Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/03/2014 · Last modified 11/18/2019
New teachers and veterans alike will find plenty to emulate in Marsha Ratzel’s Teaching in High Gear, which reflects upon her journey to a connected, student-driven classroom. Ratzel’s creation of her own PLN is also instructive, says reviewer Julie Ron.
The new book Motivation to Learn doesn’t just talk about the theories behind motivating learners. Using a fresh metaphor (river rafting), it gives new & veteran teachers “concrete strategies for creating a classroom culture that maximizes student engagement,” says reviewer Tasha Kirby.
In a 7th grade classroom where students are used to sharing ownership and know how to think on their feet, what does the teacher do when he asks a question and there’s absolute silence? Smile at all the parents in the room and trust the kids.
In this thought-provoking book, the teacher-authors’ Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) strategy goes beyond the argumentation of the subtitle, says reviewer and science teacher Tracey Muise, modeling how learning can be driven by student inquiry.
In her new book Teaching in High Gear, middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel describes a transformational journey, marked by a gradual shift toward student-driven learning and energized by a global network of collaborators. In this excerpt, Marsha describes how her development of a “coaching mode” helped students become more self-reliant learners.
Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 12/10/2013 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Reviewer Elisa Waingort highly recommends Student-Driven Learning to those who want to move toward a classroom where students are in the driver’s seat. The authors show how teachers can analyze current practice and begin leading students on hops, drives, and journeys toward ownership of learning.
Students don’t like school because we don’t create the right cognitive conditions for learning. Bill Ivey reviews Dan Willingham’s book, Why Don’t Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom.
