Breaking Free from Myths About Teaching and Learning: Innovation as an Engine for Student Success

by Allison Zmuda

"What the teacher wants me to say is more important than what I want to say." "If I get too far behind, I will never catch up." "What I'm learning doesn't have much to do with my life, but it isn't supposed to--it's school." These are just some of the many pernicious axioms that keep students from achieving to their potential. In Breaking Free from Myths About Teaching and Learning , Allison Zmuda analyzes and promptly dispels these and other harmful untruths that have inhibited student learning for decades and offers a wealth of ideas for combating them, including
* Refocusing learning environments with students' best interests in mind.

* Designing engaging lessons that spark students' imaginations.

* Motivating students to learn for the joy of it, not just for the grade.

* Developing authentic assessments that truly capture the extent of students' progress.

* Creating effective school missions that provide both educators and students with achievable objectives.
In addition to these strategies, Zmuda offers tips from prominent creative thinkers in a variety of fields on how to approach projects creatively and stimulate fresh thinking. Students have been captive to falsehoods about learning for far too long. This provocative and insightful book shows why it's vital for administrators and teachers to help students shed their faulty assumptions and offers a blueprint for creating more innovative, inviting, and effective schools.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development

196 pages, Paperback

First published November 29, 2010

Reviews

[Sau53]

"What the teacher wants me to say is more important than what I want to say." "If I get too far behind, I will never catch up." "What I'm learning doesn't have much to do with my life, but it isn't supposed to--it's school." These are just some of the many pernicious axioms that keep students from achieving to their potential. In Breaking Free from Myths About Teaching and Learning, Allison Zmuda analyzes and promptly dispels these and other harmful untruths that have inhibited student learning for decades and offers a wealth of ideas for combating them, including
* Refocusing learning environments with students' best interests in mind.
* Designing engaging lessons that spark students' imaginations.
* Motivating students to learn for the joy of it, not just for the grade.
* Developing authentic assessments that truly capture the extent of students' progress.
* Creating effective school missions that provide both educators and students with achievable objectives.

In addition to these strategies, Zmuda offers tips from prominent creative thinkers in a variety of fields on how to approach projects creatively and stimulate fresh thinking.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allison Zmuda writes, "This book is my response to the pervasive weariness I have observed during numerous classroom observations, staff development workshops, and leadership meetings. Despite intentions to ensure that all learners can be successful, educators seem to be working harder than ever but accomplishing less, while students seem to be more disengaged than ever but longing for more." If you are looking for ways to encourage innovation and creativity in your own teaching and in your students' experiences in the classroom, I highly recommend this book.

[Helene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of the books selected by the SAU #53 Teacher Book Study group last year. Though it seemed to hold much promise - "innovative strategies," "creativity," - there were no new or classroom changing ideas. It is a good affirmation for veteran teachers but no new ground is broken. New teachers would be better served by other books or strategies. So sorry, pick it up and skim, you will get as much from doing that as reading through.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concept, horribly laid out in terms of formatting. Lots of lists and text boxes, but if that is your thing you might enjoy it.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok... A lot of common sense for veteran teachers.