Art Of Constructivist Teaching In The Primary School

First Published in 1999. This book arose from a growing awareness of student teachers' need for an easy, informative and inspiring book about the constructivist approach. On hearing that label, students tend to react either with, 'Isn't that marvellous - the answer to all my problems', or 'Sounds fine in theory, but I couldn't do it'. Both are wrong. This book may help to get the balance right.

First Published in 1999. This book arose from a growing awareness of student teachers' need for an easy, informative and inspiring book about the constructivist approach. On hearing that label, students tend to react either with, 'Isn't that marvellous - the answer to all my problems', or 'Sounds fine in theory, but I couldn't do it'. Both are wrong. This book may help to get the balance right.

First Published in 1999. It is difficult to imagine a world without arts, with no drawing, music or painting for example. Few, if any, cultures are without these elements. This accessible book roots the practical in the theoretical, to explain carefully the principles which underpin practice, as well as offering a day-to-day reference book for classroom use. It includes ideas and examples of cross-curricular work which retain the integrity of visual arts teaching within the structures and strictures of today's primary schools.

Praise for the Original Edition: "Lots of fresh ideas, along with some very helpful suggestions." —Pamela Galvani, Teacher Central Kitsap High School, Silverdale, Washington Praise for the New Edition: "Useful as the first version of their book was, Marlowe and Page′s second edition is even better. It offers a rare blend of thoughtful critique, solid theory, and practical strategy." —Alfie Kohn, author of The Schools Our Children Deserve Make constructivism work for you and your students! Taking students from passive spoon-fed knowledge to creation and acquisition of real learning: It sounds terrific. But how do you do it? This book shows you how. In this updated and expanded second edition, Marlowe and Page use a larger and clearer format to bring together constructivist theory with step-by-step guidance to make constructivist learning a reality in your classroom. Creating and Sustaining the Constructivist Classroom, Second Edition includes the firsthand experiences of practicing teachers to help you understand the challenges and rewards you can expect from constructivism. The teachers′ stories along with guidance from the authors give you a solid foundation on which to build your own student-created learning classroom. The authors provide: Active learning examples to customize for any grade or classroom Checklists to help you evaluate your starting point, progress, and goals Expanded coverage of state and national content standards Practical assistance with issues surrounding student assessment, differentiation, and the inclusive classroom Ideas for involving parents and community members Ways to implement technology into the mix Strategies to help even beginning teachers implement constructivist principles Stimulate your students′ creativity, autonomy, and independent thinking. Help raise their self-esteem and confidence. Get their minds working on proactive ways to bring real-world learning into their schoolwork. Encourage your students to discover new ways to search for information, process what they find out, and translate it into meaningful knowledge for themselves.

This enduring bestseller remains the most comprehensive examination of constructivism and its relationship to teaching and learning. Closing the gap between theory and practice, well-known scholars make constructivism accessible by showing its application in everyday classrooms. Building on the success of the first edition, the authors have completely updated this popular text and expanded its scope to include examples of constructivist teaching across all grade levels and disciplines. An ambitious revision of a now classic text, Constructivism: Theory, Perspectives, and Practice, Second Edition is an invaluable resource for practicing teachers, teacher educators, and curriculum specialists in mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. New for the Second Edition! An updated theory section that adds further contemporary biological evidence to go beyond the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky—offering a more contemporary framework for a psychological theory of learning.New chapters reflecting the school-based reforms that have been initiated since the writing of the first edition—specifically addressing the changes in mathematics, social studies, and teacher education.A new chapter on the emerging field of disability studies—including a critique that unmasks current practices and assumptions that better serve schools rather than students and their families. Contributors: Paul Cobb • Susan Cowey • Rheta DeVries • Eleanor Duckworth • Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. • George Forman • Catherine Twomey Fosnot • Catherine A. Franklin • June S. Gould • Maxine Greene • Candace Julyan • Randall Stewart Perry • D. Kim Reid • Deborah Schifter • Jan Weatherly Valle • Ernst von Glasersfeld • Betty Zan. Praise for the First Edition! “Provides the reader with many ways of connecting to the central ideas of constructivism . . . highly readable.” —Gifted Child Quarterly “Shows how constructivist theory can inform classroom practices, and . . . provides teachers with a deeper understanding that gives substance to the rhetoric of school reform.” —Journal of Curriculum Studies

A reliance on a teacher-centered model of instruction presented the foundation for my research. I chose to investigate constructivist theory and to implement constructivist teaching practices within my art education classroom to determine if constructivist teaching practices would facilitate a shift to a more student-centered learning environment, and to determine if constructivist strategies positively impact student learning. I collected my raw data using autoethnographic recording, documenting my results over a two month period in January and February of 2007 from my experiences as an art educator at a public, Metro-Atlanta elementary school. A positive impact on student learning was observed and the constructivist teaching strategies did produce student-centered learning environments. Based on my experiences constructivist teaching strategies may be beneficial to the creation of student-centered learning environments and assist in broadening student inquiry and investment with lessons.

The activities that transpire within the classroom either help or hinder students' learning. Any meaningful discussion of educational renewal, therefore, must focus explicitly and directly on the classroom, and on the teaching and learning that occur within it. This book presents a case for the development of classrooms in which students are encouraged to construct deep understandings of important concepts. Jacqueline Grennon Brooks and Martin Brooks present a new set of images for educational settings, images that emerge from student engagement, interaction, reflection, and construction. They have considerable experience in creating constructivist educational settings and conducting research on those settings. Authentic examples are provided throughout the book, as are suggestions for administrators, teachers, and policymakers. For the new edition of their popular book, the authors have written an introduction that places their work in today's educational renewal setting. Today, they urge, the case for constructivist classrooms is much stronger and the need more critical. Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book.

In order to be a successful primary teacher you need a clear understanding of good teaching practice across the subjects that make up the primary curriculum. This second edition has been fully updated to include key points from the 2014 National Curriculum in England, balancing a clear discussion of the principles behind high quality teaching with the requirements of current policy. An emphasis on creative approaches supports you in developing inspiring cross-curricular practice in your classroom. New to this edition: Links to the 2014 National Curriculum in England in every chapter Case studies in every chapter provide useful examples of creative teaching in each curriculum subject Expanded coverage on assessment and planning This is essential reading for students on primary initial teacher education courses, including university-based (PGCE, PGDE, BA QTS, BEd), school-based (SCITT, School Direct, Teach First) and employment-based routes into teaching.

Introducing CLD – Constructivist Learning Design – a new and different way of thinking about learning and teaching. Teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin; this ground-breaking book realizes that, and builds on the pioneering work of Piaget and Vygotsky to offer a new approach to the constructivist classroom. Learn how to organize groups, build bridges, ask questions, arrange exhibits, and invite reflection in the creation of whole new – and successful – teaching/learning designs. A major new work for students of teaching, teachers, administrators, and parents who want to know how to apply constructivist learning theory in the classroom.