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Classrooms of Wonder and Wisdom
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Classrooms of Wonder and Wisdom
Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking for the 21st Century



September 2010 | 192 pages | Corwin

"The authors illuminate theoretical ideas with insightful, practical ways for teachers to encourage students to develop the critical and creative thinking necessary in a flourishing democratic society."
—Angela Ward, Acting Associate Dean, University of Saskatchewan College of Education

"An excellent resource filled with useful strategies and approaches for creating student-centered learning through reading and writing."
—Eric A. Combs, Teacher, Fairborn City Schools, OH

Discover how to enhance learning for your students

Engaging from the first page, this is a book that you "do" rather than read. Award-winning authors Kurtis S. Meredith and Jeannie L. Steele actively guide teachers through the learning process with this well-tested and successful literacy-based professional development program. Educators are encouraged to assess their knowledge, make predictions, ask questions, and track their own progress to deepen their understanding of teaching and learning processes. Grounded in a framework that has been effectively implemented in more than 30 countries, the carefully designed sequence prepares teachers to help students:

  • Become lifelong learners with the capacity to integrate knowledge and experiences across content areas
  • Efficiently sort information and transform learning into action
  • Contextualize knowledge by adding new information to what they already know
  • Enhance their capacity to meet 21st-century demands

Each chapter includes an overview of expected outcomes, self-evaluation activities, learning experiences, and reflection exercises. This action-oriented guidebook is immediately applicable and is ideal for individual or group professional development.


 


 
Preface
Acknowledgments

 
 
About the Authors
 
Introduction
 
1. Beginning a Professional Development Journey
Evocation 1

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Evocation 2

 
The Change Process

 
About This Text

 
Assumptions, Values, and Beliefs

 
Expectations

 
The Role of Critical Thought

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Chapter Reflection

 
Journal Entry

 
 
2. A Framework for Teaching and Learning
Evocation

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Rationale

 
Experiential Framework Lesson

 
Examining the Framework

 
The ERR Framework Revisited

 
Critical Thinking and the Framework

 
Framework Strategies Organizational Chart

 
Chapter Reflection

 
 
3. Narrative Text and the Power of Questioning
Evocation

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Teacher Questioning

 
Model ERR Lesson With a Narrative Text

 
Narrative Lesson Analysis

 
ERR as a Multitiered Model

 
Questioning

 
Reflection

 
 
4. Advancing Critical Thought
Outcome Expectations

 
Evocation

 
Realization of Meaning

 
Creating an Environment for Critical Thought

 
Essential Classroom Elements of Critical Thinking

 
Lesson Analysis

 
Chapter Summary

 
 
5. Framework Strategies
Outcomes of Using the ERR Framework

 
Other Writing-for-Thinking Strategies

 
Reflection

 
Chapter Reflection

 
 
6. Cooperative Learning
Evocation

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Overview

 
Classrooms as Environments for Thinking

 
What Is Cooperative Learning?

 
The Cooperative-Learning Classroom

 
Sample Cooperative-Learning Lessons

 
Brief Cooperative Strategies

 
Cooperative Math Activities

 
Brief Exercises for Problem Solving and Discussion

 
Chapter Reflection

 
 
7. Creating Thoughtful Readers
Evocation

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Discussion of a Thoughtful Reading Process

 
Readers' Workshop

 
The Four Cornerstones of Readers' Workshop

 
Literary Letters

 
Book Talks

 
Readers' Workshop Rules

 
Summary of Readers' Workshop

 
Analysis of Reader's Workshop and the ERR Framework

 
Content Reading and Readers' Workshop

 
Applying the Reading Process to Content Areas

 
Applying Readers' Workshop Process to Science

 
Reading in Content Areas - The Link to Math

 
Mathematics Is More Than a Collection of Concepts and Skills

 
Chapter Reflection

 
 
8. Learning to Write, Writing to Learn
Evocation

 
Outcome Expectations

 
Writing Resurgence

 
Writing Defined

 
Writer's Workshop

 
Chapter Reflection

 
 
9. Reflection
Evocation

 
Learning Centered

 
Transformative Experiences

 
Truth

 
Final Reflection

 
What to Do Now?

 
 
Appendix A
 
Appendix B
 
Appendix C
 
Appendix D
 
Appendix E
 
Appendix F
 
References
 
Index

“This book provides strategies that are varied and vital for student success, especially as critical thinkers.”

Tamara Rhone, Secondary Social Studies Educator
Public Schools, Denver, CO

“I wish this text were available today—I could really use it in the Center of Excellence I direct! In fact, I really could have used it a year and a half ago—it would have saved me HOURS of work!”

Victoria Ridgeway Gillis, Professor
Clemson University, SC

“The author's excellent exercises and examples effectively illustrate the application of the instructional strategies. These examples are at the heart of the text and are the major reason it will be successful in improving classroom instruction.”

Connie Harris, Gifted Language Arts Teacher
Oaks Middle School, Fort Myers, FL

“An excellent resource filled with useful strategies and approaches for creating student-centered learning through reading and writing.”

Eric A. Combs, Teacher
Fairborn City Schools, Fairborn, OH

"Jeannie Steele and Kurt Meredith illuminate theoretical ideas with insightful, practical ways for teachers to encourage students to develop the critical and creative thinking necessary in a flourishing democratic society."

Angela Ward, Acting Associate Dean
University of Saskatchewan College of Education

"The authors bring their extraordinary experience to the task of masterfully suggesting powerful ways to effectively address the question of how we can best prepare students for life in the twenty-first century and bring about lasting change. They share a wealth of ideas for effective learning experiences in a range of professional development settings."

Adria Klein, Professor Emeritus
CSU San Bernardino, CA
Key features
  • Lists and overview of and expected outcomes for each chapter, outlining the purpose and desired results for the reader
  • Sample lessons to introduce learning methods and strategies
  • Writing prompts and exercises designed to encourage self-evaluation and serve as tools for building upon individual learning experiences
  • Chapter reflections sections that offer overviews of each topic and discussion points for follow up and further development and exploration

For instructors

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Paperback
ISBN: 9781412918152
$40.95