Editors' choice.THE FOLLOWING SELECTIONS ARE THE DR EDITORS' CHOICES OF IMPORTANT AND USEFUL books and materials reflecting trends in K12 education today. Most of the books selected deal with technology and emerging Web 2.0 tools such as podcasting Recording a non-music audio broadcast (news, sports, discussion, etc.) in the MP3 format for playback in a digital music player. See podcast. and handheld devices. Other books and materials cover new developments in measurement/evaluation, preschool/primary transitions, and knowledge regarding at-risk learners. These are excellent resources both for adding to your professional library and for recommending to colleagues. CORWIN PRESS Educational Technology: Blogs, Wikis See wiki. , Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, $60 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Will Richardson's book presents educators with ideas for increasing technology use to strengthen students' critical thinking, writing and reflection. Richardson demonstrates how Web tools can generate excitement about learning and explains how to apply these tools in the classroom to engage all students. The book offers simple explanations and how-tos, along with specific teaching applications. www.corwinpress.com HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS The Harvard University Press is a publishing house, a division of Harvard University, that is highly respected in academic publishing. It was established on January 13, 1913. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. The Sandbox A restricted environment in which certain functions are prohibited. For example, deleting files and modifying system information such as Registry settings and other control panel functions may be prohibited. Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics, $26.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This is David L. Kirp's behind-the-scenes account of the shrewd political campaigning of key local and national figures in school systems, foundations, universities and legislatures who are trying to develop and run preschools. It also provides a clear and comprehensive account of academic developmental psychology developmental psychology Branch of psychology concerned with changes in cognitive, motivational, psychophysiological, and social functioning that occur throughout the human life span. and developmental neuroscience neu·ro·sci·ence n. Any of the sciences, such as neuroanatomy and neurobiology, that deal with the nervous system. neuroscience the embryology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology of the nervous system. research on the plasticity of the growing brain and the long-term impact of early experience. All the elements that have propelled the preschool movement, such as brain science, molecular genetics molecular genetics n. The branch of genetics that deals with hereditary transmission and variation on the molecular level. , economics, evaluation and issue-framing, are covered. www.hup.harvard.edu HENRY HOLT & CO. Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade, $25 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Author Linda Perlstein, a former education writer for The Washington Post, introduces readers to the daily realities faced by the Tyler Heights Elementary School elementary school: see school. , which was once on the newspaper's list of Maryland's troubled schools. Perlstein chronicles the principal's challenges, including ensuring that teachers meticulously me·tic·u·lous adj. 1. Extremely careful and precise. 2. Extremely or excessively concerned with details. [From Latin met prepare students for annual tests by applying current learning research, new age motivational and centering exercises, and incentives and rewards. www.henryholt.com INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Educator's Podcast Guide, $31.95/nonmember [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Author Bard bard, in Wales, term originally used to refer to the order of minstrel-poets who composed and recited the poems that celebrated the feats of Celtic chieftains and warriors. Williams explains what podcasts are and the technology needed to create and view them in a classroom. He then provides examples of professional, educational, school and classroom podcasts, encouraging readers to sample podcasts in order to learn about them. Two-page descriptions of sample podcasts are written and displayed and include a site screenshot See screen shot. , topics to try, classroom applications, and the individual or organization's rationale for creating it. www.iste.org INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools, $34.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Educational technology authors Lynn Schrum and Gwen Solomon take the mystery out of Web 2.0 by providing a comprehensive overview that is a good read for those without any knowledge of Web 2.0 as well as for experienced users. They share the history as well as their expert opinion, offering specific examples from educators and administrators. Teachers will find new ways for creating classroom curricula, dovetailing with the technology that students need to succeed today while meeting local and state standards. Administrators will discover new ways to provide professional development as well as communicate within the school and the community. Security and safety issues that are of interest to technology directors are also addressed. There is a stand-alone reference section, but readers will find the Web links found on almost every page especially valuable. www.iste.org JUST ASK PUBLICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mentoring in the 21st Century Resource Kit, $985 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Paula Rutherford's mentoring kit provides tools to design and implement a comprehensive mentoring program. When you use this kit-complete with suggested session outlines, learning exercises and learning tools, including videos for workshop sessions-you can either replicate the two-day institutes that Just ASK Publications & Professional Development offers or customize your own workshops. Other instructional aids include DVDs that feature inspirational and instructional clips and authentic conversations between mentors and their proteges, and four Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, or ASCD, is a membership-based nonprofit organization founded in 1943. It has more than 175,000 members in 135 countries, including superintendents, supervisors, principals, teachers, professors of education, and (ASCD ASCD Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD Association of Service & Computer Dealers International ASCD American Society of Computer Dealers ASCD All Source Correlated Database ASCD Advanced Software Concepts Department ASCD Asset Status Card ) videos, including How to Co-Teach to Meet Diverse Student Needs. www.askeducation.com LINWORTH PUBLISHING Handheld Computers A computing device that can be easily held in one hand while the other hand is used to operate it. The Palm devices are a popular example. See Palm, smartphone and palmtop. in Schools and Media Centers, 539.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ann Bell Ann Bell (born 29 April 1940) is a Cheshire-born British actress, probably best known for playing prisoner of war Marion Jefferson in the BBC World War II drama series Tenko during the early 1980s. guides library media and technology specialists through the process of selecting hardware and software so that students can listen to e-Books, research Web sites, and use videos and audio books. Educators will learn how to use handhelds for curriculum purposes and to meet national technology standards. The book explains how using portable technologies in the classroom can engage students and enrich their learning environment. www.linworth.com R&L EDUCATION The Expert School Leader: Accelerating Accountability, $24.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lynette and Naftely Glasman detail a new approach to identifying, analyzing, acquiring and using specific competencies that are needed for effective and accountable school leadership. Reported investigations identify ways in which leaders can improve their performance and help to meet the challenge of maintaining safety and rule enforcement. The authors have created an approach to formulating recommendations regarding competencies, offering interviews with exemplars from other fields that represent various aspects of a school leader's role and describe the ways professionals act on their commitments. www.rowmanandeducation.com RECORDED BOOKS Black Dog Opera Library, 541.75 per title [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Recorded Books' high-quality audio opera productions feature accomplished vocalists, conductors, choirs and orchestras that can enhance a music appreciation course. Each title consists of three music CDs, an introductory CD with rich background information about the composer and librettist li·bret·tist n. The author of a libretto. Noun 1. librettist - author of words to be set to music in an opera or operetta author, writer - writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay) , and historical and cultural information about the period. It also includes character analysis, biographical information on each lead performer, and a plot synopsis A summary; a brief statement, less than the whole. A synopsis is a condensation of something—for example, a synopsis of a trial record. . Currently available are Aida, The Barber of Seville, Carmen Carmen throws over lover for another. [Fr. Lit.: Carmen; Fr. Opera: Bizet, Carmen, Westerman, 189–190] See : Faithlessness Carmen the cards repeatedly spell her death. [Fr. , II Trovatore, La Boheme, La Traviata La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It takes as its basis the novel La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils, published in 1848. , Madama Butterfly Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly) is an opera in three acts (originally two acts) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. and The Marriage of Figaro. www.recordedbooks.com SOLUTION TREE Ensuring Success in Math and Science: Curriculum and Teaching Strategies for At-Risk Learners, $21.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Randolf Tobias offers analysis of the systemic and instructional problems that contribute to math and science failure. His solutions for closing the performance gap include curriculum redevelopment, design and implementation. Also included are tested K8 math and science lessons developed in collaboration with teachers, as well as creative assignments that families can use to reinforce math and science at home. www.solution-tree.com TEACHINGBOOKS.NET Author programs, Starts at $325/year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TeachingBooks.net is an online collection of K12 multimedia author and book resources. Through multimedia book guides, audio excerpts and author Web site links, students can examine their texts in greater depth and get behind-the-scenes insight into the writing process. www.teachingbooks.net WRIGHT GROUP/MCGRAW-HILL Oral Language Builder, S180 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oral Language Builder is designed for pre-K2 students learning English, French or Spanish. Each of the 10 stand-alone kits comes with vocabulary picture cards and an illustrated wordless big book-the Stick-On Storybook sto·ry·book n. A book containing a collection of stories, usually for children. adj. Occurring in or resembling the style or content of a storybook: storybook characters; a storybook romance. . Teachers and students create their own stories using self-adhesive writing pads to place on the book. This allows teachers to start with a basic story for beginning readers, then extend it and increase the language complexity for students as they advance. The teacher's guide offers games, activities and cross-curricular connections that can be transferred to other target languages. www.wrightgroup.com |
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