The English Teacher's Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession

"Sometimes, English asks us to juggle so much so fast that teachers wonder how they can possibly do it all, let alone do it well." Jim Burke shows us how with this revolutionary new guide to teaching the entire English curriculum--covering everything from basic reading and writing to digital literacy, media literacy, and integrated instruction.

Written for the way most teachers read--on the run, in search of a particular solution--The English Teacher's Companion is highly structured for ease of use. Chapters are clearly subdivided; lessons are presented step-by-step; and assessment is integrated throughout. Outstanding features include:

* thorough grounding in the current national English Language Arts standards

* virtual companion website to provide additional resources and ongoing support for classroom teachers

* examples of how to integrate technology into the curriculum

* up-to-the-minute coverage of current and anticipated reforms, including media literacy, digital literacy, service learning, AP classes, and more

* an extensive appendix, featuring sample letters, rubrics, guides, checklists, planners, and much more.

As creator of CATENet and a teacher in a socially diverse high school, Burke knows how to build communities where essential conversations flourish. He writes, "Just like poets charge our senses by taking different words and rubbing them to see what fires they can make, so do I like to watch what happens in my classes where one student writes about his friends in prison and the girl next to him writes about her daddy the judge who puts them there." The English Teacher's Companion welcomes you to the conversation.

JIM BURKE teaches English at Burlingame High School in California. He is the author of numerous best-selling books, including The English Teachers Companion, Second Edition, Tools for Thought, Reading Reminders, and Writing Reminders, all published by Heinemann, as well as The Readers Handbook, published by Great Source. He also offers online courses with HeinemannU. Jim is the recipient of NCTEs 2000 Exemplary English Leadership Award. Inducted into the California Reading Associations Hall of Fame in 2001, he currently serves on the Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts Standards Committee of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Email Jim Burke at jburke@englishcompanion.com