This book explains how teachers can serve as facilitators as students lead their parents through discussion of their work. The 9 chapters are: (1) "Philosophy and Purpose of Student-Led Conferences" (relevance, responsibility, and reporting to parents); (2) "Roles and Responsibilities of Participants" (teacher, student, parent, administrator, office staff, and support teacher role); (3) "Designing Formats for Student-Led Conferences" (individual or student-involved conferences, simultaneous conferences with multiple families, and presentation or showcase conferences); (4) "Preparing Students to Lead Conferences" (e.g., portfolios, making time for reflection, role-playing, and preparing students); (5) "Preparing Parents and Colleagues for Student-Led Conferences" (communicating the concept, preparing parents, and introducing the concept to colleagues); (6) "Organizing for Student-Led Conferences: It's All in the Details" (e.g., scheduling, arranging facilities, and encouraging parent participation); (7) "Anticipating and Handling Unique Solutions" (e.g., parents who cannot attend, potentially abusive parents, and students with special needs); (8) "Evaluating Student-Led Conferences" (e.g., gathering comments from parents, students, and colleagues); and (9) "The Role of Student-Led Conferences in Authentic Assessment and Reporting." Student conference resources are included. (Contains 20 references.) (SM)

From EL Education comes a proven approach to student assessment Leaders of Their Own Learning offers a new way of thinking about assessment based on the celebrated work of EL Education schools across the country. Student-Engaged Assessment is not a single practice but an approach to teaching and learning that equips and compels students to understand goals for their learning and growth, track their progress toward those goals, and take responsibility for reaching them. This requires a set of interrelated strategies and structures and a whole-school culture in which students are given the respect and responsibility to be meaningfully engaged in their own learning. Includes everything teachers and school leaders need to implement a successful Student-Engaged Assessment system in their schools Outlines the practices that will engage students in making academic progress, improve achievement, and involve families and communities in the life of the school Describes each of the book's eight key practices, gives advice on how to begin, and explains what teachers and school leaders need to put into practice in their own classrooms Ron Berger is Chief Program Officer for EL Education and a former public school teacher Leaders of Their Own Learning shows educators how to ignite the capacity of students to take responsibility for their own learning, meet Common Core and state standards, and reach higher levels of achievement. DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of the e-book file, but are available for download after purchase.

This book outlines a comprehensive, collaborative approach to teaching students living with trauma, violence, and chronic stress that focuses on students' strengths and resiliency.

Noting that the benefits of student-led conferences align well with practices recognized as developmentally appropriate for the middle school years, this book provides a step-by-step guide to implementing student-led conferences at the middle school level. The chapters are: (1) "Setting the Stage," presenting the rationale for student-led conferences; (2) "Begin with the End in Mind," presenting suggestions for organizing the program and training staff; (3) "Meanwhile...Back in the Classroom," examining ways to prepare students for the student-led conference; (4) "Self-Reflections," distinguishing self-evaluation and self-reflection, and focusing on building ways to enable students to understand their own learning process; (5) "Putting the Pieces Together," including information on scheduling conferences, collecting work samples, contacting parents, and teaching the process; (6) "Setting Goals for the Future," discussing goal setting and feedback; (7) "The Conference," presenting transcripts of a sample conference; (8) "Where Do We Go Next?" concerning evaluation of the student-led conference and making adjustments in the process; (9) "Going It Alone," suggestions for teachers ready to try student-led conferences but who do not yet have the support or resources to try a school-wide initiative; and (10) "Commonly Asked Questions about Student-Led Conferences." Appended are additional forms and handouts. (Contains 26 references.) (KB)

In this galvanizing follow-up to the best-selling Teaching with Poverty in Mind, renowned educator and learning expert Eric Jensen digs deeper into engagement as the key factor in the academic success of economically disadvantaged students. Drawing from research, experience, and real school success stories, Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind reveals * Smart, purposeful engagement strategies that all teachers can use to expand students' cognitive capacity, increase motivation and effort, and build deep, enduring understanding of content. * The (until-now) unwritten rules for engagement that are essential for increasing student achievement. * How automating engagement in the classroom can help teachers use instructional time more effectively and empower students to take ownership of their learning. * Steps you can take to create an exciting yet realistic implementation plan. Too many of our most vulnerable students are tuning out and dropping out because of our failure to engage them. It's time to set the bar higher. Until we make school the best part of every student's day, we will struggle with attendance, achievement, and graduation rates. This timely resource will help you take immediate action to revitalize and enrich your practice so that all your students may thrive in school and beyond.

The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.