How Real Teachers Learn to Engage All Learners

Review A compelling and unvarnished look at the art and science of teaching, Noonan eloquently captures the essence of education in the new millennium. A masterful storyteller, Noonan creates authentic characters, vignettes, and dilemmas, which transforms the reader to a sacred place to rediscover the challenges and opportunities for students and teachers of the twenty-first century. Practitioners at all stages of their careers will readily identify with the complex nature of teaching. Noonan skillfully builds a bridge for the reader to reflect and use relevant data and scenarios to capture the nuances of our profession. Each chapter offers mentor teachers, teacher leaders, and principals a rare opportunity to examine teaching and leaning at its subliminal core. Use this text as a perfect companion for your professional learning community. Find a comfortable space in your professional practice, open your eyes, and allow yourself to discover the REAL opportunities to harness the potential of all learners and teachers! -- Aura Wharton-Beck, principal, Minneapolis Public Schools, and recipient of the 2012 Division Leadership Achievement Award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ AssociationHow Real Teachers Learn to Engage All Learners stresses the importance of meeting the human needs of students in the school environment. Combining findings from psychology and education, Noonan describes four 'motivational pathways' to attract even the most troubled and reluctant students to learning. Noonan shows how to win the hearts and minds of students by first seeing them as worthy and capable human beings, then stimulating their interest through active learning, and finally, ensuring students receive the support needed to learn and achieve in school. -- Joseph L. WhiteFascinating, wise and elegant, this book illustrates how teachers with 'innovative expertise' challenge their students to reach their full potential. My research on the early childhood and adolescent education of Nobel laureates in science revealed how all recipients benefited from the support of at least one teacher with expertise in motivating students, helping them become some of the most entrepreneurial, innovative, and creative people in the world. Noonan shows how teaching using learner-centered practice and 'engaging pedagogy' will help future innovators realize their dreams. This book will be a defining work for decades, and a “must read” for every teacher and parent. -- Larisa V. Shavinina Ph.D, professor at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, CanadaWise, compelling, and authentic. Dr. Noonan has accomplished the near impossible with this text—writing an engaging, practical, and inspiring textbook about improving classroom practice, regardless if the reader is an undergraduate or a graduate student, an aspiring or an experienced teacher, or a supervisor or supervisee. She accomplishes this feat by citing well-researched theoretical and empirical literature as well as providing several actual stories to help readers understand how to implement successful teaching and learning practices. The REAL model captures the essence of what needs to be done to improve learning in the 21st century. After finishing the textbook, readers will be eager to apply the material as soon as possible. -- Karen L. Westberg, Ph. D.,professor, college of education, leadership, and counseling, University of St. Thomas Minneapolis, Minnesota Product Description The first few years of teaching represent an intense period of experimentation and learning, leading to the adoption of learner-centered practices to help students achieve. A critical incident or nagging problem triggers critical reflection on practice, experimentation, the adoption of new approaches, and permanent changes in practice. When teachers improve their practice through action research and collaboration with colleagues, students predictably learn more. Inspecting the “core” areas of teaching and