Children today are going through a lot—they are busy with school, involved in extracurricular activities, and trying to navigate the world of COVID and other concerns. Teachers and parents are busy too—with work, school, and parenting activities. How will they have the time to teach valuable skills such as manners and respect to children? These are “soft skills”; the skills necessary to work with others and be a respected and valuable citizen in the workplace of tomorrow. Soft Skills for Kids: In Schools, at Home, and Online, 2nd Edition, focuses on ways that teachers and parents can work together to teach soft skills to the children in their lives. This book is not a curriculum program or set of lessons to help children, but rather a series of “teachable moments” in which adults teach strategies to children as they happen. Finally, as the education of children has changed recently due to the pandemic with an increased number of children learning online, this book will be a great resource for how adults can work together to help children learn soft skills—in schools, at home, and online.

Nurturing Soft Skills introduces the COACH framework to help parents nurture Confident, Outgoing, Articulate, Creative and Happier children, who feel empowered to try new things and believe they can always bounce back if success is not immediate.

Raise standards and improve learning for all students through equitable grading Grading–one of the most important responsibilities of teachers with major implications for students’ academic and life trajectories–is ironically also among the most enigmatic and frequently avoided topics in education. Although most teachers sense that common grading practices are often ineffective, there is limited understanding of how those practices can undermine effective teaching and harm students, particularly those historically underserved. It is long past due to implement grading practices that are more accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational, and which improve student learning, empower teachers, and transform classrooms as a result. In this newly updated edition of the best-selling Grading for Equity, Joe Feldman provides a valuable resource for anyone invested in grading and its impact on students’ education, mental health, and future opportunities. Offering a research-based alternative to the status quo, this practitioner-friendly guide provides Extensive revisions that reflect how the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement shifted traditional grading systems New data from both academic research and classrooms that demonstrate the benefits of equitable grading for all students Clear approaches to implement equitable grading practices Updated information on several equitable grading practices, including proficiency scales A new concluding chapter that explores implementing equitable grading system-wide With a down-to-earth style driven by the author’s own curiosity as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and university instructor, this book will invite and challenge you to think about how more equitable grading, when implemented effectively, creates a more rigorous, humane, and positive school experience for all.

Conscious Parenting Techniques for Raising Successful Kids (Ages 8-12) All parents should read this book to better understand their child's developmental levels and learn strategies that will increase opportunities for success!" —Michelle Ferré, Pocketful of Primary #1 New Release in Research, School-Age Children In Jumpstart Learning in Your Kids, Bridget Spackman, a public school educator and the YouTuber behind The Lettered Classroom, shares her expertise with parents to help educate and encourage children, learn how children succeed, and support lifelong education in the home and beyond. Conscious parenting strategies for successful child development.Jumpstart Learning in Your Kids is for any parent who is having trouble ensuring their child is receiving the education they deserve —and who wants to encourage their children to continue learning for their entire lives. Along with helpful tips and tricks, parents are supported with numerous resources to jumpstart their child’s education. Learn how children succeed —and how your conscious parenting can help them. Whether homeschooling or just trying to make sure you support your child’s education in your home, ensuring that kids reach their potential is crucial. This book helps you with: Learning more about child development and how they relate to learning Identifying appropriate learning times and various real-world opportunities that you can provide for your child at hom Strategies on how to help your children with problem solving, difficult tasks, and establishing a routine and schedule for success Readers of parenting books like The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie, The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise, or the DK books like Help Your Kids with Math by Barry Lewis will be encouraged and supported by Jumpstart Learning in Your Kids.

Learn practical strategies for ensuring each of your students feels valued, welcomed, and empowered. Author Carissa McCray provides the tools to combat biases inherent in education with pedagogy that encourages students to dismantle the injustices surrounding them. Tackling every angle of the classroom, from instructional practices and curriculum to classroom culture and communication, the book provides opportunities for reflection and inspires readers to ignite change. This book will build pedagogical and communication skills to: Understand the injustices inherent in education. Design a curriculum that fosters equity and justice. Create a classroom environment where any student can feel safe and heard. Enact both a mission and a vision in pedagogical practices. Enable effective communication with both students and families. Provide diverse assessments that address every type of learner. Contents: Introduction Part 1: Building a Culture of Opportunity Chapter 1: Becoming Culturally Competent Chapter 2: Expanding Curriculum Culture Chapter 3: Shaping Classroom Culture Part 2: Speaking the Language of Freedom Chapter 4: Articulating Your Purpose, Vision, and Mission Chapter 5: Communicating With Students Chapter 6: Engaging With Families Part 3: Assessing at Cultural Intersections Chapter 7: Understanding Intersectionality Chapter 8: Diversifying Assessments Chapter 9: Committing to Reflection, Professional Development, and Modification Conclusion References and Resources Index

Empowered solutions to close the achievement gap start here! This original, solution-oriented guide for school leaders helps to serve children of color, children from low-income families, and other marginalized student groups. Practical implementation strategies and tools assist school leaders to methodically tackle the challenges of equity-driven reform and: Understand the root cause of the racial-achievement gap Take concrete actions to transform the educational process Use daily, real-time data to determine effective teaching and learning practices Includes reflective-discussion questions and case studies. Accelerate the achievement of underserved students with this transformative book!

Help for grown-ups new to coding Getting a jump on learning how coding makes technology work is essential to prepare kids for the future. Unfortunately, many parents, teachers, and mentors didn't learn the unique logic and language of coding in school. Helping Kids with Coding For Dummies comes to the rescue. It breaks beginning coding into easy-to-understand language so you can help a child with coding homework, supplement an existing coding curriculum, or have fun learning with your favorite kid. The demand to have younger students learn coding has increased in recent years as the demand for trained coders has far exceeded the supply of coders. Luckily, this fun and accessible book makes it a snap to learn the skills necessary to help youngsters develop into proud, capable coders! Help with coding homework or enhance a coding curriculum Get familiar with coding logic and how to de-bug programs Complete small projects as you learn coding language Apply math skills to coding If you’re a parent, teacher, or mentor eager to help 8 to 14 year olds learn to speak a coding language like a mini pro, this book makes it possible!

Reform of the educational systems in the United States and all over the world are coming from a wide variety of sources―philanthropists and businesses, federal and state governments, administrators and teachers, both large and small school districts. More nimble school districts have the best chance of creating a revised model of educational delivery that will produce successful students. The national statistics are awful. For every 100 low-income students that enter high school, only 65 will get a high school diploma, 53 will enroll in college, and will 11 actually complete a college degree. (Nachazel and Dziuba 2014) And the statistics for students living in poverty are far worse. This is one of many reasons why Roger Cook and the Taylor County Schools are of particular interest. Any district with a 61% poverty rate and over 40% of students attending college and zero (yes, zero) dropouts deserves to be examined.

"The bestselling author of Bowling Alone offers [an] ... examination of the American Dream in crisis--how and why opportunities for upward mobility are diminishing, jeopardizing the prospects of an ever larger segment of Americans"--

“A relevant book for our times. ... Educational and inspiring." —Readers' Favorite five-star review At its best, the college experience can be invaluable for doing the most important work of all—finding your purpose. At its worst, it can be an expensive distraction that indoctrinates you into an instant-gratification culture and prevents you from building a meaningful base not just for your career but for your life. Drawing upon the great thinkers of contemporary philosophy and psychology, this book reveals a revolutionary way to prepare for navigating the complexities and potential pitfalls of college, including: • How to look past the limited view of gifted but specialized academics • How to select courses that will help you get interviews with potential employers • How to develop a meaningful social and professional network, including outside the college community • How to take full advantage of college facilities and programs—including some you may not even be aware of Robert Pirsig’s classic book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance used metaphysical imagery to reveal a more holistic way to think about the world and our place in it. In that tradition, Zen and the Art of Navigating College is a first-of-its-kind handbook for being prepared to get what you really NEED from the college experience—a path to discovering a greater purpose and the tools to achieve it.