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INTRODUCTION
The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide
There are a number of excellent resources available for new teachers.
We have always recommended that a new teacher have a copy of First Days of School,
Conscious Classroom Management and
Tools for Teaching. Now, with the release of The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide, we believe that all new teachers will benefit by having it added to their repertoire, as well.
Julia G. Thompson has done a wonderful job thinking through many of the real life situations and realities that a new teacher will face.
Her approach is comprehensive, as you can see by glancing at the Table of Contents, yet she provides literally hundreds of strategies, tips and ideas that simplify the process of making your first-year classroom effective and inspirational.
Click here to see the full Table of Contents, which provides an informative overview of everything this book has to offer.
Our normal approach would be to provide one immediately usable strategy from the book that strongly represents what the title has to offer. Because of Ms. Thompson’s approach, we have decided to provide one strategy, idea or tip from each of her 17 chapters.
Just follow the links for each Table of Contents item to read the selected strategy for that section.
Congratulations, Julia G. Thompson. Your book is an asset to education.
Excerpts from The First-Year Teacher’s Survival Guide by Julia G. Thompson. Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This material is used by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
STRATEGIES
Excerpts & Strategies
Section One: Get a Good Start in Your New Vocation
Ten Skills All Teachers Should Have
In addition to the innate and learned characteristics that all teachers need, there are many skills that all teachers should develop as quickly as possible...
>>More
Section Two: Develop Your Professional Expertise
Your Classroom Responsibilities
One of the most difficult tasks you face as a new teacher is learning how to manage all of your duties successfully.
To accomplish this, you should first focus on your classroom responsibilities... >>More
Section Three: Become a Valuable Team Player
What Parents and Guardians Expect from You
When you are a novice teacher who is just beginning to work with the families of your students, you may find it hard to decipher what they expect from their child's teacher... >>More
Section Four: Organize Your Way to a Great Beginning
Set Up Your File Cabinet
You will need to set up a filing system for the paperwork you will deal with each day. If you have a system in place before the term begins, you will save yourself much frustration and time later... >>More
Section Five: Have a Fantastic First Day
How to Create a Seating Chart
Base your first seating chart, which you should make as soon as you receive your class rosters, on the alphabetical order of your students' last names. This is a good way to learn every student's name quickly... >>More
Section Six: Connect with Your Students
What Your Relationship with Your Students Should Be
As a teacher, you are responsible for just about anything that can happen in a class. You will determine the relationship you have with each student... >>More
Section Seven: Design Effective Lessons
What to Include in Your Lesson Plans
The following list will help you as you begin to write your daily lesson plans. While there may be other items that you find useful to include, these will constitute a good beginning... >>More
Section Eight: Deliver Effective Instruction
Avoid Pitfalls That Plague Too Many Teachers
Teachers who are stressed, too tired to plan appealing lessons, or not quite in tune with the needs and interests of their students are likely to lack a smooth flow of instruction. Happily, you can avoid most of these pitfalls with just a bit of awareness, common sense, and planning... >>More
Section Nine: Evaluate Your Students' Progress
Prepare Your Class for Success on Standardized Tests
In addition to taking a professional approach to administering standardized tests, you can help your students by teaching them skills that will be useful in taking standardized tests. The following tips can help you teach important test-taking skills... >>More
Section Ten: Motivate Your Students to Succeed
Pair Students for Maximum Learning
Working in partners allows students to work out their problems with understanding the material while they are still minor and builds the confidence of less able students because their problems remain manageable.
... >>More
Section Eleven: Help Your Students Become Successful Learners
How to Teach Active Listening Skills
You can help your students become good listeners by teaching what it means to be an active listener who pays attention... >>More
Section Twelve: Make the Most of Your Instructional Time
Principles of Effective Classroom Time Management
Learning to use class time wisely is a skill that will take time, patience, and practice to acquire; however, the rewards are well worth the effort. You and your students will benefit every day from classes that run smoothly... >>More
Section Thirteen: Help Struggling Readers Find Success
A Dozen Mistakes to Avoid When Teaching Literacy Skills
Don't ask students to read aloud in front of other students if doing so makes them uncomfortable or if they are such poor readers that other students will ridicule them...
>>More
Section Fourteen: Manage Your Classroom Through Early Intervention
Your Goal: A Positive Classroom Culture
The goal of classroom management is to create a culture so positive that all of your students can achieve their fullest potential... >>More
Section Fifteen: Handle Behavior Problems Effectively
Control Your Anxieties with Proactive Attitudes
Despite your anxiety, you can feel confident that you will soon learn how to manage all of your students' complicated discipline problems... >>More
Section Sixteen: Manage Diversity in Your Classroom
Modifying Lesson Content to Challenge Gifted Students
Focus on the broad concepts in a unit of study. Gifted students will quickly grasp the details of an assignment...
>>More
Section Seventeen: Troubleshoot Twenty Common Problems
Problem 2: Disruptive Cell Phones
Cell phones are becoming more and more of a nuisance in class. They ring during tests, and your students send each other text messages instead of working.
... >>More
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Thank you, Julia G. Thompson, for contributing this month's strategies!
If you would like to contribute to our newsletter, please contact Mike Rogers at Affiliates@EverythingAboutLearning.com. |
RECOMMENDED BOOKS & RESOURCES
Teachers at all grade levels will benefit from this problem-solving guide that provides clear steps to take during the first days of school to lower stress and ensure that students are learning:
- How to instantly establish your respect and credibility in the classroom
- Why positive expectations will increase student achievement
- How to start every class period so that students are always engaged in learning
- When to give tests and how to keep an effective grade record book
- Classroom Behavior Management
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For the novice, first-year teacher to the veteran, classroom-tested teacher, classroom management is the most critical factor for sustained student learning. And eliminating the cycle of student misbehavior is the cornerstone for effective classroom management.
This reference transcends every level of preparation and provides new and experienced teachers with the practical and comprehensive strategies necessary to get the most out of every student. Written in an easy-to-read and humorous, conversational style, this resource is indispensable for new teacher induction or regular staff development.
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by Fred Jones
In Tools for Teaching, Dr. Jones describes the skills with which exceptional teachers make the classroom a place of success and enjoyment for both themselves and their students. Tools for Teaching integrates the management of discipline, instruction and motivation into a system that allows you to reduce the stress of teaching by preventing most management headaches. These skills are made accessible by practical, down-to-earth language and many examples and illustrations.With over 400 black and white photographs and illustrations, this easy-to-use visual guide takes you through the steps for making each student/teacher project that will help convert your classroom into a student oriented learning environment. Gives specific examples and their use over a wide range of subjects. |
| About EverythingAboutLearning.com: Working with educators and educational publishers across the country, we've compiled a database of over 50,000 titles from over 125 leading publishers—all books and resources selected specifically to support you and your classroom. EverythingAboutLearning.com provides books and resources you need—at prices you'll love. |
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