Teaching with Intention

Additional Teaching with Intention Information

"I believe in the power of collaborative classroom communities where everyone's ideas are valued and respected. But had you been in my classroom that day, you'd have never known it. You'd have thought I believed that I was the one with all the answers."

Effective, intentional teaching begins with a strong set of beliefs, but even the best teachers -- including Debbie Miller -- struggle to make sure that their classroom practice consistently reflects their core convictions. In Teaching with Intention, Debbie shares her process of defining beliefs, aligning practice, and taking action to ensure that children are the true beneficiaries of her teaching. As Peter Johnston writes, "Through this book we have Debbie's teaching mind on loan. She engages us in the details of a teaching life from inside her mind, showing the thinking behind her teaching and the consequences of her actions."

While Debbie's previous book, Reading with Meaning, chronicled a year in her own classroom, Teaching with Intention brings us into classrooms of teachers and children she has met over the last five years in her work as a literacy consultant. From setting up the classroom environment to the intentional use of language, from comprehension instruction to lesson design, Debbie is explicit about what she does and why. At the same time, she encourages teachers to develop their own belief statements concerning teaching and learning, and includes key questions to guide them in this important process.

In an environment where the handing down of scripted programs and "foolproof" curricula is increasingly the norm, Teaching with Intention offers a compelling reminder that truly transformative teaching is built from the ground up, and is rebuilt every year, by every teacher, in every classroom, with every new group of students.

What Customers Say About Teaching with Intention:

This book will get you thinking about your teaching philosophy. I have yet to finish it all but from what I have read, I am encouraged by Mrs. In these days of high stakes tests and standards being pushed and pushed I think we as educators have gotten lost in all the chaos of state and federal regulations. I think this is a great read for a new teacher as well as a veteran teacher. Miller to redefine my philosophy of teaching and to keep a journal this year to find out new things about how I teach and what I value the most. Happy Reading.

Once again, Debbie Miller offers terrific ideas to use in the classroom. It reinforces so much that as a teacher we already know, but things that sometimes don't come to the forefront. This book offers much inspiration to every teacher.

As I was ordering that book I saw this book and ordered it. I ordered this book because the primary teachers at our school decided we needed to be more consistent with teaching vocabulary. We started a book club and decided to read Reading With Meaning. I've been teaching for 20 years and this book got me to thinking about a different way to get my kids excited about thinking of our classroom as being part of a community. I love the ideas for using manners and modeling the type of behavior and thinking I want to see in our classroom.Can't wait to try it.

Practicing, as always, her own beliefs, the remainder of the book is organized around Miller's own key beliefs with each chapter illustrating those beliefs through powerful classroom stories. With her gentle, loving tone, Miller reminds us of what really counts n the classroom with a discussion of the importance of identifying core beliefs about literacy education. She examines her own reflective process and discusses the importance of the role of reflecting on classroom practice and planning with the goal of alignment. As a coach, I see so much potential in the this book--not just for new teachers, but as part of a discussion that allows us to begin with articulating who we are and what we believe in. Well done, Debbie, well done.

The learning situations are authentic. This book is full of helpful information and highly engaging to read. This book is a great resource for teachers interested in refining their practice. It is full of pertinent information that is easy to apply in any classroom. The author writes about real classrooms with real students and teachers. Reflective, thoughtful, intentional teaching is the key to student achievement. I have been teaching for 15 years and I found the information in this book very timely.