Designing Instruction: Making Best Practices Work in Standards-Based Classrooms

"A fresh new approach that strengthens the need for teaching with creative thinking strategies for administrative leadership teams. Few textbooks have such detailed examples combined with the background study of best practices. The authors have great credibility, experience, resources, and abundant research to support their proposal. A very well-written text offering ample review of the research."
―Sara E. Spruce, Professor of Education
Olivet Nazarene University

Use this research-based instructional model to meet students′ achievement goals!

As the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students gets wider, teachers and administrators need a proven process to help all students meet the requirements of NCLB. This practitioner-friendly guidebook provides a step-by-step approach to a complete standards-based curriculum and the integration of best practices into the delivery and assessment of instruction in every classroom.

The authors present three capacity-building features of the design process: (1) training for building leadership teams to help teachers plan and lead the reform process, (2) stewardship training to assist district administrators and principals in supporting and sustaining the implemented reforms, and (3) a collaborative observation process to help teachers work together and in partnership with principals to monitor and improve classroom instruction.

Offering an education model that has been field-tested with more than 50 school districts in the U.S. and Canada, this book shows school leaders how to maximize collaborative observation and other team leadership processes to integrate reforms into a school′s existing culture. Educators will learn ways to:

• Integrate instructional design with successful instructional reform
• Strengthen the learning culture through standards
• Develop effective performance indicators
• Apply curriculum mapping to instructional design

Designing Instruction supports teachers and administrators working together to raise student achievement by using proven instructional design and best practices.

"Exceptionally useful, well-organized, and supported by research." Author: Linda Diaz, Program Specialist for Professional Development Published On: 2006-10-26

"A fresh new approach that offers creative thinking strategies for administrative leadership teams. Few textbooks have such detailed examples combined with the background study of best practices. The authors have great credibility, experience, resources, and abundant research to support their proposal. A very well-written text offering ample review of the research." Author: Sara E. Spruce, Professor of Education Published On: 2006-10-27

"We used the Designing Instruction process to redefine our entire curriculum and instructional program, and our student achievement has shown steady improvement!" Author: Cynthia A. Lemmerman, Superintendent Published On: 2006-11-29

"The Designing Instruction process helped us focus our efforts on effective teaching practices and the overall improvement of our entire delivery system. We have dramatically improved our pedagogy and the learning outcomes of our students." Author: Jon Hood, Principal Published On: 2006-12-01

"Through the Designing Instruction process, our district empowered teachers to design a standards-based curriculum, develop yearlong curriculum maps, and devise unit plans that integrate best practice teaching and testing methods into every classroom, and our principals have become the stewards who facilitate and sustain the process!" Author: Lynne Gale, District Administrator Published On: 2006-12-01

"What a godsend! Our teachers developed a K-12 standards-based curriculum in math and language arts, and teams of teachers developed course tools that were based on best practice research to deliver our new curriculum in every classroom. As our test scores began to go up, the gap between sub-groups began to narrow. We are thrilled with our success, and the district has continued the process ever since." Author: Joan Sigafoos, Retired School Improvement Director Published On: 2006-12-04

"My highest priority was for schoolwide reform that would improve daily classroom instruction―a comprehensive program that would assist teachers in their choice of curriculum, their efforts to differentiate, and their choice of teaching-learning strategies. What we′ve accomplished using the Designing Instruction program has been outstanding!" Author: Meredith Davis, Principal Published On: 2006-12-14

"An invaluable, practical guide for teachers and administrators and education libraries at the college level." Author: The Bookwatch, December 2007 Published On: 2008-01-29

"The authors outline instructional design within the context of school reform. By presenting the material in an accessible way, the book combines theory with practical applications." Author: Education Libraries, Spring 2008, Vol. 30(3) Published On: 2008-05-28