Effective Teaching, Successful Students: Graduates Share How Earning Their M.S. and Ed.S. Degrees with Majors in Brain-Based Teaching Guides Their Professional Practice

€œI€m going to be the boss of my brain!€ a young student declares after being taught cognitive skills that are useful in guiding children to become self-directed learners. Explicit instruction on strategies to help students €œlearn how to learn€ is a key aspect of the M.S. and Ed.S. degree programs with a major in Brain-Based Teaching featured in this book. You€ll discover how graduates of these programs transfer what they€ve learned into their professional practice€"and how applying their studies has enhanced student learning. These graduate degree programs are among the first of their kind to apply the implications of mind, brain, and education research to classroom practice. Read Effective Teaching, Successful Students to discover, as just a few examples, how and why:

Students in Texas elementary teacher Diane Dahl€s class gained five months in reading skills in just two and a half months.

Preschool teacher Gina Cabadaidis engages 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds in playful activities that are developing their social and problem-solving skills.

High school teacher and coach Jeremy Green guides his teenage students to make the most of their brains€ capacity to master academic challenges€"even in those subjects where they have previously struggled.

K-5 students in Melissa Smith€s English as a Second Language class are excited about leaving recess to join in engaging activities that help them develop fluency in their new language.

Reading specialist Linda Clark applies differentiated instructional techniques to help middle schoolers who struggle with reading recognize their potential to take charge of their behaviors and learning outcomes.

A design student at Austin Community College thanked instructor Linda Smarzik for fostering a €œsafe€ environment for adults developing new creative skills.

Parent educator Angel Rodriguez shares learning strategies to help parents and grandparents become effective partners in their children€s education.

The degrees are offered online through Nova Southeastern University€s Abraham S. Fischler School of Education, which is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Since these programs were launched in 2001, more than 3,000 teachers and administrators from 48 states, from Canada, and from countries in Europe and Asia have enrolled in these innovative programs to earn their Master€s Degree with a Major in Brain-Based Teaching (Concentrations in Learning and Teaching or Reading and Literacy) and/or their Educational Specialist€s Degree with a Major in Brain-Based Teaching (Concentration in Teacher Leadership).

Selecting the best graduate degree program to pursue is a big decision for educators. The inspiring personal stories in this text offer an insider€s view of how earning your graduate degree can equip you with new research-based teaching strategies and reignite your passion for teaching. If you€re a graduate of these programs, you€ll find a variety of examples of how fellow educators are applying what they€ve learned with students of all ages in traditional and virtual school settings. And you€ll discover how earning these degrees equip graduates to take on new roles and responsibilities as teacher leaders and instructional mentors.

Table of Contents
Introduction
In Their Own Words: Graduates Share What Works in Their Classroom
Brain-Based Approach to Teaching
Fostering a Positive Learning Environment
Teaching Thinking Skills
Differentiating Instruction
Engaging Students in Learning
Teaching for Meaning
Instruction with Attention and Retention in Mind
Project-Based Learning and Technology
Gains in Student Achievement
Connecting with Parents, Volunteers, and the Community
Teacher Leadership and Instructional Mentoring
Brain-Based Methods Assist Parents
The Benefits of Earning Your M.S. or Ed.S. Degree with a Major in Brain-Based Teaching
Notes from the Virtual Classroom
Conclusion