With the rise of teacher stressors, new and changing state standards, and high-stakes testing, it is more important than ever to remind literacy teachers and teacher-librarians about the reason that brought them to this profession: the love of story. 

The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life, by John Schu (affectionately known as "Mr. Schu" all over reading communities), invites readers to consider literacy beyond its academic benefits and explore how universal truths found in stories can change us, inspire us, connect us to others, answer our deepest questions, and even help us heal along the way. Using his experience as a teacher, librarian, book lover, and story ambassador, Mr. Schu asks readers to reflect on what it means to share their hearts through stories and how it can connect us to individuals and learning communities.

The Gift of Story is presented through a study of five affective elements: Healer, Inspiration, Clarifier, Compassion, and Connector.  Along the way, readers will encounter insightful contributions from educators, children’s writers, and illustrators, as well as recommendations for sharing the gift of story with learning communities including: treasured book suggestions that stir reflection, engaging tips for celebrating literacy, and heart-growing applications to lift classroom and library practices.

Celebrate the way we define and imagine ourselves through literacy by using stories to connect to others, build and strengthen community, and honor the children we were called to teach. 

Traditional grammar instruction often focuses too much on what’s right or what’s wrong, hiding the true power of conventions—the creation of meaning, purpose, and effect. Instead of hammering high school students with the mistakes they should avoid, Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Holly Durham suggest exploring grammar through the celebration of author’s purpose and craft. In Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing, they invite you to create an environment in which writers thrive while studying and appreciating the beauty, effects, and meaning of grammar. Inside this book, teachers will find a comprehensive explanation of the brain-based Patterns of Power invitational process, as well as:

• 35 standards-aligned lesson sets built around practical, engaging, inquiry-based methods that take deeper dives into grammar and craft than any worksheet, quiz, or editing exercise ever could
• A variety of high-interest model texts from authentic and diverse sources, including excerpts from classic and current novels, memoirs, plays, graphic novels, poems, and media
• Real-life classroom examples and tips with suggestions for scaffolding new learning and ideas for how to use the lessons in AP courses
• Templates for extended application, easy to locate printables, and ready-to-go visuals
• Additional Models for Further Study for extension opportunities in every lesson set
• An entire chapter devoted to helping high school writers master citations in research

With hundreds of teach-tomorrow resources and implementation supports such as quick-reference guides, specific applications to reading instruction, and soundtrack suggestions to infuse the joy of music into grammar instruction, Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12 gives you everything you need to inspire your high school writers to move beyond limitation and into the endless possibilities of what they can do as writers.

The Patterns of Power series also includes Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language; and Patterns of Power en Español, Grades 1-5: Inviting Bilingual Writers into the Conventions of Spanish.


 

The Comprehensive Intervention Model: Fostering Self-Regulated Readers Through Responsive Teaching by Linda Dorn, Carla Soffos, and Adria Klein introduces educators to an innovative intervention model that puts theory to practice then gives that practice a framework. When implemented with fidelity, the framework has the potential to close the gap between low-progress readers and their grade-level peers.

The Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM) organizes essential educational theory and effective instructional practices under a complete, layered intervention model. CIM includes both a professional book and resource manual that correlates the intent behind the Response to Intervention (RTI) movement. This well-researched and practical resource begins by laying the theoretical foundation for its methodology before describing its multi-tiered system of instruction across a range of components. The book concludes with a collection of examples that show the model in action.

The CIM professional book includes:

• High-quality, differentiated classroom instruction
• A portfolio of evidence-based interventions
• A seamless assessment system at an individual and system level
• School-embedded professional learning for increasing teacher efficacy and building capacity in schools

Beyond boxed programs and quick-fix options, the authors outline and advocate for an intervention approach that includes a commitment to systemic reflection, teacher development, precise assessments, and data-driven, responsive instruction—all centering on student needs.
 
The resource manual provides administrators, coaches, and teachers with the tools needed to implement the CIM with fidelity including planners, guide sheets, observation forms, data collection forms, phonics and word learning guides, and more. Use these two books together to support a Response to Intervention (RTI) method for closing the gap between low-progress readers and their grade-level peers.