TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ix

Introduction: Why We Wrote This Book
The Editors 1

Chapter 1: Getting Off to a Good Start

Time to Learn
Kelley Dawson Salas 9

Q/A Should I try to be a friend to my students? 19

How I Survived My First Year
Bill Bigelow 21

Q/A What should I wear to school? 30

Teaching for Social Justice
Herbert Kohl 35

12 Tips for New Teachers
Larry Miller 39

Teaching in the Undertow:
Resisting the Pull of Schooling-As-Usual
Gregory Michie 43

How Jury Duty Saved My Career
Stephanie Walters 53

Chapter 2: Creating Classroom Community  

Building Community from Chaos
Linda Christensen 67

Q/A How can I start building community in my classroom? 82

‘Brown Kids Can’t Be in Our Club’: Raising Issues
of Race with Young Children
Rita Tenorio 83

Q/A What can I do when a student makes
a racist or sexist remark? 93

Framing the Family Tree: How Teachers Can Be
Sensitive to Students’ Family Situations
Sudie Hofmann 95

Q/A What do I do when I realize
I’ve made a mistake with a child? 100

Heather’s Moms Got Married
Mary Cowhey 103

Out Front
Annie Johnston 111

Creating Chemistry in Sophomore Chemistry
Terry Burant 123

Creating a Literate and Passionate Community
Tracy Wagner 131

Getting Your Classroom Together
Bob Peterson 139

Uncovering the Lessons of Classroom Furniture:
You Are Where You Sit
Tom McKenna 145

Chapter 3: Curriculum, Standards, and Testing

Creating Classrooms for Equity and Social Justice
The Editors 157

‘Curriculum Is Everything That Happens’:
An Interview with Veteran Teacher Rita Tenorio 163

Q/A Where can I look for curriculum materials? 168

Standards and Tests Attack Multiculturalism
Bill Bigelow 169

Q/A My students don’t bring back their homework.
Should I keep assigning it? 180

Working Effectively with English Language Learners
Bob Peterson and Kelley Dawson Salas 183

Q/A I hate the textbook I’ve been given to use.
What can I do? 188

Q/A How do I get started planning a teaching unit? 190

‘I Just Want to Read Frog and Toad’
Melanie Quinn 191

Q/A How can I get started using poems with my students? 197

Teaching Controversial Content
Kelley Dawson Salas 199

Q/A How do I get a student to redo an assignment? 206

Even First-Year Teachers Have Rights
Bill Bigelow 207

Q/A How do I prepare for a substitute teacher? 212

Testing Kindergarten: Young Children Produce
Data—Lots of Data
Kelly McMahon 213

Q/A How can I prepare my students for a field trip? 219

Dealing with Standardized Tests
Kelley Dawson Salas 221

Reading Between the Bubbles: Teaching Students
to Critically Examine Tests
Linda Christensen 227

Q/A I’m totally nervous about being evaluated. And I just got a letter from my principal informing me I’m going to be observed! What should I do? 236

Chapter 4: Discipline: Rescuing the Remains of the Day
When Class Doesn’t Go as Planned

The Best Discipline Is Good Curriculum
Kelley Dawson Salas 241

Discipline: No Quick Fix
Linda Christensen 245

Q/A How can I help my students stay organized? 250

The Challenge of Classroom Discipline
Bob Peterson 251

From ‘Sit Down!’ to Stand-Up: Laugh Your Classroom
Management Problems Away
Don Rose 255

Q/A Do I have to spend my own money
on classroom supplies? 258

Making Rules
Dale Weiss 259

Exile Has Its Place
T. Elijah Hawkes 267

Helping Students Deal with Anger
Kelley Dawson Salas 275

Chapter 5: Making Change in the World Beyond the Classroom

Why We Need to Go Beyond the Classroom
Stan Karp 287

Q/A Should I leave the school I’m in? 294

So What Is a Teacher Union Anyway?
Stephanie Walters 295

Teachable Moments Not Just for Kids
Susan Naimark 303

Q/A What should I do if I suspect a student is a victim of abuse? 310

‘We Must Act as if All the Children Are Ours’:
An Interview with Parent Activist Lola Glover 311

Q/A What should I do about the parent who keeps showing up in our classroom unannounced, or a parent who’s upset and wants to meet with me during the school day? 315

Unwrapping the Holidays: Reflections on a Difficult First Year
Dale Weiss 317

Q/A What should I do if I am asked to take on extracurricular
duties or coaching responsibilities as a new teacher? 327

Getting Students Off the Track
Jessica Singer Early 331

Moving Beyond Tired
S. J. Childs 339

Action Education: Teacher Organizers Take Quality into Their Own Hands
Melissa Bollow Tempel 343

Chapter 6: Resources

Other Resources from Rethinking Schools 357

Contributors 363

Index 367