Grounded in the realities and complexities of today’s schools, Introduction to Teaching: Making a Difference in Student Learning, Fourth Edition is the ideal text for aspiring teachers. Acclaimed authors Gene E. Hall, Linda F. Quinn, and Donna M. Gollnick thoroughly prepare students to make a difference as teachers, presenting first-hand stories and evidence-based practices while offering a student-centered approach to learning. From true-to-life challenges that teachers will face—reduced funding, low retention, and changing standards—to the inspiration and joy they will discover throughout their teaching careers, this text paints a realistic picture of the real life of a teacher in a post-pandemic era.



Table of Contents:
Part I: Today’s Teachers, Students, and Schools Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher Educator Interview: Mr. Luis Zaldaña Why Teach? Why Should Teachers Be Considered Professionals? What Do Teachers Need to Know? Why Should You Track Your Growth Toward Becoming a Teacher? What Should a Beginning Teacher Do? Chapter 2: Today’s Students Teacher Interview: Ms. Chelsie Acosta How Racially and Ethnically Diverse Are U.S. Schools? How Does Family Income Affect a Student’s School Experiences? What If Students’ Languages Do Not Include English? How Do Students’ Genders Interact With Education? How Is Sexual Orientation Addressed in Schools? How Does Religion Affect the Classroom? Chapter 3: The Exceptionalities of Learners Teacher Interview: Ms. Kia Glimps-Smith Do All Students Develop in the Same Way? Who Are the Exceptional Students? How Should Schools Be Serving Students With Disabilities? How Can Teachers Meet the Needs of All Students? How Can Educators Dismantle Ableism in the Classroom? Chapter 4: The Social Context of Schools Teacher Interview: Ms. Nicole McGill How Does Social Context Influence Learning? What Is the Relationship of Social Context to Students’ Behaviors and Learning? How Does Social Context Influence What Is Taught? What Is the Role of Social-Emotional Learning in Education? Chapter 5: Families and Communities Educator Interview: Ms. Doriel Larrier How Does the Public View Education in the Public Schools? Who Are the Families of Our Students? What Does Culture Have to Do With Education? How Are Students’ Cultures Reflected in Schools? How Does School Choice Open Options for Families? How Can Teachers Work Effectively With Families and Communities? Part II: The Foundations of Education Chapter 6: History of Schools in the United States Teacher Interview: Mr. John Arthur How Did Public Schools Come to Be? How Has the Educational System Contributed to Equality? Why Are Schools Designed Around the Age of Students? What Has Influenced the School Curriculum? How Have Teachers Evolved? Chapter 7: Developing a Philosophy of Teaching and Learning Teacher Interview: Mr. Matthew Balaban How Do Teachers Develop Personal Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Teaching and Learning? How Do Students Learn? Why Should Teachers Carefully Examine Ideas? How Does Educational Psychology Help Teachers Understand Student Learning? How Does Understanding of a Variety of Philosophical Perspectives Help Teachers Help Students Learn? Chapter 8: Organizing and Financing Schools for Learning Principal Interview: Mr. Ricardo Estrada How Are Schools Staffed and Organized? What Is the Relationship of Schools to School Districts and the State? What Is the Role of the Federal Government in Education? How Is Governance Different From the Structures of Government? How Are Schools Paid For? How Do Schools Spend the Money? What Are Some of the Key Organization and Finance Issues and Challenges? Chapter 9: The Law as It Relates to Teaching and Learning Educator Interview: Mrs. Kristy Anderson Interview With a Second Legal Expert What Are the Foundational Elements of the Law? What Are Key Legal Issues Related to Uses of Technology and Social Media? How Have the Three Enduring Legal Dilemmas of Religion, School Finance, and Segregation Evolved? What Are Legal Rights and Protections of Students? What Are the Legal Rights, Responsibilities, and Liabilities of Teachers? Part III: Teaching for Student Learning Chapter 10: Curriculum, Standards, and Benchmarks Educator Interview: Mrs. Desiree Tilger What Is Curriculum? What Are the Connections Among Standards, Benchmarks, and Curriculum? What Should Teachers Know About Standards? How Might Knowledge of Standards and Benchmarks in Curriculum Improve Teaching Practice? Why Should Teachers Have Knowledge of Standards? Chapter 11: Managing the Classroom and Student Behavior Teacher Interview: Dr. Felicia Bucher What Are Some Approaches to Classroom Management? How Do You Build a Personal Classroom Management Approach? What Constitutes a Well-Managed Classroom? What Is the Connection Between Discipline and Management? Chapter 12: Teaching Strategies Educator Interview: Mrs. Jessica Anderson Why Are There So Many Ways to Teach? What Is a Teaching Strategy? When Are Teaching Strategies Direct or Indirect? What Makes Teaching Strategies Work? How Are Different Strategies Used for Different Purposes? Chapter 13: Assessing Student Learning and Using the Results Educator Interview: Mr. Travis Hall What Are Characteristics of High-Quality Tests? What Does the Process of Assessing Entail? How Do Teachers and Students Use Formative Assessments to Adjust Instruction and Improve Learning? What Are Some Useful Ways to Gather Evidence About Student Learning? What Are Key Assessment Issues and Challenges? Part IV: Becoming Tomorrow’s Highly Effective Teacher Chapter 14: Succeeding in Your Teacher Education Program, and Beyond Teacher Interview: Ms. Julie LaGuardia What Are Keys to Succeeding in Your Teacher Education Program? How Can You Use a Research-Based Framework to Understand Your Concerns? What Are the Keys to Being Hired as a Beginning Teacher? In What Ways Can Candidates and Teachers Be Leaders? Where Are Places to Find the Joy of Teaching?