The Active Classroom: Practical Strategies for Involving Students in the Learning Process » (1st Edition)

Ron Nash has taught social studies at the middle and high school levels and served as a curriculum coordinator and organizational development specialist for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools for 13 years. In that capacity, Nash trained thousands of teachers and other school division employees in such varied topics as classroom management, instructional strategies, presentation techniques, relationship building, and process management. After his retirement from the Virginia Beach City Public Schools in 2007, he founded Ron Nash and Associates, a company dedicated to working with teachers in the area of brain-compatible learning.

Promote learning that is purposeful, engaging, brain-compatible, spontaneous, reflective,  and fun for everyone!

This resource shows teachers how to turn passive students into enthusiastic participants in their own learning. Emphasizing that students must be actively involved in the learning process if their classroom experience is to lead to deeper understanding and the building of lasting new knowledge, the author illustrates how teachers can be facilitators who:

• Establish a safe climate for learning
• Create an interactive environment that nurtures discussion and interdependent learning
• Manage movement in the classroom
• Teach to all learning modalities
• Incorporate visuals, storytelling, and technology

Foreword Rich Allen Allen, Rich

1 Creating the Right Environment 1

2 Incorporating Structured Conversations 17

3 Managing Movement in the Classroom 29

4 Using Music to Facilitate Process 44

5 Presenting With Confidence 54

6 Teaching to All Modalities 68

7 Using Visuals and Technology 78

8 Unlocking Doors With Storytelling 92

9 Considering the New Reality and Practical Applications 100

10 Planning for the Active Classroom 114

App. A The Active Classroom at a Glance 124

App. B Elementary/Middle School Language Arts Lesson Plan 142

References 145

Index 150