Coursework to Classroom

Designed to support student teachers during their student placements, Coursework to Classroom: A Guide for a Successful Student Teaching Experience equips readers with strategies to facilitate intentional, reflective discourse with their students, the practical tools they need to successfully transition from the higher education classroom to the workforce, and valuable information to help them make the most of their experience as a pre-service teacher.

The book is organized into four units. Unit I focuses on the first week of student teaching, ethical practices, and student and teacher rights. Unit II emphasizes three critical aspects of effective teachers: routines and structures, parent and family engagement, and impact on student learning. In Unit III, readers become acquainted with the foundations of teaching, including teaching frameworks, curriculum in action, and how to shift from planning for teaching to planning for learning. Unit IV provides insights and strategies to assist candidates in applying, seeking, and interviewing for their first teaching position, licensure requirements, and what to expect during the early years of their career. Throughout, advice from the field, reflection exercises, discussion questions, and interactive appendices support critical thinking and deeper learning.

Designed to bridge the gap between study and real-world experience, Coursework to Classroom is an essential guide for pre-service teachers.

Thomas Starmack earned his Ed.D. at the University of Pittsburgh. A former secondary mathematics teacher, school principal, and assistant superintendent, he is now a professor of education at Bloomsburg University, where he coordinates the Educational Leadership Graduate Program. Dr. Starmack also conducts regional professional development for school and district-level administrators and serves as a consultant for Pre-K - 12 school districts in central Pennsylvania. In 2001, he received the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, and in 2010, he received the Supervision and Curriculum Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.