New college and career ready standards (CCRS) have established more rigorous expectations of learning for all learners, including English learner (EL) students, than what was expected in previous standards. A common feature in these new content-area standards, such as the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics and the…

Teachers know that their students love to explore and learn. But, how do we make this possible with thirty students, with different needs, learning styles, and backgrounds, all in one small room with one teacher in the class? Designed to help teachers reflect on their current teaching practice, "Student-Driven Learning" suggests small shifts,…

As an advanced rhetoric and composition doctoral student, I taught Engl 3135: Visual Rhetoric, a three-credit upper-level course offered by the Department of English at Georgia State University. Mary E. Hocks originally designed this course in 2000 to, in her words, "introduce visual information design theories and practices for writers [and]…

Teachers and administrators who recognize the needs of today's society and students, and their impact on teaching and learning, can use this book to create student-centered classrooms that make technology a vital part of their lessons. Filled with practical examples and step-by-step guidelines, "Students Taking Charge" will help educators design…

Yes, it's true that today's students have tons of distractions that take their attention away from the hard work of learning. That's why it's more important than ever to establish a teaching relationship with students that makes academic learning relevant to their lives. Here's a book that explains how to do that by changing teaching practices…

Reviews five professional resource books on whole language instruction and mentions three additional books on the topic. Suggests these books to educators who are interested in obtaining information and support for child-centered instruction. (MG)

Shares observations and reflections on the writing development of very young authors. Looks closely at one student to reveal how a skillful and perceptive teacher makes use of the child as informant to support continuing learner independence. (MG)

Discusses barriers and benefits to active learning teaching approaches. Gives some suggestions for implementing change. Contains 16 references. (DKM)

Describes an approach to increasing student choice and responsibility within the science classroom. Student-centered approaches to classroom behavior are considered more in line with democratic values than traditional teacher-centered approaches. Includes a list of student committees formed within the classroom. Notes increased student motivation…

Explores the role of purpose in reading lessons by discussing some common problems with teacher-directed purpose, looking at how purpose works during reading, identifying purposes for reading and instructional strategies for each purpose, and developing a set of guidelines for thinking and making decisions about purpose and reading lessons. (MG)

Maintains that inquiry-based approaches to instruction may lead all students toward their gifts. Discusses I-Search papers in this light, including their use with poetry and with technology. (SR)

Explains how one teacher combined reciprocal teaching and cooperative learning to promote active learning and encourage students to assume a variety of responsibilities. (MG)

Introduces the topic of student-centered pedagogy as it relates to the college composition classroom. Describes current theories of how to adapt collaborative learning models to the classroom. (HB)

Provides a curriculum unit using the novel "Fahrenheit 451" to provide student-centered activities based on solid pedagogical methodology. Emphasizes value-centered analysis of the novel, comparison of alternative arguments, and integration of cooperative learning activities. (PRA)

Presents two activities. In the first activity, students investigate a question that they choose on one of the selected toys. In the second activity, students keep journals on their experiences during the investigations. (YDS)