Literacy For All Children

Drawing upon thirty-two years of experience in public education, ranging from the classroom to the principal's office, author Carolyn Lawrence offers advice, insight, and inspiration to her readers about how to make reading accessible and even fun for students. However, Lawrence's point stretches far beyond literacy and delves into the idea that all students, regardless of background and "correct instructional level", are capable of learning and benefiting from a positive school environment. Her intention is to make the reader a participant in the school's life, to give an insider's view of how much "soul" it takes to make a school successful. Through anecdotes and personal experience, Lawrence provides all readers, both educators and others, with a deeper understanding of the challenges of public education. She demonstrates the role of the teacher and the principal as the instructional leader and a daily participant in classroom life, juggling a variety of roles and responsibilities. This book is useful to all readers with a concern for education, and particularly for practicing and training school administration and others concerned with curriculum and instruction planning. It will also be helpful in preparing teacher education students and new teachers for the classroom.

I had the pleasure of working with Carolyn McKenzie Lawrence in Florida and found her to be a principled person who fought to educate all her students. Her book is a poignant portrayal of her efforts to educate all students especially working for those marginalized by the education system. Regardless of your perspective on assessment and accountability it is vital that the American public and educators engaged in a dialogue concerning the complexities of implementing assessments in our schools. Dr. Lawrence's text adds another voice to the debate., Any person who really wants to do a good job as an educator of students, teachers, or administrators will benefit from this book. Her courage to do what is right even in the face of personal cost shows her commitment to children., This book is a must read for elementary school teachers and principals, especially schools in low-income areas. Its focus is on the children and their learning needs. It provides an insider's look at the daily educational challenges in these schools and offers clear and practical ways to make them successful experiences for each and every child., Stories of successful practitioners like Carolyn provide powerful inspiration for future educators, and her experience is a wonderful example of true leadership. I will be sure to share the book with my colleagues., [Lawrence] describes practical ways to help put children's needs, instead of test scores, back into the center of the educational process, and ways to mentor children who need extra help in the early grades.

Carolyn McKenzie Lawrence was an elementary school teacher, reading supervisor, curriculum resource teacher, assistant principal for instruction, and elementary principal for 32 years. In 1962 she was nominated for Outstanding Teacher of the Year in Huntsville, Alabama. In 1966, she became a reading supervisor for a county in Alabama. She was named to the Professional Practices Council in Florida in 1973, was Principal of the Year in her school district in 1987, and was named one of Five Outstanding Educators in l989 by the National Parent Teacher Association. She has been a member of Phi Delta Kappa, ASCD, NEA, and NAESP.