Teaching Students of the 2020s: Classroom Wisdom from a Master Teacher

Today’s classrooms are filled with digital natives—kids shaped by technology, social media, and rapid change. Teaching the Students of the 2020s gives teachers the tools to connect, engage, and inspire this new generation of learners. With practical strategies, classroom-tested activities, and insights into students’ social and emotional worlds, Bruce Hansen shows how to blend timeless teaching wisdom with modern realities.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your practice, this book will help you teach with confidence, creativity, and impact—right now, in the 2020s.

“This book makes educational theory and research accessible to all teachers. It is a very practical and authentic experience of what teaching involves and stays grounded in the voices of real students and teachers. This book makes teaching accessible to new teachers and veteran teachers looking for new ideas to change their teaching practices. What is clear in reading the book is that it is written by a true practitioner who spent 30+ years learning from first hand accounts about what it means to be a teacher.”

Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores
Assistant Dean of Teacher Education
Professor of Clinical Education
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education


“The post-pandemic classroom requires additional attention to classroom management practices. Bruce Hansen delivers a timely work that guides beginner teachers in addressing the challenges associated with the always-developing social, emotional, and academic needs of diverse classroom communities. This work provides its readers with guided steps and solutions to classroom challenges. A must-have for any novice teacher and the emerging skills essential to empowering the learning of students through guidance and teacher-agency.”

Dr. Jessica Slade
Regents 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award Recipient
Assistant Professor of Instruction Department of Teacher Education
The University of Texas at El Paso

“Bruce Hansen’s 36-year career in classrooms has informed his latest text that offers a common-sense approach to classroom management that is grounded by connections with learners. This ready reference provides practical techniques and authentic case studies that will resonate with both seasoned and novice educators. Read it from start to finish, but also keep this book at hand for on-demand solutions for everyday classroom challenges.”

Tammy Pawloski, Ph.D.
Francis Marion University
Professor of Education
Director, Center of Excellence to Prepare Teachers of Children of Poverty

"Teaching the Students of the 2020s is filled with reminder nuggets on how to be an effective teacher in the classroom in today's tumultuous climate. I found it easy to read, relevant, and resourceful . . . a quick guide for navigating the many situations that come up in our classrooms on a daily basis. This book could easily be a must-read for any teacher, new or seasoned, every year before school begins."

Sharita Ware
2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year
MS Engineering and Technology Education

"At a time when there is high turnover in the teaching profession and when teachers are faced with the many impacts of Covid, this book offers a critical helping hand to educators. Every chapter provides easy to understand solutions for everyday classroom behaviors and challenges. Teachers need positive, real life examples of how to support and engage their students and they can find those throughout Teaching the Students of the 2020’s.”

Susan Castillo
Former Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction

Bruce has been a public school teacher for 36 years and taught every grade level from first toeighth. Some of those schools were in inner-city high-poverty neighborhoods, somein suburban wealthy areas and many in mixed neighborhoods. For 30 years he's taughtgraduate level classes for educators, ten of these years as a college supervisor of candidateslearning teaching skills. I've been in hundreds of classrooms and taught hundreds ofeducators. He's presented at conferences all over the country, taught classes or seminars forPortland State University, University of Oregon and Pacific University, and provided staffdevelopment for various districts. What really makes him a Master Teacher, is that he's stilllearning.Some of the awards Bruce has received include: An Award of Excellence from the NationalTeachers Hall of Fame, a commendation from the Governor of Oregon, a Sustained SuperiorPerformance Award and two Golden Apple Awards from his school districts forexcellence in teaching. He was an advisor to Oregon's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Susan Castillo as a member of her "Brain Trust".Probably the most precious award he's ever gotten was from 9 year-old James who startedthe school year by telling him he hated school, and it was jail. At year's end, he gave Bruce aGet Out of Jail Free card and a hug telling Bruce he loved him and his class.In Bruce's spare time, he and his wife love to travel, visit family, and take pictures.