Description
With high teacher attrition rates, low pay, and constantly shifting standards, the education system desperately requires a fresh approach. Yet, dedicated teachers continue to enter the classroom with a genuine desire to make a lasting impact on their students' lives. Impactful Classroom Experiences in Elementary Schools: Practices and Policies delves into the challenges and opportunities of American elementary education. It offers teachers research-grounded ideas to develop and deliver engaging learning experiences that enhance students' conceptual understanding. The book focuses on positive strategies for creating meaningful classroom experiences, such as building safe and supportive environments, nurturing curiosity, and encouraging calculated risk-taking. It explores topics like play, communication with families, and nature, highlighting how failure can be a learning opportunity and empowering student expression. Additionally, the book provides practical tips and step-by-step directions for teachers to recreate successful experiences in engaging science, math, and social studies lessons.
Impactful Classroom Experiences in Elementary Schools offers educators a roadmap to transform their classrooms into vibrant hubs of learning and personal growth. By incorporating research-backed methods and fostering a love of learning in a supportive atmosphere, teachers can create meaningful connections between students' emotions and their conceptual understanding. This invaluable resource equips teachers with the tools they need to make a lasting impact on their students' educational journey, enabling them to deliver joyful and transformative learning experiences in the elementary school setting.
Author's/Editor's Biography
Melissa Parks (Ed.)
Melissa Parks
is an associate professor of education at Stetson University. Formerly, she was a National Board Certified elementary school teacher practicing in both Florida and Massachusetts. She is passionate about teaching. She believes in the power of a positive classroom built from a foundation of learning activities created to engage students in exploring, and expanding, their natural curiosities. In addition to her teaching, she has served as an area director for the Florida Association of Science Teachers. Dr. Parks has also served on the Outstanding Science Trade Books Panel of the National Science Teaching Association and is currently serving on the Preschool-Elementary Science Teaching Panel of the National Science Teaching Association. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Parks can be found exploring National Parks and looking for ways to bring the natural world into the elementary classroom with authentic and meaningful classroom experiences.