Trade Secrets: Tips, Tools, and Timesavers for Middle and Secondary Teachers

The first day, week, month and year of school are simultaneously exciting and overwhelming; rewarding and frustrating; energizing and exhausting. These are all normal responses to the demands being placed on you as an educator. This text is designed to provide explicit information about the demands, decisions and details you will deal with in your teaching. "Trade Secrets" is organized into five major sections that parallel the concerns of teachers as they progress through the school year.

Section I: Starting the Year Successfully - focuses on the basics of understanding and fitting into the professional community. This section also details the specific procedures and routines for establishing a well-organized classroom.

Section II: Building Classroom Community - features information for proactively managing student behavior, communicating with parents and developing a comprehensive assessment systems.

Section III: Teaching all Students Successfully - offers explicit guidance in working with students with diverse learning and language needs.

Section IV: Taking Care of Yourself - deals with the issues of balancing personal and professional demands and practical ways to prepare for the ineveitable substitute.

Section V: Closing the School Year Successfully - provides dozens of suggestions that help students continue to learn until the last minute of the school year. It also provides opportunities for the teacher to reflect and plan for more personal enjoyment and professional growth.

This text includes the following:

Trade Secrets - these items usually deal with district/school policy, procedures and/or school etiquette.

Tips - these items are words to the wise and may save time, energy and effort.

Tools - these refer to forms that will help organize information.

Timesavers - these suggestions help save precious planning and teaching time.

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