Cultivating the Learner-Centered Classroom: From Theory to Practice

"A superb book that does exactly what it promises: takes the reader from theory to practice. Rich with clear prose, strong research, and thoughtful reflection, this useful tool is for teachers who want to engage students more deeply with each other, the content, and the world—all for the sake of real learning."
—Parker J. Palmer, Author, The Courage to Teach

Facilitate the growth of successful learning communities—both in the classroom and schoolwide!

Teachers at every level face the challenge of finding a balance between learner-centered philosophies and day-to-day classroom life. Aligned with progressive educational thought, this book shows teachers how to make the jump from theory to practice and cultivate learning communities in the classroom and in their schools.

The authors help both new and experienced educators engage in a fundamental shift in their teaching approach: from behaviorism to constructivism; from following recipes to understanding the learning process; from standardized, age-based expectations to using standards for individualizing expectations and instruction; and from coercing obedience to facilitating students' authority and autonomy. Readers will find examples illustrating learner-centered strategies in action, information about how to work more effectively with students with special needs, and methods for:

1. Organizing the classroom
2. Planning instruction for individuals, small groups, or an entire class
3. Building students' responsibility for their own learning
4. Observing, assessing, and reporting student growth

Practical and accessible, Cultivating the Learner-Centered Classroom is an essential companion for teachers who want to empower and motivate students for lifelong learning.

About The Authors:
Kaia Tollefson’s career in education began in Kodiak, Alaska, in 1983. She was a middle school teacher there for nine years and worked in administration for the next five—first as a curriculum and staff development coordinator and then as an elementary school principal. She discovered a passion for teacher education while pursuing her doctoral degree in language, literacy, and sociocultural studies, awarded by the University of New Mexico in 2004. Her most recent experience in teaching children was in 2002, when she returned to the classroom to teach fifth grade. One of her professional goals is to find ways to refresh and reground her roots in the public schools, never getting too far away from knowing what it means to be a classroom teacher. She is currently an assistant professor of education at California State University Channel Islands, working in teacher education, coaching a Critical Friends Group, and exploring the relationship between the concept of voice and the processes of teaching and learning.

Monica Osborn has been teaching at Puesta del Sol Elementary School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, since 1994. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of New Mexico in 1994 and 1995, respectively, and an education specialist degree in educational leadership in 2007. She is a certified Reading Recovery teacher, currently teaching grades K–2 in a multiage inclusion classroom. She is also certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is recognized as a Level III teacher-leader in the state of New Mexico. In addition to her work as a classroom teacher, Monica serves as an educational consultant with the New Mexico Education Network Center and with the National School Reform Faculty, specializing in facilitating the implementation of Critical Friends Groups (CFGs), professional learning communities for educators. She is a CFG coach at her school and has been teaching the process to teachers and administrators in several regions of the United States for the past eight years.