Teaching in the Real World: Strategies to Survive and Thrive » (1st Edition)

 Are you prepared to meet the challenges of teaching in today's urban, suburban, and rural schools?

All teachers, in-service or pre-service, who are teaching in an urban school or are outside their comfort zone in the classroom won't want to put this book down.  This brief collection of reflective e-mail journal entries is written by Miss. B, a white female graduate student, student teaching in an urban high school.  The Journal Entries illustrate her transformation from a passionate but struggling teacher who is sometimes stymied by the challenges posed by her environment and her students, to a teacher who has found her voice and the confidence to achieve her dream of improving the lives of her students.  Miss B's correspondence provides:

• Discussion of issues in urban teaching, including student homelessness, hunger, motivation, and more.

• A model of what good reflective teaching/learning looks like as she seeks to improve her teaching.

Entries from her college supervisor, Professor Z, offer readers:

• An experienced teacher's suggestions for dealing with standardized testing, teacher and student resources, and more.

• Tips, Strategies, and Relevant Data that provide strategies for dealing with issues student teachers will face in the classroom.

• Checklists that serve as a resource to keep teachers on track.

Introduction     1
Week 1     5
Topics Discussed This Week     6
Josh/My First Day of Student Teaching (What They Don't Teach in Behavior Management Courses)     6
Building Relationships with Students
Classroom Management
Student Behavior
Teacher Student Relationships
Motivating Students
How to Show Students That You Care About Them     11
The Moat/Funding for Urban Schools     12
Dealing with Funding Realities
School Resources
Injustices in Our School System
The Politics of Education
How to Communicate with Your Elected Officials     16
Covering Your Butt and Covering the Material     17
Testing-Too Much to Cover
School Politics
Curriculum Restraints
Standardized Testing
Teacher Responsibilities
Lesson Planning
Constructivist Teaching
How to Effectively Teach Critical Thinking Skills     22
How to Incorporate Constructivist Teaching into Your Lessons     24
Black Man, White Man, Don't Give a Damn     24
Uncovering Racism, Sexism, and Classism
Teaching Methods
The Effects of Poverty and Race on Student Learning
What You Need to Know About Poverty     29
Good Luck, Miss B!     30
Faking Confidence
Teacher Issues (Attitude, Fear, Confidence)
Classroom Management
How to Prepare for Your First Week of Student Teaching     34
How to Have aSuccessful First Week of Student Teaching     34
Discussion Starters for Week One     36
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Getting YOUR Act Together     37
Week 2     41
Topics Discussed This Week     42
Lessons After School Part I     42
Engaging Multiple Intelligences
Teacher-Student Relationships
After School Activities
Teaching Methods
Constructivist Teaching
How to Get Involved with Your Students Outside of Class     45
Writing Right     46
Planning Clear Objectives and Effective Routines
Lesson Planning
Giving Good Directions
Teacher Expectations
Motivating Students
Being a Reflective Practitioner
Classroom Routines
Bloom's Taxonomy
How to Write Good Objectives     50
How to Create Effective Classroom Routines     52
Miss, Why Are You So Mean?     52
Choosing Your Battles
Student Behavior
Classroom Management
Teacher Issues (Philosophy of Teaching)
How to Implement Professor Z's Red Light Theory     56
The "Tag Team" and "The Buzz"     57
Engaging Disengaged Students
Student Behavior
Classroom Management
Teacher Issues (Attitude and Confidence)
Lesson Planning
How to Create a Good Working Relationship with Your Students     60
Standardized Testing Stinks!     61
Teaching in a High Stakes Testing Environment
High Stakes Testing
Politics of Teaching
Evaluating Your Citizenship IQ     64
Discussion Starters for Week Two     66
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Getting YOUR Class Together     67
Week 3     69
Topics Discussed This Week     70
Discipline/All for One and One for All?     70
Gaining Respect through Being Consistent
Classroom Management
Student behavior
What Are the Causes of Discipline Problems and How Do I Handle Them?     74
Low-Budget Learning     77
Teaching on a Tight Budget
School Resources
Teacher-Student Relationships
Student Behavior
Injustices of Our School System
Advice from Urban Students About Teaching in an Urban School     80
My First Observation/Da Bomb!     82
Being Observed for the First Time
Teacher Issues (Fear and Confidence)
Lesson Planning
How to Create a Good Working Relationship with Your College Supervisor     85
How to Act Professionally     86
Central High's Police State     87
Dealing with Police in the Schools
School Politics
Effects of Classism and Racism on Teaching
Time Management
Advice from an Urban Teacher About Teaching in an Urban School     89
Tag Team's Back Again!     91
Making Class Relevant to the Students' Lives
Student Behavior
Teacher-Student Relationships
Lesson Planning
How to Get Students to Stop Testing You     94
Discussion Starters for Week Three     94
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Classroom Management     95
Week 4     97
Topics Discussed This Week     98
Teaching Without Resources     98
Expecting the Unexpected
Teacher Issues (Anger and Stress)
Politics of Education
School Resources
Classroom Management
Teaching Methods
Working with Parents
How You and Your Cooperating Teacher Can Work Closely with Parents     102
How to Have a Meaningful Hall Conversation with a Student     103
How to Form Effective Groups     104
I (Used to) Love Discussions     104
Starting Discussions
Lesson Planning
Best Practices
How to Teach Big Ideas     108
Who Are You? Who Am I?     109
Developing Your Teacher Reputation
Student Behavior
Classroom Management
How to Effectively Manage Your Classroom     112
To Group or Not to Group? That Is the Question!     113
Differentiating Instruction
Hetero and Homogeneous Grouping
Students with Special Needs
Best Practices
Teacher Expectations
Cooperative Learning
What You Need to Know About Cooperative Learning     116
Why You Should Use Cooperative Learning in Your Classroom     116
Class Rebellion     117
Managing Rebellion
Classroom Management
How to Provide Students with Opportunities to Experience Success     120
Discussion Starters for Week Four     120
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Effective Teaching Methods     121
Week 5     123
Topics Discussed This Week     124
My Second Observation/Still Da Bomb!     124
Being Observed for the Second Time
Teacher Issues (Confidence and Stress)
Classroom Management
How to Deal with the Stress of Student Teaching     127
Stickers?!!!     128
Using Positive Reinforcement and Building
Relationships with Parents
Motivating Students
Working with Parents
Injustices in Our School Systems
Best Practices
How Teachers Communicate Appropriately Positive and High Expectations for Every Student     134
We Are Just Like Our Students     134
Relating to Your Students
Motivating Students
Lesson Planning
Teacher Issues (Not Taking Things Personally)
Time Management
Teacher Responsibility
How to Organize Your Priorities as a New Student Teacher     139
Go Ahead and Make My Day     140
Failing to Give Up
Classroom Management
Teacher-Student Relationships
Teacher Expectations
Teacher Issues (Attitude)
Professor Z's Ideas on How to Sell Students on the Importance of Your Course     143
I (Used to) Love Fridays     145
Making "Deals" with Students
Classroom Management
Working with Administrators
How to Get a Class Quiet-Stopping the Action     149
Discussion Starters for Week Five     149
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Things to Remember to Do During Your Placement     150
Week 6     153
Topics Discussed This Week     154
Ninth-Grade Goofballs     154
Acting Like a Real Teacher
Teacher Issues (Taking Things Personally, Wanting to Be Liked, Confidence, and Feeling Overwhelmed)
Being a Reflective Practitioner
Teacher Expectations
How to Develop Successful Classroom Management Strategies     159
This Is MY Class!     160
Connecting with Students
Classroom Management
Teacher-Student Relationships
Teacher Issues (Attitude)
Using Student Feedback
Why You Should Use Student Feedback: The Positive Effects of Soliciting Feedback from Your Students     164
The Way It Is and the Way It Ought to Be     164
Politics of Education
School Resources
Teacher Issues (Goal Setting and Attitude)
Curriculum
How to Teach Your Students the Importance of Learning Big Ideas     170
Helping Students Create Life Goals     172
Advising Students
Teacher-Student Relationships
How to Use Service Learning in Your Classroom     176
Success Is 80% Attitude      177
Developing a Positive Attitude
Teacher Issues (Attitude and Philosophy)
How to Create the Vision for Your Future Classroom     180
Discussion Starters for Week Six     181
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Teaching in Urban Schools     182
Week 7     185
Topics Discussed This Week     186
My Last Week/Time to Fly or Time to Die!     186
Feeling Successful
Classroom Management
Teacher Issues (Confidence and Attitude)
How to Work Effectively with Your Cooperating Teacher     189
Living in the City?     191
Dealing with Doubt
Teacher Issues (Philosophy)
How to Create a Teaching Portfolio     194
Student Feedback Rocks!     195
Listening to Students
Teaching Methods
Student Feedback
Teacher-Student Relationships
Constructivist Teaching
How to Write a Resume     199
Final Observation/Miss B at the Plate-Bases Loaded, Two Out, Full Count     200
Being Observed
Being a Reflective Practitioner
Teacher Issues (Confidence and Attitude)
How to Prepare for Getting a Teaching Job     203
My Last Day of Student Teaching     206
Being a Reflective Practitioner
How to Become More Involved in the Teaching Profession     212
Discussion Starters for Week Seven     214
Professor Z's Student Teaching Checklist: Post-Student Teaching Activities     215
Epilogue     217