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TSCHAPPAT: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Annotated Bibliography

Stefanie A. Tschappat

Professional Development Resources

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Atwell, N. (2014).  In the middle: A lifetime of learning about writing, reading and

adolescents.  (3 ed.).  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann. 

RD

This is a great resource for ELA teachers. A terrific read if you are looking to change your

teaching style to be more student-centered and authentic. I love the emphasis she so often put on

student choice and the importance of that in encouraging engagement. Atwell offers a ton of

practical tips and resources to help you implement the workshop model in the classroom, and

helps anticipate some of the questions/challenges faced in changing to this style of teaching. I

was particularly fond of chapter eleven where Atwell examines memoirs and how students can

use these memoirs to “discover and tell our own truths as writers.” (p 372). A memoir is a piece

of writing that allows the student to inject their feelings and thoughts about events in their own

lives. The memoir lets the reader see into the actual life experience of the writer and is always

written in first person narrative. It can be used to replace the commonly used personal-

experience narrative and it is a more effective form of writing. Instead of just telling what

happened during a life experience, a memoir delves deeper into that experience by reflecting on

thoughts, feelings, and the meaning behind the experience. Much of the chapter showcases

pieces of Atwell’s students’ writings and covers the various styles of memoir, also showing the

various writings of adolescents.

Coloroso, Barbara. (2009). Kids are worth it! Revised Edition. William Morrow

Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.

This book is so sensible and practical. It just felt 'right' when I was reading it. Coloroso'

philosophy is something I can admire and work to incorporate. 'Pick your battles', 'let them live

with consequences', 'keep them safe'....these are all things that make sense to me
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I found this book to be unique in that it shows parents/teachers how to teach kids to build self-

esteem while learning how to resolve conflict, stand up for injustice, handle chores, etc. There is

so much that this book covers about raising children from the toddler to teen years that I'm sure

that I will use it as a resource for many years.

The author has an interesting background. She is a former nun who has studied child psychology

and worked with troubled children, while raising three of her own. I like that Coloroso is kind,

compassionate, but remains assertive in her belief that we can become better people, better

parents and that we can build strong families with children who will be independent and fair-

minded in adulthood. The first half of the book focused more on older children, but the latter

half focused more on toddlers and younger-aged children, where the author tackles such issues as

toilet training and how to ensure that children grow up with good feelings about their bodies and

their ability to control how they use them. Coloroso describes how to constructively influence

children and build relationships of mutual trust and respect, working collaboratively with

children in their natural quest to grow strong and find meaning in life. "Discipline is handled

with authority that gives life to children's learning." (page 37). What some might see as

something to punish, Coloroso sees as an opportunity to teach. For example, quoting from page

39: There is no problem so great, it can't be solved. Realities are accepted. Problems are solved.

Charles, C.M. (2011) Building classroom discipline, 10 ed. Allyn & Bacon.
th

This is an extremely useful resource in guiding a beginning teacher towards developing his/her

own discipline model. The book offers varying viewpoints in order to offer teachers the varying

models that they can try to apply in their own classrooms. While some of these models might

already be in use by some teachers, what the book offers is a way of systematizing these models
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so that other teachers can adopt them. It is also possible to adopt just aspects of certain models in

order to develop your own personalized discipline rubric. Extremely helpful for any beginning

teachers who are at a loss for classroom management issues. Charles presented an excellent

summary of disciplinarian techniques here. I appreciate having a compilation of theorists and

applications of their theories. The Wongs’ approach to discipline was valuable and eye-opening

to me. It’s scary to think that if you mess up in the beginning you will have an uphill battle the

entire year.

Fletcher, R. & Portalupi, J. (2001).  Writing workshop, the essential guide.  Portsmouth,

NH: Heinemann.  

This practical, easily readable resource is the perfect tool for teachers who have never been

privileged to witness or experience the writing workshop in the classroom. I felt that I gained a

clear picture of how a workshop could look and function. Fletcher and Portalupi use a

straightforward, simple voice to communicate workshop details about the environment,

incorporating mini-lessons and literature, managing and recording the work done, assessing, and

troubleshooting. I see this book as a simple foundation for the creation of workshop. I am fairly

new to this approach and found myself taking copious notes on how I want the workshop to look

in my classroom. Although I may not follow their design explicitly, I found that simply reading

about it gave me opportunity to clarify what I believe should happen in my classroom. From

here, I believe I can move on to resources that will focus more on the teaching and process of

writing, rather than the classroom role. They made it clear and gave great ideas for assess

without discouraging. This book is going to be my go-to quick-reference for writing workshops. 
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Freeman, D.E. & Freeman, Y.S. (2014).  Essential linguistics:  What you need to know to 

teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, grammar.  (2 ed.).  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.   
nd

Written by a husband and wife team, this textbook is a kind of a beginners guide to linguistics.

It's designed to be useful to teachers of ESL, teaching all levels of learners. These topics can be

so dry, but using linguistics (or the study of words) gets students excited, and therefore engaged,

in word study. The authors went into such great detail about a great many aspects of linguists,

but did so in a concise and interesting manner. Their overview of second language learning

opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of learning to read and write. I feel that I can not only

better teach students that only speak English, but also those that are English language learners. 

Hicks, T. (2009).  The digital writing workshop.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann. 

This book explains how the writing process should fit into the writing workshop. I like the way

Hicks contrasts the two because as an educator, I see the impact of unrelenting standardized test

pressure that insinuates itself into prescriptive practice-and-drill to meliorate essays written to a

prompt. Hicks also points out that educators need to use technology to enrich the writing

workshop experience, but he goes beyond this conviction to offer so many ideas that surely every

teacher can find a combination of Internet resources to fit classroom needs.

The digital writing workshop makes it possible for teachers to evaluate how they teach writing

now, how they can incorporate some of what technology has to offer, how to explore and

identify what will and will not work right now, how to gradually work in elements of technology

so nobody is so overwhelmed that they give up, and how to assess the merits of success and

shortcomings in our digital journeys through writing.

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This is a great and invaluable resource for teaching in today’s world of technology and online

platforms. This can make the writing process easy to access and available at any time to the

students. They emphasize that this method provides the perfect environment for fostering a

student’s choice in their education. I agree with this. The internet has provided an endless

amount of information that the students can access in seconds. It’s not all about sharing writings,

either.

Johnston, Peter H.. Opening minds: Using language to change lives. Stenhouse Publishing.

Kindle Edition.

Each of the nine chapters in Opening Minds builds on the learning from the previous ones. He

moves from Choosing Words through Performance, Feedback, and Dialogue into Social

Imagination and Moral Development before sharing the importance of Thinking and Working

Together. At one point, he shares a real classroom conversation where second graders are

outraged that Thomas Jefferson, who once owned slaves, was allowed to be on the five-cent

piece. Johnston explains that this is why slowing down and stepping back as a teacher, to allow

for a dialogic classroom, creates children who think for themselves and actively seek to solve

civic issues. It is an impressive conversation for anyone, let alone 7 and 8 year olds.

Johnston includes a wealth of ideas and techniques for teaching literacy and language skills in a

more just, compassionate and socially responsible manner. He focuses on dialogic instruction—

specifically on the language we use when we speak to and with students—and the value of using

a dynamic learning frame that emphasizes every student’s ability to learn, grow, and develop not

only cognitively and intellectually but also emotionally and socially. Johnston is interested in far

more than “just teaching.” He believes that teachers have a responsibility for helping their
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students mature into responsible and concerned citizens who are equipped with the academic,

social, and emotional skills to effect real change in the world. I appreciate this book because I

believe that teaching about social justice education makes learning more meaningful.

Landrigan, Clare. Assessment in perspective: Focusing on the readers behind the numbers.

Stenhouse Publishers. Kindle Edition.

This books explains assessment in clear terms and always within the perspective that is the heart

and soul of this book - how to use assessment in ways that will impact the literacy lives of our

students. This is a must read book that should be in the hands of every teacher! Assessment in

Perspective is about moving beyond the numbers and using assessment to find the stories they

tell. I loved how the book can help teachers sort through the myriad of available assessments

and use each to understand different facets of their readers. It discusses how to use a range of

assessment types—from reading conference notes and student work to running records and state

tests—together to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of a reader. The authors share a

framework for thinking about the purpose, method, and types of different assessments and using

notetaking to assess individual students. I can relate to the authors sentiment that, “When it

comes to note taking, the only thing we know for sure is that we find at least ten systems that do

not work for us before we find one that does. (p.1102). Also, letting students in on the process of

assessment is the key to helping them set goals, monitor their own progress, and celebrate

growth. When assessment is viewed in this way, instruction can meet high standards and still be

developmentally appropriate. This a book to keep handy.

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Lemov, D. (2010) Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path

to college. Jossey-Bass. 

The strength of this book is that it understands the psychology of student behavior and academic

motivation. It understands the way poor communication between teacher and student is often the

cause of disruptive behavior. Lemov says teachers absolutely must distinguish between

incompetence and defiance on the part of the student. Furthermore, they should NEVER punish

incompetence nor should they EVER let defiance go unchecked. Often the way teachers divine

the difference between the two is through crystal clear instructions. The excellent technique

called "What to Do" (#37) illustrates this. I also really like Lemov’s idea of an entry routine and

tight transitions. Student engagement can be lost in a split second, but keeping to very tight

routines helps to reduce the possibility of losing the students because they know what is expected

and these transitions take only the amount of time needed and no more. This really spoke to me:

“If you were able to cut a minute apiece from ten transitions a day and sustained that

improvement for two hundred school days, you would have created almost thirty-five hours of

instructional time over the school year,” (p. 154). A very compelling reason to get those

transitions down, making them a routine early on in the school year. Building character and trust

is something that has been overlooked by many educators but is something that I find very

important to creating and maintaining a positive classroom culture. Both techniques are not only

vital to creating lifelong learners but also dynamic frame learners, which is my goal for all of my

students.
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MacKenzie, R. (2010) Setting limits in the classroom. 3ed. Prima.

This book uses concrete examples and simple everyday language to present a short list of

classroom management tips and ways and situations in which they can be applied. I recognize

the descriptions of the classroom "dance" and the limit testing as things I've struggled with. The

author seems to have these dynamics down to a science and provides feasible problem-solving

strategies specifically targeting these issues. I especially liked his suggestion for limited choice,

his insistence on follow-throughs, and his assurance that cutting off further discussion can be an

appropriate reaction. His idea for asking students for understanding was also very enlightening. I

really liked Mackenzie’s outlook on discipline, and I felt I learned a lot of really important

applications through this reading. Mackenzie gave me a very different perspective on this that

was important for my learning. Rules are constantly being taught by what I do, not what I say,

and no matter how many times I tell them something my actions could change how they think.

With older children power struggles are real, and I when I see them between teachers and

students I often didn’t know what I would do in that situation. The two-stage time out was a new

concept that I am glad to have learned. Disruptive behavior is hard to handle, especially when the

student’s goal is to gain attention. This method is effective, and something that I think would be

useful in my classroom. 

Lesh, Bruce. (2011). "Why won't you just tell us the answer?": Teaching historical thinking

in grades 7-12. Stenhouse Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Lesh has done a good job of blending the content of U.S. history with the “doing” of history.

Reading this book should change the way a teacher looks at the past and the vocation of

teaching. Most people look at history as a quick march through the past, a heavy textbook, and

memorizing facts, names, dates, and events. Not so for teachers who read Bruce’s book and their
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students. Bruce shares how analyzing primary and secondary sources and putting them into

context as well as understanding the subtext is a skill that everyone can benefit from. His idea of

creating history labs (much like science labs but in the history classroom) has been a smashing

success with my students. I see my kids thinking at an entirely new level, asking higher level

questions, and becoming much more curious than they ever have been. The study of history has

come alive in my classroom and I owe it all to Bruce. If you teach history or are contemplating

becoming a history teacher, then you have to drop everything right now and make time to read

this book! You and your students will become better historians because of it. This book can

change the world.  I learned how to be a much better history teacher and student of history from

reading his book

Lickona, Thomas. (1983). Raising good children. Random House Publishing Group. Kindle

Edition.

This work by psychologist and educator Dr. Thomas Lickona describes the predictable stages of

moral development from birth to adulthood. I especially appreciate that Dr. L. discusses moral

development - how to help your child make good decisions for his/herself and in relation to

others, done from a developmental standpoint.

As a teacher, during the school year, and as I change grade level, I can pull out this book and

reread the chapter on whatever age group I'm dealing with. It's not a magic bullet, but certainly

much needed calm, practical advice.

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Lu Chi. (2000).  The art of writing:  Lu Chi’s wen fu (S. Hamill, translator).  Minneapolis:

Milkweed.  

A beautifully written book that will be kept and used for years to come. The poems are inviting

and illustrate the art of writing. It perfectly explains the diversity that is writing and the many

motivations that create it. Extraordinary in its concision, this book is a wise and complete guide

to creative process and the self-reflection that go with it. I loved the quote: When spring arrives,

we know why nature has reasons.

Miller, Debbie. (2008). Teaching with Intention. Stenhouse Publishers - A. Kindle Edition.

With her gentle, loving tone, Miller reminds us of what really counts in the classroom with a

discussion of the importance of identifying core beliefs about literacy education. She examines

her own reflective process and discusses the importance of the role of reflecting on classroom

practice and planning with the goal of alignment. The remainder of the book is organized around

Miller's own key beliefs with each chapter illustrating those beliefs through powerful classroom

stories. I see so much potential in this book--not just for new teachers, but as part of a discussion

that allows us to begin with articulating who we are and what we believe in. As Peter Johnson

writes, “Through this book we have Debbie’s teaching mind on loan. She engages us in the

details of a teaching life from inside her mind, showing the thinking behind her teaching and the

consequences of her actions.” This book is a must have for every teacher.
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Moline, Steve. (2012). I see what you mean (Second Edition): Visual Literacy K-8.

Stenhouse Publishing. Kindle Edition.

 In Moline's text he expresses exactly how important it is to teach students how to interpret and

read visuals. Learning to use and read visuals accurately will be a necessary and helpful for all

students not just within school but also in their everyday life. I strongly believe in using visuals

to aid a students learning and my goal as a teacher is to prepare my students for the real world,

and take tasks with them that they will be able to hold on to and use in the future. Visuals play a

big part in helping students understand particular words or meanings. Especially for English

Language Learners, visuals are key. Visuals help to create a better understanding in all subject

areas, and Moline describes exactly how different visuals can aid a student's understanding.  In

Moline's view, we are all bilingual. Our second language, which we do not speak but which we

read and write every day, is visual. From reading maps to decoding icons to using concept webs,

visual literacy is critical to success in today's world. I found the use of visual literacy texts for

scaffolding reading and writing original and compelling. The book is generous in it's use of

examples from a variety of other texts and inclusion of teachers' feedback on student projects. A

terrific resource for teachers of any subject for the explicit teaching of visual literacy.

Sousa, David A. & Tomlinson, Carol Ann. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How

neuroscience supports the learner-friendly classroom. Solution Tree Press. Kindle

Edition.

Differentiation and the Brain is a great introduction into how research in neuroscience supports

the use of differentiated learning opportunities for all classrooms. Sousa’s research offers

information and insights that can help educators decide whether certain curricular, instructional,

and assessment choices are likely to be more effective than others. He also offer suggestions on
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how to establish and manage differentiated classrooms without imposing additional heavy

burdens on teachers--teach "differently" and "smarter," not harder. In fact, when properly

implemented, differentiation emphasizes shared responsibility between teacher and student--a

desirable outcome, because the brain that does the work is the brain that learns! This book is

different from all the other books on differentiation in that it combines two imperatives that face

nearly all educators today: 1. Research is revealing so much about how the brain learns that

educators can no longer ignore the implications of these discoveries for educational practice. 2.

Teachers need to find ways to use this brain research to develop strategies that will allow

students to succeed in classrooms that contain a diverse mix of abilities, cultures, and languages.

With the convergence of neuroscience and education, this is a read can encourage more strategic

planning on the part of educators.

Strickland, D., Ganske, K., Monroe, J. K. (2002).  Supporting struggling readers and

writers:  Strategies for classroom intervention 3 – 6.  Portland, ME:  Stenhouse. 

The ability to support the struggling learners in our classes is one of the most important skills

that we as teachers should acquire. I think that I found the chapter on exploring words to be the

most useful, I know this whole book will come in handy in my future as an educator. I had

originally found word study to be boring and I struggled with ways to make it exciting. This

chapter had great suggestions, and my host teacher also gave me lots of good ideas. I also

gleaned much from the chapter on focused intervention. The reason that chapter stood out to me

is that I have always struggled with meeting individual needs but at the same time meeting

everyone else’s needs.  I also think that focused interventions are a good practice and very

beneficial. Seeing how to use them to assist struggling readers and writers will help me to be a

better instructor of these things. 

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Taylor, C. and S. B. Nolan (2008) Classroom assessment: Supporting 

teaching and learning in real classrooms 2nd ed. Pearson. 

This book provides good insight and relevant research regarding the most effective methods of

assessment. I agree with Taylor and Nolan that, “Assessing student’s learning in progress allows

you to provide timely feedback that the students can use to guide their learning. If you keep track

of students’ progress towards your learning objectives, you can use that information to decide

what to teach,” (p. 100). I never really thought of communication with others as a part of

assessment, but chapter 11 helped me to better understand how I can communicate with student’s

families and encourage their involvement. I loved this quote on page 430, “When teachers have

clear learning objective and standards, and if they teach their students how to evaluate strengths

and weaknesses in their work, students can be eloquent spokespersons for their own learning.” I

want to help my students to become lifelong learners, and this seems a great way to do that. 

Tomlinson, C. (2014) Differentiated classrooms: Responding to the needs of all 

learners 2ed. ASCD

This is the first book I read on differentiation. This is just the book for anyone who wants to

know with certainty what is differentiation and what it is not. Tomilson traces the idea of

differentiation back to Jewish and Muslim traditions which state that "people differ in their

abilities and degrees." After this, she discusses with precision the different aspects of a

differentiated classroom (chapter 2) and supports her arguments effectively by relying on recent

brain research (chapter 3). She also tells us what it is not by providing in depth discussion of

heterogeneous and homogeneous groups, and the so-called remedial classes. Tomlinson
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hammers all the way that differentiation is linked to teacher's attitude toward the differences that

may be found in one classroom: differences in interests, learning profiles, readiness, and

motivations. The book is readable and the examples are quite effective illustrating the strategies.

The hard part now is putting into practice. I have discovered many ways to become a

differentiated teacher and create a differentiated classroom that is prepared to meet the needs of

many students. I really liked the positivity that was emphasized, and joyful learning is a new goal

for me. It is important to learn, and be happy while we do it, which goes back to my ideal of

creating lifelong learners. This really spoke to me because I truly think that my being joyful

regarding students’ educations will make them joyful as well.

Weaver, C. (2009).  Reading process: Brief edition of reading process and practice 

(3 ed.).  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann. 

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This book gave so many ideas for helping students through the reading process, how to think like

a good reader, and the many practices that will help them to become a good reader. The miscue

chapters were immensely helpful for me, and cleared up most of the questions I had regarding

the process and how to analyze a reader’s miscues. The book also gave some great suggestions

on how to follow up on an IRI, using them to cater my teaching to the individual needs of the

students. 

Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay. (2005). Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition.

Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Kindle Edition.

 This book is a very important work in modern education research that educators need to

understand and practice to enhance the quality of student achievement in our schools today and

covers an eminently critical topic in contemporary education practice -- developing curriculum

that covers all the essential concepts in a course in an engaging and measurably effective
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manner. Wiggins and McTighe expertly present a lot of great material, both theoretical and

practical to help teachers, administrators, schools, and districts to develop their own

Understanding by Design units. No serious educator should be able to walk away from this book

with nothing new to add to their pedagogical arsenal. Understanding by Design is a framework to

work on curriculum design in a more comprehensive way as well as educational perspective that

encourages teachers to reconsider the purpose, objectives, and impact that a thoughtful

curriculum design can have for the community in which it is implemented. The different chapters

follow their three-staged backward design idea which I consider useful for a full understanding

of this innovative way of planning and designing a curriculum.