Closing the Gap between Risk and Resilience: How Struggling Learners Can Cope with the Common Core State Standards - Hardcover

As a result of reading this text, I believe the information in this book is valuable to all teachers today. It is my hope that teachers who are aware of the implications and ramifications of CCSS, will use this book as their "bible" of instruction, whatever their area of focus. There's just so much valuable and practical "how to teach to all students" information; educators will be foolish not to read, absorb and follow the strategies, suggestions and advice included. -- Doris Williams, principal Harford County Public Schools, retired As teachers we look for specific ways to scaffold instruction to assist students in reaching the goals we set forth. Harriet has scored another hit in Closing the Gap Between Risk and Rigor by providing numerous model sample lesson plans (and personal life-long experiences) which deliberately expose students to learning opportunities to challenge and extend their higher order thinking skills. Like the peeling of an onion, she exposes each new layer of student need in order to scaffold instruction and thereby construct the bridge that students need to meet the Common Core State Standards. -- Gary Thrift, Chair Education Department, Notre Dame of Maryland University With today's call for rigor for all children, the teachers of at-risk students face a daunting task: raise the bar in content and thinking for a group of sometimes unwilling learners. This book by Harriet Porton provides teachers with a step-by-step approach to creating lessons that embed rigor and success for this targeted population. And for administrators looking for a way to provide hands-on help to teachers, this book does it. It is a must for teachers seeking to help their at-risk students achieve. -- Barbara Leonard, branch chief professional development, Maryland State Department of Education, retired

Although there has been considerable interest and concern surrounding the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, there is almost no information regarding best practices for getting at-risk students to attempt the rigor embraced by the Standards. This text offers lesson plans, realistic advice, and explanations and descriptions focused on how to move academically discouraged students from failure to thrive to success with the Common Core.