Your First Year As an Elementary School Teacher Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional

by Rominger, Lynne Marie; Heisinger, Karen; Elkin, Natalie

• ISBN13: 9780761529682
• ISBN10: 0761529683
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-29
• Publisher: Crown

Summary

Real Solutions and Advice from the Teaching TrenchesMany begin teaching because of a desire to make a difference. But faced with everyday challenges of the classroom, this idealism is often lost. The fact is, teaching is not easy. While there are many personal rewards, teachers must satisfy many constituencies, including students, parents, and administrators. But by being prepared and organized, you can ensure that your first year is fulfilling and productive for both you and your students."Your First Year as an Elementary School Teacher provides practical solutions to the most common and difficult issues of teaching. Inside is everything you need to know to create an atmosphere of cooperation, learning, and respect within your classroom. Use this helpful book as your mentor and enjoy your first year as a teacher.Have a successful first year by knowing how to: -Reach, teach, and have fun with your students -Create an interesting and interactive classroom environment -Manage and find new ways to help difficult students -Develop positive relationships with parents and administrators -Organize your day to stay on top of the curriculum and grading -Develop effective and engaging lesson plans "This complete book is the first thing principals should hand to their new teachers. It has it all!-- Angela Kleinberg, reading specialist, Washington School

Author Biography

<b>Lynne Rominger</b> is a teacher and freelance writer. An accomplished journalist, she lives in Roseville, California. <br><b>Karen Heisinger,</b> a former elementry school teacher and vice principal, is the director of the Placer-Nevada Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Consortium in Auburn, California, where she lives with her husband and two children. <br><b>Natalie Elkin</b> is a high school teacher with a psychology background who also has experience as a middle school teacher. She resides in Sacramento, California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xiii
Part One: Welcome to the Profession	1	(72)
Professional Expectations	3	(14)
Great Expectations	17	(12)
Back to School: Your Site's Expectations	29	(14)
School Procedures, Policies, and Schedules	43	(13)
Preparing for Absences from Your Classroom	56	(17)
Part Two: Setting Up Your Classroom	73	(32)
Your Home Away from Home---Your Classroom	75	(16)
Gathering Materials: Beg, Borrow, and Steal	91	(14)
Part Three: Effective Lesson Planning	105	(92)
Organizing the Curriculum	107	(14)
Content Areas	121	(23)
Long-and Short-Range Plans	144	(12)
Instructional Strategies	156	(18)
Incorporating Multimedia	174	(23)
Part Four: Classroom Management	197	(40)
Classroom Rules and Responsibilities	199	(23)
Classroom Logistics	222	(15)
Part Five: Grading, Assessing, and Homework	237	(32)
Grading Students	239	(20)
Homework	259	(10)
Part Six: Communication	269	(50)
Communicating with Parents	271	(27)
Communicating with Faculty	298	(9)
Communicating with Administration	307	(12)
Part Seven: Odds and Ends	319	(42)
On Display: Classroom Observations	321	(13)
The First Two Weeks of School	334	(20)
Teacher Associations/Unions: To Join or Not to Join	354	(7)
Appendices	361	(10)
Index	371