
Discussion Dates: May 16-18, 2012
In this title, Lisa Delpit, whose previous book—the acclaimed yet controversial Other People's Children—was published 16 years ago, delves into the school factors that have contributed to the achievement gap. She makes the case that African-American students do not achieve to their potential because they're hindered by "society's deeply ingrained bias of equating blackness with inferiority," the effects of stereotype threat, and curriculum that is not meaningful to them. More simply, she argues, they are not being taught effectively.
Read our Book Backgrounder.
Head to the author-led discussion here.
Discussion Dates: Feb. 21-23, 2012:
In his acclaimed Readicide (2009), high school English teacher Kelly Gallagher argued that the "inane, mind-numbing" instructional practices found in today's schools are partly to blame for students' lack of interest in reading. In Write Like This, Gallagher turns his attention to writing instruction, which he believes to be in a similar state of crisis. To build students' skills and interest in writing, he says, teachers need to move away from the "prescribed school writing discourses" and demonstrate the real-world purposes of written composition. Read our Book Backgrounder.
Sponsorship arrangements are made separately and without regard to book selections.
Discussion Dates: Oct. 25-28, 2011
Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin, experts on cyberbullying, contend that teachers and administrators can play a major part in decreasing and alleviating the effects of technology-based aggression. In Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard, they offer practical advice on how to identify bullies and victims, prevent online harassment, navigate legal concerns, and respond when harmful online behavior occurs. For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.
Discussion Dates: July 19-21, 2011
In his new book, Mike Schmoker makes a bracing case for a back-to-basics approach to education, calling on educators to abandon ever-changing "fads, programs, and innovations," and zero in on what he calls the "three essential elements" of high-quality instruction. For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.
Discussion Dates: April 12-14, 2011
In Teach Like a Champion, Doug Lemov, founder of the Uncommon Schools charter network, offers 49 "concrete, specific, and actionable" techniques that teachers can implement immediately to drive student achievement. The techniques are not ones Lemov invented, but rather ones he has seen time and again in his observations of highly effective teachers. Some of the methods described may seem "mundane" or "fail to march in step with educational theory," writes Lemov. "But they work." A bestseller among Amazon education books, Teach Like a Champion is sure to spark an animated discussion. For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.

Discussion Dates: Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2011
Kathleen Cushman’s latest book, Fires in the Mind: What Kids Can Tell Us About Motivation and Mastery, provides a unique exploration into the question of how teachers can better engage and inspire today's students. With the help of 160 student "collaborators," Cushman explores how to bring the excitement that students have about projects and activities outside of school into the classroom. For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.
Photograph by Andrew
ClarkDiscussion Dates: Oct. 25-30, 2010
Told against the backdrop of the immigration debate, Helen Thorpe's Just Like Us is an essential read for educators working with immigrant populations or with students straddling a cultural divide. Author Helen Thorpe details the successes and struggles of four ambitious and bright Latino students as they attend the same Denver high school and make plans to attend college. For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.

Discussion Dates: July 12-16, 2010.
Principal Linda F. Nathan joined Teacher for a week back in July to discuss her book, The Hardest Questions
Aren't on the Test. In her book, Nathan gives readers a ringside seat as faculty, parents, and students grapple
with tough questions about teaching, race, and achievement and work to implement solutions and evaluate outcomes.
For more information on this book, read our Book Backgrounder.
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