The fact of unfair dealings in the workplace should come as no surprise to any American. In fact, the history of labor and employment in our country is rife with stories of unfair treatment, favoritism, and/or nepotism. Even though these occurrences are bad and pervasive enough in any workplace, they are especially egregious in public schools. This book’s emphasis on unfair dealings as related to educational professionals is the result of the author’s legal representation of those unfortunate professionals who were the victims of “the old boy network”, and those favored and/ or related to the power brokers. The author initially thought this practice was exaggerated when approached for representation until he found himself the victim of the same outrages that he once discounted as “overstated and rare” occurrences. The revelation of duplicitous dealings of high-ranking professionals was a motivating factor in the exposure of the practices herein discussed. The pursuit and maintenance of a profession despite the barrage of potential obstructions that this book will reveal and discuss is this book’s secondary purpose. Its primary purpose is to create an educational environment where our students are served only by the most qualified educators.

An all-in-one authoritative guidebook for school professionals on how to create LGBT+ inclusive learning environments, via inclusive and affirming policies, curriculums and behaviors for LGBT+ students, families, and staff in the American education system.

For LGBTQ people and their supporters, Pride events are an opportunity to honor the past, protest injustice, and celebrate a diverse and vibrant community. The high point of Pride, the Pride Parade, is spectacular and colorful. But there is a whole lot more to Pride than rainbow flags and amazing outfits. How did Pride come to be? And what does Pride mean to the people who celebrate it?

"Longtime therapist and sex educator Langford has written an indispensable guide to a universe of things sexual and social for LGBTQ+ youth and their parents or caregivers." Booklist, Starred Review Sex education materials meant to explain important basics to kids are too-often not written with an empathic understanding of what those basics are. This is particularly obvious regarding books that include LGBTQ identities. Even when they do hit the mark, many have a limited scope and don’t take into account the practical realities of developing sexuality. The Pride Guide is written explicitly for the almost ten percent of teenagers who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, or any of the unique identities that are not heterosexual/ cisgendered. It explores sex, dating, relationships, puberty, and both physical and online safety in one resource. The issue, today, is not whether or not queer youth will get sex education. The issue is how and where they will gather information and whether or not the information they gather with be applicable, unreliable, or exploitative. Equipping teens and their families with knowledge and self-confidence, this work provides the best protection against the unfortunate consequences that sometimes accompany growing up with an alternative gender or identity. With real-world information presented in a factual and humorous way, responsible adults can teach queer youth to (and how to) protect themselves, to find resources, to explore who they are, and to interact with the world around them while being true to themselves and respectful of others. Written with these issues in mind, The Pride Guide covers universal topics that apply to everyone, such as values clarification, digital citizenship, responsibility, information regarding abstinence as well as indulgence, and an understanding of the consequences and results of both action and inaction. For LGBTQ youth, this is a resource containing information on the unique issues queer youth face regarding what puberty looks like (particularly for trans youth), dating skills and violence, activism, personal safety, and above all, pride. Parents and other supportive adults who are motivated to educate themselves and who are interested in gaining some tools and skills around making these necessary conversations less uncomfortable and more effective will benefit from this book. The go-to resource for making informed decisions, The Pride Guide is indispensable for teens, parents, educators, and others hoping to support the safe journey of LGBTQ teens on their journey of discovery.

"A tool box overflowing with ideas that will help every staff developer craft a school culture hospitable to adult and student learning." —Roland S. Barth, Author, Lessons Learned "The book speaks to many audiences, including instructional coaches, PLC leaders, action researchers and group leaders, and university professors working with action researchers and PLCs." —Gail Ritchie, Coleader, Teacher Researcher Network Fairfax County Public Schools, VA "A terrific resource for connecting teacher networks and action research to create powerful professional development opportunities. This book is a joy to read." —Ellen Meyers, Senior Vice President Teachers Network Powerful tools for facilitating teachers′ professional development and optimizing school improvement efforts! Professional learning communities (PLCs) and action research are popular and proven frameworks for professional development. While both can greatly improve teaching and learning, few resources have combined the two practices into one coherent approach. The Reflective Educator′s Guide to Professional Development provides educators with strategies, activities, and tools to develop inquiry-oriented PLCs. Nationally known school reform experts Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey cover the ten essential elements of a healthy PLC, provide case studies of actual inquiry-based PLCs, and present lessons learned to help good coaches become great coaches. With this step-by-step guide, readers will be able to: Organize, assess, and maintain high-functioning, inquiry-oriented PLCs Facilitate the development of study questions Establish the trust and collective commitment necessary for successful action research Enable PLC members to develop, analyze, and share research results Lead successful renewal and reform efforts By combining two powerful training practices, coaches, workshop leaders, and staff developers can ensure continuous, robust school-based professional development.

This user-friendly book is a key resource for teachers and administrators to ensure their school’s success in implementing and maintaining a dual language program. Authors Gayle Westerberg and Leslie Davison share their own experiences leading a dual language school, the obstacles they overcame, and the best practices they learned along the way. The book is filled with step-by-step instructions and strategies you can try immediately, as well as inspirational stories from educators in urban and rural dual language programs across the country. Topics include: Choosing a model for your dual language program and involving all stakeholders in the transition process; Marketing your program effectively to recruit students and staff, including international teachers; Implementing a standards-based instructional framework focused on direct vocabulary instruction, extensive reading, and using language in context; Setting proficiency targets and using internal and external assessments to track students’ progress; Incorporating technology for a more interactive and engaging language-learning experience. You’ll also learn how to effectively transition your program through different grade levels and build a collaborative school culture for a strong, long-lasting K–12 dual language program. Additional resources are available on the authors’ website, www.duallanguageinstruction.com.