Teachable Moments: Tales of Triumph and Lessons Gone Awry

(Hardback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Teachable Moments will look at various pieces of the vocation of what it means to be a teacher in our school buildings today - through all of the most impactful reforms on the fabric of American education. As administrators, we see the push for the need to create data tables and pie charts in an attempt to make conclusions about improving instructional practices to encourage student performance. Some things - many moments - cannot be quantified, however. So, where do we begin There is absolutely no singular starting point, but the experience of the teaching practitioner is vast, and goes far beyond that which can be measured numerically. Our vocation, and its many ups and downs, often cannot be assigned a neat number. This book will examine the ways in which school districts approach these educational changes, through the lens of the teacher. From one-on-one teacher interactions with each other, to those memorable moments with students, this book will be a collection of rich essays that capture the experience of the newer teacher.

Reviews

As a special education teacher and new teacher mentor, I find the variety of perspectives in Mr. Fare's and Ms. Coyle's book to be a roadmap to help new and experienced teachers alike navigate the difficult terrain of education. I believe this valuable resource could improve new teacher retention rates in even the most difficult schools. -- Holly Driscoll-Soden, teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District
When working with children and young adults, you need to be able to take what you have read and quickly put it into action. Teachable Moments does just that. The authors brilliantly take all of the important 'stuff' we need to know as educators and use a case-study approach to help the novice teacher think through situations that they will undoubtedly encounter as a practicing educator. -- Christopher Marino, director of leadership strategy, Boston Public Schools

Author Bio

Dennis M. Fare is currently an Assistant Superintendent for the Mahwah Public Schools in Mahwah, NJ. He has also served as Supervisor of English Language Arts for the district. After teaching English for many years in an urban district, as well as English Education and Literacy Education at the college level, he has learned the importance of both quantitative and qualitative data when looking closer at instructional practices. Allison Coyle is an English teacher at Mahwah High School in Mahwah, NJ. She has been an active curriculum developer for the English department, working to implement P ARCCrelated techniques while still maintaining and fostering an appreciation for classic literature. Additionally, Allison has hosted professional development hours for local teachers, providing insight on how to simultaneously prepare students for standardized tests and continue with instruction as intended. Allison currently attends Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNewark where she is pursuing an English Master's degree with a concentration in Women's and Gender Studies.