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Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management From a Softy Who Became (Eventually) a Successful Teacher 1st Edition

by Gary Rubinstein (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 137 ratings
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In this funny and insightful book, Gary Rubinstein relives his own truly disastrous first year of teaching. He begins his teaching career armed only with idealism and romantic visions of teaching―and absolutely no classroom management skills. By his fourth year, he is named “Teacher of the Year.” As Rubinstein details his transformation from incompetent to successful teacher, he shows what works and what doesn't work when managing a classroom such as:

  • Develop a teacher look. The teacher look says, “There's nothing you can do that I haven't already seen, so don't even bother trying.”
  • Show students that you are a “real” teacher by doing things they expect of real teachers, at least for a while.
  • Be prepared to utter a decisive answer to anything within 2 seconds. Decisive answers inspire confidence.

Any teacher―experienced or not―will enjoy this honest and humorous look at the real world of teaching!

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Previous page
  1. ISBN-10
    9781936162154
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1936162154
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Routledge
  5. Publication date
    July 1, 1999
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    7 x 0.44 x 9 inches
  8. Print length
    178 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

I was reading Reluctant Disciplinarian last night. Lots of wonderful stuff here! The "hero teacher" section is so good I cheered, even though I've probably succumbed to that inclination now and then. I guess we all do. --Jonathan Kozol, Author, Death at an Early Age and On Being a Teacher

Reluctant Disciplinarian is that rare classroom management book that is both thoughtful and realistic. It is also a great read, with parts that are laugh-out-loud funny. We use Gary Rubinstein's book every year with our incoming teachers. Classroom management is a key to successful teaching and Rubinstein's book provides hard-won knowledge for how first-year teachers, or any teacher, can create a well-managed classroom. Rubinstein shows that classroom management can be both respectful and practical, in any situation. --Ben Guest, Program Manager, Mississippi Teacher Corps

About the Author

After graduating from Tufts University in 1991, Gary Rubinstein trained as a teacher with the Teach for America (TFA) program, which recruits recent graduates to teach in rural and inner-city schools throughout the country. During his five years with the program, he taught both middle school and high school students and wrote a monthly TFA newsletter column called "I Didn't Do Nuthin'."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1936162156
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (July 1, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 178 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781936162154
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1936162154
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.44 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

About the author

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Gary Rubinstein

Gary Rubinstein

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Gary Rubinstein is a high school teacher living in New York City. He has written two guidebooks for new teachers, four math review books, and co-authored a children's book.

He writes a blog about education at garyrubinstein.wordpress.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
137 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

A Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and Encouraging for Beginning Teachers
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm in my sixth year of teaching 7th-9th grades, and I read this book in my first year. I'm buying it now to give to a fellow teacher who's just starting out and struggling with classroom management, like every new teacher should expect to. This isn't a comprehensive look at classroom management. However, reading it WILL make you feel better after an inevitable day when you've blown it in the classroom. It WILL make you laugh, which is something you will need as a first year teacher. More importantly, it will give you hope that just because you have no idea what you're doing right now, does not mean you will be a bad teacher. And it gives straight, practical, down to earth advice without the BS that you won't read in most other books or hear in training or education programs. Yes, you should avoid groupwork at first. Yes, you should be ready to answer any question within two seconds, probably with No. Yes, you should aim to be boring on the first day of school. You might leave this advice behind as you get more comfortable in the classroom, but that's no reason to assume you don't need it starting out. I would even call this book essential for new teachers who may not have a colleague next door to give you the down to earth advice.
4 people found this helpful
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brian
4.0 out of 5 stars Maybe Not a Movie, But
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2019
Verified Purchase
I found this book very enjoyable and could relate to many of the examples and stories as I’ve also taught for many years. It may not be like a super detailed list of strategies, but gives solid advice on management. It is also very relatable to read, especially if you have prior teaching experience. I like how it uses demonstrations of lessons such as the eclipse experiment to show that one also needs discipline and consequences to effectively run a classroom. It does a good job also of showing what students think about school and what they expect from teachers even though they might not always show it on the outside. Best of all, it has funny, practical, and sound advice for any teacher that desires to be a successful classroom manager.
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Paris
5.0 out of 5 stars SO HELPFUL!
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
After my first year with middle schoolers, I got recommended this book by another teacher. I am a TOTAL softy and a super big nurturer. This makes a lot of sense, is easy to read, and is super practical. I will be implementing some of these tips into my planning for next year and practices come fall. I also gifted this to a friend who will be starting her student teaching soon (a fellow softy!) A super great gift for new teachers in your life OR for you if you're a new teacher and are having a tough time bringing structure into your classroom in a loving way!
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Sarah Elizabeth Reiff
3.0 out of 5 stars Short Sweet and To the Point
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is a great book for what I wanted it for, an honest look into the schools Teach for America corps members work in. It is a very easy and short read which still manages to touch on the important lessons he learned in his first years of teaching. I especially enjoyed the back end of this edition because he revisits some assumptions and opinions he had made when he first wrote the book.
2 people found this helpful
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Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
This was a great book. Extremely helpful to me as a new teacher. I hope my first year goes better than the authors and I will definitely try to avoid some of his mistakes. Easy and entertaining to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to refer back to it or even reread it in the future. Thanks to the author for writing such a genuine and helpful book.
One person found this helpful
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kristinwithani
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny, yet informing
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
I bought this book for my class management course in my graduate program. I like it because it touches on the key points of class management in a humorous way. Many books tend to be cut and dry, but this book gives similar information in a casual tone, which actually keeps you reading, wanting to know more. I also like that the author of this book inserts many of his own teaching experiences, which helps build his credibility. So, I recommend this book for any new teacher, or veteran teacher, whose looking for some answers in regards to class management.
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Melissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and educational.
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
I just started my third year and this book made me rolling on the floor laughing because so many of the scenarios I could relate to. This is a realistic view of what teaching sometimes is and this book gets you out of the fairy tale land that your professors teach you in College.
5 people found this helpful
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Kecia M
2.0 out of 5 stars Personal anecdotes, not much practical substance. A light ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
Personal anecdotes, not much practical substance. A light read but I was looking for a how-to guide. Wish I'd spent my 10 bucks elsewhere
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Catherine ML
2.0 out of 5 stars Good for first and second years
Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2014
Verified Purchase
Good for first and second years, but not for anyone who has already taught for a couple of years. Very simple advice that you basically have already learned by the end of your second year. There are a lot of don'ts but not enough "do's" in terms of discipline. He's basically saying that all tactics are a waste of time and effort. It's more about how you can prevent a situation by improving/changing yourself as a teacher. First impressions are certainly important, but I was looking for new fresh ideas that can keep difficult students engaged.
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