Make your first year of teaching one to remember

Becoming a new teacher is one of the most fun, exciting, and challenging experiences youll encounter in your life. Who wouldnt want a little help getting ready before sitting down behind the teachers desk for the first time?

Thats whereFirst-Year Teaching For Dummies comes in. Youll find easy-to-follow strategies and techniques to help you navigate the politics of education in your community, develop fun and fulfilling relationships with your students, and refine your own instructional style. Youll learn to:

Its almost time for you to take charge of your first classroom and youre raring to go. So, grab a copy ofFirst-Year Teaching For Dummies to find the last-minute tips and common-sense guidance you need to help make your first school year a rewarding one!

Carol Flaherty is a 25-year veteran elementary school teacher who spent most of her years teaching first and fourth grades.

Flirtisha Harris has taught secondary school for more than 20 years in Texas and Southern Maryland.

W. Michael Kelley started as a high school math teacher and has spent 30 years teaching and training people of all ages.

Introduction 1

Part 1: What They Didnt Teach You in College 7

Chapter 1: What Have You Gotten Yourself Into? 9

Chapter 2: Dealing with Societys Nutty Notions about Teaching 27

Chapter 3: How Things Have Changed in the Classroom 39

Part 2: Managing Your Classroom 53

Chapter 4: Finding Your Way Around 55

Chapter 5: Setting Up Your Classroom 71

Chapter 6: The First Week of School 89

Chapter 7: Keeping Your Classroom Under Control 105

Chapter 8: Picking Your Battles 123

Part 3: Delivering Instruction 141

Chapter 9: Finding Your Style 143

Chapter 10: Making Learning Fun 159

Chapter 11: Managing Assessment 177

Part 4: Meet the Supporting Cast 191

Chapter 12: Getting to Know Your Administrators 193

Chapter 13: Getting to Know Your Coworkers 211

Chapter 14: Getting to Know Parents 227

Chapter 15: Getting to Know Students 247

Part 5: Non-Instructional Duties 261

Chapter 16: Implicit and Explicit Duties 263

Chapter 17: Taming Administrative Tasks 279

Chapter 18: Protecting Students Under Your Care 291

Part 6: The Part of Tens 311

Chapter 19: Ten Things That Always Happen to First-Year Teachers 313

Chapter 20: The Ten Biggest First-Year Teacher Blunders 319

Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Teaching Online 325

Index 331