How to Meet Standards, Motivate Students, and Still Enjoy Teaching! 2/e

Barbara Benson is a teacher and international consultant with more than 20 years of experience in middle school, high school, and university education. She works with school systems in various capacities such as helping align curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices with higher state standards, facilitating the development of performance assessment tasks such as student-led conferencing, and assisting teachers as they apply current theory and research to their classrooms. Her workshops are practical and classroom focused, covering many topics related to improving student learning. She has presented sessions at the national conferences of the National Staff Development Council and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She has published numerous articles on classroom practice and a book, How to Meet Standards, Motivate Students and Still Enjoy Teaching (2003). As a full-time consultant, she missed working directly with students, so Benson returned to the classroom in 2004 and is teaching middle school in Ashe County, North Carolina.

Foreword to the First Edition by Spence Rogers Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction: Focusing on Standards in the Classroom A Positive View of Standards Taking a Big-Picture Look at Standards Standards and the Classroom Four Practices That Meet Standards and Motivate Students Ideas for Teachers Ideas for Administrators 1. Creating a Community of Learners Why Do I Need a Community of Learners in My Classroom? Help Students Become Self-Directed Learners Have an Interactive Classroom Helping Students Work Cooperatively A Quality Focus The Community of Learners, a Final View Ideas for Teachers Ideas for Administrators 2. Making Reflection Routine Teacher Reflection Student Reflection Concluding Reflection Ideas for Teachers Ideas for Administrators 3. Teaching Content and Process The Learner Actions Using the Learner Actions to Meet Standards Analyzing Lessons to See Who Is Doing All the Work Ideas for Teachers Ideas for Administrators 4. Developing More Authentic Tasks and Assessments What Type of Work Should Students Be Doing? Performance Tasks Assessment and Evaluation Assessing and Evaluating Performance Tasks Tasks and Assessment: Final Thoughts Ideas for Teachers Ideas for Administrators Conclusion: Integrating the Four Practices and High-Stakes Tests What About the Tests? Three Approaches for Implementing the Standards-Based Classroom Practices Final Thoughts Resources A: Reproducible Forms References Index

"This book is relevant and needed in today's schools. It would make a great workshop or book study to help teachers who are struggling with standards." -- Laura Cumbee, Special Education Math Teacher "Offers a wealth of practical strategies for creating a standards-based classroom and achieving academic success for all students. It is a must-have for all public educators and administrators." -- Marsha Basanda, Fifth-Grade Teacher "An excellent source of both information and teacher resources. I recommend this book to any teacher or administrator who is looking for a way to implement standards and improve student outcomes so that all students are making adequate yearly progress." -- Jolene Dockstader, Seventh-Grade Teacher "This is a must-read for all of the practitioners who do not want to 'teach to the test.' It is a sure-fire way to create lifelong learners who are motivated to come to school and who enjoy being part of an energized community." -- Joan E. Anderson, Reading Instructor "If teachers ever wondered how to integrate standards, high-stakes testing, and student learning, they need wonder no more. This book has something for everyone." -- Randy Cook, Chemistry and Physics Teacher "Benson offers a relevant resource guide for implementing standards-based classrooms that will help educators at all levels of educational reform grasp the key instructional components to support the expectations for student learning. This book is a must-have in preparing our students for their future role as lifelong learners competing on the world market." -- Lynn Freeman, Leadership Facilitator "This resource for teachers and administrators maps an attainable path to student success and deeper learning. Benson creates a clear vision for meeting the standards through best practices that motivate students and create a classroom community of learners. This book is ideal for teachers looking to make their classrooms engaging and to develop student efficacy." -- Linda C. Diaz, Program Specialist for Professional Development