Focus ― Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning

Schmoker, an author and former teacher, administrator, and coach, contends that if educators focus on proven, essential actions, schools and student learning will improve dramatically. He describes how to focus on implementing what is essential: a coherent curriculum, soundly structured lessons, and large amounts of purposeful reading and writing in every discipline. He discusses the power of simplicity, clarity, and priority in terms of these elements, then what and how to teach in English language arts, social studies, science, and math, with emphasis on how to navigate the challenges of standards and how to incorporate literacy into each discipline. This edition updates every chapter with recent educational developments and mandates, evidence that supports the core elements, and more detailed guidance on how to implement them. It adds new research and school evidence for the importance of simplicity; new evidence on the role of coherent, content-rich curriculum for improving reading ability and educational quality; analysis of the Common Core standards; an update on the growing acknowledgment of the power of explicit instruction; a section on obstacles to effective instruction; samples of learning objectives and stems; updated discussion of ways to integrate literacy into the subject areas, including essential moves of writing instruction; recent information about the Next Generation Science Standards; new tasks, prompts, and questions; more on how to create authentic, high-quality local assessments in every subject area; information on how to increase success rates in math; and new evidence from multiple schools to reinforce the case that improvement can occur within a single school year. Annotation ©2018 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Mike Schmoker, Ed.D., is a former teacher, administrator and coach. He is the author of several best-selling books, one of which was a finalist for “book of the year” by the Association of Education Publishers. He has authored dozens of articles for educational journals, newspapers, and TIME magazine. In an Education Week survey of national educational leaders, he was identified as among the best sources of practical “nuts and bolts…advice, wisdom and insight” on effective school improvement strategies. Dr. Schmoker is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for his publications and presentations. As a much sought-after presenter, Dr. Schmoker delivers keynotes and consults internationally including throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, China, and Jordan. He now lives in Tempe, Arizona with his wife Cheryl, and can be reach at schmoker@futureone.com or 480-219-4673.