Student-Centered Classrooms

Are classroom teachers managers or facilitators of classroom learning? For more experienced teachers who have developed a broader perspective on classroom management and attend more to whole class dynamics rather than individual incidents of behavior, this book offers fresh, innovative ideas supporting the evolution of classrooms from teacher-managed to student-centered learning environments. Reflecting current, cutting-edge research aimed to foster and support student-centered classrooms, this book explores the following topics: understanding the role of emotions in the classroom, integrating gender equity, addressing potential classroom disruptions, implementing technology as a management tool, and incorporating applied behavioral analysis principles into classroom routines. While these chapters affirm the value of experienced educators, this book also offers a deeper perspective of classroom strategies anchored in social justice, cultural relevance, and equitable pedagogy to all teachers. Furthermore, the ideas purposefully challenge educators, during these post-pandemic times, to proactively meet the unique needs of their 21st-century diverse students.

Joanna Alcruz is an Associate Professor at Molloy College who currently teaches in the doctoral program in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities. Her expertise is in educational psychology and assessment with over 20 years of experience teaching pre-service candidates and educators. Maggie Blair had been an active practitioner in the field of special education for the past fifty years, serving as a teacher, a staff developer, an administrator and a faculty member at the Molloy College School of Education and Human Services until her retirement in 2020. Currently Maggie is administrating a program she created which enables young adults with developmental disabilities to participate in a meaningful college experience.