Short but sweet

Teaching Pre K-8, Feb 2000 by Broderick, Patricia, Raymond, Allen

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Short But Sweet

February: the shortest month of the year, even when Leap Year donates an extra day, but a month jam-packed with celebrations. There's Black History Month, the Month of The Presidents, Dental Health Month, Heart Month, and then we have Valentine's Day, and the list goes on. Along with the items we're reviewing, there's enough excitement to keep your classroom really humming.

Conversations...

Strategies for Teaching, Learning and Evaluations is the newest title from Regie Routman. Actually, nothing more need be said. You know that the topics, the organization and the infonnation will be the best because of the author.

As with her earlier books, we feel this is a must-read-- and-own for every teacher. This extraordinary teacher writes clearly and deals with exactly the information needed by every teacher today. What more can one ask of an author or a book?

Regie's approach is that conversation is integral to all learning. She has organized this book as a series of conversations (those she would have with each of us if it were possible, those she hopes well have with ourselves and those she hopes we'll have with colleagues) that range with content for specific grade levels, as well as content across grade levels.

An apostle against "labels" and far expressing the real meaning of a technique, a strategy or information, Regie "de-educationeezes" her writing. It's readable, warm, supportive and just brilliant. Teacher preparation courses would do well to look at Conversations as a textbook for all teachers-in-training.

In short chapters, Regie deals with the teacher as professional, a comprehensive literacy program, the literature program, teaching children to read, literature conversations, quality writing, journal writing... and that's only one-half of the number of chapters. Each of these chapters is filled with clear, specific ideas for implementing strategies. As teachers, we can't imagine functioning without this book.

There are 602 pages of solid meat, with another 140 "Blue Pages" (resources for teachers) we can think of as dessert... the frosting on the cake.

What a winner! $35 plus s/h.

Heinemann

361 Hanover Street

Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912

LUCKY SUBSCRIBER

Helen Henke, Pittsburgh, PA

Outstanding!..

is the only word we can think of that comes close to describing StandUps, Teacher Dry Erase Presentation System. You've probably used the student dry erase boards from this company for years. They're a wonderful way to engage kids, particularly those who prefer a kinesthetic mode of learning.

But these new teacher boards are something else again. No more looking over your shoulder when trying to write at the chalkboard. Facing the class, you can quickly show a math operation, list steps in research, or do any of a zillion other tasks. The board comes with a stand, markers and an eraser. The back of the lined board is clear white dry erase, so you can put answers there and just flip the board, etc.

We saw these demonstrated last Fall and were so impressed. When we received the samples for review, we were sent a couple of boards we hadn't seen ... and were even more impressed. There are six sets available: A Readiness set (for K-1) which has the alphabet across the top, lines for fon-nation of letters, etc. The Elementary Set (K-6), has lines across the surface. When turned sideways, the lines form columns for lining up numbers according to place value. The Graph Skills Set (4-12) can be used for math, science, geography, etc. The Art Board Set (3-12) has a grid format so working with proportion is a breeze. There's the Work Board (shown in the illustration), an Elementary Skills Board which has Place Value Columns for Whole Numbers running down one side of the board, and Place Value Columns for Whole Numbers and Decimal Fractions on the opposite side.

The third board we received is a Music Board. Excellent! There are three staves on the front side of the board. The nice large size makes this ideal for presentation. All teacher boards are 15" x 18".

Four markers are packaged with each set. The price for each board? A reasonable $13.95 per set with a minimum order of two sets. There's also a 10% s/h charge. These boards fit today's fast-paced classrooms better than any other system we've seen. Call for bulk pricing. It's special, too.

World Research Company

4926 Profit Drive

Tyler, TX 75707

800-84.3-9737

LUCKY SUBSCRIBER

Bruce Koscheck,

Garfield Heights, OH

The only hang-up to have...

is the organizer and storage system from Monaco. These strong see-- through bags and racks make organizing easy, particularly in classrooms where individualization is the rule. Whether it's a bag for each child, or lessons in a learning center, unit material... you name it, it's a cinch to make happen with these various-size bags. Available in sizes from 9" x 8" to 22" x 28". Call and find out the details about the sizes in-between and the various really neat rack styles. The bags have strong, durable, easy-to-open handles. Price? For instance: ten 9" x 8" bags are $4.60, plus s/h.