How does the mind work — and how does it learn? Teachers’ instructional decisions are based on a mix of theories learned in teacher education, trial and error, craft knowledge, and gut instinct. Such gut knowledge often serves us well, but is there anything sturdier to rely on?
Vocabulary learning is incremental and there are more words that kids need to learn than we can teach. Kids need lots of opportunities to confront words in their reading and listening.
We recently spoke with some middle and high school students across the autism spectrum to learn what being autistic means to them — in school and beyond.
Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength. 2016 Caldecott Honor Book.
A thoroughly researched, fictionalized account of the life of Emily Dickinson as a young girl. While most obviously useful for school support, the book will also appeal to budding writers and those who enjoy a strong heroine.
Pulitzer prizing winning journalist Horwitz uses humor and candor to literally follow in the footsteps of the first American explorers—from the Vikings and French utopians to America’s first African-American trailblazer—whose discoveries took place hundreds of years before the mythical landing on Plymouth Rock.
After her Mom and stepdad divorce, Addie moves with Mommers into a trailer owned by stepdad Dwight. Mommers is dysfunctional and inattentive, but Addie loves her and struggles to hold their life together. As she meets the trailer’s neighbors, Addie and this makeshift family become a group of folks you can’t help but root for.
