Bullying Prevention and Intervention: Realistic Strategies for Schools by Susan M. Swearer, Dorothy L. Espelage and Scott A. Napolitano (371.58 SWE)

Educators have an obligation to report and/or intervene in situations where bullying is observed. However, many educators may wish they knew more about the best possible approaches, including prevention. This excellent professional book takes a thorough look at the range of bullying behaviors and recommended interventions. Topics include team-based interventions, developing school and districtwide policies, the law and best practices.

National Educational Bosses Week

To children, the principal's office can be a scary place, reserved for punishment of the worst behavior. But to teachers, the principal's office is...well...still pretty scary! But there's no need to be so intimidated by your boss. Sure, principals and school administrators usually have a lot on their plate, which can sometimes make them seem unapproachable or difficult to connect with. But their bottom line is often the same as your bottom line: giving children the best education possible and facilitating a productive, challenging and ultimately rewarding learning environment. May 16th-22nd is National Educational Bosses Week. In honor of our staid leaders, why not check out some of the SERC Library's favorite books related to school leadership?

Rethinking teacher supervision and evaluation: How to work smart, build collaboration and close the achievement gap, by Kim Marshall (371.144 MAR)
This 258-page book introduces a holistic approach to teacher evaluation, emphasizing informal, quick visits to classrooms to build a rapport between principals and teachers and to allow for a real sense of familiarity to develop, rather than just relying on standardized tests and and metrics to measure performance.

Preparing principals for a changing world: Lessons from effective school leadership programs, by Linda Darling-Hammond (371.201207 DAR)
This 320-page book is a comprehensive resource for implementing effective school policies and programs. By examining a variety of nationwide programs, the author recommends pathways to an ideal educational environment.

Meeting the needs of students of all abilities, 2nd Ed., by Colleen A. Capper and Elise M. Frattura (371.9046 CAP)
This step-by-step 162-page book provides the foundation for school leaders who want to shift from costly special learning programs for a few learners to excellent, inclusive educational services for all students, including English language learners, students with learning disabilities,and students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Teachers wanted: Attracting and retaining good teachers, by Daniel A. Heller (371.1 HEL)
The public school system in the United States faces a perpetual challenge in attracting and retaining well qualified teachers. In this handy 114-page book the author, a principal, provides an insider's view of the sources of this ongoing problem and powerful suggestions for resolving it.

Who is your favorite pop culture principal?

National Poetry Month

as the buds peek out
from silken nests of green lace
the poet awakes

swirling through the stream
baby fish jump rainbows, while
words jump to my page

rhythm and buddha
and a compulsion to dream
bring poets to peace

full of life, April
heralds nothing so sweetly
sung as poetry



Can there be a more appropriate time of year to celebrate words than the lovely month of April? As the gentle hush of spring sweeps in and signs of nature's rebirth abound, we turn to the delectable sounds of syllables, of semantics, of poetry.

For some of the events surrounding this illustrious month, check out Poets.org, the most comprehensive web resource for poetry. There you'll find thousands of poem in an easily searchable database, as well as audio, video, essays and interviews. In honor of National Poetry Month, you can sign up to receive Poem-A-Day e-mails from Poets.org. You'll also find plenty of information about Poem In Your Pocket Day, which is exactly what it sounds like. The idea is to select a favorite poem and carry it with you all day on April 29, 2010. Whether you share it with friends, stage an impromptu reading on a crowded street, or simply peek at it yourself throughout the day, having a poem in your pocket is like having your own little secret treasure, and it can make the world just a little bit lovelier.

And of course, no post would be complete without a list of some of our favorite materials from our own collection. So next time you visit the SERC Library, be sure to check out:


Welcome to the world: A celebration of birth and babies from many cultures, Compiled by Nikki Siegen-Smith (YP 808.819354 SIE)

This gorgeous anthology combines black and white photography of infants with poems by an array of celebrated poets from around the world. From Ireland's Eavan Boland to England's D.H. Lawrence to anonymous authors from New Zealand and Cambodia, this book will awe you, inspire you, and remind you that we are all human and we are all born innocent.


Embracing the sky: Poems beyond disability, by Craig Romkema (811.6 ROM)

Here you will find pieces that encompass everything a good poetry collection should: an intertwining of desolation and appreciation that cleverly come together to reflect on all of the ugliness and beauty found in this world. The author is a young man with cerebral palsy and autism, and this is his way of both highlighting what it's like to live with disabilities and transcending it, by taking us into his mind and dissolving the difference between us.


When the horses ride by: Children in the times of war, Poems by Eloise Greenfield, Illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist (YP 811.54 GRE)

This is another book in which the visuals are as stunning as the written words. The two mediums combine to paint a stark, yet ultimately hopeful, portrait of war and the effect it has on children. Here is a short poem featured in the book:

Voices
I hear their voices
mixing with the sounds of war.
Too much noise, almost
drowning out their words,
drowning out my thoughts.
Almost.


Teaching with fire: Poetry that sustains the courage to teach, Edited by Sam M. Intrator & Megan Scribner (808.81 INT)

The editors of this book have compiled eighty-eight poems and paired each one up with mini-essays by teachers reflecting on how the poem has touched his or her life. Featuring works by such well-known poets as Pablo Neruda, Walt Whitman, Adrienne Rich and Hartford's own Wallace Stevens, as well as a lot of helpful information on how to incorporate poetry into your curriculum, this book is highly recommended for educators and anyone looking for a little inspiration.


The tree is older than you are: A bilingual gathering of poems and stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists, Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye (YP-SP 860.9 NYE)

The poetry contained within this volume speaks of the timelessness of nature and the endurance of the human spirit. This dynamic array of poems includes both the original Spanish and translated English versions, and is ideal for bilingual classrooms and curricula with a multicultural focus.

The SERC Library encourages drive-by poeting in the comments!

Poverty and Education

This morning The Middletown Eye (http://middletowneyenews.blogspot.com/) posted a story on teen groups from ten Middlesex County churches who spent Saturday night outdoors in frigid temperatures to help them understand and empathize with the plight of the homeless. In Middletown, CT, youth groups set up tents on the corner of Main and Union streets to spend the night in solidarity with those community members who are forced to spend harsh nights without a home. Sue LaTourette, a church director from First Church, explained that the effort is an attempt to keep the plight of the homeless in the public eye after the generosity of the holidays has passed. This event has already motivated donors to drop off food & clothing for distributions to St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen & the Eddy Shelter in Middletown.

According to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (www.cceh.org), 4,154 people were homeless in Connecticut on the night of January 28, 2009. Of these 430 were families and 801 were children in families. It is estimated that in our state over 33,000 people, including 13,000 children, experience homelessness over the course of the year. That equates to a lot of children, families, and schools that must continually cope with this tragic situation.

In the SERC Library we have over 150 resources that address poverty and education. A small sampling includes:

Invisible Children in the Society and its Schools - (2003) edited by Sue Books, this 258-page book offers a series of reports by some of the most passionate and insightful scholars writing in the field of education today on groups of children whose complexity, strengths, and vulnerabilities are largely unseen in society and its schools. Topics include homelessness, domestic violence, gay youth, children with social disabilities, teenage mothers, poverty, and much more.

Increasing Language Skills with Students from Low Income Backgrounds - (2008) by Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin.

Educating the Other America: Top Experts Tackle Poverty, Literacy, and Achievement in Our Schools - (2008) edited by Susan B. Neuman.

America Beyond the Color Line, DVD - (2003) with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. In this 225-minute DVD, Henry Louis Gates travels to 4 very different parts of America to illustrate the splitting of African-American society into 2 distinct communities - the privileged and the disenfranchised. He examines the opportunities and obstacles still being faced and speaks to how a fifth of all black Americans are living below the poverty line and how many feel excluded from mainstream American life.

Keys to Success for Urban School Principals - (2007) by Gwendolyn J. Cooke.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty - (2005) by Ruby K. Payne.

The Kids Left Behind: Catching Up the Underachieving Children of Poverty - (2007) by Robert D. Barr.

Armando & The Blue Tarp School - (2007) by Edith Hope Fine. In this 32-page children's book for ages 4-8, Armando and his father are trash-pickers in Tijuana, Mexico. When Senor David brings his "school" - a blue tarp set down near the garbage dump - to their neighborhood, Armando's father decides that he must attend classes and learn. Based on a true story.

Closing the Poverty and Culture Gap: Strategies to Reach Every Student - (2009) by Donna Walker Tielston & Sandra K. Darling.

Please visit the SERC Library either online or in person to explore more resources on this subject. Stay warm and be safe.

(With thanks to Pablo Picasso for Poverty, 1903.)

Global Education: Using Technology to Bring the World to Your Students (370.116078 PET)

Eleventh graders in Bangladesh exchange video interviews with 10th graders in Georgia. High schools in Illinois have online discussions with students in six languages. Students across the globe contribute to a shared website on endangered animal species from their areas. This innovative book presents ideas which educators can use to integrate global education into lessons in their K-12 classrooms. A sampling of exciting global education projects from around the world demonstrate ways to help students connect with their peers across global boundaries. Read about the Flat Classroom Project, iEarn, the Global Schoolhouse Project, ePals and many more!

Understanding Girl Bullying (371.58 FIE)

Girl bullying is a real and pervasive problem in schools today. It tends to be especially common in grades 5-8. What can educators do about it? This 133 page book was written for school counselors and discusses major issues on this topic. Relational aggression is a type of aggression in which harm is caused through damage to relationships or social status within a group rather than through physical violence. When it is directed at one particular victim it constitutes bullying and because acts of relational aggression are more common among girls it is often called girl bullying. This book provides a clearer picture of this type of bullying and addresses methods for assessment, prevention and intervention in schools.

Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms, 2nd edition, by Will Richardson (371.33 RIC)

Are you befuddled by blogs? Wondering about wikis? Puzzled by podcasts? Then we have the resource for you! Check out this handy new resource guide by Will Richardson: Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms, 2nd ed. (371.33 RIC). This newly revised edition is full of current information on how to incorporate today's wealth of technology resources into your curriculum. With sections on internet safety, information literacy, and thorough definitions of web tools such as RSS feeds, social bookmarking and wikis, this book is both a how-to guide and a pedagogical approach to incorporating web resources into your classroom. It also includes many real world examples by K-12 teachers that are sure to both inspire and guide you. Using this technology appropriately will not only help to streamline and improve your existing classroom methods, but it will also help you to connect with your students, many of whom will have been immersed in this technology from a very young age. Speaking of new technology, what better way to familiarize yourself with our new online card catalog than by logging in and reserving this item for yourself? See this post here for instructions on setting up your account. Remember, the internet is one of the last great frontiers. So why not be a pioneer?

Grammar practice activities: A practical guide for teachers, Second edition by Penny Ur (428.007 UR)

This 322 page book is a wonderful source of ideas for grammar practice with English language learners. The first section provides an introduction to grammar teaching in the ELL classroom. The second section provides nearly 200 communicative and gamelike practice activities in the main areas of English grammar. Reproducible pages are provided on a CD-ROM.

Games for language learning, 3rd edition by Andrew Wright, David Betteridge and Michael Buckby (418.0071 WRI)

This 193 page book was written for teachers who want to incorporate games in language learning. Games can be easily integrated into existing coursework and can provide meaningful and enjoyable language practice at all language levels. This updated edition included icebreakers and warmers and both group and solo games.

Making science accessible to English learners - Grades 6-12: A guidebook for teachers, by John Carr, Ursula Sexton and Rachel Lagunoff (372.35044 CAR)

This guidebook was written to help middle and high school science teachers reach English learners in their classrooms. The authors offer practical guidance and strategies, including sample lessons and assessment accommodations.

December 2008 Acquisitions - Books

50 early childhood strategies for working and communicating with diverse families. By Janet Gonzalez-Mena, 2007. (362.70973 GON)

Adolescent literacy instruction: Policies and promising practices. Edited by Jill Lewis and Gary Moorman, 2007. (372.40973 LEW)

Assessing reading: Multiple measures for all educators working to improve reading achievement, Second Edition. By Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE), 2008. (371.26 CON)

Autism case law: A desktop reference to key decisions. Edited by Amy E. Slater and John W. Norlin, 2007. (371.9 LRP)

Classrooms that work: They can all read and write, Fourth Edition. By Patricia M. Cunningham and Richard L. Allington, 2007. (372.60973 CUN)

Cognitive-behavioral interventions for emotional and behavioral disorders: School-based practice. Edited by Matthew J. Mayer, Richard Van Acker, John E. Lochman and Frank M. Gresham, 2009. (618.92891425 MAY)

Diagnosis and correction of reading problems. By Darrell Morris, 2008. (371.91 MOR)

Easy ways to reach and teach English-language learners, Grades K-5: Strategies, lessons, and tips for success with ELLs in the mainstream classroom. By Valerie Schiffer Danoff, 2008. (428.24 SCH)

Handbook of developmental disabilities. Edited by Samuel L. Odom, Robert H. Horner, Martha E. Snell and Jan Blacher, 2007. (616.8588 ODO)

How to handle difficult parents: A teacher's survival guide. By Suzanne Capel Tingley, 2006. (371.103 TIN)

Meeting the challenge of adolescent literacy: Research we have, research we need. Edited by Mark W. Conley, Joseph R. Freidhoff, Michael B. Sherry and Steven Forbes Tuckey, 2008. (428.40712 CON)

Mobilizing the community to help students succeed. By Hugh B. Price, 2008. (371.190973 PRI)

Race, schools, and hope: African Americans and school choice after Brown. By Lisa M. Stulberg, 2008. (371.82996073 STU)

Teaching English language learners, Grades 6 and up: Strategies that work. By Katharine Davies Samway and Dorothy Taylor, 2008. (428.24 SAM)

Teaching kids with mental health and learning disorders in the regular classroom: How to recognize, understand, and help challenged (and challenging) students succeed. By Myles L. Cooley, 2007. (371.9046 COO)

Technology and exceptional individuals, Fourth Edition. Edited by Jimmy D. Lindsey, 2008. (371.904334 LIN)