Description
Book SynopsisThe teacher's role must be redefined to meet the needs and demands of today's culture and the edutainer is the paradigm shift needed for education to be relevant, applicable, and effective in the 21st Century. The Edutainer describes an educational approach that provides teachers with core operational and interpersonal skills to be an effective educator in the twenty-first century. These skills include communication, organization, management, planning, and building authentic relationships based upon respect and personal responsibility. The Edutainer is unique in its perspective that the educator should be fluid and adapting to our current culture, while employing sound academic principles. The edutainer concept is derived from the principles that we believe make for an effective educator and entertainer. First edutainers are visionaries, who understand that a change in culture requires a change in methods and presentation. These edutainers make their material relevant to present culture. Preparation is also vital to these performers. They organize and plan their material long before they get on stage or their performance would fail. Finally, the effective educator and entertainer have to deliver a stellar performance that is relatable to the audience. The Edutainer offers strategies and ideas to build and nurture authentic relationships with students, parents, and colleagues to build a dynamic educational community. Suggestions for developing the 3R's of education, which include respect, responsibility, and authentic relationships. * Explanations of present day cultural influences upon formal education and learning. * Strategies for teacher empowerment and leadership abilities. * Methodologies for classroom management and organization. * Ideas for connecting education to the real world with relevant and engaging lessons.
Trade ReviewFrom my years of hosting Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? I have found that learning is most effective when it is fun. Brad Johnson and Tammy McElroy have taken that idea and formatted it in a way to help teachers help students make the most of their valuable classroom time. This can be life-changing for kids. -- Jeff Foxworthy, comedian and host of Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?
Wow! It’s all in there! I can remember my first year teaching (1980). I wish I had had this book back then. It’s practical. It’s logical. It’s student-centered. It’s hopeful. Give it to a new teacher who’s looking for some experienced ideas. Give it to an experienced teacher who’s looking for new ideas. -- Lily Eskelsen, vice president, National Education Association
Bravo!!! No more teacher-burnout here! Sensitively challenging prevailing, traditional schooling practices with candor and humor, Johnson and McElroy’s engaging book, The Edutainer, is written to empower classroom teachers for stellar performances in twenty-first century classrooms. Based on more than thirty years of combined teaching experience at the K–12 and collegiate levels, the authors elucidate the role of teachers as skillful performers on stage who know how to manage their professional responsibilities to parents, principals, and peers as well as how to engage their students in relevant learning activities in a rapidly changing age of information and technology. The book is insightful, practical, and clear with informative examples, effective strategies, and affirming advice for both the novice and the expert. The Edutainer should be at the top of the required reading list for classroom teachers. -- Rosemarie Stallworth-Clark, associate professor emerita of educational psychology, Georgia Southern University
Table of ContentsPart 1 Foreword Part 2 Introduction Part 3 Act I: The Vision Chapter 4 Scene One: Connecting Education with the Twenty-First Century Chapter 5 Scene Two: Director's Chair Part 6 Act II: The Rehearsal Chapter 7 Scene Three: Planning Chapter 8 Scene Four: Organization Chapter 9 Scene Five: Management Part 10 Act III: The Performance Chapter 11 Scene Six: Communication Chapter 12 Scene Seven: Edutainment Part 13 Finale: Last Words
