Classrooms of Wonder and Wisdom: Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking for the 21st Century, Sep/2010

"The authors illuminate theoretical ideas with insightful, practical ways for teachers to encourage students to develop the critical and creative thinking necessary in a flourishing democratic society."
—Angela Ward, Acting Associate Dean, University of Saskatchewan College of Education

"An excellent resource filled with useful strategies and approaches for creating student-centered learning through reading and writing."
—Eric A. Combs, Teacher, Fairborn City Schools, OH

Discover how to enhance learning for your students

Engaging from the first page, this is a book that you "do" rather than read. Award-winning authors Kurtis S. Meredith and Jeannie L. Steele actively guide teachers through the learning process with this well-tested and successful literacy-based professional development program. Educators are encouraged to assess their knowledge, make predictions, ask questions, and track their own progress to deepen their understanding of teaching and learning processes. Grounded in a framework that has been effectively implemented in more than 30 countries, the carefully designed sequence prepares teachers to help students:

1. Become lifelong learners with the capacity to integrate knowledge and experiences across content areas
2. Efficiently sort information and transform learning into action
3. Contextualize knowledge by adding new information to what they already know
4. Enhance their capacity to meet 21st-century demands

Each chapter includes an overview of expected outcomes, self-evaluation activities, learning experiences, and reflection exercises. This action-oriented guidebook is immediately applicable and is ideal for individual or group professional development.

About The Authors:
Kurt Meredith is presently serving as Interim assistant provost for international programs at the University of Northern Iowa. He is also an associate professor in Literacy Education. He is internationally known for his work in school restructuring and democratic educational practices. Along with Jeannie Steele, Meredith co-founded the Orava Association for Democratic Education, the largest self-governing NGO in the Republic of Slovakia and is dedicated to the professional development of teachers. While living in Slovakia he received the Order of St. Gorazd, the highest civilian award for meritorious service to Slovak education. He also received UNESCO recognition as co-author of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking program (RWCT) as one of 25 practices world-wide recommended for crisis prevention and peace building.

Jeannie Steele is a professor of literacy education at the University of Northern Iowa where she was awarded the Iowa Board of Regents Award for faculty excellence. Formerly a classroom teacher for over 20 years, she then served as consultant for educational reform for school districts in the U.S and is Past President of the Virginia State Reading Association. She received a Ph.D. from The University of Virginia in 1985. In more recent years, Jeannie has worked on international educational reform and is internationally respected for her work in teacher professional development. Along with Kurt Meredith, she co-founded the Orava Association for Democratic Education, the largest self-governing NGO in the Republic of Slovakia and is dedicated to the professional development of teachers. While living in Slovakia, she received the Order of St. Gorazd, the highest civilian award for meritorious service to Slovak education. She also received UNESCO recognition as co-author of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RWCT) as one of 25 practices world-wide recommended for crisis prevention and peace building.