Teaching Is Interaction

It is believed by many authors and researchers that successful education is reliant on the teacher's handle on the classroom environment, curriculum, and teaching method. But what about student differences such as IQ, prior knowledge, and learning styles, among all unique variables a room full of individuals contain? In recent years, it's become clear that teacher-student interactions, and the host of variables that affect these interaction patters, can help or hinder student learning. In his book Teaching Is Interaction, Dr. Richard H. Powell shares his experience during his forty-year career in teaching and the information he's gathered that he believes can be helpful for new and seasoned teachers looking to improve their skills and help students learn more effectively. For centuries, there have been many theories and ideas about learning, and Powell looks to crack the argument on behaviorism, which debates whether man is a higher and more complex form of the animal kingdom, or man is created in God's image, with a learning process much more complex than that of the animal kingdom. How different is our learning? How much of it can we control? No one student is exactly like another, and one method or style of teaching may not be appropriate for a variety of students. Teaching requires different strategies and ways to deal with the numerous characteristics and mental processes contained in a single classroom. But what remains the same is that the teacher holds the key to effective student learning in all situations. Dr. Richard H. Powell grew up in the Midwest and has been a high school teacher, middle school and high school principal, and a college professor for over 50 years. He received his master's and doctorate degree from University of Arizona. He has had classroom experience with kids of various ages-elementary to college. Therefore, he wants to share some of his experiences and ideas that he has learned from teachers, authors, and educational research that he believes can be helpful for beginning and experienced teachers. He loves spending time with his family and is a well traveled man who has many countries around the world. He has enjoyed the teaching profession and the interaction with teachers and students of all ages, inside and outside the classroom. It is love for teaching that has inspired him to write this book.