Effective Instruction

by Jim Burke

For the busy teacher on-the-run, veteran teacher Jim Burke has created The Teacher's Essential Guide series, a collection of slender, quick-read guides that offers you targeted solutions to your most pressing instructional needs: how to build motivation, use meaningful assessment to monitor student learning and assign grades, create purposeful homework, use technology in ways that enhance learning, teach essential study skills, learn breakthrough grouping strategies, and create lessons that engage all students. Burke's solutions are based on research and his experience as a veteran teacher. Effective Instruction will help you zone in on the essentials that really matter, streamlining and simplifying your teaching while boosting student engagement and achievement.

Genres: Professional Development, Teaching, Education

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

A longtime English teacher, Jim Burke is the author of more than 20 books and senior consultant for the Holt McDougal Literature program. Jim has received several awards, including the 2000 NCTE Exemplary English Leadership Award. In 2009, he created the English Companion Ning―the largest online community of English teachers in the world. More recently, Jim has served on the AP English Course and Exam Review Commission and the PARCC Consortium.

Reviews

[Jason Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Burke's Effective Instruction is short and to the point, drawing on research and personal experience as a teacher on what works in the class room to motivate students. His advice is practical and easy to follow. What is impressive to me is that Burke is an English teacher yet wrote this book for any secondary education teacher. Most of the strategies and situations he talks about can be effective in any content area. If you are an education student or already a teacher, some of what he talks about might be familiar, as he draws on current, "hot" theories and ideas about education and student motivation, but for a teacher, new or veteran, looking for additional strategies to bring to the classroom, you should check this out.

[Zach]

A concise book jam-packed with research based methods for effective instruction. This book is meant for those teachers who are reflective & would like to continue improving, but don't have the time or energy to tackle the primary sources Burke uses to illustrate effective instruction. In some ways, this is Teacher 101 stuff. However, with so many different pedagogies available (and rushing past amidst all the testing), this book is a great refresher (and introduction, possibly) on techniques you may not have focused on in your initial approaches to teaching.

[Sarah Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Burke's ideas are always incredibly useful. I understand that some would like to see his theories put into actual practice but I would argue that his methods are simply a springboard for both novice and seasoned teachers to jump off of in order to generate and practice their own ideas. Because every classroom is different, it would be ineffective for him to write in a "Do This" fashion...I'd it were that easy, teaching wouldn't be so hard...

[Tarayn Svalberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I adore Jim Burke. His books give amazing suggestions for new teachers. As a psychology major who was placed in to an English classroom, Burke offers brilliant ideas. Specifically I found that his suggestions of grouping kids in various sized groups and by various ways (birthdays, eye color, favorite sport, etc.) was a particularly interesting chapter.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this book thinking I could just give it back, now I have to buy another because it has so many good things; I need my own. I will definitely keep this book close by my first couple years of teaching. So many good instruction and management strategies! Thanks Jeremy I'll get you one soon. I also liked that it was dedicated to new teachers! killer resource. Thanks Jim Burke!

[Kendall Yoder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really good if you just want to brush up on things or remind yourself about good skills. He covers a lot of different topics in a short amount of time so I don't think this book is meant for someone who is jumping into this topic for the first time.

[Sirpa Grierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must have for beginning (an veteran teachers). Excellent synopsis and reminder of the basic elements of good teaching.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything that Burke added to this book is useful.

[Di Ander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another quick and helpful PD book

[Robert Hultman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Full of great ideas. More elaborate examples and specificity in context would put it top notch.

[Alena Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful. Lots of practical applications at-a-glance.

[Candice Rowland · Rating 4 out of 5]

There wasn't anything "earth shattering" that I haven't heard from reading other Jim Burke books but I love him. Also, the format of this book is very practical and easy to use.

[Joel Wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful little book!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read that is packed with research-based information that is relevant and helpful.

[Mike Kavanagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful in finding evidence to cite for classroom activities and lesson plans. Reinforces what I have learned in classes so far.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful. Quick. It was interesting to see how he went across content areas.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key ideas to remember when thinking about effective instruction