Richard W. Strong was vice president of Silver Strong & Associates and Thoughtful Education Press. A former teacher on the elementary and secondary levels, he served as a trainer/consultant to hundreds of school districts, teacher and professional organizations, and state departments of education. In addition, he was a leader in the movement for authentic assessment. As cofounder of the Institute for Community and Difference, Richard studied democratic teaching practices in public and private schools for more than ten years. A former district-level coordinator for gifted and talented education, Richard wrote and developed numerous books and products for educators. Harvey F. Silver, president of Silver Strong & Associates and Thoughtful Education Press, was named one of the 100 most influential teachers in the country. He has conducted numerous workshops for school districts and state education departments throughout the United States. He was the principal consultant for the Georgia Critical Thinking Skills Program and the Kentucky Thoughtful Education Teacher Leadership Program. Silver is the author of several educational bestsellers, including So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences and Teaching Styles and Strategies, both published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Design. With Richard Strong, Silver developed The Thoughtful Classroom—a renowned professional development program based on the commitment to “make students as important as standards.” Matthew J. Perini, director of publishing at Silver Strong & Associates, has authored curriculum guides, articles, and research studies on a wide range of topics, including learning styles, multiple intelligences, and effective teaching practices. Strong, Silver, and Perini have recently collaborated on Discovering Nonfiction: 25 Powerful Teaching Strategies, Grades 2-6; So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences; and Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strat­egies for Raising Student Achievement.