From the Preface
Do you
search for strategies to close the
achievement gap?
If you are like many teachers, you
continue to looks for ways to improve the classroom instruction. As a
classroom teacher with more than 35 years of experience, I, too, was always
searching for new strategies, understandings, and lessons to support the
changing population of students who yearly entered my classroom.
This book is a result of that
search. It is an organic document, one that continue to grow as you
interact with the book and your colleagues . . .
While addressing (many) educational
goals, this book
-
shares the research.
-
gives examples that support the
research.
-
suggests questions to ask about
your instructional practice.
-
presents concrete strategies to
implement in your classroom.
-
offers reflections for professional
growth.
In addition, the book offers you a
unique opportunity. Unlike many excellent books in the marketplace that
give research-based instructional strategies, this books includes a section
that focuses on race and privilege and its impact upon two female educators:
one Black American and one White American. Reading their stories gives
you a glimpse into the racial complexities of their educational landscape and
examines a topic seldom found in educational literature.
Who this book is for:
-
First and foremost, this books if
for teachers from a teacher . . .
-
Principals at every level who wish
to enhance the knowledge base of their staff . . .
-
Professional development chairs,
supervisors, mentors, and coaches . . .
-
Professional learning communities .
. .
-
College and university instructors
and their students . . .
-
Central office administrators
engaged in a districtwide endeavor to become
more culturally proficient and to close the gap.
Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Part I: Building Background
Knowledge about Diverse Learners
1. Our Culture:
The Way we View the World
2.
Understanding Diverse Learners
3. What We Know
About the Achievement Gap
Part II: Examining our Inner
World
4. Reflecting
on the Educator Self
5. Exploring
our Racial Identity
6. A Day in the
Life . . .
Part III:
Creating a Learning Environment that Supports Diverse Learners
7.
Building Community through Research-Based Learning Expectations
8.
Creating a School Culture that Welcomes Diverse Learners
9.
Using Books to Support School and Community Partnerships
10.
Cultivating Relationships with Diverse Learners
Part IV:
Research-Based Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners
11.
Reaching Diverse Learners through Strategic Instruction
12.
Inspiring Diverse Learners to Love Reading and Writing
13.
Improving Reading Skills: Reading Aloud
14.
Building a Balanced Literacy Classroom: Reading and Writing Workshop
15.
Differentiating Instruction
16.
Multidisciplinary Experiences
17.
Sponsoring Academic Student Support Groups
