Teaching in the Middle and Secondary Schools (7th Edition)

As its primary purpose this textbook provides a practical, concise, criterion-referenced, performance-based, mastery learning model for college or university students who are in a general secondary or middle school methods course or in the field component of teacher education. Instructors of methods courses can depend on the modular organization of this textbook to provide enough basic instruction that they can individualize their instruction and devote their time and attention to specific learning activities. Others who will find it useful are experienced teachers who desire to continue developing their teaching skills, and curriculum specialists and school administrators who desire to have available for reference a current, practical, and concise book of methods about teaching. The book is organized around four developmental components:why--the rationale to support the components that follow; what-what you will be teaching;how--how you will teach it; andhow well--how well you are teaching it. These components are represented by the four parts of the book. Each part begins with a statement of its major objectives and with quotations relevant to topics addressed in its modules. Throughout the text we consistently provide information useful for a teacher who is a decision-maker. We also provide frequent exercises for practice in handling concepts in ways that facilitate metacognitive thinking. All exercises require the user to deal in some descriptive, analytical, or self-reflective manner with text concepts and actual practice. Most exercises are adaptable for cooperative or collaborative group processing. Part I: Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Middle and Secondary Schools The two modules of Part I are written to reflect the reality and challenge of teaching today, to provide the rationale, or thewhy,to support the organization and details of the components that follow. While Module 1 presents an important overview of that reality and challenge, Module 2 addresses developments in cognitive science and constructivism that enhance and celebrate the differences among students and their learning styles and capacities. It provides specific guidelines for meeting that challenge with specific groups of learners. Part II: Planning for Instruction The three modules of Part II are designed to reflect thewhatcomponent. Along with providing important rationale and guidelines for selecting and using content and textbooks and preparing instructional objectives, Module 3 also presents information about the national standards for subject areas in the curriculum. Module 4 provides straightforward information on use and preparation of various types of units and for lesson planning as is relevant for today's teaching. Because teachers must have the students' attention before they can effectively implement any instructional plan, guidelines for establishing and maintaining a psychologically and intellectually safe and supportive environment for learning are presented in Module 5. Part III: Selecting and Implementing Instructional Strategies Part III is thehowcomponent and consists of three modules. The first module of Part III, Module 6, focuses attention on grouping students for learning, using assignments, ensuring equality in the classroom, using project-centered teaching, and writing across the curriculum. Module 7 provides guidelines for using teacher talk, demonstrations, thinking, inquiry, and games. Intricately interwoven with teaching and learning is the teacher's use of fundamental class-room tools (e.g., writing board and overhead projector) and the selection and use of media, aids, and resources. The use of these tools is the focus of Module 8, the final module of Part III. Part IV: Assessment of Teaching and Learning Part IV focuses attention on the fourth component of competent teacJoseph F. Callahan is the author of 'Teaching in the Middle and Secondary Schools (7th Edition)', published 2001 under ISBN 9780130292858 and ISBN 0130292850.