The Joyful Classroom ─ Practical Ways to Engage & Challenge Students K-6

Teachers know it instinctively, research bears it out: Students learn more--and with more joy--when lessons connect with their lives and interests while challenging them to stretch and grow.In this book, you’ll find practical, ready-to-use strategies for creating active and exciting lessons. You’ll learn about: Partnering and grouping students for optimum learning; Using interactive learning structures such as Maitre d’ and Swap Meets to support active learning; Incorporating acting, drawing, debating, and more into daily lessons while still meeting rigorous learning goals; Infusing lessons with choices in what or how to learn to increase students’ ownership of their learning; Incorporating student self-assessment tools to help children monitor and evaluate their own work and identify ways to improve their learning.Filled with lesson plans, precise directions for interactive learning structures, planning guides, and more!

Responsive Classroom is a research-based education approach associated with greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate. Responsive Classroom practices help educators build competencies in four interrelated domains: engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmentally appropriate teaching.