Janet C. Richards – författare

Innovative and practical, this text helps prepare teachers to support the literacy learning needs of all children in grades K-6, including academically, linguistically, and culturally diverse students. It features original teaching cases written by preservice teachers enrolled in field-based reading/language arts methods courses, accompanied by commentaries written by experienced teacher educators and skilled classroom teachers. High-interest content and a reader-friendly format encourage critical and reflective thinking about topics important to effective literacy instruction. By promoting reflection about case issues, the text helps prepare future teachers to respond to teaching narratives presented on the practical applications section of the PRAXIS II, an examination required in most states for teacher licensure.The authentic cases candidly and poignantly describe preservice teachers' plans, problems, hopes, disappointments, dilemmas, and reflective thinking as they address the multilayered complexities and ambiguities associated with learning to teach reading and language arts in elementary classrooms. These teaching stories reveal glimpses of literacy instruction and allow us to enter real classrooms and experience the wide varieties of situations that reading/language arts teachers encounter daily. Although the cases are grouped according to specific dimensions of literacy theory and pedagogy, just as in real classrooms, other issues are woven through each case as well.The commentaries provide scholarly, and sometimes contrasting, perspectives and approaches through which readers might consider the issues presented in the cases. The commentaries represent only particular perspectives, but readers are encouraged to explore and consider as many perspectives and issues as possible regarding each case.Each chapter includes helpfulpedagogical features:* New or critical concepts and terms listed at the beginning of each chapter alert readers to what might be unfamiliar vocabulary.* Applications and Reflections pages help readers take an active part in analyzing, documenting, and talking about the particular issues portrayed in the case narratives. Using the questions on these pages, the cases and accompanying commentaries can be read and discussed as a whole class activity, in small collaborative groups, or by individuals. The questions can also be used by readers to guide their own case writing initiatives.* Margin References direct readers to correlated readings for the strategies and parallel concepts mentioned in the cases and commentaries. Suggested readings can be discussed within the format of literacy study groups. * Annotated Bibliographies at the end of each chapter help readers construct more in-depth knowledge for the instructional strategies and activities discussed in the teaching cases. The cases, commentaries, and pedagogical features in this distinctive text provide rich opportunities for readers to discover what they need to know and how they need to think in order to teach reading and language arts effectively and successfully.

This text gives prospective and practicing teachers a comprehensive understanding of how to teach multiple literacies in elementary and middle school classrooms. All of the literacies--dance, music, visual arts, popular culture, media, and computer technologies--are integrated with reading and writing. Balanced treatment is given to theoretical perspectives and practical applications. The text features authentic cases written by preservice teachers, and commentaries on the cases from practitioners and university professors. The cases are designed to prepare future teachers for the PRAXIS teacher certifying exam and others offered in many states. Three theoretical chapters support the practical applications: *Chapter 1 addresses the benefits of writing and analyzing cases and the specific attributes of exemplary teaching cases, and offers guidelines for teachers to author their own case narratives and questions for analyzing and discussing case issues with peers. *Chapter 2 discusses the role of electronic symbol making and multiple sign systems in children's literacy and how children use symbols to receive and express meaning. *Chapter 3 offers a theoretical framework that helps define and enable teachers to use the new literacies of Internet technology, and provides a strong rationale for expanding traditional definitions of literacy. The practical applications chapters (chaps. 4-12) gradually lead readers toward a deeper understanding of how to conceptualize and structure more complex, integrated lessons. In each of these chapters: *An "Overview" provides up-to-date information about the particular form of literacy discussed in the chapter. *A helpful "What Do You Need to Know and How Do You Begin" section offers ideas and tasks for teachers who wish to nurture their artistic and technological aptitudes, expand their understanding of popular culture media, and increase their knowledge about integrating diverse communication forms into cohesive themed units or instruction. *Exemplary cases--the heart of these chapters--present preservice teachers' candid descriptions of their reflections, confusions, and concerns as they support K-8 students writing and writing development through multiple literacy approaches. *Case-specific questions encourage readers to take an active part in analyzing, documenting, and discussing the particular issues raised. *"Commentaries" by skilled practitioners and university professors provide sound teaching suggestions, scholarly perspectives, and sometimes contrasting solutions to the dilemmas described in the cases. *"Reflections and Explorations" activities help teachers become more actively involved in thinking and learning about multiple literacies. *"Practical Applications" questions engage teachers in considering their own teaching environments and goals as they integrate multiple literacy lessons into their curriculum. *"Suggested Readings" support teachers in constructing more in-depth knowledge about the chapter topics.

This clear, reader-friendly book is carefully designed to help readers gain confidence and acquire competence in their academic writing abilities. It focuses on real people as they write and actively involves readers in the writing process. The authors' innovative approach encourages reflection on how professional writing initiatives connect to the personal self. For pre-service and in-service teachers, graduate students, school administrators, educational specialists, and all others involved in the educational enterprise, effective writing is important to professional success. Organized to help the reader move progressively and confidently forward as a writer of academic prose, Doing Academic Writing in Education: Connecting the Personal and the Professional features: *activities to engage readers in connecting their writing endeavors to their personal selves, and in discovering their own writing attitudes, behaviors, strengths, and problem areas; *practical applications to inform and support the reader's writing initiatives--including opportunities to engage in invention strategies, to begin a draft, to revise and edit a piece of writing that is personally and professionally important, and to record reflections about writing; *the voices of the authors and of graduate students who are pursuing a variety of academic writing tasks--to serve as models for the reader's writing endeavors; and *writing samples and personal stories about writing shared by experts in various contexts--offering hints about conditions, self-reflections, and habits that help them write effectively. All students and professionals in the field of education will welcome the distinctive focus in this book on connecting the personal and the professional, and the wealth of practical applications and opportunities for reflection it provides.

This clear, reader-friendly book is carefully designed to help readers gain confidence and acquire competence in their academic writing abilities. It focuses on real people as they write and actively involves readers in the writing process. The authors' innovative approach encourages reflection on how professional writing initiatives connect to the personal self. For pre-service and in-service teachers, graduate students, school administrators, educational specialists, and all others involved in the educational enterprise, effective writing is important to professional success. Organized to help the reader move progressively and confidently forward as a writer of academic prose, Doing Academic Writing in Education: Connecting the Personal and the Professional features: *activities to engage readers in connecting their writing endeavors to their personal selves, and in discovering their own writing attitudes, behaviors, strengths, and problem areas; *practical applications to inform and support the reader's writing initiatives--including opportunities to engage in invention strategies, to begin a draft, to revise and edit a piece of writing that is personally and professionally important, and to record reflections about writing; *the voices of the authors and of graduate students who are pursuing a variety of academic writing tasks--to serve as models for the reader's writing endeavors; and *writing samples and personal stories about writing shared by experts in various contexts--offering hints about conditions, self-reflections, and habits that help them write effectively. All students and professionals in the field of education will welcome the distinctive focus in this book on connecting the personal and the professional, and the wealth of practical applications and opportunities for reflection it provides.

Innovative and practical, this text helps prepare teachers to support the literacy learning needs of all children in grades K-6, including academically, linguistically, and culturally diverse students. It features original teaching cases written by preservice teachers enrolled in field-based reading/language arts methods courses, accompanied by commentaries written by experienced teacher educators and skilled classroom teachers. High-interest content and a reader-friendly format encourage critical and reflective thinking about topics important to effective literacy instruction. By promoting reflection about case issues, the text helps prepare future teachers to respond to teaching narratives presented on the practical applications section of the PRAXIS II, an examination required in most states for teacher licensure. The authentic cases candidly and poignantly describe preservice teachers' plans, problems, hopes, disappointments, dilemmas, and reflective thinking as they address the multilayered complexities and ambiguities associated with learning to teach reading and language arts in elementary classrooms. These teaching stories reveal glimpses of literacy instruction and allow us to enter real classrooms and experience the wide varieties of situations that reading/language arts teachers encounter daily. Although the cases are grouped according to specific dimensions of literacy theory and pedagogy, just as in real classrooms, other issues are woven through each case as well. The commentaries provide scholarly, and sometimes contrasting, perspectives and approaches through which readers might consider the issues presented in the cases. The commentaries represent only particular perspectives, but readers are encouraged to explore and consider as many perspectives and issues as possible regarding each case. Each chapter includes helpfulpedagogical features: New or critical concepts and terms listed at the beg

This text gives prospective and practicing teachers a comprehensive understanding of how to teach multiple literacies in elementary arid middle school classrooms. All of the Iiteracies—dance, music, visual arts, popular culture, media, and computer technologies—are integrated with reading and writing. Balanced treatment is given to theoretical perspectives and practical applications. The text also features authentic cases written by preservice teachers, and commentaries on the cases from practitioners and university professors. The cases are designed to prepare future teachers for the PRAXIS teacher certifying exam and others offered in many states. Three theoretical chapters support the practical applications: Chapter 1 addresses the benefits of writing and analyzing cases and the specific attributes of exemplary teaching cases, and offers guidelines for teachers to author their own case narratives and questions for analyzing and discussing case issues with peers; Chapter 2 discusses the role of electronic symbol making and multiple sign systems in children’s literacy and how children use symbols to receive and express meaning; Chapter 3 offers a theoretical framework that helps define and enable teachers to use the new literacies of Internet technology, and provides a strong rationale for expanding traditional definitions of literacy.

Power up writing instruction with short, differentiated lessons!The hard reality? By the time they reach middle school, many of our students still lack basic writing skills, and this may be one of their last opportunities to get up to speed before they reach high school. There′s no better resource for you to help them do so than Strategic Writing Mini-Lessons for All Students, Grades 4–8.Covering all four essential writing strategies—inventing, drafting, writing, and editing—these differentiated mini-lessons follow an easy-to-navigate, consistent structure, including:A schematic linking lessons to the grade-level goals of the Common Core Adaptations for struggling writers, English Language Learners, and even advanced writers with every lessonSupport for different types of learners through use of color-coding techniques, charts, art, and other visual toolsSpecific guidance on developing your students′ confidence as writers and their ability to work independentlyWithin no time, your students will write with a newfound competence and confidence, better equipped to meet the demands ahead of them."This book is the most useful writing resource I have encountered in all my years of teaching. It is filled with practical strategies to produce writers with high-quality work product and high interest in the craft of writing."—Linda Sarver, TeacherExcelsior Springs, MO

The Lake and Pond Management Guidebook is the successor to the bestselling Lake Smarts: The First Lake Maintenance Handbook, the "bible" for small-scale lake and pond improvements, published by the Terrene Institute in 1993. Completely revised and updated, now published by Lewis Publishers, this guidebook contains over 300 ideas and projects including step-by-step practical, low-cost solutions to a wide range of problems that lake management professionals face everyday. Coverage includes shoreland buffer installation, fisheries management, reducing nuisance algal growth, controlling exotic aquatic plants, lakeside wastewater treatment systems, small scale dredging, and more.

Literacy researchers and educators are currently involved in exciting international literacy projects. However, many in the field are not aware of these initiatives. In compiling this edited volume, our intent is to provide a resource book for university instructors and research faculty with examples of international literacy projects and what was learned from the projects. Chapter contributors offer stories of real people who collaborate across nations to exchange ideas, promote literacy development, and increase global understandings. The literacy initiatives presented in this book show how literacy colleagues have provided opportunities for students and educators of different countries to communicate in meaningful ways. Through international literacy projects and research, participants work to forge relationships based on mutual respect, despite their differing cultures and languages. They see their work as based on the mutual connectedness to the human community.

Literacy researchers and educators are currently involved in exciting international literacy projects. However, many in the field are not aware of these initiatives. In compiling this edited volume, our intent is to provide a resource book for university instructors and research faculty with examples of international literacy projects and what was learned from the projects. Chapter contributors offer stories of real people who collaborate across nations to exchange ideas, promote literacy development, and increase global understandings. The literacy initiatives presented in this book show how literacy colleagues have provided opportunities for students and educators of different countries to communicate in meaningful ways. Through international literacy projects and research, participants work to forge relationships based on mutual respect, despite their differing cultures and languages. They see their work as based on the mutual connectedness to the human community.

There is little doubt that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a controversial entity. They are provocative for the way in which they have been developed, for the ways they are being implemented and evaluated, for their content, and for their failure to explicitly consider the needs, interests, and histories of diverse populations. While the CCSS continue to be problematized by critics around the country—including the editors of this volume—it is evident our nation is moving toward (some would argue we have arrived at) a national set of standards and/or a national curriculum. This text will be an important volume for multiple audiences, in large part because it will bring together critical perspectives on the CCSS and the notion of national standards/curricula. It will simultaneously provide a social justice orientation as a way to interpret the CCSS and respond to their limits, while presenting practical examples of social justice-oriented, CCSS-focused curricula that empower diverse learners and their teachers.Social Justice, the Common Core, and Closing the Instructional Gap will consist of chapters by classroom teachers and university scholars who portray honest, engaging, first-person accounts of their successes and challenges connecting a social justice pedagogical orientation to the Common Core State Standards. These authors candidly and passionately share the challenges of navigating between a social justice curriculum and high stakes standards- and test-driven environments. They highlight their accomplishments that include effectively supporting students to consider social injustices and devise plans to work toward a more equitable world.

There is little doubt that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a controversial entity. They are provocative for the way in which they have been developed, for the ways they are being implemented and evaluated, for their content, and for their failure to explicitly consider the needs, interests, and histories of diverse populations. While the CCSS continue to be problematized by critics around the country—including the editors of this volume—it is evident our nation is moving toward (some would argue we have arrived at) a national set of standards and/or a national curriculum. This text will be an important volume for multiple audiences, in large part because it will bring together critical perspectives on the CCSS and the notion of national standards/curricula. It will simultaneously provide a social justice orientation as a way to interpret the CCSS and respond to their limits, while presenting practical examples of social justice-oriented, CCSS-focused curricula that empower diverse learners and their teachers.Social Justice, the Common Core, and Closing the Instructional Gap will consist of chapters by classroom teachers and university scholars who portray honest, engaging, first-person accounts of their successes and challenges connecting a social justice pedagogical orientation to the Common Core State Standards. These authors candidly and passionately share the challenges of navigating between a social justice curriculum and high stakes standards- and test-driven environments. They highlight their accomplishments that include effectively supporting students to consider social injustices and devise plans to work toward a more equitable world.

Qualitative research instructors seek information to help students actively engage in qualitative inquiry. They desire to learn about innovative, constructivist approaches that connect and empower students as a community of learners. Empowering Students as Self-Directed Learners of Qualitative Research Methods meets these needs with practices and approaches instructors may use to position students as active, empowered, self-directed learners who learn to do qualitative research by doing qualitative research.Students will find this book useful because it includes authentic student work, student reflections, factual classroom scenarios depicting professors guiding students as they devise research questions and determine the qualitative genre to best answer those questions as well as a chapter that includes a checklist to help students plan, revise, and edit the academic writing critical for communicating qualitative research. The book blends the thoughts of international scholars with the voices of students of qualitative research methods who participated in the transformative practices described in the book. The collective ideas meet the instructional, cultural, and psychological needs of diverse learners, including students from various disciplines, exceptionally able students, those with creative and artistic aptitudes, those from marginalized populations, English language learners, and those who struggle to master qualitative research methods.Contributors are: Christy Bebeau, Alisha Braun, Franz Breuer, Suzanne Franco, Anna Gonzalez-Pliss, Steven Haberlin, Alfredo Jornet, Yew Jin Lee, Erin Lunday, Janet Richards, Wolff-Michael Roth, Kia Sarnoff, Margrit Schreier, and William Thomas.

Qualitative research instructors seek information to help students actively engage in qualitative inquiry. They desire to learn about innovative, constructivist approaches that connect and empower students as a community of learners. Empowering Students as Self-Directed Learners of Qualitative Research Methods meets these needs with practices and approaches instructors may use to position students as active, empowered, self-directed learners who learn to do qualitative research by doing qualitative research.Students will find this book useful because it includes authentic student work, student reflections, factual classroom scenarios depicting professors guiding students as they devise research questions and determine the qualitative genre to best answer those questions as well as a chapter that includes a checklist to help students plan, revise, and edit the academic writing critical for communicating qualitative research. The book blends the thoughts of international scholars with the voices of students of qualitative research methods who participated in the transformative practices described in the book. The collective ideas meet the instructional, cultural, and psychological needs of diverse learners, including students from various disciplines, exceptionally able students, those with creative and artistic aptitudes, those from marginalized populations, English language learners, and those who struggle to master qualitative research methods.Contributors are: Christy Bebeau, Alisha Braun, Franz Breuer, Suzanne Franco, Anna Gonzalez-Pliss, Steven Haberlin, Alfredo Jornet, Yew Jin Lee, Erin Lunday, Janet Richards, Wolff-Michael Roth, Kia Sarnoff, Margrit Schreier, and William Thomas.

This volume is an innovative, practical contribution to the developing field of qualitative research pedagogy. It is also applicable more broadly to the active teaching in higher education. Based upon constructionist tenets, this book contains three parts that offer strategies and approaches to actively engage students in qualitative inquiry. Chapter authors with roots in six countries (United States, Lithuania, Canada, Israel, China and Russia) offer practical and creative strategies and theoretical foundations for engaging students in active learning of research. The book will be of interest for instructors who wish to enhance their pedagogy and creativity in teaching, and for students who will appreciate the inclusion of students’ assignments and authentic scenarios through which instructors support students in student learning and doing of qualitative research.