Essential Strategies for 21st Century Teaching

How can you motivate your students? What are best practices for teaching students with special needs? How will current policy debates affect what happens in your classroom? What are the best ways to integrate new technology? There are so many complicated issues teachers face that, sometimes, being a teacher can feel like trying to juggle--while playing the piano.

This course develops strategies for excellent teaching through an in-depth study of educational psychology, individual differences, classroom management, materials selection, student assessment, and educational policy debates.

Participants will be able to:

• Comprehend how children grow and learn and apply this knowledge.
• Appreciate individual differences among students and know how to create an environment where all children excel.
• Study principles of motivation and their application.
• Learn techniques for creating a classroom environment that is most conducive to learning.
• Understand best practices for choosing instructional materials, including technology integration.
• Learn how to teach students the skills that will be necessary for their success in the 21st century.
• Explore the principles of authentic assessment and their application.
• Understand current policy issues in American education and their implications.