Textbook Expo

I spent Wednesday morning at a textbook expo in St. Cloud. As far as an expo went, I guess it was pretty pathetic. But I've never been to such a thing, so it was new to me. We met with two reps. One from Glencoe and one from McDougal Littell. In my opinion, the choice was easy, McDougal Littell.

I think it would be fascinating to work for a textbook company. I've been out of the loop for so long, using older textbooks, and supplementing them HEAVILY with may other selections, that it amazed me at all the stuff that comes with a textbook.

First, we get the textbook itself, which is a monster. I wish they would have been like this when I was in high school - I would not have had to lift weights for football. Unlike our current textbook, which has pure text on most pages - and only a few pictures or connections or strategies - this textbook is littered with pictures, additional articles, reading strategies and so on. Each chapter begins with a reading model. There is a selection and in the margins are reading strategies for students to model.

Next, the work books. We get new workbooks supplied each year. In addition, the workbooks come in three levels - based on students reading levels. What is unique about this is that the texts in the workbooks (say, "A Modest Proposal") are all the same. They are not abridged or dumbed down for struggling readers. What differs, though, are the activities for the three levels. The lower level has more reading comprehension strategies while the advanced level has more higher order thinking skills work - all the with the same text. So we could say, please turn to page 175 - and each students' workbook would have the same text on the same pages. The only differences would be the activities in the margins and at the end of the stories. I'm not totally sold on this (first, how do we know which kids should get which level of workbook - NWEA results? BST scores? Guess? Second, what happens when Joe (an advanced reader) looks for at Carl's textbook (for a struggling reader) and sees that they're different? WIll he want an 'easier' text? Will Carl be mad or insulted? That could be a headache).

Third, the supplements. They give us reading strategy books, comprehension books, lesson plan books, graphic organizer books, grammar books - all that work in conjunction with our text. I don't know how much of this I'll use - but it's nice to have the options.

Finally, the flashdrive. McDougal Littell issues a flashdrive for each teacher with all of the lessons, assignments, tests, and so on already on it. Just plug it into your computer and you can build lessons and assignments and tests. How cool will that be? Again, I'm not saying I'll use it all, but it's nice to have the option. Just looking at some of the lessons our rep was building on his laptop had me excited. Also, students will be able to access assignments via the internet and find critical texts and other resources. That is way cool too.

I can't wait to get started.