Though the authors give excellent and immediately useful
information for a wide selection of those interested in mentoring, they
do miss a prime opportunity to include lateral entry teachers. These
“provisionally licensed” teachers and those involved in alternative
certification routes and on-the-job-training present a unique set of
challenges to induction and success in the teaching field, and need to
be addressed. These teachers bring a unique set of needs to the
teaching situation and, as many of them have little or no pedagogical
training as they enter the field (with content training through a
previous degree), their needs differ from beginning teachers with
traditional license and student-teaching experience. In the current
educational climate, these lateral entry teachers have a specific and
likely different set of needs than do traditionally trained teachers.
The exclusion of this group is the one weakness in an otherwise
excellent offering.
With the teachers leaving the classroom at high rates within their
first five years on the job, it becomes more critical that great care
be given to mentoring relationships. New and beginning teachers need
great amounts of support from the most effective mentors that
administrators can access. Though one important segment of teachers is
neglected, all others involved in this process can only find this book
to be insightful, practical, and beneficial to those on all sides of
the mentoring process.
Pages: 213
Price: $18.50
ISBN: 1-57110-377-5
Reviewed by Amy E. White, Assistant Professor, University of North
Carolina, Charlotte. Research interests include new teacher retention
and lateral entry teachers.
Bracke, John M. & Tye, Karen B. (2003)
Teaching the Bible in the Church.
St. Louis: Chalice
Press.
Year after year the Bible stands at the top of book sales
statistics. While it is clearly a bestseller, the study of these
scriptures is not a bestselling activity even among people in the
church. Ours is a culture that is increasingly biblically illiterate,
“The evidence seems clear to us—biblical illiteracy pervades our
churches” (p.2), note authors Bracke and Tye. Yet, it is the Bible,
the story of God’s redemptive work in the Old and New Testament, that
serves as the cornerstone for the life of faith, both for the
individual and the larger Christian community. Bracke and Tye see a
need to improve how the Bible is taught in the church. Teaching the
Bible in the Church seeks to educate laypersons and church leaders
alike on Bible study using insights from theology and education.
Central to this text is the understanding that Bible study is not
just an informational pursuit. Studying the Bible, for the Christian,
is more than learning knowledge: it is an encounter with God that leads
to life transformation. In their text, Bracke and Tye hope to impart
knowledge that will equip teachers to more effectively lead people to
experience Bible study that involves, “..an encounter with the mystery
we call God” (p. 4). Bracke and Tye form a unique collaborative: Bracke
is a Professor of Biblical Studies; Tye is a Professor of Christian
Education; both teach at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis,
Missouri. They believe there is a need to infuse Biblical teaching
with educational learning theory, cultural awareness and insights from
Biblical scholarship.
After outlining these ideas in the Introduction, Bracke and Tye
tackle each area in-depth in the book’s five chapters. The book begins
with a focus on the educational aspects, exploring the need to consider
educational theory in biblical instruction. In chapter one, Bracke and
Tye present the findings of recent educational research, including
learning styles, multiple intelligences and memory ability. Chapter two
examines important factors in instruction: content knowledge, teaching
methods and instructor perceptions of themselves and their students.
Chapters 3 tackles the issue of cultural understanding as it
relates to Bible study. According to Bracke and Tye, readers of the
scriptures must understand the cultural influences of Bible times as
well as understand the cultural perceptions they bring to the biblical
text. Each impacts how passages are understood. Chapter 4 explores the
four main approaches to interpreting scriptures: literal, textual,
literary and personal, explaining how each impacts Bible study. Each
chapter ends with a helpful summary that reviews the teachings of the
chapter, highlighting important ideas.
As its title implies, Chapter 5, “Teaching the Bible: Putting it
All Together,” ties the concepts of the text together. The authors
present a case study of a Bible study where the principals outlined in
the book are put into practice. A Bible study outline at the conclusion
helps readers see how the principals presented in this text are put
into practice.
Teaching the Bible in the Church is a valuable resource for
those in the church. It combines the best in educational learning
theory with scholarly theological research, helping church leaders in
teaching the church’s most important resource, the Bible. Recommended
for Christian educators, pastors and seminary students.
Pages: 166
Price: $19.99
ISBN: 0-8272-3643-3
Reviewed by Stephanie Davis, Spring Arbor University
Cecil, Nancy Lee & Gipe, Joan P. (2003)
Literacy in the Intermediate Grades: Best Practices for a
Comprehensive Program.
Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway
Publishers.
Directed at pre-service and practicing teachers, this textbook
focuses on helping teachers help all children in their classes to “make
sense of printed text”(p.xv). The authors define a comprehensive
program as one that looks at reading and writing skills as part of a
whole--a set of communication processes necessary for all learning. In
the Preface, the authors describe a variety of special features to be
found in this textbook. These ten features range from the inclusion of
classroom activities, sample questions for discussion, suggestions for
field trips and projects, as well as separate chapters on literacy and
the family and on what the authors call, orchestration, basically a
description of classroom management in an inner city school in Oakland,
CA.
Each of the chapters is structured in a fairly standard textbook
format. Each chapter begins with a set of "Focus Questions" and
provides a sidebar, "In the Classroom," near the beginning of each
chapter, which describes an actual classroom in which a teacher is
engaged in a relevant aspect of teaching literacy. Chapter text is
followed by a summary, questions for discussion, suggestions for
projects and a one- to two-page list of references. Some chapters have
a section on aspects of instruction that pose challenges to the new
teacher along with recommendations for ways to deal with these
challenges.
The chapters are:
- A Comprehensive Literacy Program for the Intermediate Grades
- Assessment of Progress in Literacy
- Word Study and Fluency
- Vocabulary Instruction
- Reading Comprehension
- Fostering Oral Language in the Classroom
- Reading and Writing Connections
- Literacy in the Content Areas: Learning from Informational Text
- Differentiating Instruction for Students with Special Needs
- Fostering Literacy Beyond the Classroom
- Connecting Parents, Teachers and Children
- Literacy in the Intermediate Grades: Orchestrating a Comprehensive
Program
The textbook concludes with a three-page list of references to
children’s literature; a two-page annotated list of "Literacy Websites"
that provides very little information about the sites and includes some
outdated URL's (p. 361); a brief list of commercial tests; a variety of
informal assessment tools; the Fry Readability Graph; a glossary and an
index.
The authors are both affiliated with California State University,
Sacramento, where Dr. Cecil is a Professor of Education and Dr. Gipe is
a Lecturer in Education. The second edition of Dr. Cecil’s Striking
A Balance: Best Practices for Early Literacy was recently
published by Holcomb Hathaway. Both authors have lengthy, significant
lists of previous publications in the field of literacy, and so are
well qualified to write such a textbook. Is another textbook needed on
literacy in grades three through six? It is difficult to see any
particular aspect of this textbook that would make it stand out. The
topics covered are appropriate; the text is clear and readable, with
some illustrations, but each chapter has so many subheadings and
graphically separated components that it is difficult to find one’s way
through. Those looking for a new literacy textbook would do well to
keep looking.
Pages: 422
Price: $35.95
ISBN: 1-890871-46-X
Reviewed by Carla Hendrix, Plattsburgh State University of New York
King-Shaver, Barbara & Hunter, Alyce (2003)
Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom: Content,
Process, Product, and Assessment.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Given the time constraints most teachers face during the school
year, there isn't a lot of time in the day left for leisurely reading
professional books. Appreciating this fact, Barbara King-Shaver and
Alyce Hunter cut
"right to the chase" as they define differentiated instruction and why
it is worth considering for use in a middle school or secondary English
classroom. Once this is accomplished, the authors devote the rest of
this practical guide to how to set up a program that uses this
approach.
An alternative to heterogeneous classes, differentiated instruction
offers multiple ways of learning, taking into account the individual
abilities of each student. The authors explain, "It asks a teacher to
recognize differences and then plan and deliver accordingly, which
requires extensive content knowledge as well as a vast repertoire of
instructional strategies ready to match each and every student's
different needs" (p. 2). Therein lies the problem and the reason why
many teachers may shy away from this mode of instruction. Not only must
the individual possess content knowledge and a bag of strategies for
delivering it, but he must also possess the ability to diagnose
students as well to ascertain each youngster's needs, interests and
learning style.
For those who buy into the idea of differentiated instruction,
King-Shaver and Hunter provide some concrete advice for redesigning the
curriculum to make the program a reality. They try to answer all the
questions that might be coursing through a teacher's mind:
- How can an English teacher differentiate for over 100 students a
day?
- How does this affect preparation for the high-stakes testing that
has to be addressed?
- How does one teacher keep track of so many students doing so many
different things?
These are the practical concerns that must be and are addressed.
The "nuts and bolts" aspect of the book clearly and concisely
offers
a wide range of samples, from student surveys that will help assess
interests and skill levels, to prereading worksheets and differentiated
learning contracts and plans. The authors also offer examples of how
to use folders in a skills-based English class, design writing and
research projects, and create literature circles. Aware of the fact
that honors and basic skills students are more often than not mixed
together in the same classroom, King-Shaver and Hunter show how both
sets of students' needs can be met.
Group discussion and essay rubrics, specific writing assignments,
research project instructions, and even a model of how to maintain
class records illustrate the authors' practical approach. Theory is
fine but the "how to" aspects of any instructional program are what
really interest teachers. There are enough ideas crammed into
Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom that every
educator, no matter his or her level of experience, will come away with
something usable. What more can you ask of a book like this?
Pages: 136
Price: $17.00
ISBN: 0-325-00577-X
Reviewed by Robert F. Walch, Retired educator, Monterey, California
Levine, Mel (2003)
The Myth of Laziness.
New York: Simon &
Schuster.
Ambition, productivity, artifacts-- these are the catchwords of the
day. Parents, teachers, school counselors, and psychologists spend vast
amounts of time and energy trying to determine how to motivate a child
to produce and how to evaluate the results of productivity itself. But
what happens when a child doesn’t produce? The Myth of Laziness
explains why some children and adults don’t produce, causing some of us
to reconsider our ideas of laziness.
Dr. Mel Levine, who has authored books such as A Mind at a Time:
America's Top Learning Expert Shows how Every Child Can Succeed and
Keeping A Head In School: A Student's Book about Learning Abilities
and Learning Disorders, attempts to debunk the myth of the lazy
child. Levine, well known as a pediatrician specializing in children’s
learning says, “They are not lazy, they have output failure” (p.1). He
explains how output failure is related to neurological, muscular, or
psychological problems. Levine relates eight case studies of students
and adults whose productivity suffers because of factors such as
“neurodevelopmental dysfunctions” or “mental-energy-control problems.”
Levine explains how these somewhat daunting afflictions of brain and
body connections reveal themselves in measures of human output.
Everyone knows a child like Russell--slightly overweight,
uncoordinated, unpopular; Russell required so much effort to form
letters that it was laborious. Ginny, smart and talented, was
unpredictable. Ginny had trouble “mobilizing and maintaining a steady
flow of mental energy” (p. 61) so she didn’t accomplish much. Teachers
and parents saw both Russell and Ginny as lazy when it was the brain’s
connection to the body that affected the productivity, or output, of
these individuals.
The most unusual case Levine reports is Roberta, a student who
earned A’s and B’s in school. Roberta could recall factual information
and scored well on various tests in school, yet she could not generate
ideas of her own. In Levine’s words, she was having problems with the
“ideational component of output” (p. 114). Roberta had problems forming
her own ideas and personal views on the readings and could not analyze
or apply them to the larger world that she inhabited. Levine suggested
that her parents and teachers direct her toward careers that required
much memorization and routine but little creativity. It’s interesting
to note that Levine admits he never met Roberta, but had only
encountered her predicament via her teachers sharing their concerns
with him. It’s difficult not to be cynical about Levine’s decision to
intervene without meeting the student, but we’ve all had a Roberta in
our classroom. His inclusion of Roberta (and all the students she
represents) in the book stimulates much thought.
Levine explains many medical terms in layman’s language, making the
book accessible to any reader. For instance, finger agnosia: “Finger
agnosia is seen in kids who have trouble keeping track of where their
pen or pencil is during writing” (p. 28). As the reader moves through
the book, he will become familiar with terms such as “praxis,”
“dyspraxia, propioceptive-kinesthetic feedback,” “static and dynamic
performance,” and “ideation.” The definitions are well worded and
helpful to readers without a medical background.
The Myth of Laziness concludes with suggestions for parents,
teachers, and others who live, work, or relate to those who suffer from
output failure. While it’s difficult to agree with many of his
interpretations or suggestions, there is much food for thought in these
pages. Though Levine does not offer simple, fail-safe prescriptions, he
does hook readers’ interests, making it more likely we will never again
think of the word “lazy” in quite the same way. Will the book change
our teaching practices? Probably not.
Pages: 270
Price: $20.00(hardcover) $13.00(paper)
ISBN: 0-7432-1367-X(hardcover) 0743213688(paper)
Reviewed by N. Kim Doan, Graduate Student, University of Virginia
McCarthy, Martha M., Cambron-McCabe, Nelda H. & Thomas, Stephen B.
(2003)
Legal Rights of Teachers and Students.
Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
Despite practicing law for fourteen years prior to my entry into
teaching high school, I was often not prepared to provide quick and
effective counsel to my fellow teachers and administrators. I had a
difficult time explaining the legal framework, context, or principles
so that they could be readily understood and applied. This book is an
invaluable, useful, practical book that should be at ready reference
for teachers and administrators. It could serve as an excellent text
for undergraduate teacher training in legal matters. The authors are
leaders in the field of education and the law and are cognizant of the
need for practical guidance for practitioners. This book is a revised
and condensed edition of Public School Law by the same authors
(5th ed., 2004).
The American system of government and laws is complex. Despite the
required government classes, people often have little understanding of
the fundamental aspects of our system. The initial chapter lays a solid
foundation by describing the major sources of education law. Each major
section has a very concise statement within a shaded box that serves to
prepare one for the text that follows. The figure in this initial
chapter on civil procedure provides a nice visual of the way lawsuits
are handled. The margins and spacing are adequate for those who like to
make notes in the text of the book. The use of bold text to emphasize
key points aids the practical use of this book.
The above attractive features continue throughout the book. Added
to these features are the Points to Ponder at the end of each later
chapter. These are essentially a short statement of facts and typically
ask how the court should rule, would rule, or how schools could or
should respond. They are concise but get to the very heart of important
matters that people in schools face daily. They often contain citations
to cases or statutes so that further exploration is encouraged and
often they provide different perspectives in unsettled areas of law.
The book progresses through eleven chapters that deal with the
great breadth of the law and education intersection. The coverage is
comprehensive and up-to-date. Four of the chapters deal with the rights
and responsibilities of teachers as employees. Four of the chapters
deal with student issues: expression, classification, disabilities, and
discipline. Chapter four examines important emerging instructional
issues of censorship, copyright, testing, and privacy. No educational
law book could be complete without chapters on torts (civil wrongs) and
church-state relations and the chapters in this book are clear and
comprehensive. The general principles of the last chapter provide a
wonderful summary and a way to emphasize important aspects often
unknown or overlooked by education practitioners.
The book would be worth the purchase price if all it included were
the tables, flow charts, and decision trees. They are exceptional quick
decision guides for practitioners. For example, the various laws
dealing with student disabilities can be confusing. Table 7.1 provides
a nice chart on which laws apply to which type of institution. Figure
5.1 is a decision tree dealing with assessing student expression
protections and regulations.
Legal Rights of Teachers and Students should be readily
available to educational practitioners who must navigate an
increasingly legalized context of education practice.
Reference
Cambron-McCabe, N.H., McCarthy, M.M., & Thomas, S.B. (2004). Public
school law: Teacher’s and student’s rights (5th ed.). Boston:
Pearson.
Pages: 322
Price: $48.33
ISBN: 0-205-35449-1
Reviewed by Michael W. Simpson. Michael has practiced law, taught in
inner city schools and summer Upward Bound programs, prison college
programs, and in community college. He is currently completing a M.Ed.
in adult and higher education at the University of Oklahoma where he
works as a research assistant. Michael will continue his studies next
fall at another university in policy studies and law.
Newman, Sarah (2004)
Stepping Out: Using Games and Activities to Help Your Child with
Special Needs.
London: Jessica Kingsley.
Stepping Out, subtitled Using Games and Activities to
Help Your Child with Special Needs, was written by a parent of a
child with special needs for other parents and caregivers of children
with special needs. The age range is 3 to 11. As a parent of a daughter
with severe special needs, I was interested in reading the book. I was
not disappointed. Stepping Out is full of practical advice, fun
games and creative activities. Even though the book is written for the
parent of a child with special needs, it would be useful for any
parent.
The premise of the book is that children with special needs require
additional help, stimulation and encouragement to develop skills. To
provide such support it is useful, as Newman notes, "to have an
understanding of their development"(p.12). The book has been written to
present a brief overview of the progression of child development so as
to enable the parent or caregiver to "see the stage at which the child
is at and where he or she is heading"(p.12).
Stepping Out begins with a chapter on everyday living with a
child with special needs. Any person so involved will relate readily to
the discussion as it is accurate and reflects the joy and frustrations
encountered. This is followed by a chapter on how to create a play
environment for such a child. Additional chapters detail child
development in six areas: cognitive, language, physical, sensory,
social and emotional. A further chapter cites practical advice on
behavior management, sleep and toilet training. These nine chapters are
comprehensive and informative. The three remaining chapters are not
particularly useful for parents living outside the United Kingdom
These chapters, outlining school selection, financial and practical
support, are specific to the U.K. Even the Resources chapter identifies
voluntary organizations and equipment suppliers found only in the
United Kingdom.
An appealing feature of the book is the use of simple, black and
white illustrations modelled for the book by children with special
needs. Although basic in scope and style the many illustrations
complement Newman's words. They also place the ideas into a warm and
supporting environment.
Stepping Out is not meant to be read in one go. Rather, the
reader is encouraged "to dip into whichever chapter you need at the
time" (p.13). The book is written without a great deal of educational
jargon. Theory is kept to a minimum. Academic theories of cognitive
development, are confined, for example, to three pages. This minimal
treatment is most suitable as the target population - the parent- is
likely to be more interested in the practical than the theoretical. The
emphasis on useful games and stimulating activities is more to their
liking. These aspects are covered exhaustively. They are presented
within a social constructivist perspective. The games and environments
suggested lead the child to learn through social interaction in which
the parent or caregiver supports the child in developing his or her
knowledge and skills. The focus is on the child playing actively and
engaging with different toys and materials to enable her or him to
experiment and explore in a concrete way.
Overall, Stepping Out is extremely useful for a parent
of a child with special needs. Newman, drawing on her own experiences,
offers valuable advice on catering to the needs of the child with
special needs. In addition, she offers a positive outlook on coping
with the stress of caring for such a child.
Pages: 367
Price: $19.95
ISBN: 1-84310-110-6
Reviewed by Ian Crawford, Professor, University of Windsor, Windsor,
Ontario, Canada. A former Dean of the Faculty of Education, he
maintains an interest in both special and science education.
Robb, Laura (2003)
Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math: Practical
Ways to Weave Comprehension Strategies into Your Content Area
Teaching.
New York: Scholastic.
“Practical ways to weave comprehension strategies into your content
area teaching” (the description on the front cover) truly describes the
approach used by Laura Robb in her textbook. The text is easy to read,
includes photos, authentic student work, and sample lesson plans.
Framework of the text follows a natural progression from before
learning, during learning, to after learning lessons and strategies.
This text would be extremely useful for methods courses in an
elementary education teacher-training program, as well as graduate
coursework for K-8 teachers. The book provides content area teachers
more “tools” for intervention with their at risk students who may be
experiencing low reading and writing achievement.
Meaningful experiences are key in this holistic model of reading
and writing development. Approaches often include inquiry and all
strategies are designed to be hands-on for the learners. According to
Robb, the teacher should focus on refining student skills.
Particularly, the method described is aimed at assisting students with
strategies necessary for success with the varied reading materials they
will encounter in their content area studies. Notably, the strategies
utilized in the book go far beyond “decoding” text to ensure teachers
are prepared to reach every student.
I would highly recommend this book.
Pages: 384
Price: $27.95
ISBN: 0-439-17669-7
Reviewed by Cindy Coffman, Arizona State University
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