This book is the peer teacher everyone wishes they had been assigned when they entered the profession and the refresher veteran teachers might be searching for later in their career. But, teachers are busy. Really busy. Exhaustingly busy- we don't want this book to be one more thing that consumes your spare time. It is important to us that each chapter can be read independent of one another, in any particular order, and in short bursts, so if you need some quick tips on the fly, we want you to be able to find what you need and save the rest for another spare moment. The chapters are arranged chronologically to take you through the school year, but it doesn't need to be read that way. You get to read what will help in the moment.
Heather Garcia has a BA in English, an MA in English, and an MFA in Writing and has taught courses ranging from elementary-level art full of finger paint and clay modeling to high school remedial reading and writing to Advanced Placement Literature. She was also a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University teaching Composition to incoming freshmen and sophomores, which are really just older high school students with a bit more freedom. She has trained new and experienced teachers in new educational programs at her district and she has been a mentor for new teachers for over ten years. Michelle Lindseyhas her BA in English and Literature and her MFA in Writing and has a wide range of teaching experience.She currently is the Program Planner for the English Department at her public high school, serves on her school's Literacy Committee to help promote active reading and better writing throughout all disciplines within her school, and her district's curriculum mapping committee. She also mentors new and veteran teachers coming into the district.
Table of Contents Preface Introduction Section 1: Preparing for the Start of School Start Each Year Fresh Know Your Standards Before the School Year Begins Open House Night Setting Up Your Room Don't Spend Your Check Before You Earn It Pre-School Nightmares Section 2: Starting the School Year Have Reasonable Expectations Start Them Right Into Content In an Engaging Way Ice Breakers Are a Death Sentence Accessing Online Platforms Battling Cell Phones Find Out Who the Friends Are and Move Them Section 3: Making Your Workload More Manageable Starting the Morning Checking Email Lesson Planning Photocopies Keeping Up With the Grading Build In Work Days The Teacher Bag Leaving for the Day Stay Organized and Write Everything Down Section 4: Establishing Student Routines Collecting Student Work Handing Back Student Work Assigning Work Behaviors That Need Routines Section 5: Dealing With Administration Don't Panic When They Call (Or Email) Informal Walk-Throughs Formal Evaluations Section 6: Communicating With Students, Parents, and Administration Answering Emails Calling Home Using Mass-Text Alert Systems Parent Conferences Section 7: Optimizing Interpersonal Skills Treat Your Students Like Rational Humans Keep the Rules Simple The Chronically Absent The Loud Kids The Mean Kids Choose Your Battles Section 8: Thriving as an Educator Choosing Your Work Tribe Deciding Where You Eat Lunch Know What You Can (and Cannot) Control Using Your Time On Teacher Workdays Ditch the Red Pen What You Wear Matters Good Teachers Are Always Students Don't Let the Data Scare You Polish Your Dragon Scales Section 9: Increasing Student Engagement and Learning Back to the Basics Get em' Movin' Show Students the Work Means Something Make It Yourself Student Choice Let Your Kids Struggle Holy Sh*% We Ended Early, Now What? Section 10: Incorporating Reading and Writing Reading Isn't Just for English Class Get Them Writing Section 11: Crossing the Digital Divide Incorporating Technology Let YouTube Help Keep it PG Section 12: Creating and Maintaining Your Work-Life Balance Know Your Limits Allow Yourself Time to Recharge Know Your Contract Censor Your Social Media Don't Overshare With Your Students Section 13: Ending the School Year Don't Just Shove It All In a Box. Have the Kids Help Celebrate What Worked Financially Surviving the Summer
