Understanding How Students Learn: A Guide for Instructional Leaders (Leadership for Learning Series) - Hardcover

Murphy, P. Karen; Alexander, Patricia A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 141290885X ISBN 13: 9781412908856

Publisher: Corwin, 2005

Synopsis

Recognize and promote exceptional teaching based on how students learn!

To improve teaching, school leaders must understand how students learn. Authors P. Karen Murphy and Patricia Alexander explore key psychological dimensions of learners and explain how these dimensions can be incorporated into more effective teaching strategies. Their accessible overview of classic and current educational research is part of the Leadership for Learning initiative of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). Understanding How Students Learn provides guiding principles that school leaders can use to help their teachers develop a learner-centered approach to instruction that enables all students to learn at high levels and do well on common measures of academic achievement.

Concepts explored in-depth include:

• Learner growth and development
• Acquiring knowledge and understanding
• Cultivating learner motivation
• Strategic teaching and strategic learning
• The power of shared learning

In addition to outlining specific guidelines for research-based action, the authors provide leaders with an understanding of student learning that empowers them to work more productively with teachers, parents, community leaders, and students.

Designed for principals and school administrators who have assumed the role of instructional leader, this book will also be an invaluable resource for those contemplating a career in school administration or teachers concerned with improving academic performance.

About this title

Review

"This book is an informative guide to the mapping of childrens' minds. Readers will discover many extensive and specific tips and helpful ideas to create a better learning environment as well as techniques for their students."

(Internet Bookwatch, Education Shelf 2006-03-23)

Synopsis

Leaders cannot influence the quality of teaching unless they understand how to recognize really good teaching. The most significant challenge faced by most teachers is how best to facilitate the learning of students who fall behind. In order to move teaching to more effective strategies, leaders must learn how to explain how and why learner centered teaching will enhance the achievement of all students. This essential resource covers three core areas: 1) Understanding Recent Research on Learning; 2) Identifying the Characteristics of Effective Teaching, and 3) Overcoming Barriers to the Implementation of Learner Centered Teaching. Murphy and Alexander's book introduces readers to the research on learning and helps them develop an understanding of how different approaches to instruction are informed by research. This will be the textbook for the first course in the Leadership for Learning curriculum, Facilitating Effective Learning for All Students. The Leadership for Learning curriculum is a joint venture between AASA and Canter//Sylvan Learning to create a new educational administration program that will be available on-line and at universities, including Vanderbilt.

Edition details

• Publisher: Corwin
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 141290885X
• ISBN 13: 9781412908856
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168