Hope and Joy in Education


Book Description

Students, parents, and educators at all levels are increasingly frustrated, demoralized, burned out, and discontented with education and schooling today. At no previous time has it been more necessary to revitalize hope in the promise of education or to reestablish joy in teaching and learning than the current moment. In this timely and inspirational volume, authors from diverse disciplines consider and affirm the many places across curriculum and context where hope and joy are or can be strong and vibrant. Drawing on the life-affirming ideals of renowned education philosopher and school founder Daisaku Ikeda, Hope and Joy in Education will reenergize educational research, theory, and practice. Featuring contributions from such luminaries as Theodorea Berry, Cynthia Dillard, Walter Gershon, Francyne Huckaby, Johnny Lupinacci, and Anita Patterson, this book reminds readers that the classroom is still a magical space, brimming with the brilliant and creative energy of young people. “This is a necessary text at a necessary time if we are to revitalize hope in the promise of education.” —From the Foreword by Cynthia B. Dillard, University of Georgia “A beacon of light toward desirable collective futurities in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and vulnerability.” —Ming Fang He, Georgia Southern University “These essays are just what we need in these turbulent, uncertain times: a thoughtful focus on hope and joy as the path to educating for a more just, equitable, relational, and peaceful state of being.” —Denise Taliaferro Baszile, Miami University “This insightful book urges educators to center hope and joy in our work—not by turning away from the despair of the moment, but by fostering dialogue, seeking connection, and always remembering that the true aim of education for teachers and students alike is to become more fully human.” —Gregory Michie, Chicago public school teacher




The Joy of Teaching


Book Description

Gathering concepts and techniques borrowed from outstanding college professors, The Joy of Teaching provides helpful guidance for new instructors developing and teaching their first college courses. Award-winning professor Peter Filene proposes that teaching should not be like a baseball game in which the instructor pitches ideas to students to see whether they hit or strike out. Ideally, he says, teaching should resemble a game of Frisbee in which the teacher invites students to catch ideas and pass them on. Rather than prescribe any single model for success, Filene lays out the advantages and disadvantages of various pedagogical strategies, inviting new teachers to make choices based on their own personalities, values, and goals. Filene tackles everything from syllabus writing and lecture planning to class discussions, grading, and teacher-student interactions outside the classroom. The book's down-to-earth, accessible style makes it appropriate for new teachers in all fields. Instructors in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences will all welcome its invaluable tips for successful teaching and learning.




Teaching for Joy and Justice


Book Description

Teaching for Joy and Justice is the much-anticipated sequel to Linda Christensen's bestselling Reading, Writing, and Rising Up. Christensen is recognized as one of the country's finest teachers. Her latest book shows why. Through story upon story, Christensen demonstrates how she draws on students' lives and the world to teach poetry, essay, narrative, and critical literacy skills. Teaching for Joy and Justice reveals what happens when a teacher treats all students as intellectuals, instead of intellectually challenged. Part autobiography, part curriculum guide, part critique of today's numbing standardized mandates, this book sings with hope -- born of Christensen's more than 30 years as a classroom teacher, language arts specialist, and teacher educator. Practical, inspirational, passionate: this is a must-have book for every language arts teacher, whether veteran or novice. In fact, Teaching for Joy and Justice is a must-have book for anyone who wants concrete examples of what it really means to teach for social justice.




The Joy of Not Knowing


Book Description

The Joy of Not Knowing takes every aspect of the curriculum and of school life and transforms it into a personalised, meaningful and enjoyable experience for all. It offers readers an innovative, theoretical and practical guide to establish a values-based, enquiry-led and challenge-rich learning to learn approach to teaching and learning and to school leadership. This thought-provoking guide provides the reader with a wealth of whole-class, easy-to-implement, malleable, practical ideas and case studies that can be personalised to the vision of each setting, age-group and curriculum. It brings together, as a whole-school framework, the strategies that have been shown to have the greatest impact on practitioner’s professional fulfilment and on children’s life chances, love of learning, intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm for wanting to know. The Joy of Not Knowing enables schools to launch the academic year with a bespoke JONK Learning to Learn Week that enables every student to succeed develops philosophical, creative and critical problem-solving and multi-lingual thinking skills establishes collaborative cultures of thinking, learning and leadership informs practice through active action research incorporates a values-led democratic approach to school life nurtures school-pupil-family-community partnerships Designed for school leaders and practitioners at all levels and across all ages, this practical guide shows how all students can thrive and develop the dispositions of successful lifelong learners and global citizens.




Start with Joy


Book Description

Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness links what we know from the science of happiness with what we know about effective literacy instruction. By examining characters in the books they read, children develop empathy for others and come to understand that we all struggle and we all love. When given a choice about what to write, children express hopes, fears, and reactions to life's experiences. Literacy learning is full of opportunities for students to learn tools to live a happy life. Inside, you'll find: Seven Pillars: The author offers seven pillars that will make classrooms more joyful, engaging, and purposeful--Connection, Choice, Challenge, Play, Story, Discovery, and Movement. Ten Invitations: These ten lessons may be presented at any time of year in the context of any unit and include children's literature suggestions as well as recommended teacher talk to meet children's specific needs. Teaching Tools: Tools and resources that will help students tell their stories and make literacy learning something all students celebrate and cherish. This book honors the adventure that learning is meant to be. By infusing school days with happiness, teachers can support children as they become stronger readers, writers, and thinkers, while also helping them learn that strength comes from challenge, and joy comes from leading a purposeful life.




The Joy of Learning


Book Description

The Joy of Learning: Finding Flow Through Classical Education is a stunning synthesis of modern research on the flow state, the classical liberal arts tradition, and the thought of the British Christian educator Charlotte Mason. Flow is the term popularized by the modern positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for the optimal state of mind. Flow occurs when your challenges meet your current skills and you are lost in a timeless experience of euphoria in the pursuit of a meaningful goal.The Joy of Learning takes its cue from a chapter of Csikszentmihalyi's book Flow that discusses routes into flow through what we know as the classical liberal arts. From training the memory, to the language arts of the trivium, the mathematical arts of the quadrivium-the ancient equivalent of STEM-to the joys of history, philosophy and amateur science, this book is packed with practical insights from an experienced teacher. Weaving artfully between practical tips for the classroom, insights from modern research, and explorations of the tradition, The Joy of Learning has something for everyone. If you're wondering how to cultivate joyful students as a classroom teacher, a home educator or a school leader, Jason Barney's playful and articulate style will charm and enlighten in equal measure."Whether you are new to classical education or a veteran in the movement, The Joy of Learning offers its readers a unique opportunity to observe how the modern concept of 'flow' supports, and even enhances, the important work of classical educators today. Through his careful research and lucid writing style, Jason has opened the door for a fresh set of connections to be made between modern research and ancient wisdom."-Kolby AtchisonPrincipal, Clapham School"Deep thinking is our goal as educators, whether for our students or for ourselves. What if we could unlock our innate ability to dive deeply into our most important work and to do so with happiness? The Joy of Learning provides an accessible review of recent research applied to classical understandings of education. Renew your love for learning and discover how profound the work of learning can be."-Dr. Patrick EganDean of the Upper School, Clapham SchoolAdjunct Professor, Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolResearch Tutor - NT, King's Evangelical Divinity School




Rediscover the Joy of Learning


Book Description

Packed full of ideas, information and techniques for effective education.




Embracing a Culture of Joy


Book Description

K-12 teachers and administrators will : read about classroom teachers who have successfully implemented joy ; gain ideas for how to make classrooms joyful learning environments ; examine education jargon that negatively impacts school culture ; learn how to create a sense of community in school among teachers and students ; discover the importance of wonder and inquiry in engaging students.--Publisher's description.




Happiness and Education


Book Description

This book explores what we might teach if we take happiness seriously as an aim of education.




The Mis-Education of Joy


Book Description

The Mis-education of Joy is the story of three lives that intersect one semester in a college classroom and as a result these lives are profoundly changed forever. Joy Hunter is an enthusiastic young girl who shares her faith with everyone. At seventeen, she has always depended on her religious faith to overcome her many obstacles. One of which is a childhood illness that threatened her with no more than fifteen years of life. Upon graduating high school, and being accepted to a local college, Joy for the first time is hopeful about her future. At college, she meets Jim Byrnes, a history professor with a clouded past and a deep rooted contempt for religion. The classroom explodes as Professor Byrnes is challenged by a student named Paul, who the class has labeled "the fanatic," and Joy's faith is put to a new test. Fearing her "light" is growing dim because of her doubt, Joy finds herself searching for answers; but who will she turn to and where is the unseen hand of God that watched over her for 17 years? As Joy, Professor Brynes and Paul seek to separate fact from fiction, they each encounter grace. Told in traditional dialogue form, The Mis-education of Joy is a heartwarming tale that explores the rightsof the believer in a secular society, while showing the role of the believer in a secular society. An insightful story that dares to expose the religious intolerance of our nation; but yet is powerful enough to touch your heart. Highly recommended. -Rev. Dr. Walter L. Davis III It is a true page turner that reminds us that faith persists not because we will it; but because it has a presence and force all of its own. The Miseducation of Joy is long overdue. -Gaelle Affiany, Graduate Student Critics will be challenged and Christians will be encouraged to know that the Word of God is believable and trustworthy. -Myra Rosa, High School Science Teacher