Facilitating Authentic Learning, Grades 6-12

A Framework for Student-Driven Instruction

Your single-best way to nurture higher-order thinkingThere's no doubt about it: the Common Core has us scrambling. With all the pressure to accelerate instruction, how can we possibly find the time to encourage students to do some serious thinking? For Laura Thomas, the answer couldn't be clearer: through constructivist, experiential teaching methods. In fact, constructivist teaching is the single-best way to nurture the higher-order thinking so central to the Common Core.Fusing the practical with the theoretical, Thomas offers a clear path for facilitating real understanding and real skill-building within a community of learners. Grade 6û12 teachers will learn how to:Plan learning experiences that teach content and process at the same timeAssess students' development of 21st-century skillsCoach students to do the hard work of authentic learningùwithout leaving them to flounderTeach reflection techniques that help students process their experiences and learn from mistakes.Featuring easy-to-follow graphics, sample lessons, and tools from practicing teachers, Facilitating Authentic Learning is an immediately practical resource that both beginning and veteran teachers can put to work in their classrooms.'This is a valuable book for educators, especially as we strive to help our students move from being receivers of knowledge to owners of their learning. Teachers need to develop strategies to be effective guides for our students, and to facilitate their progress toward educational goals.'ùNorma Barber, Language Arts TeacherUkiah School District, OR'I LOVE this book! It provides step-by-step instructions for making a classroom student-centered and led by a guide on the side, not a sage on the stage. The authorÆs real-world examples and reader-friendly writing style make this book a winner!'ùNancy Foote, Teacher/AdministratorHigley Unified School District, AZ