Tara C. Dale: First and foremost, I want to thank my husband, Joe, and our children, Josh and Sami, who have been supportive and patient throughout this project. They knew this was important to me and because of that, it was important to them.
I'm forever grateful to Mandi White, who was thoughtful, honest in her feedback, and a cheerleader. I believe we spent more time together than we did with anyone else this past year, and my admiration for her has only grown. Working side-by-side for more than a decade has made me a better teacher and a better person.
Thank you also to Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, our editors. I thought writing a book would be simple because I'm passionate about the content. After receiving the eighth edited version from them, I quickly realized there is much more to writing than I had ever imagined. They were patient in their explanations, decisive when we couldn't make decisions, and a guiding force throughout the project. Their suggestions, not just with editing but also with the writing process itself, were appreciated, effective, and appropriate. They were an integral part of this book!
I am most appreciative of Pete Gaughan and Amy Fandrei at Jossey-Bass. They were continually accessible, willing to answer all questions, and address any issues we had throughout the writing process. It always felt as though we were a team. Every time we had to reach out to Pete and Amy, they responded quickly and professionally. And, yes, Pete, I finally learned how to take a picture—add more light!
Last but not least, I want to thank the thousands of students who have gone through my classroom during my career. I often asked them to try new learning strategies that required them to trust me. They never faltered as we enjoyed the learning process together. I often share that I wake up before my alarm clock and it's because I can't wait to get to school. I love going every day because I get to spend my time with amazing young people.
Mandi S. White: I would like to start off by thanking my family and friends, who have given me so much love and support through this process. Additionally, I am so thankful for my co-author, Tara Dale, who was patient, encouraging, and kept me sane as we spent countless hours together. I could not imagine embarking on this book-writing journey with any other person. Thank you to Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull-Sypnieski for their guidance and continuous support. Also, a big thank you to Pete Gaughan and Amy Fandrei at Jossey-Bass for their patience, understanding, and assistance with all the many aspects of book writing that we, as first-time authors, were unaware of. Lastly, the biggest appreciation goes out to all of the students I have had the honor of calling “my kids” throughout the years. You all have made me a better teacher and human and I am ever so grateful for that.
Both of us would like to express our appreciation to the many educators who have shared their ideas with us throughout the years to use both in our classrooms and this book.