An essential handbook every student needs to survive at university, this title provides essential practical advice on everything from financial tips and dealing with stress, to discovering how to get the best out of tutorials, how to write and present assignments, and what to do when up against an assessment crunch-point.

Following three teenagers who chose to spend one school year living in Finland, South Korea, and Poland, a literary journalist recounts how attitudes, parenting, and rigorous teaching have revolutionized these countries' education results.

Fight the Freshman Fifteen, Sleepless Nights, and Other Pitfalls of College Life Welcome to college life. It's full of possibilities -- and pitfalls. Cafeteria food is awful, but there sure is a lot of it. And you can eat as much (or more) of anything -- and everything -- as you want. And in a single year of study, you can grow a gut that will haunt you for the rest of your life. No one in the dorm is going to tell you when to go to bed, and you can wear each all-night cram session like a badge of honor. But on two hours of sleep a night, the circles underyour eyes will make you look like a raccoon before midterms -- which you'll then probably fail. And exercise -- what's that? Say hello to thunder thighs and saggy bat-wing arms. Sound awful? Good. It's supposed to. But take heart: With the simple advice you'll find in this book, you can eat right and get the sleep and exercise you need to excel academically and creatively. You'll get the straight story on how to avoid the freshman fifteen, and learn how to make good choices in the cafeteria and make smart snacks on those few useless appliances they allow you to keep in your room. You'll get tips on fitting regular exercise into a busy class schedule and getting enough sleep without being the only one who never -- NEVER -- makes it to the latest of the late-night parties. Eat smart to fight the freshman fifteen, food allergies, and fatigue Prepare smart snacks right in your dorm room -- without burning the place down! Get enough sleep without missing out on too much late night fun Build the body of your dreams with smart exercise tips Make the grade without succumbing to stress Includes delicious dorm-room snack recipes The Smart Student's Guide to Healthy Dorm Living is a must for any parent sending their student off to college. The book is packed with practical tips for healthy eating. It helps answer the questions I hear from college students every day. This book is the answer to helping teens stay healthy and fit as they transcend the college years into adulthood. Hats off to M.J. and Fred Smith for giving students and easy-to-read survival guide to healthy eating at college. -Ann Blocker, RD, LD, CDE, director of nutrition at Veterans Memorial Hospital and nutrition consultant to Luther College, in Decorah, IA A great book, so practical and useful-fantastic! -Jane Hasek, MSN, Ed.D., chancellor emerita and distinguished professor at Allen College in Waterloo, IA I've lost another two pounds this week. I know that I'm losing it through exercise and diet. My stamina in exercising is increasing while my appetite is decreasing...I feel that I am working harder and longer without being any more tired. I really enjoy exercising and feel great doing it. My mood is better because I feel better about myself. -Andy Wannigman, student I have been using the tips in the book and have a success story. I feel great! It's that plain and simple. I feel better about myself. I'll continue this plan next semester. I liked the results a lot and I hope to get more of the same the longer I participate... -Dana Roberts, student

Assessment is an essential part of teaching and learning, but too often it leads to misleading conclusions—sometimes with dire consequences for students. How can educators improve assessment practices so that the results are accurate, meaningful, informative, and fair? Educator and best-selling author Myron Dueck draws from his firsthand experience and his work with districts around the world to provide a simple but profound answer: put student voice and choice at the center of the process. In this engaging and well-researched book, Dueck reveals troubling issues related to traditional approaches and offers numerous examples of educators at all levels who are transforming assessment by using tools and methods that engage and empower students. He also shares surprising revelations about the nature of memory and learning that speak to the need for rethinking how we measure student understanding and achievement. Readers will find sound advice and detailed guidance on how to * Share and cocreate precise learning targets, * Develop student-friendly rubrics linked to standards, * Involve students in ongoing assessment procedures, * Replace flawed grading systems with ones that better reflect what students know and can do, and * Design structures for students' self-reporting on their progress in learning. Inspired by the origins of the word assessment—derived from the Latin for "to sit beside"—Dueck urges educators to discard old habits and instead work with students as partners in assessment. For those who do, the effort is rewarding and the benefits are significant

Transform your classroom from teacher-centered to learner-centered! This book shows you how with eleven easy-to-implement strategies you can use immediately to put students at the center! Get your students geared up for success and high achievement with great ideas for providing a roadmap; giving the work back; differentiating daily instruction; communicating for your audience, not to your audience; giving students choices; planning intentional engagement; asking better questions, and so much more! For each strategy, you get a clear example of what it looks like in action, as well as a breakdown of how to make it work in your classroom!

Help staff focus on results, and implement SMART (Strategic and specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results based, and Time bound) goals to transform your school into a place where every student meets or exceeds standards. The authors present four success stories from real SMART schools and several frameworks for adult and student goal setting that lead to real results.

This refreshingly frank handbook shows teachers how to close the achievement gap in their classrooms by teaching students innovative paths to academic success. Drawing on over 20 years’ experience, Kelley presents straightforward strategies for helping learners improve their grades and test scores and experience greater school engagement—all while streamlining the teacher’s work to yield maximum efficiency. Strategies include team-grading essays, using Socratic seminars and sworn statements, allowing for re-dos, and ruthlessly pruning assignments, among others. Often humorous and irreverent in tone, this guide will be the talk of the break room. Includes online digital content.