Table of Contents

Last Updated Fall 2004

Acknowledgments

Introduction

• "Undivided Attention" — 7
  by Taylor Mali

Chapter 1: Getting Off To A Good Start

• Time to Learn — 11
  by Kelley Dawson Salas

• Q/A: What are some ways I can start building a support system for myself? — 16

• Where We Might Begin with Teaching — 20
  by William Ayers

• Getting Your Classroom Together — 26
  by Bob Peterson

• Q/A: What should I be thinking about when I am setting up my classroom? — 30

• Q/A: Do I have to spend my own money on classroom supplies? — 32

• How I Survived My First Year — 34
  by Bill Bigelow

• Teaching for Social Justice — 42
  by Herbert Kohl

• How Jury Duty Saved My Career — 45
  by Stephanie Walters

• 12 Tips for New Teachers — 56
  by Larry Miller

• Confronting White Privilege — 59
  by Dale Weiss

• Other Resources — 66
  by Rethinking Schools

• Another 24 Terrific Books — 70

Chapter Two: "What Am I Going To Teach?"

• "Curriculum Is Everything That Happens" — 79
  An Interview with Veteran Teacher Rita Tenorio

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

• "How Am I Going to Do This?" Guidelines for Developing Curriculum — 84

• Q/A: Where can I look for curriculum materials? — 86

• Q/A: My students don't bring back their homework. Should I keep assigning it? — 88

• Q/A: I hate the textbook I've been given to use. What can I do? — 90

• Q/A: How can I help my students stay organized? — 92

• Dealing with Standardized Tests — 93
  by Kelley Dawson Salas

• Q/A: Should I leave the school I'm in? — 94

• Reading Between the Bubbles: Teaching Students to Critically Examine Tests — 99
  by Linda Christensen

• Creating a Literate and Passionate Community — 106
  by Tracy Wagner

• Q/A: How do I get started planning a teaching unit? — 108

• Q/A: How can I get started using poems with my students? — 112

• Making Rules — 115
  by Dale Weiss

• Q/A: How do I get a student to redo an assignment? — 118

• The Desecration of Studs Terkel: Fighting Censorship and Self-Censorship — 123
  by Bill Bigelow

• How to Teach Controversial Content and Not Get Fired — 127
  by Kelley Dawson Salas

• The Power of Songs in the Classroom — 133
  by Bob Peterson

Chapter Three: Getting to Know the Kids

• Field Trip — 137
  by Rebecca constantino

• Taking Multicultural, Anti-Racist Education Seriously — 140
  An Interview with educator Enid Lee

• Q/A: What can I do when a student makes a racist or sexist remark? — 142

• "Brown Kids Can't Be in Our Club": Raising Issues of Race with Young Children — 150
  by Rita Tenorio

• Working Effectively with English Language Learners — 159
  by Bob Peterson and Kelley Dawson Salas

• Helping Students Deal with Anger — 164
  by Kelley Dawson Salas

• Q/A: What should I do if I suspect a student is a victim of abuse? — 168

• Q/A: What do I do when I realize I've made a mistake with a child? — 170

• The Challenge of Classroom Discipline — 174
  by Bob Peterson

• Q/A: Should I try to be a friend to my students? — 176

• Q/A: How do I prepare for a substitute teacher? — 182

• The Best Discipline Is Good Curriculum — 185
  by Kelley Dawson Salas

• Q/A: How can I prepare my students for a field trip? — 186

Chapter Four: Dealing with the World Beyond Your Classroom

• Teaching in the Undertow — 191
  by Gregory Michie

• Moving Beyond Tired — 199
  by S. J. childs

• Unwrapping the Holidays — 202
  by Dale Weiss

• Getting Students off the Track — 210
  by Jessie Singer

• "We Must Act as if All the Children Are Ours" — 217
  by An Interview With Parent Activist Lola Glover

• So What Is a Teacher Union Anyway? — 220
  by Stephanie Walters

• Authors/Contributors — 225

Index — 229

Last Updated Fall 2004