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Unleashing Student Superpowers
Practical Teaching Strategies for 21st Century Students
- Kristen Swanson - The Edcamp Foundation
- Hadley J. Ferguson - The Edcamp Foundation
Foreword by Marilee Sprenger
June 2014 | 176 pages | Corwin
Turn students into learning superheroes!
Like we see in the movies, no two superheroes learn to use their powers in the exact same way. Each of your students has superpowers hidden inside, and you hold the keys to unlock them. With this cutting-edge handbook, you’ll turn your classroom into a place where students don’t just receive an education—they use their powers to create it.
Discover specific, ready-to-use instructional journeys designed to foster an inquiry-based, student-driven learning environment. Each research-based journey
Tear through the obstacles of achievement and show your students that anything is possible!
“Ferguson and Swanson explain why tapping into student competencies is imperative and show the road-map for matching engaging activities to specific standards. So many books on the market explain why a shift is needed; this one gives you the tools to do it.”
—Erin Klein, Teacher
Michigan Reading Association, Bloomfield Hills
“Unleashing Student Superpowers is an amazing resource for the creation and enhancement of student-centered classroom environments that focus on high-level questioning, inquiry, and passion-based learning. Each Superpower theme provides linkages to the Common Core and flexible lesson plans that promote relevant skills for students’ learning.”
—Victoria Olson, Teacher
West Langley Elementary School, Canada
Like we see in the movies, no two superheroes learn to use their powers in the exact same way. Each of your students has superpowers hidden inside, and you hold the keys to unlock them. With this cutting-edge handbook, you’ll turn your classroom into a place where students don’t just receive an education—they use their powers to create it.
Discover specific, ready-to-use instructional journeys designed to foster an inquiry-based, student-driven learning environment. Each research-based journey
- Supports one of the six student superpowers: Wondering, Curating, Designing, Digital Inking, Gaming, and Connecting
- Encourages students to think deeply; as required by the CCSS and NGSS
- Includes step-by-step lesson frameworks, aligned with the Common Core, that fit into your regular day
Tear through the obstacles of achievement and show your students that anything is possible!
“Ferguson and Swanson explain why tapping into student competencies is imperative and show the road-map for matching engaging activities to specific standards. So many books on the market explain why a shift is needed; this one gives you the tools to do it.”
—Erin Klein, Teacher
Michigan Reading Association, Bloomfield Hills
“Unleashing Student Superpowers is an amazing resource for the creation and enhancement of student-centered classroom environments that focus on high-level questioning, inquiry, and passion-based learning. Each Superpower theme provides linkages to the Common Core and flexible lesson plans that promote relevant skills for students’ learning.”
—Victoria Olson, Teacher
West Langley Elementary School, Canada
Foreword by Marilee Sprenger
A Preface From the Superpower Guardians
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Chapter 1. Anything Is Possible: So Why Do Our Classrooms Have So Many Limits?
Chapter 2. The Student Superpowers
Chapter 3. The Wondering Instructional Journey: What Do You Wonder?
Chapter 4. The Curating Instructional Journey: Solving a Puzzle
Chapter 5. The Connecting Instructional Journey: Sharing Stories
Chapter 6. The Digital Inking Instructional Journey: What Should We Tweet?
Chapter 7. The Designing Instructional Journey: What Can You Make?
Chapter 8. The Gaming Instructional Journey: Make Life More Fun!
Chapter 9. The Superpower Audit: How Am I Doing?
Chapter 10. Start Today: Ten First Steps
Chapter 11. More Readings: The Fab Five
References
Index
"Ferguson and Swanson take teachers on a step-by-step journey through the process of planning powerful pedagogy for today's learners. They not only explain why tapping into student competencies is imperative, but they show the road-map for matching engaging activities to specific standards. So many books on the market explain why a shift is needed; this one gives you the tools to do it."
Michigan Reading Association, Bloomfield Hills, MI
"Unleashing Student Superpowers is an amazing resource for the creation and enhancement of student-centered classroom environments that focus on high-level questioning, inquiry, and passion-based learning. Each Superpower theme provides linkages to the Common Core and flexible lesson plans that promote relevant skills for students learning, curating, questioning, connecting, authoring, and creating in a digital age."
West Langley Elementary School, West Langley Elementary School
"Swanson and Ferguson make the case that anything is possible in our classrooms. Student superpowers are not something to hope for, but instead they are real, tangible, and accessible ways to unleash each student’s potential. If you want to prepare our young students to be successful in today’s world, and in the future, read this book and watch your teaching change into a powerful motivational force. The “ten first steps” to starting today will have you moving toward this type of learning in no time!"
Wissahickon School District, Ambler, PA
"In this book, Swanson and Ferguson provide a practical framework set to unlock the potential inside every student. The many easy-to-use strategies can be implemented in classrooms tomorrow. This book will help any teacher see and bring out the very best of each one of his/her students."
Quakertown Community School District, PA
