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Stenhouse Newslinks
May 13, 2004

C O N T E N T S

1) How our language affects children's learning
2) Six phonics myths
3) PD Corner: Resources for analyzing student work
4) Teacher Leaders Network
5) Teaching to the test

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1) How our language affects children's learning
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"I wish I had written this book. Actually, I wish I'd been able 
to write it. I am truly grateful for 'Choice Words,' and I wish 
there was a way to ensure that every teacher, teacher educator, 
school administrator, and researcher would read it."

--Richard Allington, from the Foreword to "Choice Words" by Peter 
H. Johnston

The things that teachers say (and don't say) have important 
consequences for the literate lives of their students. In his new 
book, "Choice Words," Peter Johnston presents dozens of examples 
of words and phrases to illustrate how "instructional talk" 
shapes children's literate and intellectual development.

Follow the link below to review this book on-line in its 
entirety.

Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning
Peter H. Johnston * 120 pp/paper * $11.00 * Available now
http://www.stenhouse.com/0389.asp
(Click on the chapter titles to review the entire book.)

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2) Six phonics myths
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In her latest column in Teaching K-8 magazine, Maryann Manning 
highlights some common misconceptions about phonics instruction 
that pervade the mainstream media and general public:

http://www.stenhouse.com/phonicsmyths.htm

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3) PD Corner: Resources for analyzing student work
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*May Quote of the Month*

"Looking at student work brings you face to face with your 
values."
--Daniel Baron, Co-director, National School Reform Faculty
 
One of the best ways to spark discussions of curriculum and 
evaluation is to look at student work samples together. Yet 
teachers who are inexperienced with examining work with 
colleagues may find the process intimidating. There are many 
resources available on the Web to help teachers learn how to 
collaborate in analyzing student work.

MiddleWeb provides an excellent overview with many resource 
links:
 
http://www.middleweb.com/LASW/LASWmain.html

The Looking at Student Work Web site is a comprehensive resource 
that grew from a meeting hosted by the Chicago Learning 
Collaborative and the Annenberg Institute:
 
http://www.lasw.org

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4) Teacher Leaders Network
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If you take on leadership roles in your school and community or 
aspire to reach more beyond your classroom, you will find the 
Teacher Leaders Network to be a suburb resource for exploring 
what it means to be a teacher leader and linking with other 
teacher leaders. The Network's Web site includes links to 
articles, news stories, and Web resources, book reviews, and a 
biweekly e-newsletter:

http://www.teacherleaders.org

Two articles from the National Staff Development Council answer 
the question, "What is a teacher leader?":

"Teachers Can Be Leaders of Change"
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/innovator/inn3-97rich.cfm

"Everyone Benefits When Teachers Lead"
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/innovator/inn3-97hirsh.cfm

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5) Teaching to the test
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Lloyd Bond of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of 
Teaching suggests that educators can transcend the contentious 
debate over "teaching to the test" by more completely integrating 
instruction and assessment. In the following article, he cites 
examples such as the National Board Certification process, and a 
university professor who used web-based tools to improve in-class 
instruction and help students recognize quality test answers:

http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/perspectives/perspectives2004.Apr.htm

Carnegie also has created a new tool that teachers and students 
can use to create visual web-based presentations for knowledge 
exchange:

http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/KML/KEEP/index.htm

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