If not now, when?

Anchored in the tenets of justice, repair, and belonging, Equity Now is a comprehensive guide for educators that emphasizes the urgent need for immediate action to dismantle systemic barriers in education. Aimed at K-12 professionals at all levels of the education system, the book urges us to move beyond individual efforts by applying an equity lens to our policies and practices.

Through honest, sustained, and critical dialogues in "brave spaces," educators can address disparities and create equity-centered school communities. Equity Now proposes a solutions-oriented approach to fostering welcoming, affirming, responsive, and rigorous learning environments. Author Tyrone C. Howard, one of the leading authorities on issues related to racial inequality in our schools, provides

• An equity framework grounded in justice, repair, and belonging
• A clear vision of equity-focused leadership
• Essential practices, strategies, and resources for classroom teachers
• Suggestion for engaging parents, families and caregivers in schools
• Recommendations for engaging data in an equity based way
• Reflection questions and additional resources at the close of each chapter

This book is a must-read for educators, administrators, and policymakers who are committed to creating conditions in which our children can reach their highest potential.

Grow students’ linguistic capital AND value their home language

In Language of Identity, Language of Access, authors Michelle Benegas and Natalia Benjamin highlight the urgent need for a revolution in language education that validates home languages and dialects while equipping students with the linguistic tools for social mobility. Their original LILA framework rejects the socially constructed hierarchy of languages and provides students with a broader linguistic repertoire.

This accessible and teacher-friendly guide presents an overview of this liberatory approach to language and literacy, an exploration of linguistically sustaining and expanding instruction, and practical guidance on designing lessons that attend to the language of identity and the language of access. Additional recurring features include:

• Voces provide real-life teacher experiences from the classroom
• Reflecciónes encourage educators to consider how principles and ideas relate to current practice and promote translanguaging
• Practical applications of theories (PATs) provide conceptual frameworks and lesson plans on various topics and activities.
• End of Chapter Conversaciónes encourage dialogue and enable educators to implement concepts in their classrooms.

Offering a fresh perspective on academic language as a means to access power and social capital, Language of Identity, Language of Access is a guide for ALL educators committed to linguistically sustaining pedagogies and empowering students with linguistic capital for social mobility.

Deliver game-changing—and brain-changing—results for your students

Research on the brain continues to evolve, providing fresh insights educators can use to guide students toward success. In the sixth edition of this international bestseller, world-renowned educational neuroscience consultant David Sousa once again translates that research into concrete actions and strategies for the classroom.

Featuring important updates and brand-new findings, the latest edition includes:

• A new section on the expansion of SEL to SECL, integrating the cognitive component of social-emotional learning
• Additional research on mindsets—including cautions
• Effective, brain-compatible ways to safely use social media and online learning
• New information on the importance of student engagement, especially through academic teams
• Connections between Bloom’s Taxonomy and current instructional strategies, such as teaming and project/maker learning

Whether you’re already a fan of brain-compatible learning or just getting started on this exciting approach to teaching and learning, How the Brain Learns will set your neurons firing—and give you the tools you need to help students succeed.

Already Ready For What Will Come - SEL For A Culture Of Care

Is your school prepared to care for all of the students, staff, and families in your community? Sadly, your school might be the only point of care for many. Be already ready--Establish a compassionate cultural foundation for strong relationships and holistic skills to weather stress, trauma, and promote well-being for your entire school population.

Help your school or district use available resources to create a compassionate culture of justice and care for all by leaning into this book’s approach to leadership and social emotional learning. Discover a collaborative visioning process to elevate compassion through dialogue, policies, and protocol. Readers will find:

• Practical strategies for working with parents and communities
• Activities for the whole school
• An implementation framework for elementary, middle, and high school
• Deeper understanding of trauma, ACEs, and mental health concerns
• Support for teachers’ mental health
• What not to do – practices that don’t work, and why
• In-depth case studies and vignettes

Read this and usher in transformational and compassionate change that may be the difference in whatever today, tomorrow, or the next day may bring.

Failure is just one step on the path to success. 

Failure is not only a possibility for learners during these challenging times, but a productive, concrete way of gaining ground. How can parents and educators teach kids to turn failure into progress toward success? 
 
This revised edition of the beloved bestseller, Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight, has sensible answers, including both what to say and what not to say to truly help kids self-motivate and become independent, lifelong learners. Rich with fresh insights, this new edition offers a deeper understanding of how motivation works along with new, practical, research-driven strategies for spurring learners to thrive. It features:

• The latest research on motivation theory, persistence, self-regulation, grit, and a growth mindset in learners.
• An expanded focus on equity and culturally responsive approaches to ensure that all learners maximize their full potential.
• A new chapter on giftedness, an updated discussion guide, videos available via QR codes, and a robust companion website. 

Kids are bound to stumble and fall, but by capitalizing on knowledge and the latest research on motivation, we can equip them to stand up and move forward, pointing them on the route to success.

The Future Tense of Teaching in the Digital Age

The digital environment has radically changed how and what students need and want to learn, but have we radically changed how we deliver education? Are educators shifting and adapting or stuck in the traditional That’s the Way We’ve Always Done It world?

In this book, educators will be challenged to take action and adapt to a split-screen classroom--thinking and acting to accommodate today’s learners versus allowing traditional practices by default. Written with a touch of humor and a choose-your-own-adventure approach, the authors built chapters to be skimmed, scoured or searched for interesting, relevant or required material. Readers will be able to jump in where it serves them best.

• Consider predictions about what learning will look like in the future.
• Understand and learn to leverage nine core learning attributes of digital generations.
• Discover ten critical roles educators can embrace to remain relevant in the digital age. 

Keep things simple, concentrate on how learners learn, and change your approach from present to future tense.

Leadership isn’t just a title

What could you do with a $1 billion budget if you had 100,000+ students and one of the largest school systems in America?  Imagining is his reality. Learn along from Dallas Dance as he shares the successful change efforts he employed to transform Baltimore Public Schools.  

Deliberate Excellence is a true story of success in a challenging school environment that delivers great insight and inspiration. Readers will be moved and changed by three key success principles:

• Establishing equity over equality by providing exactly what individuals need to be successful
• Understanding change, how it happens, and what one needs to make it so
• Knowing people deeply and how that leads to accomplishment and organizational change  
  
  

Be inspired by this passion for progress and the drive to maximize latent potential in all people.

"For 20 years, Dr. Dallas Dance has been an inspiration to me as a leader. He understands that true leaders inspire others to lead, galvanize their audience, and provide practical applications to difficult situations. Regardless of the political climate, Dr. Dance has always kept students first. After reading Deliberate Excellence, educators will take away successful strategies to increase student achievement."
Dr. John B. Gordon III, Chief of Schools
Chesterfield County Public Schools, Chesterfield, VA

"Leaders are desperate for books that offer techniques from educational leaders who still practice and hone their craft from the trenches and a proven record of success. Dallas Dance offers educational leaders a unique, candid, and welcome perspective."
LaQuita Outlaw, Principal – Grades 6-8
Bay Shore Middle School, Bay Shore, NY

 

Deliver real change and real results for your school

This book focuses directly on what promotes delivery. It provides the practical tools and implementation guide for re-invigorating your school. Set against a solid blend of international research and international best practice, the narrative is carried by voices from schools across six countries that are currently delivering. They tell it how it is, in lived reality. Every process in the book has been tested and refined under the heat of practice, addressing the current realities in education.

The book provides a carefully selected repertoire of skills, models, and processes that:

• Deliver results for children, teachers, school leaders, families, and their communities
• Build trust through ensuring every voice is heard and respected
• Develop a strong culture of leadership and alignment, while recognising and embracing the complexities of school change
• Address the frustrations currently felt by teachers in a positive, productive way

Schools That Deliver fills the gap between intention and delivery. The book respects your voice, and your ability to create your own ways of delivering while remaining loyal to the unique personality of your school.

When members of a school community deliver together what really matters for their children, they feel the true joy of education, that splendid feeling of professional satisfaction and achievement that we all deserve.

The busy administrator’s guide to creating strong teams, changing culture, and improving performance

How effective is your team? Research shows that “teacher collective efficacy”—when all teachers are collectively engaged and focused on improvement—can do more to increase student learning than any other strategy. In fact, using powerhouse teams can achieve four years of student growth in a single calendar year. Horton’s practical guide will help you form your own dream team through:

• Short activities that require little to no preparation that you can use to deepen conversation at your very next meeting
• Step-by-step tools that will help your team move from identifying its biggest challenges to choosing and implementing successful reforms
• Strategies to enhance teamwork, trust, and collaboration so that your team becomes as effective as possible

Horton will help you connect people, build trust, discover strengths, and clear barriers to reach greater teacher and program effectiveness—and ultimately raise student achievement.

This book provides leaders and teams with a blueprint of how to work through a problem to find possible solutions while valuing each member of the team. This is not an easy task at any level and to have a resource to provide guidance for those tough situations is always welcomed.
Nicky Kemp, Assistant Superintendent
North Callaway R-1 School District

Leading School Teams allowed our team to address the lack of processes and the finger pointing and tension that went along with it. It was surprising how quickly the activities and discussion brought out the meat of the issues within our team.  Because of the natural manner in which the issues were approached, team members felt respected and accomplished after each session.
Eric Dahlstrom
Principal, Dartmouth Middle School

Create a plan to connect with every family!

There’s no doubt that family engagement makes a world of difference for teachers and students—but connecting with parents of various ethnic, socioeconomic, or cultural backgrounds can be challenging for educators. Calvalyn Day’s groundbreaking book offers clear instructions for building strong relationships, beginning effective dialogues, strategizing, and monitoring progress. 

Through the author’s perspective as a parent, counselor, and advisor to families at risk, readers will discover

• A step-by-step approach to family engagement developed for K-12 educators, including teachers, counselors, administrators and others
• Complete how-to’s for creating and carrying out a family engagement plan based on the author’s Vision, Plan, Action model
• Tools including a Parent Meeting Agenda, a Parent Empathy Map, an Educator Needs Assessment, and more

Whether you work at a small rural school, in a large urban district, or anywhere in between, this invaluable book offers wisdom—and smart strategies—that will transform the experience for your students and their families, and lead to sustainable success.

“Authentically Engaging Families is a wonderful guide for all those interested in engaging parents in the educational process in a variety of essential and creative ways.”
Nina Orellana, MTSS Coordinator
Palm Bay Academy Charter School

“This book presents a much-needed illustration of why educators MUST improve family engagement and how educators can put these evidence-based approaches into practice.”
Denise Michelle Voelker, Coordinator of Education and Training Programs
University of Florida