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Inspiring Elementary Learners
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Inspiring Elementary Learners
Nurturing the Whole Child in a Differentiated Classroom



August 2008 | 264 pages | Corwin

"One of the very few professional resources that I could not put down. I recommend this book to every teacher I work with, and I use it every day in my work with teachers and students."
—Diane Fleming, Advanced Placement Coordinator
Sioux City Community Schools, IA

"This is differentiation at its best! This valuable resource provides the tools necessary to meet the wide range of student needs and abilities within a classroom. It will be a timeless resource that all educators will want on their desk."
—Jeannie Donoghue, Professional Development Director
Bureau of Education and Research

Inspire a love for learning through differentiated lessons and activities!

Today's classrooms are more diverse than ever before, with students of many languages, cultures, backgrounds, abilities, and skills all in one room. This accessible resource illustrates how elementary teachers can use differentiated instructional techniques to nurture a love for learning in socially, culturally, and academically diverse learners.

Inspiring Elementary Learners offers step-by-step instructions for creating a learning environment that engages all students, and provides creative strategies that can be easily implemented in the classroom. The authors include lesson examples and assessment rubrics across the core subject areas, showing how to cultivate a community of learners who honor themselves and each other. Based on current educational research on metacognitive strategies, learning styles, constructivist thinking, and choice theory, this handbook helps educators:

  • Design lessons to foster students' intrinsic motivation
  • Teach for deep understanding while meeting content standards
  • Create and implement differentiated strategies

This practical guide provides teachers with the tools they need to reach, teach, and inspire diverse student populations and cultivate an engaging classroom environment.


 
List of Figures
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
1. Growing Lifelong Learners
 
2. The Inspiring Classroom: Theory Into Practice
 
3. Building Community, Honoring Individuals
 
4. Apprenticeship Learning: Nurturing Lifelong Learners
 
5. Flexible Grouping
 
6. Teaching for Meaning
 
7. Instructional Elements to Differentiate
 
8. Deep and Dynamic Design #1: Choice Menus
 
9. Deep and Dynamic Design #2: RAFT Plus
 
10. Deep and Dynamic Design #3: Tiered Lessons
 
11. Deep and Dynamic Design #4: Contracts
 
12. Deep and Dynamic Design #5: Stations
 
13. Deep and Dynamic Design #6: Compacting
 
14. Assessment and Grading in the Inspiring Classroom
 
15. Learning to Grow an Inspiring Classroom
 
16. Reaping the Harvest: Creating an Inspiring Legacy
 
Resources
 
References
 
Index

"Very usable and practical ideas from day one! This book is 'inspiring' for teachers as well as learners."

Jean Johnson, Program Coodinator
Sioux City Community Schools, IA

"One of the very few professional resources that I could not put down. I had to read it from cover to cover. I recommend this book to every teacher I work with, and I use it every day in my work with teachers and students."

Diane Fleming, Coordinator
Sioux City Community Schools, IA

“This is differentiation at its best! This valuable resource provides the tools necessary to make it possible to meet the wide range of student needs and abilities within a classroom. It will be a timeless resource all educators will want on their desk.”

Jeannie Donoghue, Professional Development Director
Bureau of Education and Research

“This is one of the most eye-opening professional books that I have ever read. The authors challenged me and reminded me of why I decided to pursue this profession, and they showed me how to create a positive environment and provided me with lessons, activities, and assessments that helped me achieve my goal."

Billie Jo Crouse, Third-Grade Teacher
Greensburg Salem School District, PA
Key features

Research-based and informed by the work of Glasser, Tomlinson, Wolfe, Jensen, Calkins, Atwell, Gardner, Armstrong, Weinbrenner among others, this rich reference offers practical lessons, hands on activities that show teachers, step-by-step, how to connect learning objectives to student's lives in engaging and meaningful ways. The text includes: 

  • Numerous case studies and student work samples
  • Lesson frameworks and planning guides to help teachers develop standards-based differentiated lessons and units
  • Sample lessons—low-prep "Lite-n-Lean" activities and more comprehensive "Deep-n-Dynamic" units
  • Tips and tools for assessing student learning styles and preferences
  • Teacher tips for managing and assessing lessons
  • Rubrics

Purchasing options

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.

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ISBN: 9781412960656
CAD$ 61.95
ISBN: 9781412960649
CAD$ 137.95

For large school/district orders, volume discounts, availability and shipping times contact customer service at 800-233-9936
or order@corwin.com.

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