A good book nurtures the mind, launches the imagination and inspires the soul. These recent books from NLU faculty members come highly recommended.

Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care

Teri Talan, NCE assistant professor and Paula Jorde Bloom, NCE professor
Teachers College Press 2009

This book, from NLU's McCormick Tribune Center for Early Childhood Leadership and Teachers College Press, is designed to measure the quality of business and professional practices of center–based early childhood programs. It reflects the growing professional consensus that the quality of family child care is determined by more than a provider's nurturing heart and caring interactions with children. Research on family childcare indicates that providers who utilize effective professional and business practices are more likely to view family child care as a career. They are also more likely to provide a higher–quality learning environment and interact more sensitively with children. The book is applicable for multiple uses: program self–improvement, technical assistance and monitoring, training, research and evaluation, and public awareness. It measures quality on a seven–point scale in 10 items: Qualifications and Professional Development, Income and Benefits, Work Environment, Fiscal Management, Recordkeeping, Risk Management, Provider–Parent Communication, Community Resources, Marketing and Public Relations and Provider as Employer. It is currently one of the assessments being used in Quality Counts, the Illinois Quality Rating System.

Chicago Italians at Work

Peter Pero, NCE adjunct faculty member
Arcadia Publishing 2009

For more than a century, Italian immigrants and their descendants contributed their labor and talent to building Chicago. This book focuses on a period from 1890 to 1970 when industry was king in this metropolis. Generations of Italians found work in companies such as U.S. Steel, Western Electric, Pullman, Crane, McCormick/Harvester, Hart Schaffner and Marx and other large industrial corporations. Other Italians were self–employed as barbers, shoe workers, tailors, musicians, construction workers and more. In many of these trades, Italians were predominant. This book chronicles the labor and contributions of an urban ethnic community through historic photographs and text.

Concordia Curriculum Guide, Math, Grade 7

Co–written by Edna Bazik, NCE associate professor
Concordia Publishing House 2008

This book is intended to be used by grade 7 teachers as a guide in planning and preparing math lessons for their students. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards are included to help teachers plan their teaching in an organized way, select teaching materials and evaluate the current instruction, materials and objectives. Each grade–level volume features articles about teaching mathematics and provides standards–based mathematics activities to help students solve problems using daily applications and real–life problems. A searchable CD allows for flexibility in searching, lesson planning and creating customized curriculum objectives to match any math program.

Correct Your English Errors: Avoid 99% of the Common Mistakes Made by Learners of English

Tim Collins, NCE associate professor
McGraw–Hill 2008

This book warns its readers of hundreds of errors typical learners make and explains the reasons behind the mistakes so learners can correct themselves in the future. It offers exercises covering all parts of grammar and provides review passages to check that learners are error–free.

Disability and the Politics of Education: an International Reader

Co–edited by Susan Gabel, NCE professor
Peter Lang 2008

This book deals comprehensively with the many aspects of the complex topic of disability studies in education. For nearly two decades, global attention has been given to education as a human right through global initiatives such as Education for All (EFA) and the Salamanca Statement. Yet according to UNESCO, reaching the goals of EFA remains one of the most daunting challenges facing the global community. Today, millions of the world's children with disabilities cannot obtain a basic childhood education, particularly in countries with limited resources. The authors in this volume explore these subjects and other complexities of disability and the politics of education. In doing so, they demonstrate the importance and usefulness of international perspectives and comparative approaches. The book is intended for faculty and graduate students in disability studies and sociology of education.

Ecology II: Throat Song from the Everglades

Anne McCrary Sullivan, NCE professor
WordTech Editions 2009

The Everglades come to life in Sullivan's poems in Ecology II: Throat Song from the Everglades. Sullivan is a Florida master naturalist who has been poet in residence in Everglades National Park and in Big Cypress National Preserve. During her childhood on Wrightsville Sound, on the coast of North Carolina, she learned to love the natural world in the company of her marine biologist mother. Alan Scott, chief, interpretation and visitor services, Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, says about her poems, "A reader of Anne McCrary Sullivan's poems will enter this world in a uniquely personal and revealing way. Ever since her initial participation as an artist in residence in Everglades National Park, Anne has been an attentive observer, a curious learner, and an enthusiastic ally of the Everglades. Her poems reflect a deep affection for and intimate knowledge of the animals, plants and delicate ecological balances of the Everglades. We welcome this work to a growing body of Everglades literature."

Engaging in the Language Arts: Exploring the Power of Language

Co–written by Donna Ogle, NCE professor
Pearson Education 2009

This book is intended for pre–service and master's level language arts and reading courses. It is a methods textbook for K–8th grade teachers to guide them in developing their students' language interests and abilities. The authors highlight ways oral language activities enhance reading and writing for all students, including attention to English learners. Teachers from Glenview, Northbrook and Chicago are featured and many of the photographs are from their classrooms.

Making Sense of Social Networks in Schools

Co–written by Ted Purinton, NCE assistant professor
Corwin 2008

Discover how to navigate your school's social networks to maximize communication and collaboration. This book provides school leaders with an understanding of the real relationships within their schools and how to use their social savvy to promote school goals. It examines the types of social networks typically found in schools and provides samples of social network maps, steps for developing your own maps and practical advice for managing social networks effectively. It is the American Association of School Administrators' winter 2009 book club selection.

Meritocracy and Americans' Views on Distributive Justice

Richard Longoria, CAS assistant professor
Lexington Press 2009

This book focuses on public opinion on issues related to the theory of meritocracy. By researching and studying a variety of sources in an attempt to understand public sentiments concerning meritocracy, the author highlights the contradictory nature of American public opinion and questions the belief that Americans fully embrace the meritocratic ethos.

The Myth and Reality of No Child Left Behind—Public Education and High Stakes Assessment: A Report Issued on Behalf of National–Louis University

Co–edited by Todd Alan Price, NCE associate professor and the late Elizabeth Peterson
University Press of America 2008

The editors of this book contextualize the contemporary state of American public education, drawing upon its deep historical roots and philosophical underpinnings. This framework enables the reader to understand the turmoil engendered by current policy waves. These essays pose insightful questions about whether we can build on our historical strengths to meet modern–day challenges of the global era. Chapter authors include CAS Dean Martha Casazza, CAS Assoc. Prof. Laura Bauer, CAS Associate Professor Stephen Thompson, NCE Assistant Professor Virginia Jagla, NCE Professor Kristin Lems, NCE Ass't Prof. Leah Miller. The book was written for parents, teachers and policy–makers.

The Second City Guide to Improv in the Classroom: Using Improvisation to Teach Skills and Boost Learning

Co–written by Katherine McKnight, NCE associate professor
Jossey–Bass 2008

Most people know The Second City as an innovative school for improvisation that has turned out leading talents such as Bill Murray and Tina Fey. This company has also trained thousands of educators and students through its Improvisation for Creative Pedagogy program, which uses improv exercises to teach a wide variety of content areas and boost skills that are crucial for student learning: listening, teamwork, idea–generation, vocabulary. The scores of ready–to–use exercises offered in this book can be used to teach a wide variety of subjects—including language arts, math, science, and social studies—as well as to build classroom community and develop cooperative learning skills.

Transforming Classroom Practice: Professional Development Strategies in Educational Technology

Co–edited by Arlene Borthwick, NCE professor
International Society for Technology in Education 2008

This book provides background chapters on the history of professional development in the field of educational technology, adult learning theory and school context for success. The remaining nine chapters discuss a variety of models based on long–term professional development programs with demonstrated outcomes. Chapter authors are from across the country and around the world, including Australia and New Zealand and also include NLU Professor Linda Tafel, Associate Professor Craig Cunningham, Academic Tech. Facilitator Rob Bowe and Adjunct Faculty Louanne Smolin and Cathy Risberg.

The Writing–Rich High School Classroom

Jennifer Berne, NCE associate professor
Guilford Press 2008

This book gives teachers everything they need to set up and manage a successful writing workshop in a high school classroom. By creating a classroom centered on writing, the workshop approach helps students develop skills and strategies for mastering numerous writing tasks and genres.

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