Class Acts: Every Teacher's Guide To Activate Learning

by Gary Forlini, Ellen Williams, Annette Brinkman

This book addresses a growing national focus on improving teacher performance by sharpening classroom management skills. The 160-page guide identifies Ten Critical Skills teachers need for engaging students in productive learning while managing their classrooms effectively. The book gives K-12 school teachers (and their administrators and coaches) concrete, transferable techniques for engaging students more effectively and for improving learning overall. Based on the authors' 100-plus years of collective teaching experience and 1000's of workshops and seminars, this guide explores the Ten Critical Skills with examples, checklists, how-to's, self-tests, strategies, and other useful techniques for the first-time teacher or the seasoned educator. Meant to be read in any order, the chapters weave true stories of teacher and student success through charts with examples, helpful suggestions, and illustrations of what each of the ten essential classroom management skills looks like and sounds like. No matter whether the teacher is in a lab, a classroom, at a work bench, on a field trip, in any region of the country--these management skills apply wherever learning takes place, adds co-author Gary Forlini. The key to the success of the strategies [in Class Acts] is that they are immediate and do-able. Once aware of the elements of a certain skill, a teacher can apply it right away, the very next day. Most teachers already perform many of these skills, says author Annette Brinkman, but with varying degrees of effectiveness. What we do in this book is provide the tools for teachers to grow in very specific and measurable ways. Now they can chart their own progress at their own pace, focusing on the best practices that will produce the surest results for them. The skills and strategies outlined in Class Acts are integral parts of the authors' work in training administrators and teachers across the country. One of the authors' most popular workshops is their guided facilitation of administrators which trains principals, coaches, and mentors to recognize the essential skills for activating learning and to assist new and struggling teachers. Often, the authors work directly on-site with administrators as they observe, consult with, and coach teachers and apply these techniques for optimizing classroom management and student engagement. Annette summarizes the authors' work this way, We give administrators pragmatic, effective, and proven methods for growth-promoting leadership among all teachers, while giving teachers a framework (the top ten skills) and effective tools they can apply right away. Newly released on Jan 2, Class Acts sold out its first printing by the end of the month and is now in its second printing.

Genres: Teaching, Nonfiction, Education, Adult, School

160 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published January 2, 2010

Reviews

[Riley]

no one laugh this was actually just a great book that i need for future reference also made me feel like a boomer enjoying the first page reference to the byrds

[Trent Mikesell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've attended various worksheets and received other information from these folks, and I think they hit the nail on the head as far as what it means to be a good teacher. This book had a lot of good information, and I think it would be great for any teacher to read and apply no matter the length of their teaching career. I felt some of the tips were geared more towards younger students, but I think it's mostly applicable to all grades.

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great, easy-to-read book. There were many ideas that any teacher could focus on in the classroom and use immediately. Each month I chose something new to try out in my 2nd Grade classroom. Any teacher that is looking for Classroom management ideas will find many that are easy to use. Administrators will see improvements quickly in student behavior and in teachers' instructional practice. Having our whole school use these ideas made a great difference in our whole school atmosphere.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not necessarily well written, but the principles are excellent and have me reevaluating how I approach my intervention groups. Ideas align with principles for good comprehension, which is a plus for me in my job. This was the summer read for American Heritage School and I hope it sparks some good discussions as we start a new school year.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful information and ideas for classroom management, but not particularly well-written.

[Cody]

Great book! Written by mucky mucks from Granite School District. Great ideas. They are considered the Big 8 of Classroom Management. What was funny is they have found oldies hits to remind teachers of the habits they should be using. See if you can spot these management habits by these top hits.

==> E - X - P - E - C - T Find out what it means to me

==> "To everything (turn, turn, turn), there is a season (turn, turn, turn), and a time for every purpose"

==> "Done, done, and I'm on to the next one. Done, I'm done. I'm on to the next."

==> ". . .Do, do, do, what you've done, done, done before"

==> "Time is on my side, yes it is. Time is on my side, yes it is."

==> "You've got to, ac'centuate the positive, E'liminate the negative, and latch on to the affirmative, don't mess with mister inbetween."

==> "Hello there, ladies and germs, are you ready to rock?"

==> "Stand in the place where you live . . . Now face forth, think about direction"

==> "I got your signal, loud and clear. . .in the distance, a light is near"

==> "If you listen close, you can hear the sound of a human voice saying 'come gather round' "

==> "And when the answer that you want, is in the question that you state, come what may, come what may."

HAVE FUN!

Give it a shot.

[Daleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Class Acts: Every Teacher's guide to Activate Learning is a wonderful book that shows various ways to keep students engaged in learning. I enjoyed this book and got a lot of wonderful ideas that I do or will be using in my classroom.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed best practices for teaching and working with classes for control
and teaching. Works in grades K-12. Many good ideas and ways to improve on
what you are doing now.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas--nothing stood out that I hadn't heard before, but it was full of good reminders as I return to the classroom.

[Tricia Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really useful, practical tips for classroom management. Work great with elementary-age kids; some strategies also work with middle school students.

[Kammie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like it was geared toward elementary teachers.