In this book you'll learn how to: tap into your passion as a teacher - even when you're less than excited about the subject; develop creative presentations that capture your students' interest; establish rapport and a sense of camaraderie in your classroom; transform your class into a life-changing experience for your students. --from back cover.

Teach kids peer collaboration, improvement-focused learning, responsibility, active learning, twenty-first century skills, and empowerment.

This book explains how to design classroom experiences that encourage students to take risks and explore their passions in a stimulating, motivating, and supportive environment where improvement, rather than grades, is the focus.

Collaboration. Empowerment. Student Leadership. These buzz words get a lot of press, but what do they really mean for today's students? Can students really handle the responsibility of leading the class? Can they actually learn what they need to if they are working together so often? Won't all this freedom cause chaos in the classroom? Not if you're teaching them to learn like PIRATES! Peer collaboration builds community and supports teamwork and cooperation. Improvement-focused learning challenges students to constantly strive to be their best. Responsibility for daily tasks builds ownership in the classroom. Active learning turns boring lessons into fun and memorable experiences. Twenty-first century skills engage students now and prepare them for their futures. Empowerment allows students to become confident risk-takers who make bold decisions. In Learn Like a PIRATE, teachers will discover practical strategies for creating a student-led classroom in which students are inspired and empowered to take charge of their learning experience. You'll learn strategies for: Crafting active, relevant, and interesting lessons Creating opportunities for student leadership Providing effective and beneficial feedback Instilling confidence so students can take risks Increasing curiosity and passion for learning Incorporate the techniques and strategies Paul Solarz uses in his student-led classroom and watch your students transform into confident, collaborative leaders.

Tech Like a PIRATE helps provide the tools, ideas, and inspiration for educators to use technology as a treasure map to amazing learning. With a customizable set of principles for ensuring that technology is an asset, and not a barrier, Matt Miller's guidance will help all teachers - from the tech-savvy to the tech-terrified--create impactful, transformative learning using low- or no-cost equipment. The rise of digital culture has left some teachers and their students distracted, divided, and overwhelmed. But Tech Like a PIRATE brings educators flexible strategies for creating classroom tech experiences that will electrify student engagement. You don't have to be a tech genius--just willing to try Tech Like a PIRATE offers an accessible, engaging, and empowering toolkit for educators looking to innovate and engage their classes through technology. It's full of practical examples that are rooted in research, best practices, and solid pedagogy, and it's accompanied by a treasure trove of additional resources at DitchThatTextbook.com/TechLAP.

The author presents his own perspectives and techniques for making play part of his classroom's learning experience; includes QR code links to resources and templates.

When Teachers Strive for Greatness, Their Students Do, Too. How do good teachers become great? How do you create magical learning experiences your students will never forget? In Plan Like a PIRATE, you'll learn that sailing on to greatness starts with vision, intention, and design-planning-inside and outside of the classroom, far beyond any single lesson. This practical, comprehensive guide is packed with proven strategies for captivating students' imaginations and interest, leading readers through what it takes to engage and nurture learners with rigorous, equitable differentiated lessons. Designed to launch readers on a journey from "seeing it" to "being it"-and all points in between-Plan Like a PIRATE shows teachers how to harness their passion to create and implement innovative, relevant, student-centered learning opportunities and to build a detailed, intentional, future-focused plan to attain their dream career. This book will help educators deepen the impact of their teaching practice and power up their professionalism, allowing them to chart a course for themselves and their students to a better, more equitable world. Endorsements "Get ready to set sail for an incredible adventure with Dawn Harris!" -Tisha Richmond, student engagement specialist, PD specialist, and author of Make Learning Magical "A master teacher herself, Dawn Harris shares stories from the trenches and weaves in practical strategies and frameworks to help make learning accessible and meaningful for students. This is a must-read for all educators!" -Jill Siler, EdD, deputy executive director, Texas Association of School Administrators, and author of Thrive Through the Five: Practical Truths to Powerfully Lead Through Challenging Times