Early book sharing: What teachers should know

The purpose of this paper is to describe strategies that caregivers use while reading books with young children. Research indicates that caregivers: a) use strategies that simplify or extend book language, b) use prosody, and c) use management strategies so the book reading event is meaningful for children. Then, how teachers of preschool children can use these same strategies to plan meaningful book sharing events for children in preschool settings is described

Student Choices: Book Selection Strategies of Fourth Graders

In many literature-based reading programs, students are encouraged to self-select their own reading materials. However, self-selection causes apprehensions for many teachers. They are concerned not only about their students\u27 ability to select books that are appropriate for their reading level but they are also concerned about the types of books the students may choose. Consequently many teachers may decide to use anthologies or whole class texts where they maintain some control over the students\u27 reading material. However, student interest and student choice should be an integral part of an elementary reading program if students are going to beturned onto reading (Rasinski, 1988) and become lifelong readers

Professional Development and Educational Policy: A Comparison of Two Fields in Education

The purpose of this paper is to compare two fields of research related to school reform: professional development and educational policy. A content analysis of the literature in both fields revealed two areas where they align (i.e., a focus on teachers’ professional development and the idea that change takes time) as well as two areas where there are differences (i.e., theoretical grounding of each field and planning for teachers’ learning). Considerations for successful school reform are suggested

Transforming Schools: The Power of Teachers’ Input in Professional Development

Recent legislative actions have mandated the professional development of teachers in hopes of improved student achievement. However, research has shown that mandated professional development most usually does not lead to a positive outcome. This article describes three aspects that have been identified as contributing to the transformation of instruction in schools: school context, role of the administrator, and cohesion between professional development and needs of students/teachers. Mezirow’s adult learning theory supports these important aspects of school reform and has implications for planning and developing educators’ professional development