Marin Kecman - 1000 Best New Teacher Survival Secrets

The book I am reviewing is called “1000 Best New Teacher Survival Secrets” by Kandace Martin & Kathleen Brenny. The novel goes in order from your first day to every possible issue you can come across in the classroom. Being aware of a problem, you can just open the book and go to the section about your issue. The book was divided into 12 sections. Each section had 80 tips and tricks under that topic header. I will not be covering every single section, but will discuss some key ones that stood out to me.

Getting Started: The very first point in the novel is to carefully read over your contract. Ask any questions you have about salary, extra duties, the number of days you will be employeed. Make sure you find out about your healthcare and benefits. Before the school year begins, you should establish some connections with administration and staff members. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the school or anything. Make sure you get keys to the building, find out about parking, and class schedules. Get familiar with the layout of the school and the emergency exits and procedures. Walk around the school and get to know the neighborhood where your students live. Read the school mission statement and handbooks before classes start so you are prepared with policies and procedures. There are many things that a beginning educator must do before they even start teaching.

Classroom Management: This section of the book begins to outline what you have to do to have an accomplished classroom. There are two main goals outlined, cooperation and achievement. A recommendation is made to do an exit slip every day after class. Arrange your classroom with easy management in mind. Begin the term with setting up rules. Make sure that you stick to them throughout the year. Make sure that the parents are aware of the rules by sending home a copy of it. Try to make a procedure and routine so it’s easier for your students to know what’s coming.  Be aware that you will have many types of characters in your classroom that will need many different forms of conflict and behavior management. Make sure to address behavior that violates school policy head-on. Develop a model of trust, honesty and responsibility. Be careful how you discuss misbehavior with parents. Many other strategies and suggestions are outlined in this section for how to manage a successful classroom.

Assessing Student Learning: Assessment is there for the teacher to check for understanding of what the students know. It allows you to make the proper decisions for appropriate instruction. Make sure to be clear about your instructions on tests, and remind the students to try every question. Try to test reading and writing on a regular basis, and include book reports, with an expectation that the students will be able to converse about the author, content, and subject. Prepare your students for standardized tests. Stress the importance of them as well. Act appropriately and professionally even if you don’t agree with standardized tests, and try to make your students understand the importance of them. To better prepare your students, let them practice deciphering what a question is asking specifically. It may not always be about comprehension. Make yourself available for students after they have written a test. Stress logical structure when covering essay writing so they learn the basics early on. Lastly, encourage students to be involved in assessment. There are many other assessment secrets shared in this section of the book.

Reaching Out to Parents and the Community: The last fairly important and relevant chapter that I took out of the novel was reaching out to parents and the community. Communication is an important part in being an educator. To have a successful career, positive constant communication is key. Volunteering, participating in events special events and celebrations means that you are an involved caring individual that wants to be part of the greater network. It shows you care more about your students. Become loyal to local businesses that support your student’s families. Try to wear the school logo to represent your school. Also, foster positive relations with colleagues around you. Communicate with parents consistently with various forms from letters to phone calls to online blogs/websites. Meeting parents at parent-teacher conference can be a rewarding experience. A positive way to show your students progression to parents is with a growth portfolio that you helped them with. Always begin addressing a problem by asking both the student and parent what they think can be improved on. Then try building on their suggestions. That way they feel more involved in their child’s development.

Verdict: The novel, “1000 Best New Teacher Survival Secrets” by Kandace Martin & Kathleen Brenny does a great job in outlining what a new teacher can do to become a connected individual in the school system. It isn’t a very long read, and has many breaks where natural pauses can be made while reading it. The book can also be a reference for certain situations that arise throughout the year. You can always go back to the book and see if your situation is covered in the 12 chapters. The novel only covers the beginning of your career, so one of its drawbacks is that it has a shelf life. They way the book is laid out can be cumbersome to read, because there isn’t that much flow to the text. There are literally 1000 points in the novel. The ways the points are presented are in numerical fashion, under a larger header. It makes it very easy to skim to a section that you are looking for, but as a whole piece in itself, becomes disgruntled to read at times. Going back to the positive side of things, it appears as though the authors did a great job in covering what beginning educators need. Combined, the authors possess decades of experience, which shines through in the suggestions made. I would rate this novel an 8 out of 10 based on the fact that it’s a very easy read, points are direct, helpful and the layout is one which you can find anything you are looking for fairly quickly.

Brittany Dagg - The Morning Meeting Book

The Morning Meeting Book

Summary:

            The Morning Meeting is essential; kids need to be noticed, especially by their teacher. However, it is also important for kids to notice and be noticed by each other as well. The Morning Meeting has four main components, Greeting, Sharing, Group Activity, and Morning Message, which are all designed to bring a class closer together. This is accomplished through intentionally providing students with an opportunity to greet others, listen and respond, participate in group problem solving, and to notice and anticipate.

            Students and teachers alike crave the stability of routine and predictability to the school day, especially at the beginning of a new school year. Although the Morning Meeting is predictable, there is hardly a time when two of these will be the same. They allow so much variation and change; this could be in regards to what you are learning in the classroom, holidays or seasons.

1.     Greeting: Children greet each other by name, often including handshaking, clapping, singing, and other activities.

Page 40

·      Purpose

o   Sets a positive tone

o   Provides a sense of recognition and belonging

o   Helps children learn names

§  This allows children to call upon each other

§  It is a way to get others attention

§  It enables people to ask questions

§  It enables children to recognize one another in a discussion

§  To request help

§  To offer congratulations or whisper an apology

§  Our name identifies each of us as an individual

o   Gives practice in offering hospitality

·      Start simple and progress to more complex as the year goes on

o   Some examples include:

Brown Bear Greeting - Page 160

Spider Web Greeting - Page 173

2.     Sharing: Students share some news of interest to the class and respond to each other, articulating their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a positive manner.

·      Purpose

o   Helps develop the skills of caring communication and involvement with one another

o   Extends the knowing and being known that is essential for the development of community and for individuals’ sense of significance

o   Encourages habits of inquiry and thought important for cognitive growth

o   Provides practice in speaking to a group in a strong and individual voice

o   Strengthens vocabulary development and reading success

3.     Group Activity: The whole class does a short activity together, building class cohesion through active participation.

·      Purpose

o   Contributes to the sense of community culture by building a class repertoire of common material – songs, games, chants and poems

o   Fosters active and engaged participation

o   Heightens the class’s sense of group identity

o   Encourages cooperation and inclusion

·      Examples

o    

Oliver Twist - Page 191

Aunt Minerva - Page 179

4.     Morning Message: Students practice academic skills and warm up for the day ahead by reading and discussing a daily message posted for them.

·      Purpose

o   Eases the transition into the classroom day and makes children feel excited about what they’ll be learning

o   Develops and reinforces language, math, and other skills in a meaningful and interactive way

o   Builds community through shared written information

·      Getting Started

o   Introduce Morning Message

§  Let the students know that there will be a message on the board everyday that they need to read.

o   Tailor content, format, and activities to your particular class

§  Messages should be specific to each day and class

o   Keep it simple

§  Welcome and greet students

§  Inform them about their day

§  Accomplish an administrative task that doesn’t need elaboration

·      Examples

Morning Message - Page 208

Morning Message - Page 212

The Morning Meeting is a great way to build community within your classroom. Children learn to be respectful and greet all students in the way that they themselves wish to be greeted. They learn to pay attention and listen to those around them, this enables them to develop feelings of empathy and to truly care about those around them. Children need play in their lives and by participating in daily activities as a whole the children will continue to grow and develop in ways that you can’t just teach at a desk. Having a Morning Message also holds the kids accountable for small tasks throughout the day, this gives them the chance to be responsible and really take pride in their actions. Overall, the idea of the Morning Meeting is a fantastic way to get your students involved in the classroom and help them create their own identity.

Critique:

This topic relates to course content in the way that it reflects socialization in children. Children need to know how to play together, to listen to others, and to wait in line. These are a huge part of the early years curriculum. Social skills are linked with cognitive growth and intellectual progress; this is why teaching these skills to students at a young age is crucial. However, these skills cannot be taught without proper modeling, experience, and practice in a social context. The Morning Meeting allows children to grow into respectful citizens, as they learn a variety of social norms in varying contexts. These are important to their development and this book reinforces the idea and gives many examples of how to accomplish this.

We also learned about the importance of play and how feelings of belonging are important for children. This simple activity everyday creates those lasting bonds of friendships between children and encourages them to treat everyone in the same way. This allows the children to grow into the respectful citizens that we want them to become. Play has such an integral part of development and should be richly integrated into the lives of children. If we can encourage play at this young of age, hopefully it will last a lifetime.

In my practicum we engage in Morning Meetings everyday. The students come into the room, read the message that is on the board, find their respective spots and wait for everyone to join them. They enjoy participating in all aspects on the Morning Meeting and this creates a real sense of community in the classroom. Everyone is friendly towards others, and have a genuine interest in their lives. There are many resources available to help vary greetings and group activities, and the children love learning new songs, chants and games.

I found this book to be a great resource and when I have my own classroom, Morning Meetings is one of the key things I hope to incorporate.

Reference List

Kriete, R., & Bechtel, L. (2002). The Morning Meeting Book. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.

Angie Kuhnle - "The First Days of School"

I chose the book “The First Days of School” by Harry and Rosemary Wong. I chose this book because a former co-worker of mine who graduated from the program at the University of Winnipeg last spring emailed me and told me I had to read this book before I graduate and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Having now read the book I agree with him.

I feel that this is a book I can return to over and over again as I continue to prepare for teaching, but will find it especially helpful when I first start setting up and preparing for my own class. The reason I feel this way is because many of the suggestions this book gives would be best implemented in the first few days of school and need to be consistently used. In practicum and when we start teaching if we are only doing short term positions, we do not have the opportunity to make all of the choices and be consistent in our teaching practices because we are not there 100% of the time. It is important to be consistent in our own teaching though, so I think that as we prepare for our final block this year and for our two blocks next year we must imagine what kind of teacher we will eventually be, and try to work towards that from the beginning. With that in mind this book is a great resource to use in order to imagine what our future classrooms will look, sound and feel like. 

In this assignment I will give a brief summary of some of the sections, with my own considerations and critiques. Some of the ideas go against what we have learned so far this year (in this class, in our practicum schools and in other areas of development) but that doesn’t mean either belief is wrong. We, as teachers, need to decide what feels right for us, and every resource we come in contact with needs careful consideration, which is what I will do in this assignment. I will also include photos that I took from the book, of text boxes I found interesting or short lists of summaries for the chapters that might be useful in deciding if this is a good book for you to read. 

This book used the term “Effective Teacher” quite frequently, and most sections had boxes which defined how effective teachers handle certain scenarios. The first section of the textbook discusses what it means to be an effective teacher and why it is important. One thing that I really liked about this book is that the authors seem to understand that being an effective teacher is not something that is automatic or a decision someone makes, but rather is a process that every teacher should be working towards. I feel that this book is, in a way, a self help book which guides readers towards becoming an effective teacher. At the end of each chapter or major section a small summary list appears explaining the steps the chapter outlined in order to become an effective teacher. Here is the first one: (Photo - pg. 9)

Another section I found quite important is the section on teacher education and preparation. The book flat out says that when we graduate we will not be prepared, that our experiences in university, student teaching and any other professional development will not fully prepare you for what you are about to experience. I think this is a major wake up call that if we expect to be perfect right when we get our own classes, we wont be so we need to have realistic expectations for ourselves and remember that it is perfectly fine to not be perfect. The book suggests learning from those around us, especially once we start working in a school, by talking to other teachers, and finding a role model. (photo - pg. 21)

           The book also gives tips  like when to ask your students questions during a movie: (photo - pg. 32),

or how to dress for a teaching position: (photo - pg. 55),

or how to create seating plans and how to help students find their seats on the first day of school (photo - pg. 106).

I feel like this book is a paper version of pinterest (a website where you can share your teaching - and other creative ideas - with others). I can see pictures or read about other teachers’ ideas and begin to consider my own plans. There are also “How Not To...” lists to show readers the potential consequences of poorly thought out choices. There are so many small ideas that can really help a new teacher with those difficulties they may face. One struggle that I found in practicum was unsharpened pencils leading to kids becoming distracted by the pencil sharpener. In the book, they suggest an unsharpened an sharpened pencil jar that would eliminate this distraction. You see, sometimes it is the small things that someone thought of and shared with you that will make all the difference in eliminating stress in the classroom  (photo - pg. 202)

         I was interested on the section on consequences under classroom management (Chapter 18) because it suggested that teachers create a system that includes rules, consequences and rewards. We have been told several times in the last year that intrinsic motivation is more effective than extrinsic motivation. While I do agree with the idea that rules should be easily accessed and I think that the book’s ideas about not interrupting teaching to deal with consequences for behaviour are important, I’m not sure how I feel about rewarding students for good behaviour. I think this is something that I will need more experience with over the next few years before I make a decision. 

        Overall, I think this book is a great read, I will certainly be turning back to it for ideas and suggestions. There are so many ideas packed into this book that I think every reader could pull out different topics that they find important. I think there are areas you could reference in a job interview and more than anything, it is a great way to start considering what you want your life as a teacher to feel like. If you are looking for another teacher resource, definitely check this one out! 

Reference List:

Wong, Harry K., Wong, Rosemary T., (2009) The First Days of School. Singapore: Harry K Wong Publications Inc. 

Abigail- Everything a new elementary school teacher really needs to know

Everything a new elementary school teacher really needs to know (but didn’t learn in college)

The book I reviewed was called “everything a new elementary school teacher really needs to know (but didn’t learn in college)” by Otis Kriegel.  This was a very practical book full of many suggestions and tips to ease the life of a new teacher.  Knowing and being prepared for these things could help alleviate many problematic situations.  The book was divided into 4 categories:

Before the school year

During the school year

Your students’ families

Life as a teacher

Each category had many subsections, which I will summarize and highlight.  I will not cover every suggestion, but some key ones that stood out to me.

BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR:

Teacher’s Desk: The topic of the teacher’s desk was covered, with a suggestion being made that it is not as necessary as we are led to believe.  One suggestion was from a teacher who wore overalls and carried supplies on her body.  Another teacher had file folders on the wall where things were stored.  Bottom line is that a desk can be a useful item, but there may be other ways more suitable and if a desk isn’t utilized it can be a waste of valuable floor space.  

Spare Clothing: A good and useful suggestion mentioned was for the teacher to have a spare set or two of clothing for accidents.  Working with young children can create many messes: dirt, vomit, glue, water, etc. For a teacher to walk around all day covered in these messes would be very unpleasant, so the suggestion to have a spare set for these cases is a very useful and practical one.  

Rain and Snow: Wet weather outside can create for some uncomfortable footwear messes in the classroom.  A suggestion was to have spare towels in the classroom for the footwear so children can take their wet footwear off and be comfortable in class.  As well this will help to keep the classroom clean.  

Communication: Communication is key with parents.  The book suggested a good idea is to send home a welcome note with the students to introduce yourself, as well as have some forms for families to fill out and send back.  It was also mentioned to find a form of communication you are comfortable with and inform the parents of your preferred method, should they need to contact you. 

Independent Work: A suggestion was made to assign independent work in the morning so that children have a quiet activity to work on while others are arriving.  It helps them get their minds on learning, as well it is nice for parents to arrive and see other children at work.

Preparing for new students: The book mentioned it is a good idea to have a stash of extra supplies handy, as well as extra copies of welcome notes and forms for new students to make the transition more comfortable for the new student. 

DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR:

Getting Attention: The book suggests establishing a call and response early on in the year to capture the children`s attention.  One cute suggestion was `chocolate chip cookies`….`with milk`.  The book also said that there will be times when it is difficult to get the classes attention, and that is ok, don`t take it personally.  

Conflict Corner: A suggestion I liked was to have a conflict corner for students in an argument.  A pre-written script encourages the students to communicate how they feel in a conflict, and working through their feelings and emotions is a life skill.  It also provides a quiet and effective way to work through problems in the class.

Working with the Principal: In the book it spoke about the principal and how he or she is a valuable resource to tap in to.  However this resource should be used respectfully, and only when needed.  It was emphasized to explore all other options to resolve issues before involving the principal. 

YOUR STUDENT’S FAMILIES:

Parent-Teacher Conferences: The parent teacher conference is something quite intimidating to new teachers.  The book suggested to keep it simple: show parents that you are positive and care about their children.  Having a short assignment, such as writing a note for their child to find the next day, would keep parents comfortable while they are waiting.

Weekly Note Home: As a way of communicating and keeping parents in the loop, a suggestion was to send home a weekly note.  This note should cover what the class has done recently and what is scheduled for the coming weeks, so parents are aware.  Accomplishments should also be shared in this letter.  Another way of communicating that was suggested was to have a class website or Facebook page to keep parents in the loop. 

Sharing Bad News: The book had a very wise suggestion regarding sharing bad news with parents- never do it alone.  This is a wise suggestion as emotions can escalate and it is a good idea to have someone else to calm the parents, as well it is always smart to have a witness for future reference should something arise.

LIFE AS A TEACHER:

Planning Ahead: I had always thought it would be a smart idea to plan months in advance.  However the book warns against this, as much can change in that time.  It is best only to plan a week or two in advance.  

Personal Life: One suggestion made was to let a bit of your personal life show through.  If you have a hobby or something you are interested in, don`t be afraid to let the students see some of that.

CRITIQUE

It is very difficult to critique this book, as it somewhat covers areas around what has been covered in class.  This book has a many tips for the practical aspect of teaching, whereas the course covered more of the actual curriculum and engaging students.  So making a complete critique when the topics are quite different isn’t exactly accurate, as some main topics we covered in class such as the environment and cross-cultural curriculum.  That being said, there are some similarities with the material covered in class, and I will touch on those.  

Student Input: The book talks about having student input with regards to rules and consequences in the classroom, as opposed to having a pre-written set of rules.  Having the students work together to create rules and consequences gives them a sense of ownership and they are more inclined as a class to follow these rules if they have a say in them.  This corresponds with an article we read in class about a school where children work together and have a say in the curriculum and policies.  The article spoke about having student led meetings in the school, which gives the students a chance to input ideas.  The book spoke of a similar concept of holding a class meeting at the beginning of the school year to have the student’s input.  

Homework:  In the class we discussed homework and its importance.  The verdict in class appeared to have been that homework does not necessarily have the value we assume it does.  We spoke about how families are quite busy and assigning hours of homework takes away from valuable family time.  The book however stressed the reasons to assign homework and some strategies to handle homework, a slight contradiction from topics discussed in class, but chances are it may be an expectation of the school, and the book does give some practical solutions to stay on top of homework. 

Balancing Life: One discussion we have had a number of times in class involved how to have a balanced life.  We discussed aspects of leading a balanced life, such as the five points of a balanced life: connecting, taking notice, being active, keep learning and giving.  If we lead a balanced life, we will be more effective as educators.  An unbalanced life can lead to stress and burn out, and ineffective teaching.  The book acknowledges the importance of leading a balanced life and covers ways to accomplish this.  Some suggestions were to leave work at school.  Bringing work home can take away from family time, which can be essential to positive well being.  Delegating responsibilities can be another strategy to help reduce burn out.  

Building a Classroom Community: Some of the chapters we read in class covered how to create a sense of togetherness in the classroom, so each child feels he or she belongs.  Otis Kriegel`s book briefly covered this subject.  The classroom input, as suggested above, is one strategy to community building.  Another suggestion I liked was that of encouraging students to express their emotions by anonymously writing down their feelings (in itself therapeutic) and discussing a few (again anonymously) with the class to encourage empathy.  Children are also encouraged to share in a truth circle, both positive and a challenge.  Obviously guidelines need to be in place (no teasing) but these exercises can help students relate to each other.

Final Verdict: This book is a very helpful and practical resource for a new teacher, providing many tips to make the transitions in the first year a smooth experience.  It is a short and simple read, and is essential for any new teacher. I often worry what my first year teaching will be like, I often pressure myself to not make mistakes.  This book is reassuring that I will make mistakes and many mistakes, but it is ok.  It is all a part of learning.  It does however give many good tips to avoid common mistakes and make it easier in the first year.  I will definitely keep this resource and rely on it in years to come!