Why Didn't I Learn This in College?: Third Edition

From the beginning, Why Didn't I Learn This in College? has been designed to pull together in one place, in a user-friendly format, much of what many teacher candidates are introduced to in college. The title is not meant to suggest that most of the constructs are not covered in teacher preparation programs. The intent is to say truthfully that we did not always internalize all that was introduced, we completed different courses, or, perhaps, we took an alternative approach to entering the profession.

The first two editions are in the hands of hundreds of thousands of new teachers and their mentors. Veteran teachers also find the text useful as a reminder of strategies they used in the past and as a source of newer constructs and approaches to use with the ever-changing demographics of our students. This text is not meant to sit on a shelf but to be used as a resource on a weekly or daily basis. To that end, it is written in a teacher-friendly format, presented in an easy-on-the-eyes font size, and bound so that it lays open on desks. Dog-earred and flagged copies are open on teachers desks around the world.

How Is the Third Edition the Same as Earlier Editions?

Holds student learning as the central goal of our work Addresses teachers as leaders of learning and change rather than managers of the status quo

Based on the premise that the best management program is a strong instructional program

Features K-12 practitioner examples on Through the Voice Of... pages

Includes practical applications of evidence-based practices

Dedicated to equitable, engaging, and empowering learning for our diverse learners

What Is New in the Third Edition?

Updates in every chapter

Chapter III is revised/updated and is now titled: Building in Rigor and Relevance

Chapter V is revised/updated and is now titled Incorporating 21st Century Literacies (Textual, Visual, Digital, and More)

Brief snippets on 21st century educational hot topics

Full pages of totally reviewed and updated Resource Recommendations (print, digital, and visual) in Chapters II through X

Multiple QR Codes that facilitate quick access to selected Just ASK's online resources aligned with the focus questions addressed in this book

links to an amazing array of up-to-date web resources embedded throughout each chapter.

Paula Rutherford is the author of multiple books including Instruction for All Students, Leading the Learning: A Field Guide for Supervision and Evaluation, Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners, Why Didn't I Learn This in College? and The 21st Century Mentor s Handbook. She has also written facilitator s handbooks for several of the books that she has authored so that job-embedded learning opportunities are within the reach of all educators who purchase those books.

Paula is president of Just ASK Publications & Professional Development, established in 1989 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. For many years she has worked extensively with districts as they engage in long-term systemic work to align processes such as hiring, induction, professional development, school improvement plans, and supervision and evaluation. She has also led Mentoring in the 21st Century® Institutes across the country and has developed a comprehensive Mentoring in the 21st Century® Resource Kit so that districts can replicate the Just ASK institutes and provide extensive follow-up support for mentors. Paula, committed to building in-house capacity, also developed a New Teacher Professional Development Kit that provides over 30 hours of support for new teachers. Paula is pleased to have gathered an amazing cadre of Just ASK consultants who are available to lead workshops and coach district and school leaders as they build in-house capacity and offer job-embedded professional learning opportunities. The multimedia resources available for this work all use the same language and concept system so that there is clarity and focus for all stakeholders committed to high levels of engagement and learning for all students.

In addition to her extensive work as a consultant and coach, Paula s professional experience includes work as a teacher of high school and middle school history and social sciences, physical education, Spanish, and kindergarten, as well as a special education teacher, coordinator of special education programs, administrator at the middle school and high school levels, and as a central office staff development specialist.