“Essential reading for teachers, education administrators, and policymakers alike.” —STARRED Library Journal The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.

In this provocative and timely book, education writer Natalie Wexler argues that the best way to end the “reading wars” is to recognize that learning to read is inextricably linked to learning in general. The science of reading movement has done much to improve instruction in foundational skills. But that hard-won progress may be reversed unless we also help children acquire the knowledge and vocabulary they need to understand complex text. At the same time, the science of learning movement has introduced many educators to evidence-based teaching principles that can be effective for all students. In Beyond the Science of Reading, Wexler addresses a missing piece of the conversation: the ways in which typical reading comprehension and writing instruction conflict with those principles. Wexler also offers practical solutions for bringing science-informed literacy instruction to scale and reveals why • Teaching phonics isn’t enough to create proficient readers. • Building knowledge is the key to unlocking reading comprehension. • Writing instruction holds untapped potential to boost literacy and learning. • Instruction grounded in cognitive science can narrow achievement gaps. • Current curriculum evaluation methods may be steering schools wrong. Beyond the Science of Reading charts a bold path forward with a new way to equip all children to read with fluency, understanding, and joy. This is an essential resource for educators, policymakers, parents, and anyone who cares about the future of literacy and equity in the United States.

Why you need a writing revolution in your classroom and how to lead it The Writing Revolution (TWR) provides a clear method of instruction that you can use no matter what subject or grade level you teach. The model, also known as The Hochman Method, has demonstrated, over and over, that it can turn weak writers into strong communicators by focusing on specific techniques that match their needs and by providing them with targeted feedback. Insurmountable as the challenges faced by many students may seem, The Writing Revolution can make a dramatic difference. And the method does more than improve writing skills. It also helps: Boost reading comprehension Improve organizational and study skills Enhance speaking abilities Develop analytical capabilities The Writing Revolution is as much a method of teaching content as it is a method of teaching writing. There's no separate writing block and no separate writing curriculum. Instead, teachers of all subjects adapt the TWR strategies and activities to their current curriculum and weave them into their content instruction. But perhaps what's most revolutionary about the TWR method is that it takes the mystery out of learning to write well. It breaks the writing process down into manageable chunks and then has students practice the chunks they need, repeatedly, while also learning content.

Lead a writing revolution in your classroom with the proven Hochman Method Building on the success of the original best-seller, this new edition of The Writing Revolution adds valuable guidance for teachers seeking a way to bring their students' writing ability up to rigorous state standards. As thousands of educators have already discovered, The Writing Revolution provides the road map they need, clearly explaining how to incorporate the Hochman Method into their instruction, no matter what subject or grade they're teaching and regardless of the ability level of their students. The new edition provides a reorganized sequence of activities and even more student-facing examples, making it easier than ever to bring the method to your classroom. The Writing Revolution isn't a separate curriculum or program teachers need to juggle. Rather, it is a method providing strategies and activities that teachers can adapt to their preexisting curriculum and weave into their content instruction. By focusing on specific techniques that match their students' needs and providing them with targeted feedback, The Writing Revolution can turn weak writers into strong and confident communicators. In addition, the method can: Identify misconceptions and gaps in knowledge Boost reading comprehension and learning Improve organizational skills Enrich oral language Develop analytical abilities The Writing Revolution takes the mystery out of teaching students to write well.

"A More Obedient Wife blends fact and fiction to tell the story of two women--married to Supreme Court Justices James Iredell and James Wilson--who find themselves swept up in the events of the federal government's turbulent first decade"--P. [4] of cover.

Novel based on the life of Eliza Anderson, who at age 26 became the first American woman magazine editor when she founded the Observer in 1807 Baltimore. Includes both real and fictional characters of different social classes, and incorporates excerpts from the Observer and other periodicals of the time.