There are many theories relevant to classroom teaching today. Marsh (2008, p. 17) states that “every theory is nothing more than a set of reasonable suggestions”. A teacher should look at the information available to them and take what is necessary to achieve a positive learning environment in their classroom. This may mean taking a small part of a theory and combining it with another part of a different theory, there is no singular theory or theorist that encompasses everything that is required in a modern classroom. Some of the most important theories about learning are motivation, constructivism, and behaviorism. Teachers choose their own teaching style and strategy for integrating their students, to arrive at their own personal version of the most effective teacher they can be. Eggen & Kauchak (2010, p. 390) state that a teacher “maximizes student learning” and this is what all teachers should strive to achieve. By looking at some of these theories, you can show how their ideas can transfer from paper to today's busy and challenging classrooms. Constructivism is a theory underlying which “students construct, rather than record knowledge” ( Eggen and Kauchak, 2011, p. There are two main branches of constructivism; cognitive constructivism and social constructivism. Cognitive constructivism is based on the work of Piaget; states that a person constructs knowledge through internal dialogue and interaction with their environment. Social constructivism is influenced by the work of Vygotsky. He and others believe that knowledge is constructed by social interaction and then modified by the individual . Social constructivism has become influential in the functioning of the modern classroom; one of...... half of article ...... n teaching and learning of Education: Windows on Classrooms. New Jersey: Pearson Education.Gray, A. (1997). Retrieved from http://saskschoolboards.ca/research/instruction/97-07.htm#Table of Contents , C. & Lewis, B. A. (1990). Constructivism and first grade arithmetic. The Arithmetic Teacher, 38, 36-37.Marsh, C. (2008). Becoming a teacher: knowledge, skills and problems. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education AustraliaMaslow, A. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. Retrieved from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htmShah, S. (2008). Behaviorism and its applications in the classroom. International Research Journal of the Arts and Humanities, 35, 13-36. Extracted from