Simply Better: Doing What Matters Most to Change the Odds for Student Success

by Bryan Goodwin

We already know what works in schools; we just need to focus on getting it right. This is the premise of Simply Doing What Matters Most to Change the Odds for Student Success , which offers a practical, research-based framework for improving student achievement. According to author Bryan Goodwin, decades of research have shown time and again that focusing on the following five essential practices can vastly increase students' chances of doing well in
* Guaranteeing that instruction is challenging, engaging, and intentional

* Ensuring curricular pathways to success

* Providing whole-child student supports

* Creating high-performance school cultures

* Developing data-driven, high-reliability district systems
Whether at the district-, school-, or classroom-level, educators don't need to reinvent the wheel or pursue the latest trends to ensure that students succeed. This powerful book reveals what research clearly shows works best in schools, and provides a valuable blueprint for turning that knowledge into visible results.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development

184 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2011

Reviews

[Sean Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readable and engaging meta-analysis of the research on school improvement.

Focus on principles over rules, with clear principles for teachers, principals, and district leaders.

The two clear principles that matter at all levels, from the classroom to to the district:

- Challenge (students, teachers, and schools with high expectations) and
- Support (students, teachers, and schools, with the instruction and resources they need)

This is going on my shelf of "essential education" books because it's readable, simple, clear, and practical. Highly recommended.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent professional read to help me fine tune the art of my own teaching, learning, and leading.

[Allison Junkans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best education books I've read in a long time. I read it with my district's book study group. It was great for discussions.

[Analese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed.D Reading!