Every few years, new theories, policies, and trends in education emerge that aim to transform teaching and learning. Standards, for example, are developed every so often with the hope that teachers will implement them and use them as a guide to inform their teaching. Technology, for example, is always changing and expanding learning opportunities for students. An internet search of instructional strategies yields hundreds of results. There seem to be cyclical changes in education where ideas come and go and then come back again. The pendulum swings back and forth between ideas in this never-ending process.

This book goes back to the basics of teaching and presents information that all beginning teachers need to know about teaching diverse learners. It is designed to help you, the new teacher, understand what it means to be an effective teacher and how to become one. Whether you are a preservice elementary school teacher or a seasoned secondary school teacher, we hope you will fi nd the information in our book to be useful and practical. We have tried to engage you, the reader, and invite you to enter the world of teaching, so that you can learn and refl ect on what it means to plan and deliver best practices for diverse learners. Even though this text is for beginning teachers, PreK-12, in an introductory Education course, it can also appeal to more seasoned teachers who need a refresher in the basics of teaching and learning.

In this book, we discuss how to create a safe, caring, nurturing learning environment that validates differences. We present techniques for being a strong classroom manager and promoting engagement to prevent discipline issues. We also pose the question all teachers need to ask, which is “What is the big picture of my curriculum?” What do students need to know and be able to do by the time they leave your classroom? What matters in teaching?

We discuss major theories that you can consider when designing curriculum so that you understand the why of your instruction. Several main instructional approaches are provided to give you a choice of pedagogical practices to use depending on your philosophy of teaching and what approach works when, where, with whom, and for what purpose.

The Molloy Lesson Plan Format provides a curricular framework that you can use to plan lessons that address everything—but-the-kitchen-sink, as some of our students like to say. In addition to the major parts of any curriculum—instructional objective tied to standards, assessment, and developmental procedures—it also requires teachers to think about differentiation for all learners, adaptations for diverse populations, instructional and learning strategies, and enrichment opportunities. We present ways to be professionally responsible by collaborating with other teachers, getting parents involved, enhancing the home–school communication, and becoming an active member of professional organizations.