Teaching Off Trail describes the transformation of Peter Dargatz, a national board-certified teacher, and public school coordinator, from an anxious assessor to a fair and fun facilitator of learning. It shares his personal professional journey detailing his evolution as an educator while simultaneously offering strategies for readers to implement Peter's unique teaching philosophy to increase opportunities for play, creative expression, and personalization in both the indoor and outdoor classroom. In his own classroom, Peter brought learning outside by creating a nature kindergarten program that emphasizes community partnerships, service learning, and meaningful and memorable experiences in the outdoors. Teaching Off Trail aims to inspire educators, administrators, and parents across all levels to turn their outrage for today’s educational system into outreach that promotes passionate and purposeful problem-solving. He incorporates techniques often seen in private educational settings like Reggio and Montessori—student-centered, self-directed experiential approaches to learning) and shows how they work within a public school system.

Gifted students with disabilities, also referred to as twice-exceptional children, need the strategies in Twice-Exceptional Gifted Children: Understanding, Teaching, and Counseling Gifted Students in order to find success in the regular classroom. By offering a thorough discussion of twice-exceptional students based on research into how gifted students with disabilities learn, the author helps teachers and education professionals develop a broad understanding of the complex issues associated with gifted students who have disabilities. This comprehensive text provides an overview of who these students are, how teachers can tap into their strengths and weaknesses, and what educational strategies should be implemented to help these students succeed in school and beyond. The book will guide a collaborative team step-by-step through the process of identifying students' needs, selecting modifications and accommodations, and developing a comprehensive plan to meet the diverse needs of twice-exceptional children. By implementing the strategies suggested in this book, teachers of twice-exceptional gifted students can ensure these students do not just survive in the classroom, but thrive.

Meet Ranger! He's a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day! Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but can't officially pass the test because he's always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first aid kit in the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy named Sam Abbott. Sam's family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail, and soon after Ranger arrives he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the Abbotts need Ranger's help more than they realize!

One School's Journey - Further Down the Path is the continuation of the story started in the award-winning book One School's Journey, about an elementary school in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. Learning to teach authentically using projects, even virtually, is chronicled by two authors - a teacher and the school's principal. This book includes additional insight and information about teaching authentically and the use of authentic projects with diverse learners at all age levels. The authors' experiences that teaching authentically is the best way to engage and teach students has been re-enforced by the success of the school's staff and students as they travel further down this path.

Are you ready to get off the beaten trail? This collection of 50 hikes explores some of the most obscure and beautiful hikes in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. You'll follow an abandoned railroad through the Coast Range, climb high up the west slope of Mount Hood to incredible wildflower meadows, discover colossal old-growth forest deep in the Clackamas River canyon and get up close and personal with one of Oregon's greatest waterfalls high in the Mount Jefferson backcountry. With detailed descriptions of each hike and maps created using National Geographic's Topo! series, Off the beaten trail lets you discover places and hikes you never knew existed.--Provided by publisher.

The important thing about The Important Book -- is that you let your child tell you what is important about the sun and the moon and the wind and the rain and a bug and a bee and a chair and a table and a pencil and a bear and a rainbow and a cat (if he wants to). For the important thing about The Important Book is that the book goes on long after it is closed.What is most important about many familiar things -- like rain and wind, apples and daisies -- is suggested in rhythmic words and vivid pictures. 'A perfect book . . . the text establishes a word game which tiny children will accept with glee.' -- K.

How to base learning on mastery instead of time What if you could remove time and space pressures from the process of teaching and learning? The authors of Off the Clock not only suggest this, but they have implemented it in New Hampshire. Due in part to their work, the New England Consortium won the 2011 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation through the Education Commission of the States. This book′s core idea is that student achievement should be based on mastering competencies instead of "seat time." In addition, learning does not need to be restricted to a school building or traditional school calendar. Fred Bramante and Rose Colby describe a uniquely 21st century learning environment in which: Every student is engaged Parents and students have more control over learning Dropouts are all but eliminated Curriculum becomes virtually limitless, project-based, and interdisciplinary This text for educators, policymakers, parents, and community members provides a comprehensive approach to implementing a large-scale competency-based reform initiative. Wherever this model is applied, public education will be vastly improved, more efficient, and, quite possibly, less expensive. The ultimate beneficiaries will be our nation′s children.