Books
Unlock student potential with Essie's research-backed strategies. Her publications provide a strengths-based approach to literacy, equipping educators with tools to bridge achievement gaps and help students master complex, secondary-level texts. Beyond skill-building, Essie’s work demonstrates how robust literacy development directly boosts student socioemotional health and fosters a proactive sense of urgency in the classroom.
Caring & Engaging Schools
Caring & Engaging Schools tackles the root cause of literacy gaps for high school students in poverty: the systemic barriers that stifle hope and academic growth. The author introduces a strengths-based, "whole-child" framework designed to reengage students and restore socioemotional well-being. By implementing five core strategies—from cultivating mindsets that reengage students to building community-wide equity—schools can transform student performance regardless of socioeconomic background. These integrated methods do not just help students graduate; they equip them with the essential college and career skills needed to thrive long-term.
Caring & Engaging Schools Professional Development Guide
The Professional Development Guide is an invaluable companion to the book Caring & Engaging Schools. It contains learner-centered professional development designed to deepen educators' understanding and application of the information in the book. The guide comprises engaging exercises and thought-provoking questions, organized around individual reflection and purposeful collaborative problem-solving activities that empower high school educators with the tools to improve student learning and engagement.
Strengths-Based Teaching-Learning
Strengths-Based Teaching-Learning presents a restorative approach to equitable education, replacing deficit-based mindsets with a framework focused on student assets. The book outlines how to foster authentic teacher-student relationships, build resilience, and enhance academic outcomes through social-emotional development. Through continuous self-reflection and collaboration, secondary educators learn to sustain a community of practice dedicated to fostering equitable, strengths-based learning environments.