Welcome to “Teach to Touch Lives: A Guide to the Profession of Teachers.” Having served in an array of capacities in K-12, and now in higher education, our aim was to author a foundations text that would prepare pre-professional teachers to become creative thinkers, innovators, and agents of change. Over the course of our collective teaching and leadership experiences, in the past few decades, there has been a growing disenchantment among the U.S. public, including experts, educators, and education majors, with our educational system’s emphasis on standardized testing and test preparation. In present times, scores of future teachers also echo this feeling, hoping to play a transformative role when they enter the teaching profession. 

Inspired by a desire to improve American education and bring about a paradigm shift in our teacher preparation programs and K-12 educational practices, this digital text came to fruition amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It sought to break the silence and uncover the reality of the K-12 arena and the areas in need of reforming. The primary purpose of the book is to not only guide future teachers for one of the most important careers in society, but also share insights and wisdom about how to create inclusive and supportive learning environments, effectively teach diverse learners, support learning among all students, and adequately manage the multifaceted aspects of the classroom. Touching lives and readying the next generation of professionals for productive, adult lives is a central theme across the book.

Unlike other introductory education textbooks, the text is structured into episodes that walk readers through easy-to-understand concepts, incorporate international perspectives such as best practices from other countries, and offer ideas and suggestions for revamping public education and teacher preparation programs. It also includes numerous activities for readers to scout. Some require readers to put their pedagogues’ caps on, project themselves in the classroom, and make decisions like “real teachers.” Others encourage self-reflection, exploration, and discovery. The text is interspersed with supplemental resources, websites, and videos throughout.

In the 21st century, learning should be engaging, interactive, applied, and technology based, 100% tailored to modern-day students. The current conceptualization of schooling is no longer adapted to the needs of today’s diverse and technologically savvy students. It requires mindful reconstruction to afford all learners quality, challenging, and accessible learning experiences in K-12. To this lofty goal, we aspire, and hope that you will enjoy your reading adventure while deriving meaningful implications.

Dr. Elizabeth Molina serves as the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Education Pathway at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Since joining the College, close to a decade ago, she has served in several other administrative positions, including Associate Dean of the Education Pathway and Coordinator of Instructional Technology, prior to being selected as Dean. Over the years, she has developed and delivered various trainings on pedagogy and innovative teaching methodologies to pre-professional teachers and in-service teachers, as well as taught bachelors-level teacher preparation courses in the areas of classroom management and instructional strategies. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Molina was an elementary school teacher, in grades 4 and 5, in Miami-Dade County, and middle grades mathematics teacher in Volusia County. Her accomplishments at Broward College include overseeing a $3.5 million Teacher Quality Partnership Grant, increasing pre-professional teachers’ pass rates on certification examinations, and launching new program endorsements to meet the needs of local school districts. Dr. Molina is passionate about refining teacher preparation and increasing the teacher pipeline. As a South Florida native and first-generation college student, she keenly understands the current challenges in the field of Education and is very focused on improving teacher preparation and, in turn, K-12 learning. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, a Master of Science degree in Educational Technology Applications, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Leadership Administration from Barry University.