be noted for teacher education students, academia, classroom teachers K-12, school district administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Curious Curriculum: Teaching Foundation Subjects Well" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.20).

Editorial Note #1: Claire Banks (https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/claire-banks) was a head teacher for nine years in an inner-city primary school and then became Director of Education for The Olympus Academy Trust, a cross-phase multi-academy trust in north Bristol. Throughout her career she has been interested in social and emotional learning and school climate, which has led to her work on leadership culture. Claire now works on curriculum design and school improvement in a system leadership capacity, offering school-to-school support to school trusts. Her passion for succession planning for the profession has led to her coaching and mentoring on aspiring heads and women in leadership programmes.

Editorial Note #2: Mick Waters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Waters_(education)) is a former head teacher works closely with teachers and leaders in schools, MATs and local authorities to support the development of teaching approaches and curriculum to ensure the best learning outcomes for children. For some years he was Director of Curriculum for England, based at the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA), and before that held the post of Chief Education Officer for the City of Manchester. He is also invited to work at a policy level with government in different parts of the world.

The C.A.P.E. Crusade
Billy Lombardo
https://www.billylombardoauthor.com
Muse Literary
https://museliterary.com
9781958714140, $10.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/C-P-Crusade-Application-Personal/dp/1958714143

Many books for teens and college applicants discuss the application form, SATs, and other influencers on college acceptance, but The C.A.P.E. Crusade: Your Guide to a Great College Application Personal Essay narrows the focus to what often proves the determining factor between acceptance and rejection - the essay.

While it can be said that this, too, is a subject covered elsewhere, what sets Billy Lombardo's title apart from others is its attention to injecting some of the excitement and potential into the effort, which will inspire students to write their best. Lombardo emphasizes his different approach from the beginning, presenting his view of how and why a student essay should not assume the regimented formula approach that other books too often recommend. With this encouragement in mind, students are led into the world of college essay writing with a different, more creative mindset that remains open to all possibilities of subject and presentation.

Pre-writing exercises, examples of topics designed to get students testing their skills and hand at writing tasks, and advice tailored to encouraging creative inspiration over regimented requirements adds to this process by encouraging students to set pen to paper and free flow with creative responses: "Obsess over word count now, and I guarantee that you'll never get to the discoveries necessary for a great essay. Imagine that you're secretly competing with your classmates to write a ten-thousand-word discovery draft. If you come back to shore with more than ten thousand words, we'll sift through the flotsam and jetsam and worry about the word count later."

The C.A.P.E. Crusade is filled with good advice, inspirational and motivating lessons, and cautions about the kinds of input that reduces rather than accents creativity and good writing. The result is a highly inspirational, motivating, different college application advice title filled with rich exercises and examples of work well-done. Billy Lombardo admits from the start that he never had to write such an essay to gain entry into college, and never even took a SAT. What he did do was hone the approaches to writing that support creative efforts and ultimately lend to outstanding results.

Any library strong in recommendations for college-bound students, as well as creative writing sources for inspiring essay writing, will find The C.A.P.E. Crusade a standout and a winner for not only its encouraging approach, but its specific contrasts between what makes for staid and dull writing and the contents of great prose.

Note to Self
Adrian Gordon
Leap Year Music Publishing
https://www.leapyearmusiconline.com
9798218041847, $17.99, PB, 132pp

https://www.amazon.com/Note-Self-Directors-Transitioning-Building/dp/B0BHBTL6Q5

Synopsis: School music programs aren't all the same. Making the transition to a new music teaching position isn't always as simple as reading sheet music. Changing schools means big career changes, different kids, and entering into an already-established music program with its own entrenched culture.

With the publication of "Note to Self: A Music Director's Guide for Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program" by Adrian Gordon, aspiring and practicing K-12 music teachers can smooth over a move to a new school for themselves, their music program, and their students with a plan and some intentional actions.

Whether you're a fresh teacher finding your rhythm or a veteran educator getting ready for the next gig, Note to Self is your guide to navigating the transition to your new music teaching job while preserving your physical, emotional, and mental health. With straightforward advice and ideas, get the expert help you need to prepare your new classroom for learning success, and start building the rock star music program that every student deserves.

"Note to Self: A Music Director's Guide for Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program" covers: What to expect during the transition and the first years in your new music director role; Essential summer prep with a beginning-of-the-year checklist; Ideas for creating community in music class and filling a void in students' musical journeys; How to get people on board with your vision for the music program (and how to work with those who aren't): Self-care for a balanced daily life during new-job stress - despite assessments to grade, parents to email, and lesson plans to develop.

Critique: An ideal DIY instruction guide and 'how-to' manual, "Note to Self: A Music Director's Guide for Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program" must be considered essential reading for new and aspiring K-12 music teachers -- and a a great deal of relevance and value for experience school music class instructors. While highly recommended for personal, professional, and school district library Music Education collections, it should be noted for music education students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Note to Self: A Music Director's Guide for Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Adrian Gordon (www.adriangordonmusic.com) is an internationally performed composer and seasoned music educator. After 17 years of teaching music in the classroom in South Florida and going through four music director job transitions in two different schools, as well as general music, choir, and two string orchestra positions, Adrian realized there was a gap in his music education training. Even though his undergraduate and graduate programs were musically and pedagogically extensive, he never felt as though they touched on those hard-to-navigate areas of transitioning between jobs.

Adrian currently serves as the director of orchestras at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC. He believes in the power of music education in a child's life and understands the necessity of having passionate, confident, and supported music teachers at the helm, promoting great musical experiences for students.

In addition to teaching, Adrian is the founder of Leap Year Music Publishing, which publishes string music for elementary, middle, and high school ensembles. His compositions appear on the Florida, Texas, Maryland, and Georgia Orchestra Association Music Performance Assessment Lists. His compositions are distributed through J.W. Pepper and have been performed throughout the world. He takes pride in creating music that is fun and pedagogically sound at all levels.

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