"Blends holistic authentic assessment with purposeful, specific assessment experiences that are also child and classroom friendly."
—Vicki Hawley, Early Literacy Training Project Coordinator
Center for Early Education and Development
University of Minnesota

"Explains the research base, the reason for the assessment process, and current trends in assessment practices for early childhood education, and offers easy-to-use assessment tools that address the whole child."
—L. Kathryn Sharp, Early Childhood Instructor
University of Memphis

Use familiar classroom activities as an assessment tool!

Effective teaching requires skill in implementing challenging and inviting curricular activities. It also involves evaluating children's learning in order to extend their development through the school year. Being able to implement and evaluate at the same time is a tall order but is at the heart of good teaching. Written for PreK–3 educators, Bridging blends curriculum planning, implementation, and assessment into one seamless process, providing a practical, performance-based approach to early childhood assessment.

Encouraging teachers to assess both what (content) and how (process) children learn, the authors have developed 15 activities across five curricular areas—language arts and literacy, visual arts, mathematics, science, and performing arts—with guidelines for implementing, interpreting, and "bridging" observations of children to classroom teaching practices. The book provides ways to:

• Identify children's current status in content area learning and development
• Determine which children are ready to learn in upcoming weeks and months
• Make informed instructional adaptations to meet developmental needs, and more!

With a built-in facilitator guide for designing and leading preservice and inservice professional development, this resource offers an instructional framework for everyone committed to aligning sound early childhood curriculum with national learning standards.

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.

Dramatically increase your effectiveness as a presenter

Like a well-choreographed dance, an effective presentation involves leading and following, building rapport and trust, sharing passions, and living in the moment. In The Choreography of Presenting, global consultant and educator, Kendall Zoller reveals the common “dance steps” effective presenters employ to create optimum learning environments for their audiences. Following the 7 Essential Abilities of Effective Presenters Framework and emphasizing the importance of planning and flexibility, this thoroughly updated edition includes:

• A new chapter on how to use the crucial first 5 minutes of any presentation to establish credibility, build connections, and gauge group dynamics
• A new, timely chapter on designing and facilitating impactful and memorable virtual presentations
• A new chapter on the structure of presenting, from gathering intel to design with an inward look at yourself
• Planning tools to prepare presentations with the audience in mind, while also leaving room for spontaneity, improvisation, and necessary detours
• Personal reflections, case studies, practice prompts, and chapter summaries

Written in a welcoming and humorous style, this guide encapsulates the skills, knowledge, and abilities that effective presenters rely on to ignite their participants’ passion for learning.

Reach the summit of the dissertation mountain.

In many ways, the journey of completing a dissertation is like climbing a mountain. It requires planning, research, teamwork, and perseverance. In this fourth edition of their best-selling book, authors Laura Hyatt and Carol Roberts address the challenges that students will face as they journey to the peak of their academic career and complete their dissertation.

Completing a dissertation is a transformative and fulfilling life experience. It requires knowledge, tenacity, and preparation for the inevitable uncertainties that will arise along the way. It also necessitates strategies and techniques for dealing with the unanticipated events that many dissertation writers face, such as procrastination, writer’s block, and the uncertainty of how to conduct a literature review or approach a methods section. This newly revised edition addresses those elements and also includes:

• Indispensable information for organizing and writing a dissertation
• Recommendations for identifying and writing research methods
• Expanded coverage of research ethics
• Insightful reflections from students who have effectively written and defended their dissertations

From preparing for the climb to enjoying the view from the summit, this book will assist you to successfully complete The Dissertation Journey.

The go-to legal resource for today’s principals!

New technology and world events have upended everything we once took for granted about schools, including the laws and policies that govern them. School safety concerns, curriculum challenges, the ever-changing landscape of social media, and the 2020/2021 COVID-19 crisis have made school leadership an infinitely more complex arena. Familiarity with the law is essential to help principals maintain safe and equitable communities and minimize legal risk. The 4^th edition of The Principal's Quick-Reference Guide to School Law provides the go-to help principals need to increase their knowledge of education law in this time of change. Within its pages, leaders can access tools to help them make better decisions when educational law related issues impact their schools.  Readers will find

• A completely revamped design for easier reference
• Practical examples to help demystify complex cases
• Updated cases studies from 2014 to today
• Guidance on new topics, such as vaping, sexting, student protests and walkouts
• An "Education Law 101 for Teachers" section to help leaders provide basic legal training for staff and teachers.

Written for aspiring and current school principals, this book will answer all the “what if” questions that inevitably arise at least once in every leader’s tenure.

Foster an environment of love and healing within schools

In this groundbreaking book, educator, poet, and activist Dr. Crystal Belle challenges traditional educational practices and offers a new approach to teaching rooted in radical love and social justice. Combining research with personal experiences and interviews, Dr. Belle explores the roots and practical application of a social justice education framework grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), heart healing, educator beliefs, and a deep understanding of the structural inequities in education. Features of the book include:

• Personal narratives and  portraiture that highlight the complex human aspects of education
• Sample social justice lesson planning templates and a social justice oriented curricular map
• Pedagogical activities that encourage critical thinking and more inclusive classrooms
• Radical love notes, objectives, reflection prompts, and discussion questions
• Critical discussion of special education, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the impact educators can have on their students through self-examination

Teaching with radical love means looking beyond traditional metrics of a student's success and utilizing their brilliance, cultural wealth, and intellectual potential to create transformative learning experiences, especially for minoritized children. This innovative approach to social justice education supports educators to teach with care, understanding, and intentional support for the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities of students.

Building change for the long game

It’s natural to resist change – but when we fundamentally commit to putting our students first, we must also commit to make lasting changes in current practice. Can we lead individuals and school teams to embrace strategic effort and lasting growth despite challenging circumstances and inevitable resistance?

For school leaders willing to change their behavior on behalf of their teams, the answer is Yes! This practical, thoughtful book builds on what we already know about change, invites reflection, and provides guidance to develop changes that will last. Readers will learn to:

• Organize and create conditions in which staff and students flourish
• Focus on phases of change and address the critical leadership practices that will simultaneously move change forward and address the kinds of resistance that may appear
• Apply two long-term stories of district change to their own particular contexts, so they can avoid mistakes and focus on strategies that work
• Create their own relationship-rich, personalized path for leading and managing change

We can build more reliable and effective changes in schools by ensuring steady progress over time. Dig into this informative book to discover the what, how, and why of a holistic change architecture to move your teams toward impactful changes that will stand the test of time.

Watch the video!

Reignite your passion for serving children!

Have you fallen into a rut? Has your position become simply a “role” or a “job?” The authors of this book will remind you why education, the most important profession in our society, demands passionate leadership.

Passionate Leadership is an aspiring call to action for teachers and principals around the world to recommit to passionately serving children, building the communities children deserve, and celebrating our successes. Take ownership, push to new heights, and break old boundaries by following the strategies in this book. Discover

• Practical ideas and suggestions for how to serve as a beacon of hope in the field
• First-hand experiences from enthusiastic leaders modeling what passionate leadership looks like
• Charts and graphs that will help you assess your strong points and identify areas you can improve on

Student success and growth begin with leaders who commit to taking courageous action!

Principles and possibilities to inform and inspire caring in your leadership practices!

Do you feel like something is missing in today’s schools? Do you feel student success is too focused on academic accountability, test scores, and college readiness? Recalibrate your leadership with the help of this book to promote the practice of caring which, with academic rigor, is essential to effective schooling.

Caring School Leadership is a research-based collection of ideas, principles, and values illustrated with numerous examples and stories that will inform, inspire, and guide you. Evaluate your current leadership practice and evolve to lead in the way to which you aspire. In addition to insights and lessons about caring from educators and human service professions like nursing and ministry, readers will be introduced to themes of

·         Caring in interpersonal relationships with students
·         Cultivating schools as caring environments
·         Fostering caring in families and communities

Discover how psychological safety, constructive conflict, and actionable learning create a powerful triple helix to transform teams!

In this ground-breaking resource, three experts in the field of education and teamwork each present one of three strands that, when woven together, support teamwork and forge collaborative interactions into a transformative way of working. You’ll learn approaches, processes and tools to overcome common obstacles to team effectiveness such as feelings of futility, anxiety, and poor morale. 

Drawing on research and practical experience the authors identify strategies and tools that show how to:

• Build psychological safety, where teams work towards resilient interpersonal relationships
• Use constructive conflict as a powerful catalyst for team learning and transformation
• Inquire into problems of practice to transform capabilities and produce actionable learning

Acquire ways to develop mindful, thoughtful, and constructive teams where authentic communication drives group awareness and clear processes and goals.