Teaching matters most [[electronic resource] ] : a school leader's guide to improving classroom instruction / / Thomas M. McCann, Alan C. Jones, Gail Aronoff ; foreword by Deborah Meier

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910480480603321
• Autore: McCann Thomas M
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Thousand Oaks, Calif., : Corwin/Learning Forward, c2012
• ISBN: 1-4522-8388-5; 1-4522-6977-7; 1-4833-8766-6
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (209 p.)
• Altri autori (Persone): JonesAlan C (Associate professor); AronoffGail A
• Disciplina: 371.102
• Soggetti: Teachers - In-service training; School improvement programs; Electronic books.
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Teaching Matters Most--Front Cover; Teaching Matters Most; Contents; Foreword; Preface: Lessons Learned From Experience; A "NEW" TAKE IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT; CENTRAL THEME; ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK; WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK DISTINCTIVE; Acknowledgments; About the Authors; 1. What are common practices in schools?; WHAT WE FOUND IN CLASSROOMS; TRUTHS HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW; TRANSFORMING ACCOUNTABILITY; NEW DIRECTION; ARE THERE "BEST PRACTICES" IN TEACHING?; BRINGING BEST PRACTICES TO SCALE; ARE SOME PRACTICES BETTER THAN OTHERS?; THE POVERTY OF PRESCRIBING BEST PRACTICES; SUMMARY; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTIONACTION STEPS FOR GETTING STARTED; 2. What distinguishes quality teaching?; THREE CLASSROOMS, THREE PRACTITIONERS; A SIMPLE TRUTH HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW; High-Quality Teaching and Satisfactory Teaching; DISJOINTED TEACHING; WHY TEACHERS ARE FRUSTRATED; WHAT IS QUALITY TEACHING?; OBSERVING HIGH-QUALITY TEACHING; 1. Are the observed teaching behaviors appropriate for the objectives and the ; types of students in the classroom?; 2. How did the teacher demonstrate to assist students with understanding and applying knowledge?; 3. How did the teacher demonstrate clarity of instruction?4. How did the teacher demonstrate knowledge of subject matter?; 5. How did the teacher create a caring classroom?; INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS; THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED; SUMMARY; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION; ACTION STEPS FOR GETTING STARTED; 3. How do we learn about the quality of our teaching?; HOW TO MAKE THE CASE FOR AN EMPHASIS ON TEACHER QUALITY; THREE LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENTS; DEFINING QUALITY TEACHING; HOW TO ENGAGE SCHOOL PERSONNEL IN DEVISING A VISION OF QUALITY INSTRUCTION; SOME RUDIMENTS OF QUALITY TEACHING; THE IMPORTANCE OF CURRICULUM COHERENCELEARNING FROM STUDENTS; What Students Say They Want in Their Classes; THE CURRENT STATE OF TEACHING IN YOUR SCHOOL; HOW TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF TEACHING IN YOUR SCHOOL; SUMMARY; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION; ACTION STEPS FOR ASSESSING THE STATE OF TEACHING; 4. What should induction and mentoring look like?; BASIC COMPONENTS OF A TEACHER MENTOR PROGRAM; FACING CRITICAL JUNCTURES TOGETHER; Learning From Good Experienced Teachers; The Power of Collaboration; Mentoring as a Team Effort; PLANNING FOR NEW TEACHERS' SUCCESS; SUMMARY; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTIONACTION STEPS FOR INDUCTION AND MENTORING; 5. What should professional development look like?; WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; THE DISREGARDED TRUTHS OF PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT; Two Architectures of Learning; THE COMPONENTS OF A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CULTURE; Instructional Worldview; Method of Inquiry; Organizational Capacity; Training Regimes; The Process of Adult Learning; BUILDING BLOCKS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING; Trust; Direction; Documentation; Reflection; LEADING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES; SUMMARY; QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION
• Sommario/riassunto: Saying 'teaching matters most' is easy, and seems obvious. Making it the top priority for school leaders and staff is not so easy - in fact, it's messy. If we want to change how students write, compute, and think, then teachers must change how they teach. They must transform the old 'assign-and-assess' model into engaging, compassionate, coherent, and rigorous instruction. The authors show school leaders how to make this happen amidst myriad distractions, initiatives, and interruptions.