Recently there has been a lot of hubbub about backwards planning in my district and I wanted to make sure that I knew what they were talking about so I purchased this book:
The author, Harriet Isecke, wrote this book as a companion book, or even sort of a "book to turn to" because Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggens and Jay McTighe is so hard to implement. Me...I bought it because I like the cover. Plus, I have used books by Wiggens an McTighe in the past (they were the movers and shaker of standards-based teaching, so thank them for the list of standards you have today!) and knew that they use a lot of jargon-based writing. Not that this is bad...but when it is crunch time and you have to change the way you have thought, you don't need jargon....you need direction. And that is what I found in this book!
Chapter 1 of this book is especially important as it defines 'backwards plannng'. The book unfolds to explain how to plan 'backwards', check for both formative and summative assessments, progress monitoring, and project-based learning. The author also supplies tools to help you get started. I love the way she breaks it all down. I give it 2 thumbs up!
Now for the good part....win this book!!!
The author, Harriet Isecke, wrote this book as a companion book, or even sort of a "book to turn to" because Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggens and Jay McTighe is so hard to implement. Me...I bought it because I like the cover. Plus, I have used books by Wiggens an McTighe in the past (they were the movers and shaker of standards-based teaching, so thank them for the list of standards you have today!) and knew that they use a lot of jargon-based writing. Not that this is bad...but when it is crunch time and you have to change the way you have thought, you don't need jargon....you need direction. And that is what I found in this book!
Chapter 1 of this book is especially important as it defines 'backwards plannng'. The book unfolds to explain how to plan 'backwards', check for both formative and summative assessments, progress monitoring, and project-based learning. The author also supplies tools to help you get started. I love the way she breaks it all down. I give it 2 thumbs up!
Now for the good part....win this book!!!
Ohhh! I'd love to win it! I just saw Grant Wiggins speak last week and would love more resources. I'll be on the lookout for when your rafflecopter starts!
ReplyDeleteSara
Polka Dot Kinders
Did you make it back to look at the rafflecopter?
DeleteI'm going back to full time teaching after staying home with my kids for 15 years. I would love to add this book to my library of best practices for my new kindergarten job!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!!
DeleteThis book sounds great! I used to use Backwards planning at my old school, but now I'm in a different grade with different standards, so this book will come in handy!
ReplyDeleteNicole
Teaching With Style
It is one of the easiest backwards planning books that I've read. I've had some training in it and a lot of times it is made to be harder than it really is.
DeleteOur district uses Understanding by Design, so I would LOVE to win this book! It definitely sounds like a book to add to my professional library!
ReplyDeleteI would love to learn more about this teaching method. I am always open to try new ways of teaching for every child learn differently. Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteMelissa Mize
Creations by Mrs. Mouse
mizemelissa@gmail.com
I have read the Understanding by Design and would love to add this to professional library that I have started.
ReplyDeleteSCasper2006@yahoo.com