Praise for the first edition: "Mandel has written a very practical, informative manual for new teachers. His examples for classroom standards, incorporating a variety of activities for diverse students, and teaching test-taking skills are right on target. For answers to fundamental questions and stress relief, Mandel's manual is a must!" -Johanna K. Lemlech, Professor Emerita University of Southern California "An extremely practical and user-friendly time-saver. Rather than beating around the bush with pages of statistics, philosophies, best practices, and methodologies, this toolbox cuts to the heart of real questions burning inside new teachers. New and experienced teachers can benefit from the quick fixes presented in this plentiful toolbox." -Leslie Gaillard, First-Year Teacher Pacoima Middle School, Los Angeles, CA A one-stop resource for all your first-year teaching needs! This second edition is a concise yet complete guide for novice teachers, covering all the essentials for getting off to a good start. With new tips for everything from establishing an ideal classroom environment to making it through teacher evaluations, this revised edition helps you plan ahead with confidence, keep your perspective, and prepare for the unexpected. The author introduces techniques by grade level, making the book easy to read sequentially or as a reference for specific situations. Written in a conversational tone, this completely revised edition includes an expanded section on Internet use and provides field-tested strategies on how to: Encourage student participation and critical thinking Establish fair grading practices Modify instructional methods and curriculum for students with special needs Increase parent involvement Manage stress and maintain sanity
Scott M. Mandel is a National Board-certified teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He has worked as a teacher, administrator, and inservice leader for more than 25 years. The author of nine teacher education books, Mandel is also the founder and director of the Teachers Helping Teachers Web site. He received his PhD in curriculum and instruction from the University of Southern California.
Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction: What New Teachers Really Want to Know Part I. The Room Environment and the First Weeks 1. Things to Do Before the School Year Begins 2. Arranging Your Classroom 3. Bulletin Boards 4. A Helpful Binder to Leave for Substitute Teachers Part II. The Curriculum and the Students 5. Fairness and Critical Thinking in Classroom Discussions 6. Teaching Five Hours of Material in Only Three Hours 7. Keeping Students Interested 8. Teaching Test-Taking Skills 9. The Internet as the Ultimate Teacher Resource Center 10. Discipline Issues Part III. Grading 11. Marking Papers and Promoting Self-Esteem 12. A Beginner's Guide to Figuring Grades 13. Rubrics 14. Grading for Classroom Participation 15. A Student Self-Esteem Check Part IV. Parents 16. Parent Involvement 17. Parent-Teacher Conferences Part V. Students Who Have Special Needs 18. Modifying the Classroom Curriculum for Students With Special Needs 19. Full-Inclusion Mainstreaming 20. Students With ADD/ADHD and Classroom Management 21. Preparing for a Special Education Class Part VI. How to Maintain Your Sanity 22. Making It Through Your Teacher Evaluation 23. Ten Ways to Avoid Stress 24. Putting It All Into Perspective Further Readings References Index
Praise for the first edition: "Mandel has written a very practical, informative manual for new teachers. His examples for classroom standards, incorporating a variety of activities for diverse students, and teaching test-taking skills are right on target. For answers to fundamental questions and stress relief, Mandel's manual is a must!" -- Johanna K. Lemlech, Professor Emerita "An extremely practical and user-friendly time-saver. Rather than beating around the bush with pages of statistics, philosophies, best practices, and methodologies, this toolbox cuts to the meat of the real questions burning inside new teachers. I strongly encourage any new teacher who is feeling the stress of the first year to take a few minutes and read up on some of the issues that may be contributing to that stress. This book covers just about every issue or concern that one might have and will only save time in the end. In fact, all teachers, new and experienced, could benefit from the quick fixes presented in this plentiful yet to-the-point toolbox." -- Leslie Gaillard, First-Year Teacher
