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The ATA library supports teachers’ PD
The ATA library supports teachers’ PD by providing books, videos, online articles and web resources. Library staff will gladly answer members’ research questions but cannot conduct research for university courses that members are taking. Staff can, however, provide services tied to members’ professional work.
Members that require access to library services but do not know where to begin are invited to send an e-mail to the library (library@ata.ab.ca). Library staff will help members get started.
Books
Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching
Archer, Anita, and Charles Hughes. 2011. New York: Guilford (371.102 A671)
The authors, experts in the field of explicit instruction, offer teachers a clear understanding for developing and delivering explicit teaching in their classrooms.
Closing the Teaching Gap: Coaching for Instructional Leaders
Bartalo, Donald. 2012. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin (370.711 B283)
Bartalo, basing his views on eight fundamental tenets, offers a clear how-to process for bridging the teaching gap between the kinds of teaching needed for the 21st century and the kind he believes is found in most schools.
Classrooms Without Borders: Using Internet Projects to Teach Communication and Collaboration
Bellanca, James, and Terry Stirling. 2011. New York: Teachers College Press (371.3344678 B433)
The book focuses on helping teachers create collaborative Internet-based projects that reach beyond traditional classroom walls. The authors have created a practical guide for teaching students 21st-century skills, such as teamwork, Internet research, evaluation of information sources, cross-cultural communication and thinking skills.
Project-Based Learning: Differentiating Instruction for the 21st Century
Bender, William. 2012. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin (371.36 B458)
Project-based learning is emerging as an instructional method for engaging students in real-world issues and developing innovative thinking and collaboration skills. Bender provides information on designing projects for all grades, using webquests and wikis, and building collaboration between student teams.
Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad/iPodTouch/iPhone Apps for High School Classrooms
Dickens, Harry, and Andrew Churches. 2012. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin (006.78 D548)
The number of apps for Apple products is staggering, so selecting apps that work well in the classroom is a challenge. Coming to the rescue are Dickens and Churches, who have selected 40 apps that support activities in high school classrooms. The authors provide explanations about how the apps work and how to use them in the classroom.
Design for How People Learn
Dirksen, Julie. 2012. Berkeley, CA: New Riders (658.452 D599)
“Make learning sticky,” writes Dirksen, presenting ideas for teachers about how to get their students absorbed in the learning process. A fascinating book.
Learning in Depth: A Simple Innovation That Can Transform Schools
Egan, Kieran. 2010. London, ON: Althouse (371.207 E28)
Egan proposes a radical change in education: include deep learning in the educational system. According to his plan, each student is assigned one topic that he or she studies in depth from Grade 1 through Grade 12. The result is that each student graduates as an expert in his or her field, having discovered the joy of deep knowledge.
Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today: Education—Our Children—Their Futures
Gerver, Richard. 2010. London, UK: Continuum International (371.2 G385)
Gerver has reimagined what schools look like and writes about his experience putting this new vision into practice. He considers how to prepare students for future jobs, not just in terms of technology, but in terms of the social skills they must develop to work in new environments.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model for 21st-Century Schools
Hardiman, Mariale. 2012. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin (370.15 H262)
By bridging the space between research and practice, this book links neuroscience directly to the classroom. Hardiman suggests how teachers can design learning spaces that establish an emotional connection to learning, teach for skills mastery and evaluate learning.
Metacognition in Young Children
Larkin, Shirley. 2010. New York: Routledge (155.4243 L324)
Larkin documents her experiences assisting young children to develop their reflective thinking skills. The book offers teachers insights into how metacognition appears in the classroom spontaneously and how it can be nurtured.
Digital Diversity: Youth, Equity, and Information Technology
Looker, Dianne, and Ted Naylor, eds. 2010. Waterloo, ON: Wilfred Laurier University (373.1334 L863)
Ironically, the digital generation is not always proficient at using digital technologies. In fact, there is great variance in students’ skills and experiences with technology, depending on their gender, race, location (urban or rural) and heritage (for example, First Nations). By examining the gap between theory and practice, the book’s contributors challenge teachers to reconsider their assumptions about technology and to consider equity issues in the classroom.
The Technology Tool Belt for Teaching
Manning, Susan, and Kevin Johnson. 2011. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (371.334 M284)
This easy-to-read book reviews forms of technology that can be incorporated into the classroom. The authors answer questions about technology’s usefulness, cost, user-friendliness and areas of caution, and provide examples of use in the classroom.
Teaching and Assessing 21st-Century Skills
Marzano, Robert, and Tammy Heflebower. 2012. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory (379.260973 M393)
Marzano and Heflebower summarize key research and how it applies to the classroom. The authors propose an instruction model based on academic and interpersonal skills that will be necessary for success in the 21st century.
Education and Technology: Key Issues and Debates
Selwyn, Neil. 2011. London, UK: Continuum International (371.33 S469)
As technology becomes more fully integrated into education, it is important to consider its social aspects. Selwyn discusses the people, practices, processes and structures behind using technologies in education, and examines the main debates concerning digital technologies and education.
Teacher’s Survival Guide: The Inclusive Classroom
Simpson, Cynthia G, Vicky G Spencer and Jeffrey P Bakken. 2011. Waco, TX: Prufrock (371.9046 S613)
This book, filled with practical tips and advice for beginning and early career teachers, offers field-tested strategies to help teachers meet students’ needs.
Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st-Century Classroom
Stanley, Todd. 2012. Waco, TX: Prufrock (371.95 S789)
Project-based learning is a student-driven instruction model in which students explore complex problems. Students work on self-selected tasks and the teacher’s role moves from lecturer to facilitator. Project-based learning encourages the modern-day skills that schools are developing in students: time management, responsibility, metacognition and higher-order thinking skills.
Social Media Tools and Platforms in Learning Environments
White, Bebo, Irwin King and Philip Tsang, eds. 2011. Stanford, CA: Springer (371.33 W582)
The editors present research about the application of social media technologies in the classroom and ponder the shape of education in the future.
Embedded Formative Assessment
Wiliam, Dylan. 2011. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree (371.26 W716)
Wiliam writes with two purposes: (1) provide practical ideas that every teacher can incorporate into teaching and (2) provide evidence about how these changes will improve outcomes for students.
Videos
A Child’s Mind: How Kids Learn Right and Wrong
2011. 34 minutes
This film explores how children develop their own sense of morals and discusses how teachers can foster morals in their students.
The Daily 5 Alive! Strategies for Literacy Independence
2007. 85 minutes
Students who struggle to gain literacy skills require individual attention from teachers, often at the expense of the other students. This dilemma led to developing structured literacy tasks that keep the class moving while freeing up the teacher to work one-on-one with students who need support.
Oops, Wrong Planet: Understanding Asperger’s Syndrome
2008. 55 minutes
This documentary of adults and children reflecting on their experiences with Asperger’s Syndrome was created by a person who fit the Asperger’s profile, but who used the creation of this film to explore whether or not the diagnosis was correct.
The Physics of Bullying: A New Approach to Bullying Intervention Using the Laws of Conservation and Symmetry
2009. 40 minutes
Bullying is a serious problem that affects thousands of children. This film, using physics and psychology, explains the interpersonal dynamics at the heart of bullying. Using a science-based approach, the presenter provides clear ideas and techniques for understanding the bullying dynamic and to intervene with lasting influence.
Readers in the Middle: Building a Literate Community in Grades 5–8
2010. 115 minutes
Reading workshops are becoming the norm in American middle schools. This DVD follows a teacher as she conducts reading workshops with her class. Students discuss literature and poetry and provide peer recommendations for future reading.
Livres en français
Les inégalités d'apprentissage : Programmes, pratiques et malentendus scolaires
Élisabeth Bautier. 2009. Paris, France : Presses universitaires de France (371.9 B352)
Pour analyser l'échec scolaire et les inégalités sociales face à l'école, Élisabeth Bautier et Patrick Rayou partent de la question de l'organisation des enseignements et des apprentissages. La thèse principale de l'ouvrage est la suivante : si l'école joue un rôle classant et si les élèves de milieux populaires sont les plus exposés aux difficultés scolaires, c'est notamment parce que les normes scolaires d'apprentissage ne sont pas familières à leur monde social et que l'école ne leur transmet pas ces normes. Il ne s'agit pas pour les auteurs d'adopter une position purement relativiste, mais d'analyser les « malentendus » qui se caractérisent par un décalage entre les situations que l'enseignant croit mettre en place et ce que l'élève interprète.
Enseigner les mathématiques et les sciences aux filles : Stratégies pour un enseignement différencié
Abigail Norfleet James. 2011. Montréal, QC : Chenelière Éducation (510.71 J27)
L’auteure propose un contenu qui s’appuie sur les derniers travaux de recherche en neurosciences et en éducation et présente des stratégies efficaces ainsi que des applications pratiques pour l’enseignement différencié des maths et des sciences. Vous y trouverez en outre de l’information à jour sur les différents styles d’apprentissage ainsi que des suggestions pour réduire l’anxiété des filles.
Les carnets des aventuriers : Démarche d'écriture interdisciplinaire au primaire
Hélène Guy. 2011. Montréal, QC : Chenelière Éducation (372.623 G986)
Cet ouvrage interdisciplinaire s’ouvre sur l’aventure des carnets vécue en milieux scolaire et universitaire par des élèves du primaire et des étudiants en enseignement, puis des carnetiers présentent leurs créations abondamment illustrées. Par la suite, neuf professeurs de didactique proposent des démarches de carnets liées à tous les domaines d’apprentissage suivies par autant de récits d’écrivains aventuriers.
Vivre avec le trouble du spectre de l’autisme : Stratégies pour les parents et les professionnels
Chris Williams et Barry Wright. 2010. Montréal, QC : Chenelière Éducation (616.85882W722)
Ouvrage de référence idéal pour les familles et les professionnels qui interviennent auprès d’enfants atteints de troubles du spectre de l’autisme. Les auteurs expliquent, dans un langage clair et simple, les principales caractéristiques associées à ces troubles et présentent une multitude de stratégies visant à remédier aux difficultés liées aux activités de la vie quotidienne. Ils proposent des moyens de composer avec l’agressivité et les crises de colère et suggèrent des moyens de favoriser communication et socialisation.
Enseignant débutant, enseignant gagnant : Des listes de suggestions et de stratégies pour enseigner du préscolaire au secondaire
Julia G. Thompson. 2012. Montréal, QC : Chenelière Éducation (371.10209 T473 2012)
Tous les enjeux de la carrière d'enseignant sont résumés dans cet ouvrage présenté sous forme d’un guide pratique qui rassemble une multitude d'idées, de conseils, de techniques et d'outils pédagogiques éprouvés en classe pour vous aider à comprendre les fondements d’un enseignement efficace.
