Reshaping the Paradigms of Teaching and Learning: What Happens Today is Education's Future

Historically, we have been engaged with a model of education reform since the latter part of the last century. We now have a cycle that’s become a system with “pockets of promise” and isolated experiments. It appears that everyone is an education reformer and every district, charter and region has their own particular experiment, giving the appearance of widespread innovation. We’ve grown comfortable with this “interruption” that tolerates, or celebrates, the experiments as long as they don't seriously disrupt our entrenched classroom approach to teaching and learning. Reshaping the Paradigms of Teaching and Learning is a call to move beyond experimentation and transform the understanding of our entire system of education. The author defines the distinctions between the teaching system of the last century and the need for learning systems and how this is possible for today's learner. Understanding the difference, and understanding the need, is our first step toward a broad transformation. That understanding begins with the thought but demands the action. Disruption, and each learner, awaits that transformation.

Table of Contents:
Preface: You Will Want to Read This First Acknowledgements Introduction: Peering Over the Edge Chapter One: Why We Have to Get Over Ourselves Chapter Two: Teaching or Learning? Chapter Three : The Architecture of a Mastery Based System Chapter Four: The Four Determinants of an Encurricular Learning System Chapter Five: The New Flight Plan Chapter Six: What Must Happen Now Chapter Seven: The Transformed System Chapter Eight: Transforming the District About the Author

About the Author :
Dr. Alan Wimberley is a motivating speaker, passionate writer and energetic creator of authentic learning systems. You can find his writings about reshaping the paradigms of teaching and learning at www.alanwimberley.com, visit the website of Responsive Education Solutions at www.ResponsiveEd.com, where he serves under the leadership of the CEO as the chief education architect for hundreds of educators and see evidence of the principles in this book at www.valueaddeducation.com. For those interested in his availability for speaking engagements, shared and mutual efforts or additional opportunities, he can be contacted at reshaping.ed@gmail.com.

Review :
This book sets forth a powerful case that as we diligently work to reform the teaching systems of yesterday, students – and educators – of today are yearning for us to transform to learning systems that yield engagement and fulfillment in the classroom and beyond. Dr. Wimberley provides a compelling vision of replacing the compliance-based, assessment-laden, adult-centered teaching systems, and the accompanying anxiety and negativity, with student-focused learning systems that unleash the creative genius of educators to better meet the needs and interests of students. May this vision become a reality! This is not another education reform book but, rather, an education transformation book.  The ideas presented here require all educators to think how and why we teach the way we do and how and why schools operate the way they do.  And, more importantly, the book calls for action, not merely thinking about what needs to be changed.  We must become somewhat uncomfortable and transform our educational system. Dr. Wimberley is an experienced educator with a keen sense of what’s right and wrong with the system and where schools need to go next to replace a teaching system with a learning system. Read on. I did not have to read many pages of Reshaping the Paradigms of Teaching and Learning to realize that I had in my hands something truly special. Dr. Alan Wimberley quickly engrossed me in an important and thought provoking journey regarding a needed transformation in education. Dr. Wimberley clearly and accurately suggests an educational model of learning that will be of interest to anyone concerned with improving student performance. I highly recommend this book! Dr. Alan Wimberley’s new book is a fascinating read that challenges each of us to look at education in a different light. We all know that educating 21st century children requires transformation of our educational systems, but few have a solid road map to success. Dr. Wimberley is proposing a radical change of perspective in creating a learning system rather than a teaching system, one that greatly empowers students. With mastery based learning, it is personalized for each student. Every educator needs to read this new book and to challenge themselves to make the necessary changes in their school (public, charter, private, etc.) to maximize success with today’s children. This is not just another great idea to consider, but an imperative if this country is to continue as a place where opportunities are available to all. We are not educating our children in a way that allows them to thrive in today's economy. Our education system was designed generations ago and has not evolved with how our world works today. Dr. Wimberley's proposal to shift how our students learn will transform our educational system for generations to come. Teachers, administrators, policy makers and even business leaders need to read this book.