FARMINGTON — How do today’s teachers engage students in the joy of learning in a world of standardized testing? The University of Maine at Farmington will present “Let’s Make Learning Fun: A Renewed Vision of Education” by Char Moffit, UMF assistant professor of education.

A lecture in UMF’s “The Public Classroom” faculty speaker series, this presentation will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, in the Emery Community Arts Center on the UMF campus.

Moffit will talk about her experiences as an elementary educator. She will discuss the different approaches that are currently being used in schools to increase engagement and make learning fun while integrating the curriculum.

These strategies include Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction, The Project Approach and Design Thinking. Drawing on her research, Moffit will talk about the benefits of using CORI in a kindergarten classroom to increase student engagement and make learning fun.

Currently in the United States, legislation has narrowed teaching to basic skills in preparation for high stakes testing. Studies have found that teachers are narrowing their curriculum and utilizing a teacher-directed approach to teaching while focusing on isolated skills in literacy and math, with less emphasis on science and social studies.

With the guidance of principals that are strong instructional leaders, teachers are starting to teach students differently. Instead of teaching basic skills in isolation, they are focusing on teaching children in creative and different ways in order to build their knowledge and create lifelong learners.

With a renewed focus on teaching with the Common Core State Standards, teachers are preparing students for career and college readiness with an emphasis on learning through authentic experiences through a variety of approaches that are engaging and fun.

Moffit’s area of expertise is in literacy education at the elementary school level. She teaches courses in children’s literature, literacy development and literacy methods. Before coming to UMF in the fall of 2014, she taught in the Las Vegas public school system for 12 years. Her research interests include examining the use of Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction in the primary grades to increase reading and science learning engagement.

Moffit received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“The Public Classroom” series is sponsored by the UMF Office of the President. Lectures in this series are free and open to the public.