Product Description

Product Description
Turn the pages of Watercolor Still Life -- and discover an exciting art course that teaches you how to paint in this expressive, versatile medium. Watercolor Still Life is a practical guide to a wide range of watercolor techniques. More than 300 photographs guide the beginner through a series of exercises designed to teach all the essentials of watercolor still life painting. Revealing projects focus on professional still lifes, shown in the making so novices can follow the creative process step-by-step. Unique gallery pages display works of watercolor masters -- paintings that will instruct and inspire every student of the medium. Packed with specially commissioned artworks,clear instruction, and easy-to-follow exercises, the DK Art School offers ideal courses for "armchair" art students.The DK Art School series is a new way to learn, improve, or master drawing and painting skills. Carefully constructed courses ensure that you gain both the confidence and the know-how to create imaginative, beautiful pictures. With individual volumes on subjects like still life, portraiture, or landscape, in specific media such as oil, watercolor, or acrylic, The DK Art school series offers something for everyone, and builds into a unique collection of practical art books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good step-by-step
This book does have very nice pictures and the instructions are clear.It targets the beginner but if youhave a little experience you would still get something out of it. I didn't find it as good as some other instruction books that are out there, so don't make it the ONLY watercolor instruction book that you have in your how-to collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is based upon two assumptions. The first is that "we teach who we are," and the second is that one's philosophy of life is intimately tied to one's identity, and that it is one's "philosophical identity" (conscious or otherwise) that ultimately dictates one's teaching style and also what distinguishes those who find joy and passion in the teaching profession from those who find drudgery and then simply pick up a paycheck every two weeks. In his book Zen and the Art of Public School Teaching, Mr. Perricone compellingly invites his reader to participate in an introspective journey that is designed to help the reader better know themselves and the professional path upon which they have embarked. This book is for those who are just beginning their careers in teaching, for veteran teachers who are still very open to personal and professional growth, and to those who are thinking about becoming teachers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

John Perricone Opens a Door
In Zen and the Art of Public School Teaching John Perricone opens a door that every dedicated educator needs to walk through. With quick wit, and poignant examples John helps every educator to look inward in hopes of forming a philosophical identity. Reading John's book is like having coffee with a master teacher, who with kindness and compassion willingly shares the secrets of finding success and happiness as a career educator. As the mentor coordinator of a large school district, I interact with 200 new teachers every year, and it brings me great joy to share with them the wisdom of John Perricone. The beauty of John's book is that it not only inspires novice teachers to greatness, it also rekindles the long lost youthful enthusiasm once felt by veteran teachers. Zen and the Art of Public School Teaching is food for the teacher's soul. Treat yourself to 87 pages of magic!

Inspiring!
I read this book with colleagues for our professional work book club. The author's energy, positivity and passion for teaching is truly inspiring. It is a quick and easy read, but definitely reaches a wide audience. Beyond just making you examine how you connect with your students the members of my book club all reported that it made us reflect on how we live our own lives. It is a perfect book for a book club because it leads to interesting/fascinating conversations.

Und Zen Der Ver Four
Dear potential zen reader, this book is well worth your time.It is a participation book, that is, the author compels you to reflect on your own experiences. On the one hand it is an easy read because it is a short tome, on the other hand it is challenging to exaime how you teach and conduct your life. This reviewer only gave it four stars, because I think precious few things are perfect, but I do recommend it highly.

Great book
This is an very useful book for all teachers, especially the harried and belittled inner city public schoolteachers here in the Bronx.

Outstanding
This book has you hooked on Page 1. The insights can be applied to every day life ... whether you are a teacher or not! This book is outstanding and I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description
This self-study art course offers basic and advanced drawing of human figures. The principles of anatomy are introduced, with a series of exercises that extend to drawing from life, drawing moving figures, and depicting youth and old age. The author has also written "The Artist's Handbook". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
This is the type of book anybody wanting to be an artist needs.It is extremely helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Intended for enthusiastic beginners and practising artists alike, this book shows you everything you need to know about perspective. Easy-to-follow projects instruct you in essentials, and aim to inspire you to tackle more complex techniques, including special effects. This book is one of a series of titles which range from acrylic figure to oil portrait and from pastel life to water-colour landscape. It offers close up step-by-step photographs which show drawings being created before your eyes and it lets you into the secrets of how professional artists produce their work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

art books
Useful, easy to understand, a great set of books. I have some on drawing, watercolors, and pastels.DK Art School Well Done!!!!

Tools for Exploring Perspective
Linear perspective, said Leonardo da Vinci, Òis nothing else than seeing a place or objects behind a pane of glass, quite transparent, on the surface of which the objects that lie behind the glass are to be drawn.Ó AmongLeonardoÕs notebook drawings, there is a tiny self-portrait (c. 1510) inwhich he is shown using a squared-off and window-like drawing device(sometimes called ÒAlbertiÕs veilÓ), four variations of which were depicted15 years later in a famous series of woodcuts by German artist AlbrechtDŸrer. This current publication is not only an introduction to perspectivein book form but also a kit-like collection of tools to use in exploringfor oneself its history, theory, and application. Among those tools are anacetate drawing window (like LeonardoÕs), two ÒdraftsmanÕs netsÓ (like thatportrayed in DurerÕs prints), various measuring devices, pads of griddeddrawing paper, and a cut-out with which one can easily make athree-dimensional model of Dutch artist M.C. EscherÕs Òimpossible triangleÓ(a well-known illusion that appears to violate certain spatial principles).Experimenting with the devices in this box could result in a deeperunderstanding of perspective, especially if one were to read at the sametime an earlier, richer and far more interesting book on the same subjectfrom the same publisherÕs Eyewitness Art series: Alison Cole, Perspective(Dorling Kindersley, 1992). (Review from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol 14No 2, Winter 1998-99) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

serves its purpose
Janet Bush is a leader in Art Therapy so it is only natural that she would write a good book on the subject.This book is NOT intended to give cookbook rememdies for simply doing art with children in the schools.The intention of this book is for those educated and trained as Art Therapists.

Hoping for a more...
As someone who works in schools using expressive arts, I was hopeful when I found this title. However, the content was disappointing and focused on the use of art as a clinical tool in school settings. Given the creative capacities of art with children, particularly those who have special needs, this book fell short in discussing how art can be therapy, rather than just another means of assessment. More description of ways and activities to use with children would have been helpful to this working teacher-counselor I do commend the author for attempting to write a book on this topic and perhaps it will stimulate more work in this important area. Despite my negative review, this book is worth a look by those who plan to use art with special needs and at-risk children in schools. ... Read more

Product Description
With great timeliness, Rethinking the Contemporary Art School examines the very basis of the art school and its role in society. The book considers various art-school models-innovative graduate programs, independent stand-alone schools and art schools that are departments or schools of major research universities-and the problems that art schools face as academically marginalized institutions. Rethinking the Contemporary Art School concludes with essays on new media, inquiring whether the contemporary art school offers the right context for this discipline. The anthology includes contributions by Su Baker, Bruce Barber, Mikkel Bogh, Juli Carson and Bruce Yonemoto, Edward Colless, Jay Coogan, Luc Courchesne, Sara Diamond, Lauren Ewing, Gary Pearson, Bill Seaman and Jeremy Welsh. ... Read more

Product Description
Intended for enthusiastic beginners and practising artists alike, this book shows you everything you need to know about still life. Easy-to-follow projects instruct you in essentials, such as how different type of materials work, and aim to inspire you to tackle more complex techniques. This book is one of a series of titles which range from acrylic figure to oil portrait and from pastel life to water-colour landscape. It offers close up step-by-step photographs which show still life being created before your eyes and it lets you into the secrets of how professional artists produce their work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Handy Helper
This book focuses in well on different aspects and teaches you new techniques in easy to follow instructions. ... Read more

Product Description
The best of middle school teaching is "learning by doing" and is interdisciplinary. This book ties it all together and offers a complete, innovative program, from vision, through planning, implementation, and assessment. The program is accomplished through the collaboration of the school library media specialist and the language arts teacher. Senator outlines ways in which they can collaboratively plan, teach, and assess units which use language arts as tools. She includes specific instructional programs, suggestions for staff development, examples of questions, organizers, and units for grades six through eight, ideas for creating schedules, and methods of working together to develop materials for instruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Informative and Practical
School media centers should support the curriculum. Ideally, teachers and school media specialists should collaborate to make the best use of all the resources in the school media center. However, too often both groups workin isolation, failing to capitalize on the potential benefits studentswould reap from their collaboration. This book is a great starting pointfor anyone seeking to establish greater collaboration between language artsteachers and school media specialists.Senator outlines a program whichincludes school media specialists and language arts teachers planning,teaching, and assessing together, rather than in isolation. In addition todescribing the program, Senator provides many useful sample resource unitsthat can be used immediately by teachers and school media specialists.Thebook primarily focuses on the middle school level, but Senator alsoincludes a chapter on how to adapt the program to elementary and secondarylevels. Overall, it is a wonderful idea source! Teachers, librarians, andmost importantly, students, should benefit from the use of a program likeSenator's. ... Read more

Product Description
A trusted guide and companion for current and future art educators, CHILDREN AND THEIR ART presents a professional approach to teaching art consistent with national standards for student learning. The authors are experienced as art teachers in the public schools and have a broad knowledge about school art programs. The Eighth Edition provides an easy-to-use combination of theory, research, and practical knowledge about teaching art.The most comprehensive textbook available for teaching art education methods, CHILDREN AND THEIR ART covers all aspects of teaching art in the elementary classroom: the basic principles and goals of art education, the characteristics and needs of children as learners, the core principles of art as a subject-aesthetics, principles of design, art history, art media-and all aspects of instruction-curriculum planning, sample lessons, classroom management, and assessment. Among numerous updates throughout the text, the Eighth Edition features a brand-new chapter on visual culture. This new edition also includes more than 300 illustrations, with well over 100 new images added to provide examples of new media and better representation of post-modern artforms and works by women and minority artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Children and Their Art
This is the first time I ordered a book from Amazon and was a bit disappointed. The book was not on it's original binder it was in a note book binder and it was hard to manage. Plus some pages were missing but copies were made and attached.Overall the book served its purpose but it was not what I expected and as I mentioned it was difficult to turn pages. It would have been okay if this information had been disclosed when I ordered it. Then I would have known what to expect.

Good ideas
Heavy reading but good ideas and information throughout for teachers wanting to add some art to their day :)

Excellent Book for an Arts for Teachers Class!
I had recently taken an Arts for Teachers Class.I had to return the book because I rented it from the bookstore, but I wanted the book.Instead of paying $140 dollars for it at the same bookstore, I bought it here off of a seller for $10 and was very satisfied.This edition of the book contains more information than the newer edition of the book.I am very happy that I have this edition instead.It is very nicely organized and will be very helpful wherever life takes me.It contains information on children's art developmental stages, the various kinds of art for kids, art history, art aesthetics, art criticism, and different ways you can incorperate art within the classroom.This is an invaluable resource for future and current teachers.I highly recommend this book.

very similar to eighth edition
I chose this edition to use instead of the 8th edition for a art education class.The information is the same, but the pictures have changed.Which doesn't matter to me, the cost was the reason I chose this edition.College is expensive, and if I can save $100 by using an older edition, I will.So, to anyone who wants to save some money, buy this edition if you are required to buy the 8th edition.You will be reading the same information.

Good
Shipped extremely quickly. Great condition. Price was not so good: i'd seen better elsewhere, but not anywhere I could get it quick enough. Overall, good service. ... Read more

Product Description

Taking a close look at the issue of the arts and school reform, this book explores in detail how the incorporation of the arts into the identity of a school can be key to its resilience. Based on the A+ School Program, an arts-based school reform effort, it is much more than a report of a single case - this landmark study is a comprehensive, longitudinal analysis of arts in education initiatives that discusses the political, fiscal, and curricular implications inherent in taking the arts seriously.

Offering a model for implementation as well as evaluation that can be widely adapted in other schools and school districts, this book will inspire arts educators to move from advocating more arts to advocating the arts as a way to reform schools. Administrators and policy makers will see how curriculum integration can be used to revitalize and energize schools and serve as a springboard to wider reform initiatives. Researchers and students across the fields of arts education, school reform, organizational change, and foundations of education will be informed and enlightened by this real-world scenario of large-scale school reform.

Product Description
Schools are increasingly employing art therapists. Properly integrating art therapists in schools makes it possible to maximize the high potential of therapy work with children,as well as contributing to the entire school environments.

This book provides a theroretical and parctical surevey or issures surrounding the integration of emorional therapy in an educational framework.Suprevisores, principals, school counselors and educational psychologists will find here a concise explanation on teh nature of art therapy, along with case examples. Expressive therapists will find here tools for better explaning and integrating art therapy in schools. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you've taken art classes or never held a brush before, An Introduction to Watercolor will show you everything you need to know about painting beautifully in this challenging -- but rewarding -- medium. Easy-to-follow projects, shown as they were created, teach the essentials while inspiring the student to tackle increasingly complex techniques.Each volume of the DK Art School series focuses on a specific medium and subject, so you can choose precisely what you want to learn. When complete, the DK Art School will offer the widest choice of specific subjects -- from acrylic figure to oil portrait, and from pastel still life to watercolor landscape. Build your own private Art School in your home library. ... Read more

Product Description
In this elegantly written, passionately argued book, Fowler presents a convincing case for teaching the arts to all children. He argues that, far from a luxury, the arts are a vitally important part of our society and our schools. Highlighting the crucial effect of the arts on learning, this volume shows how the arts can enliven and extend the entire school curriculum by integrating different subjects in innovative interdisciplinary ways. These eighteen compelling essays are a clarion call to action for any teacher, parent, policy maker, or citizen concerned about the fate of the arts in American society and schools. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ideas for rescue the arts
The best from this book is the idea to let the industry people to understand the importance of the arts for the job scenario. Mr. Fowler is very focused and well centered in his proposal. As an educator-artist, I have been talking about the same idea but few understand the point; the idea of pushing the arts and it's uniqueness to the academic structure can be a self destructive idea. Let's open our minds and put the effort where it's neccessary. Just read and follow the instructions! ... Read more

Product Description
Turn the pages of An Introduction to Mixed Media -- and discover an exciting art course that teaches you how to combine a variety of versatile and expressive media. an Introduction to Mixed Media is a practical guide to a range of artistic techniques. More than 300 photographs guide the beginner through a series of exercises designed to teach all the essentials of working in mixed media. Revealing projects focus on professional works of art, all shown in the making so novices can follow the creative process step-by-step. Unique gallery pages display works of masters -- pictures that will instruct and inspire every student of art. Packed with specially commissioned artworks, clear instruction, and easy-to-follow exercises, The DK Art School offers idea courses for "armchair" art students.The DK Art School series is a new way to learn, improve, or master drawing and painting skills. Carefully constructed courses ensure that you gain both the confidence and the know-how to create imaginative, beautiful pictures. With individual volumes on subjects like still life, portraiture, or landscape, in specific media such as oil, watercolor, or acrylic, The DK Art school series offers something for everyone, and builds into a unique collection of practical art books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

teacher
I have owned this book for many years and it has been the inspiration for many a successful lesson with primary aged children. I have learnt a great deal about technique and how to enhance artworks without having special "drawing" talent. A must for any teacher in a school without a specialist art teacher.

Good general overview
This book is designed to open the reader's eyes to the various types of mixed media art and how the techniques are used by different artists to achieve a wide range of effects.The photographs, especially those of thetools and supplies used in the techniques, as well as the photographs ofartwork are especially informative, and useful for a beginner.However, ifyou're looking for specific technique instructions, or tips on how tocombine the various mixed media techniques into your own artwork, you maybe disappointed.This book left me wanting more, but it is still avaluable addition to a beginning artist's library. ... Read more

Product Description
Tattoos have gone from badges of rebellion to fashion statements fully absorbed into mainstream culture. They are enjoying a renaissance, with graphic designers and artists creating specialty tattoos for a growing audience, unleashing a revival of interest in the bawdy vintage tattoo. Old school tattoos are being rediscovered (sometimes ironically, sometimes not) by a new generation. Originally embraced by rebels, sailors, and gangsters, these tattoos—broken hearts, naked girls, floral motifs, and maritime emblems—are now showing up on the fashion runway and in music videos.This book chronicles vintage motifs in thematic chapters interspersed with profiles of influential tattoo artists and their distinctive designs: Sailor Jerry Collins, Don Ed Hardy ("the Godfather of Tattoos"), Mike "Rollo Banks" Malone, Bert Grimm, Japan’s Horiyoshi III, and Shanghai’s Pinky Yun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Much More Than Expected - Books Like This Are A Must Have
This is a great book. It's that simple. If you're at all interested in classic or vintage tattoos then let this be your first book on the subject, or if you have other tattoo topic books, then you need to add this to that collection.

I was interested in a book on old school or vintage tattoos. My main purpose was to learn a little bit more about Sailor Jerry Collins and his influences. I thought maybe there would be some other interesting tidbits of information on the history of what we now consider "vintage tattoos" and maybe some cool pictures - what I got was an amazing surprise.

There is so much fantastic and detailed information - none of it boring. The book takes you on an incredible journey through time, style, artists and even equipment.

Even if you don't know how to read, the pictures and old flash of these vintage tattoos are worth the price of admission ... ok, the price of the book, but you get the point.

Whether you're looking for tattoo ideas, a tattoo history lesson or want to have a unique perspective on vintage tattoos - this is a must add to your bookshelf.

Great collection of old school flashes
I bought this book after getting my first tattoo, while looking through itI relized how beautiful the old school designs are. Before Kat Von D you had the masters like sailor Jerry Collins, Jack Dracula, and Bert Grimm. If you want a look at what tattoo art should look like i suggest buying this book

interesting
I thought it would be more flash. Still interesting book. Good buy if you enjoy Traditional tattoos

Pretty Lame
The images are the same images you find looking at the flash images at a tattoo shop.Nothing original at all about this book.Very disappointing.I am returning it.

Vintage Tattoos
Vintage Tattoos is an impressive compilation of true Americana.Exploring ink life from the carnival to the navy and throughout a century of beauty, icons, and curiosity, Carol Clerk brings an unbiased voyage of truly personal art and obsession. ... Read more

Product Description
The official book companion to the film starring John Malkovich and Max Minghella.

Art School Confidential is Dan Clowes and Terry Zwigoff's major motion picture follow-up to their acclaimed debut feature, Ghost World. Directed by Zwigoff from a script by Clowes (his first since his Oscar-nominated debut screenplay for Ghost World), the film stars John Malkovich, Max Minghella, Jim Broadbent, Steve Buscemi, Anjelica Huston and Sophia Myles.

Art School Confidential follows Jerome (Minghella), an art student who dreams of becoming the greatest artist in the world. The film expands on a short comic story by Dan Clowes that was originally published, in black-and-white, in his hit comic book series Eightball; for this new book, the strip will be published in full-color for the first time.

This scrapbook/screenplay also features the shooting script for the film, including several scenes edited out from the final cut. It also boasts two full-color sections jammed with stills from the film, character designs from Clowes' sketchbook, artwork created as set dressing by Clowes and his friends, and many other surprises. ... Read more

Product Description
Definitive introduction to the art and artists of Mexico during great artistic movements of the twenties and thirties. In-depth discussion of major figures—Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros—as well as 40 other artists: Galvan, Cantú, Meza, more. Fascinating insights, political and social movements, historical context, etc. 95 illustrations.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"There is no mystery about art"
Originally published in in 1941 Dover released this paperback edition in 1989 in their line of Art history books. Dover does a nice job of reviving important works at affordable prices. Granted this edition may not be as grand as the originalpublished by Harper & Lee but it serves as a sort of everyman's introductory guide that is transportable. The author, Mackinley Helm has first hand knowledge of his subject as he rubbed shoulders with the Big Three, Orozco, Siquieros & Rivera.Many items featured in print are from his oown collection. Of these the drawings are most notable. Besides being an art collector himself he knew these individuals which provides his discourse with insight and first hand knowledge. However Helm goes way beyond just exploring the greater known Mexican artists as he ties all aspects togetherfor a seemlessvision which includes including social and political influences. There are ten chapters and he aptly begins with the '"grandfather " of Mexican ArtDr. Atl or as he calls him theSaint John the Baptist of Mexican Art.Christened Gerardo Murrillo, Dr. Atl adopted his own name from the Nahuatl language meaning water. Working in the shadows of the volcano Popocatepetl or "Popo" he feathered his legendliving simply and looking like Biblical figure with long beardand by painting naturalvistas usually with Popo in the background. He later established an art school where notable Mexican painters studied. In the first chapter Helm also explores the influence of another master, Guadalupe Posada, who influenced the more well known muralists who came to be known as the Big Three. Posada was known for drawing calveras or skeletons, he created caricatures of political figues in the newspaper during a time of upheaval prior to the Mexican Revolution. All of these early influences are explored that would be the foundation for the flourishing renaissance in Mexican Art. Although much of the book is dedicated to the Big Three Helms does explore many lesser known artists and includes 82 plates and 95 illustrations. The prints are adequate butnot spectacular as they are in black and white. When compared to the colorful originals or plates found in other books it is a little disappointing . However the pencil and ink drawings do translate well although the size is limited to the smaller size(see dimensions) of the book. I think the strength of this book is the text itself which is full of historical informationand personal recollections. Artists covered include , Rivera, Siquiros , Orozco, Kahlo, Tamayo, Posada, Escobedo, Morado, Meza, Romero, Lazo, Montenegro, Merida, Goitia, Ruiz, Izquierdo, Lozano, Cantu, Lozano and Galvan.This is an excellent introduction to Mexican Art book but also serves wellsomeone more well versed in the subject matter. Recommended for Mexican Art enthusiasts. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first book on teaching middle school language arts for multiple intelligences and related twenty-first-century literacies in technologically and ethnically diverse communities. Roseboro's concise book provides an entire academic year of inspiring theory and instruction in multimedia reading, writing, and speaking for the twenty-first-century literacies that are increasingly required in the United States and Canada. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Accolades
Anna gave me a new way for students to connect with poetry. I treasure her ideas and credit her for rescuing me from a temporary POETRY BLOCK. Reading her book reminded me of that time, and once again Anna Roseboro has just the right idea. A POEM A DAY FOR AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS is now also part of my curriculum.

A Worthy Invitation to English Teaching
In Teaching Middle School Language Arts, Anna Roseboro offers a comprehensive view of middle school education for beginning teachers. In each chapter she tackles a different component of the curriculum, such as teaching the short story or teaching a classical novel, and her goal is to guide young teachers through her thinking, assembling curricular units before their eyes. I especially like the way she designs the opening days in new units. She moves middle-school students slowly and playfully into new literature, giving them time to sample a genre, hear its power through oral readings, and share personal connections. Her approaches are all designed to generate interest and enthusiasm and build from an extraordinarily positive view of teen learners. She sees them as capable, able to apply themselves in school once they understand their teacher's expectations and understand the purposes of instruction. She also sees them as uniquely talented, willing to embrace projects that grow from their learning styles and preferences. Consequently, in every unit, she imagines ways to include music, art, and electronic media.

One of the most powerful features of Roseboro's teaching is her focus on students. She encourages young teachers to become kid-watchers, gathering information about students' language skills and learning habits. As teachers circulate through classrooms during activities, they make anecdotal records: one student reads slowly, another enjoys a particular genre, a third worries about criticism. As teachers become more knowledgeable about students, they design lessons more effectively and assist students in finding meaningful projects. They also develop teaching behaviors that are sensitive to students' needs. When should I respect a child's right to privacy, how should I respond to sub-standard language, how can I convey my evaluations without burying students in criticism?Roseboro's book is filled with suggestions for communicating with teens in thoughtful and compassionate ways. Her final chapter on naming activities is a model of teacher sensitivity in the classroom. Another admirable feature of the book is her acknowledgment that teachers work in very different settings. In some schools, students may mark text; in others they must rely on temporary markings such as sticky notes or journal entries. In almost every teaching situation Roseboro reminds teachers to gather information about their schools and cultures. She ends every chapter with a set of resources and briefly includes her cautions about their use.

While this book is clearly written for pre-service teachers, it is filled with clever teaching practices for all teachers. In teaching drama, for example, take time at the end of class to assign parts so that students may practice their oral performances for the next day. In poetry, sponsor multiple readings: silent readings, choral readings, partner readings, jump-in readings. In writing, create writing groups of six, each student reading some papers without comment and commenting on just two. In literature, develop reading schedules for students, provide some time in class for reading, and incorporate students' suggestions into the curriculum. And perhaps most of all, expand use of electronic media, using classroom websites to celebrate student learning, Wikis to promote student interaction, and blogs to publish student ideas. Practicing teachers will find much in this book to enhance their already fine pedagogy.

In an era of negativity about schools, it is very nice to read a book that views students positively and invites teachers wholeheartedly into the profession.

Relationships Matter Most
As always, Anna J. Roseboro provides teachers with what we need most:subtle reminders of how and why we entered our beloved profession.Teaching is a gift, and when it's done right, learning takes place in unforced, untamed ways. With the guidance and wisdom gleaned from decades in the trenches, this text provides new and veteran teachers with practical,innovative ways to help us remember and our students know that what we love most about teaching is them.

That's why, as Roseboro affirms even in Chapter 1, relationships matter most. When our students know how much we care, they are eager to participate in their own growth as individuals because they recognize that they are not merely numbers and names on our rolls.They'll want to learn because the knowledge is served with love and humility.Teaching is a sacred journey, and when all is said and done, it's how we treated them while we had them that they will remember most.Thank you for reminding us of that, Anna.

Both Very Practical and Deeply Insightful for All Teachers
I was honored when the author asked me to write a preface for this splendid book. I have been teaching for about 30 years, but I learned a tremendous amount reading it. Ms. Roseboro's concrete examples and illustrations about teaching language arts will help teachers of all ages and subjects. She has learned by doing, by trying creative approaches and then refining the ones that worked the best.

I've always thought that language arts (I teach communication) is one of the most interesting topics to teach. Language arts is about people and relationships, and about stories that can enrich our lives and build common understanding for the good of community and society. Reading this book renewed my love affair with the field. Ms. Roseboro's own enthusiasm is infectious.I can understand why she is an award-winning teacher and a national board certified instructor.

I especially hope that new teachers will consider the ways that Ms. Roseboro has integrated deep pedagogical insights with practical teaching skills. It's easy as a new teacher to get so overwhelmed with daily preparations and classroom activities that one loses track of the theories behind one's instructional approaches. When it comes to teaching language arts with new literacies in mind, this kind of theoretically disconnected teaching becomes very problematic. Teachers fall prey to the latest "media" fads that are both unproven and usually a waste of time.

I'm grateful for Ms. Roseboro's inspiring book.I am honored to have written the preface.

Quentin J. Schultze, Ph.D., author of How to Write Powerful College Student Resumes and Cover Letters: Secrets That Get Job Interviews Like Magic

A Most Useful Tool
I recently read "Teaching Middle School Language Arts" and found it to be extremely useful as I prepare to begin student teaching in the fall.The book was well written and easy to understand.While I plan to teach science, not language arts, I found that much of the book and many of the examples within the book will be applicable to my teaching experience, such as the preplanning of lessons and how to successfully engage students. ... Read more