before you enter the classroom, read this! a list of the best books for new teachers, recommended by their peers
Many educators suffer from back-to-school jitters, but teachers new to the classroom are especially prone to worry: What if I have a classroom full of troublemakers? what if my lesson plans aren’t rigorous enough? what if I have absolutely no parental or administrative support? Get comfortable: Your colleagues have recommended some must-reads for newbies that are sure to help you get organized and energized. These are some of their selections.
the first days of school: how to be an effective teacher
by harry k. wong and rosemary t. wong
You are reading: Books for first year teachers
“I read this book every year before school starts,” says meaghan mcdermott of rocky point, new york. “It helps new teachers understand the importance of establishing routines in the first few weeks, rather than jumping right into content areas. kids need to know what to expect and when, and you need to teach them, because they can’t read minds! You will be very grateful that you used the strategies in this book; when routines and procedures become second nature, teaching will be much easier.”
educating esmé: diary of a teacher’s first year
by esmé raji codell
“i loved reading, educating esmé,” says jane scruggs of arlington, virginia. “It reminded me how special teachers are, especially those of us strong enough to teach in the city. I read it 10 years ago and I still remember it. Plus, it’s a quick read!”
work with parents
by ruby k. payne
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“Last year when I was a first-year teacher, my district handed out copies of Working with Parents: Building Relationships for Student Success to help us build positive relationships with parents,” says Cori Fryar of Springdale, Arkansas. “He taught me how to deal with each type of parent (poor, rich, even overprotective parents) and what I need to do as a teacher to make sure I have a relationship with them. I thought I already knew how to work with parents, but I felt much more confident after reading the book.”
why didn’t i learn this in college?
by paula rutherford
“This is one of the best books for new teachers, but it hadn’t been written when I started teaching back in 1962,” says Margaret Martin of Alachua, Florida. “Since I bought it, I have shared it with many teachers, all of whom agree with the title; they also wish they had learned these tricks and tools in college.
“presents guidelines for planning standards-based lessons and organizing a classroom for learning; and provides strategies to engage students, integrate literacy into the curriculum, and help students self-assess, self-adjust, and become increasingly responsible for their own learning.”
joey pigza swallowed the key
by jack gantos
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“After reading this book, I wanted every general education teacher to read it to get a sense of what life is like for students with addictions and ADHD,” says s.a. from saginaw, michigan. “I am a special education teacher and I sympathize with the challenges of my students; but so many general education teachers think the behavior is elective or voluntary. If teachers could empathize a little more and find outlets for these kids’ energy, our students wouldn’t be “in trouble” most of the time.”
Julie Neff-Tuscon Oaks, Arizona, agrees. “Joey Pigza opens up the world inside the mind of a student with ADHD to things you can’t imagine if you haven’t been there,” she says.
passing the state writing assessment exam
by jane bell kiester
“this is the best book out there: a guide to help kids score on writing tests,” says jennifer lynn of la mesa, california. “I wish I had discovered it sooner.
“begins by introducing students to the ‘dead verbs’ in common use (is, was, were, have, has, etc.). rewrite sentences using vivid verbs, then paragraphs of vivid verbs. then they learn to grade essays that have been published on different state tests. Soon, the students are writing their own essays. there’s a lot of focus on different types of writing and tons of samples to use.
“after using the book for only a week, students stopped me every time I used a dead verb, and we rewrote the sentence on the spot!”
also, don’t miss the teacher’s survival guide: real classroom dilemmas and practical solutions
by marc major
“This book really lives up to its name! It’s one of the first books I’ve come across that offers realistic dilemmas facing not only new teachers but veterans as well, and then offers solutions that are just as realistic,” he says Cory Hixon. , humanities instructor at poudre high school in fort collins, colorado. “I will be using it in the fall with teachers new to the profession because I think it illustrates the wide range of problems a new teacher faces. But it also leaves them hopeful that the problems are not insurmountable.”
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