My final read for 2011, Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning, by Mike Schmoker, is the selected read for our entire school district.
Our superintendent read this book, and it spoke to him as the answer to our implementing the Common Core Standards.
Here are my initial thoughts on Focus in a post entitled Surreal? No, Real Focus and later here in post A Friendly Literary Merge, where I also discuss Pérsida Himmele's and William Himmele's professional development book Total Participation Techniques.
The first three chapters discuss the what and how we teach literacy, discussing two templates the author promotes: authentic literacy and interactive lecture. Then, the next four chapters focus on the curriculum areas of English language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics.
Schmoker repeatedly promotes teaching less more indepthly and utilizing textbooks, which is interesting since our department no longer uses textbooks. Hum...
We have spent one professional development day reading portions of the book, then discussing in our PLN's. We are scheduled to continue our work with this book and the implementation of its key components next Wednesday as we return to school for another day of developing professionally.
I recommend this book, for it is based on common sense, of which education needs a healthy dose!
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