Improving Student Achievement: 50 Research-Based Strategies

This gold mine of concise, research-based strategies and tips to apply in your classroom, library, and school is written by an expert in school improvement who shares the research on what works.  • Search the research by topic and find just what you need for your program, school, or district • Be a contributor to your school improvement team by providing the research base • Learn the research base behind the practices you know work • Use the accompanying CD of multimedia presentations to present the research in staff development settings or with parents and community members Practicing educators today must use pertinent and timely research to guide their decisions. Finding the appropriate research, either on the Web or in hard copy, is time consuming and difficult. Readers will find this book filled with summaries of research on actual practices which will impact student achievement. An easy-to-digest, short summary of the research is presented stating the issue along the with practical actions, strategies, and tips any educator can use to improve student learning. A busy principal, central-office administrator or educator can use the accompanying multimedia presentations to present the research in staff development settings or with parents and community members. This book is the Swiss Army knife of school improvement and a tremendous resource for school improvement efforts.

About the Author :
Beverly Nichols is an educational consultant from Overland Park, KS.

Review :
"Nichols, an education consultant with experience in math and educational leadership, offers 50 research-based teaching strategies for educators that will improve student achievement. Strategies relate to leadership; meeting the needs of all children, including dealing with autism, ADHD, English learners, and gender issues; school structure and organization; summer, after-school, and other intervention programs; technology; brain-based learning; placement; certification; obesity, nutrition, and health issues; language and literacy; social studies; and classroom management. Research is summarized and presented in an outline format, with a specific issue addressed, and practical actions, strategies, and tips, along with implications and questions to consider. The CD contains multimedia presentations on each strategy to show to community members, staff, or parents. The book is the second of two volumes on the topic." - Reference & Research Book News "As educators know, school improvement initiatives must be research-based and reflect current best practice. Often the task of finding this research and evidence of effectiveness falls to the school library media specialist, who will welcome this brief compendium. The text considers 50 data-driven interventions that represent a variety of affective and cognitive strategies. Each 'Research Tip' addresses a specific strategy, and is placed in broad categories such as literacy, curriculum alignment, and assessment. Tips are broken down into short segments that briefly but effectively summarize issues, rationales, current research, practical implications, open-ended questions, and print and online sources of additional information. These print summaries, written in brief paragraphs and bulleted lists, are also available on an accompanying CD. This time-saving guide will help school improvement teams identify and select strategies. The 'Questions to Ask Ourselves' segment is especially valuable. The PowerPoint presentations will be useful for professional development, serving as outlines for instructors and presenters. Media specialists need to take leadership roles in building school improvement initiatives, and this resource will help them in these efforts. Bibliography. Index. Recommended." - Library Media Connection "This book is intended to be used in presentations with faculty and administrators to promote research in different areas based on studies. Each of the tips is two pages in length and briefly details the issue, research, practical applications, questions to ask, and resources available. The CD has PowerPoint presentations for each of the 50 research tips. The topics covered are: 'Big Picture' instructional issues; curriculum alignment and monitoring; literacy; mathematics; science; teachers (quality and professional development); middle/high school issues; classroom management and school organization; assessment and program evaluation; achievement issues (including special needs); and parent involvement. There is an index and list of resources (print and electronic) in the back of the book. This book has much concise information on a variety of educational hot topics. It would work beautifully for a series of staff development or faculty meetings to present and then discuss what is currently being done adn what might be changed or done better based on current research. Recommended for staff development." - Catholic Library World "These short summaries state issues and actions, providing tips any educator can use to improve student learning, and is a pick for any education collection." - Midwest Book Review