Description
Author/consultant Carolyn Coil’s updated, revised, and expanded resource is a “must-have” for all educators coming into the field of education and for educators experienced in the classroom and in administration.
Because of the intense emphasis on standards and accountability, Coil first explains and examines the most important and current educational ideas, theories, issues, laws, and strategies for 21st century teachers and administrators. Then, as she does best in her professional development in-service, she synthesizes those topics and presents practical applications – Tools – for the classroom “in the trenches” teachers and their administrative leaders.
Teaching Tools includes practical planning formats or lessons and units (the Individualized Lesson Plan™ (ILP), a multitude of ideas for differentiation and assessment, and valuable information about No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The information and strategies presented and discussed correlate with the five core propositions that the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® has deemed reflect the standards of excellence in teaching. Teaching Tools Topics include:
Teaching Creatively
Learning Styles
Learning Modalities
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Multiple Intelligences
Assessment
Educating Gifted Students
Dealing with Conflict
Technology
Parent/Teacher Collaboration
Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
Sample Pages
Loyal Customer –
Carolyn Coil’s totally updated, revised, and expanded edition of Teaching Tools for the 21st Century is a good introductory manual as well as a useful handbook for primary teachers getting their feet wet in their first year teaching. New teachers are often overwhelmed by the education theories and concepts they need to absorb. Coil felt the need to create a “tool,” which she defines as “any instrument or device used to make the work of one’s profession or occupation easier, more effective, or more efficient” to help teachers incorporate theories and concepts into their classroom teaching.
To accomplish this, Coil formulates an innovative reflective thinking tool called the “Coil 4-I Planning Model”; Imagination, Ideas, Information, and Implementation to help readers grasp the information in her book. “Imagination” is our best brainstorming of new ideas. The “Ideas” motivate us to realize what can be done and how can it be done. Then, gathering “Information” comes along to help us see how the ideas might be implemented in students’ learning and teachers’ daily practice. Last, “Implementation” is the action step we should take to put everything into practice. An important consideration—this Coil 4-I Planning Model can be utilized in teachers’ teaching and in students’ learning.
Coil discusses and offers tools for a vast array of topics including learning styles, Bloom’s taxonomy, multiple intelligences, and so forth. This topical arrangement allows reader to read just the sections that interest them. Coil begins with an overview of teaching creatively. She discusses the needs of 21st century students, and offers four keys for teaching.
1. .“Flexibility,” which refers to accepting the differences in learning styles, learning modalities, strengths/weakness in the multiple intelligences, pace of learning and lesson presentation, time needed to complete a task, students interest and ability levels,
2. “Resources” points out the importance of sorting through and re- evaluating teaching resources frequently,
3. Let students feel a sense of ownership when planning classroom activities or assigning assignments by giving them different “choices”, and
4. “Planning” lessons that will meet the individual needs, learning styles and learning modalities.
Coil’s Teaching Tools for the 21st Century offers helpful tools for reflective learning that are unique to this books such as the: “Questions to Consider Box” for preview and “Reflections Box” for review. Coil also challenges teachers to reflect upon their own classroom practices. Each chapter is full of activities and practical ideas, tips, and suggestions on how to foster great teaching and learning. The author capitalizes on her practical experience to validate her conclusions.
The book can be purchased with an accompanying CD that includes both PDF printable and customizable WORD files of Student Activity, Teacher Reflection, and Teacher Information pages that readers are granted permission to reproduce for their classroom use, a practical and worthwhile tool to add to their selection of teaching textbooks/reference books. Indeed, Teaching Tools for the 21st Century’s greatest strength comes in the many immediately useful tips and ideas shared. For example, the book includes a list of movies and videos that show the heart of teaching and a good teacher’s characteristics, 30 strategies for working with LEP (Limited English Proficiency) /ESL (English as a Second Language) students, 14 strategies for working with culturally diverse students and families, and 10 steps to successful conflict resolution.
While Coil takes much effort to make Teaching Tools for the 21st Century interesting and inspirational however, little attention is given to theoretical discussions of the teaching and learning process. The book is exactly as presented a collection of tools, but little did the reviewer expect that NO teaching and learning theory references would be included in the book. As an Educational Psychologist, this reviewer felt that neither the teaching / learning process theory presentation nor information about its implementation and application measures up to be sufficient. Coil offers teachers a time to reflect and think by listing many questions at the beginning of each chapter. However, this would be more helpful if later some of those questions were addressed by the author in the text. Furthermore, while diagrams and different forms are presented in each chapter, clear instructions are not given on how to utilize them. Consistency is also important for the overall formats throughout the book and this was especially lacking in the word fonts. Lastly, author Coil might want to include classroom management theory and practice in her next edition since there is a discussion on conflict management and conflict resolution in the current edition. It would be very beneficial to teachers if self-regulation theory and its practice were introduced as well. It also wouldn’t hurt to bring up some unsuccessful teaching experiences from other teachers to help teachers understand challenges they might face, deal with, or avoid.
In conclusion, Carolyn Coil’s Teaching Tools for the 21st Century encompasses both theory and practice aspects of teaching tools. The mix of education theories, practical suggestions, and experience sharing keeps the material interesting, relevant, and readable. The book is filled with useful tips and valuable ideas. Despite some poor formatting, I would recommend this book for primary teachers and educators without hesitation.
Loyal Customer –
This book, very aptly titled, serves as a great resource for today’s teachers. It contains current educational information, theories and ideas for the classroom at a teacher’s fingertips. The information contained begins with topics covered in a teacher training course and probably in need of review by all teachers. Topics such as Learning styles, Learning modalities, Bloom’s Taxonomy need revisiting at times. This information is presented in a clear, direct format that is easily read. Theories like Multiple Intelligences are revisited to allow today’s teacher to reflect on its importance in today’s teaching envi-ronment.
Many other current topics of interest are also presented. Cultural Diversity, Inclu-sion of Student with Disabilities, and Educating Gifted students are some of these. Usu-ally they are presented in isolation. From a teacher’s perspective it is very handy to have this information in one book.
While this book is used as a text for a course in educating gifted students, the in-formation contained is relevant to all students. The book provides many points for con-sideration and reflection for teachers. The chapter on “The Heart of Teaching” certainly asks for self reflection.
The final chapter, Technology as a 21st Century teaching Tool is very relevant, especially for those of us who are somewhat intimidated by using it in the classroom. To nudge us into using technology, the author and publisher have provided a CD ROM loaded with forms that can be used to manage information by teacher and students.
I recommend this book highly for all my teaching colleagues. It is a great, up to date reference source, with all today’s relevant topics included. Read it again before the next school year begins!
Sonia Johnson
Loyal Customer –
Teaching tools for the 21st Century provides good instructional information that helps both the novice and veteran teacher implement good lessons for present day students. Many practical applications are provided that encompass learning styles and learning modalities. The documents provided incorporate varied activities, performances and products that can be used to vary lessons and encourage learning. The questions provided before each section help the individual reading this section evaluate what they are going to teach and how they could better prepare their lessons. A vast amount of information and instructional forms are provided that help format lessons with options that help optimize student learning. The Individual Lesson Plan (ILP™) introduced is explained thoroughly and is formatted so that it is teacher friendly making it easy to use. The ILP™ makes it easy to assemble options for students that can be included in lesson plans for all learning levels.
This book is a good resource tool for teachers at all levels. It is written in such a way that the novice teacher can use it to build good lessons; but it also provides information that helps a veteran teacher reformat lessons taught to optimize student learning. The book does a good job helping teachers change their way of thinking in order to help teach today’s children better. All aspects of our current educational programs are integrated into this book with instructions on how to use them to the student’s advantage. Technology, performance based activities and lessons focused on multiple intelligences and learning modalities are addressed. Excellent forms are provided to help incorporate all aspects of the learning environment into plans.
This book also includes parents as part of the learning equation. It establishes good communication strategies between the teacher and the parent with excellent resources to establish two way communications. The resources help ensure that the communication between teacher/parent is directed toward learning outcomes that benefit the student. The author also does a good job providing information that can be used by parents to help maximize their child’s learning experience. All of the strategies provided are easy to follow and apply. I like the fact that the author has taken the approach that the parents, school, and the classroom teacher are needed to provide true learning in the classroom. Overall a well written book that is a very good resource tool for today’s classroom.
Sharon M. Mott
Loyal Customer –
“It provides teachers with so much useful information in an organized, direct way. I commend you for your deliberate avoidance of professional jargon that weighs down so many other books for teachers. Your inclusion of important target groups…makes your book valuable for all teaching areas and your inclusion of parents is noteworthy. Your book is very ‘teacher-user friendly’ and a contribution to our field.”
-Frances Dubner, Atlanta GA
Loyal Customer –
“Teaching Tools for the 21st Century is right on target. Carolyn brings research and relates it in understandable terms…This book addresses all of the issues and is a must for all educators…”