Storybook characters and situations are perfect for launching discussions of social emotional learning—why not let them help? In picture books, well-loved characters deal with many of the same problems students face in their own lives. What better resource could there be for encouraging students to think about their actions and responses? Using classroom texts to start SEL conversations— during an interactive read- aloud or an extension of shared close- reading lessons— weaves social emotional learning organically into the fabric of an existing curriculum rather than adding a new block to the day. In a book perfect for a study group or for immediate use in the classroom, literacy educator Nancy Boyles connects the dots between the competencies identified by leaders in the SEL field with the rich content of children’s literature. More than 200 award- winning picture books are profiled along the way as she unpacks each SEL skill, sketches typical classroom situations in which teachers might not see that skill demonstrated, discusses what to look for in books that address it, and provides carefully crafted sets of questions to explore with students.

“Teachers hold the potential to provide a student with frustration or opportunity every day—and those states are closer together than you might think.” When students repeatedly lose track of directions or take a long time to solve problems, it’s easy for teachers to see the distracted or off-task behavior, but not always to see the root of the problem. Quite often the same child who has an underdeveloped skill may have an opposing but hidden strength: a slow processor of information may also be a deep thinker. Teaching to Every Kid’s Potential is an invitation to teachers to improve the learning in their classrooms, one student at a time, using practical, evidence-based strategies. Focusing on four big concepts from neuroscience—flexibility, readiness, connection, and masking—the author shows how to apply them to build on the strengths of students. Each chapter unpacks the science; shows how talents can compensate for neural processing issues and suggests small but powerful adjustments to classroom practice that can allow kids’ gifts to emerge.

Embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal transformation with this book that guides you step by step in the art of writing your own autobiography. It is not just a manual; it is an invitation to dive into the depths of your life, to explore your experiences, your triumphs and your failures. Discover how to structure your narrative, whether chronologically or thematically, and how to infuse your unique voice on every page. Learn how to engage your readers from the first line and keep their interest throughout your story. This book gives you the tools to analyze and reflect on the significant events that have shaped your character and values. It also teaches you how to approach sensitive topics with sensitivity and how to balance objectivity with subjectivity in your storytelling. But that's not all; you'll also find practical advice on editing, revising, and publishing your work, as well as ethical and legal considerations you shouldn't overlook. Whether you want to share your story with the world or simply leave a legacy for future generations, this book is your ideal companion on this introspective journey.

From Nancy Boyles, author of Classroom Reading to Engage the Heart and Mind, this Guide helps ease the stress of transition to remote learning OR to a return to classrooms, for teachers and students alike. This Guide features 15 award-winning picture books to facilitate conversations about social emotional issues, carefully chosen for age-appropriate themes matched to 5 SEL skills as well as to highlight different aspects of diversity. The suggested units, which include questions to pose about each book and theme, are: Find Your Happy: Staying Positive Making Choices: Choosing Kindness Rise and Shine: Overcoming Challenges to Succeed Voice Lessons: Using Your Voice to Inspire Change Equity: With Social Justice for All This QRG in the new set of Strategies for Distance Learning Guides is an invaluable resource, providing a ready-made curriculum within which to explore children's social emotional needs as they seek to understand how to relate to a world that has changed dramatically. The mini-lessons can be conducted either in a traditional classroom session or online. Its companion Guide, Take Heart K-2, provides content for younger students. Each 8.5" x 11" multi-panel guide is laminated for extra durability and 3-hole-punched for binder storage.

Help students appreciate texts and write about them with conviction. Responding to a comprehension question is a surprisingly complex task. It draws on multiple skills: students must be able to read and analyze a text passage; consider what aspect of the text the question addresses; and then quickly and concisely write about their ideas, citing evidence to support them. Hence the prominence of constructed-response questions in standardized testing. In this refreshingly clear and upbeat guide, literacy consultant Nancy Boyles gives a step-by-step demonstration of how to help students achieve success with this task—and in the process of unpacking the steps involved, demonstrates how the instruction can inspire teachers’ creativity as well as deepen students’ literacy skills. Filled with ready-to-use scaffolds for every stage of instruction—sets of sample questions, anchor charts, cue cards, answer frames—this is a one-stop resource for teaching students how to organize their thoughts about what they’ve read, and then set them down in writing.

Few skills are as critical or as rare today as the ability to hear and comprehend what other people are saying. The authors of' Hands Down, Speak Out' argue that we need new tools to teach the art of listening and they' ve put forward a simple yet transformative model for encouraging student conversations that are inclusive, empowering, and rich in content. This classroom guide for grades K-5 is particularly needed in the aftermath of two disrupted school years.' ' Teaching Foundational Skills Across Subjects:' Hands Down, Speak Out' is a practical guide for teaching listening and talking skills that span both literacy and math instruction and can be applied to a multitude of curriculums. K-5 Classroom Management Focused on Dialogue: Too often, the practice of hand-raising favors the performance of answers by a few students over the construction of meaning involving the whole class. Help' all' students develop dialogue skills that will deepen their understanding of literacy and mathematics, as well as of themselves, their communities, and the world. 28 Student-Centered Micro Lessons: Each of these short, incremental lessons build specific skills during content instruction rather than taking time away from it. Students will be energized by a discourse structure in which their ideas and voices take the lead while teachers focus on listening and facilitating. Nurturing Disagreements: The authors' provide guidance for managing difficult conversations by teaching students to engage in debate and discussion in a way that values listening equally with talking. Students are able to spend time developing active listening and speaking skills in a constructive environment. When we build talk communities with children, our greatest hope is that what they learn through talking about reading, writing, and math is matched by what they learn about living in the world with others, write Kassia Omohundro Wedekind and Christy Hermann Thompson.' Hands Down, Speak Out' demonstrates how teachers and leaders can run inclusive and accessible classrooms that respect each student' s level of participation.

The reds, the yellows, and the blues all think they're the best in this vibrant, thought-provoking picture book from Arree Chung, with a message of acceptance and unity. In the beginning, there were three colors . . . Reds, Yellows, and Blues. All special in their own ways, all living in harmony—until one day, a Red says "Reds are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to separate, is there anything that can change their minds? A Yellow, a Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.