Jeffrey Glanz - Teaching 101: Classroom Strategies for the Beginning Teacher

For my students, from whom Ive learned even more than from my colleagues or teachers

Copyright 2009 by Jeffrey Glanz

First Skyhorse Publishing edition 2015.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Scott Van Atta

Print ISBN: 978-1-63220-572-8

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63220-987-0

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface

In the opinion of fools, it is a humble task, But, in fact, it is the noblest of occupations.

Erasmus

Tell me and Ill forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and Ill understand.

Chinese Proverb

Educations purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

Malcolm S. Forbes

W elcome to Teaching 101. I am gratified that you, the reader, have found this book so practical and valuable. I have updated the book to make it even more user-friendly. This edition of Teaching 101 is premised on three important principle highlighted in each of the above quotations. First, teaching is an esteemed profession. Be proud as a teacher because your influence is enormous, probably beyond your expectations. Second, this book emphasizes an active approach to learning. Successful teachers go beyond lecture and giving directions; they inspire by involving students in the learning process. This book includes many interactive activities to involve you, the reader. Third, as represented by the final quotation, the purpose of education, as advocated in this edition, is to expand ones intellectual horizons through critical reflection and openness to lifelong learning. What else do these quotations convey to you?

Response:

(Share thoughts with a colleague.)

Listed below are the contents included in Teaching 101.

1. Updated citations and references, including Web sites

2. Checked complete text for readability (consequently, some text was deleted and/or added)

3. Relevant quotations, explanations, and exercises

4. An introductory activity sheet at the start of each chapter to prompt important thinking about upcoming ideas

5. A chapter on assessment in the text

6. A section on bully prevention in

7. Two new detailed and excellent lesson plans as samples for readers in

8. Substantially revised , on technology.

9. An appendix (: Teachers Suggestions Exchange Forum)

Please feel free to e-mail () any suggestions for improvements to Teaching 101.

* * *

On the first day of class, I tell my 30 eager prospective college students a story. After all, isnt that what good teacher do? That is, tell stories. This is a famous story, I explain, told at Harvard Law School, in which 175 eager, albeit anxious, first-year law students await their first professor in their first course. A middle-aged, scholarly-looking gentleman dressed in a dapper blue suit enters the huge auditorium through one of the doors adjacent to the stage. The professor walks across the stage without looking out at his audience. He places his ledger on the podium and peers out at his student and selects his victim. You, pointing to a male student in the rear of the auditorium, state the facts in the case before you. Nervously and hurriedly, the 175 students read the case they had only moments before ignored. The student selected by the professor offers no response. Once again the professor repeats his request. The student again freezes. Again the request is made. State the facts in the case before you. The student gives an inadequate answer. Stoic and silent, the professor nonchalantly reaches into his pocket and takes out a dime and says Take this dime, call your mother (its an old story!), and tell her to pick you up because youll never become a lawyer. Shocked, yet thankful they werent called upon, the 174 other students anxiously await the students reaction. No response. You heard what I said. Take this dime and tell your mother to pick you up. The student rises and walks slowly toward the stage. Hushed silence pervades the auditorium. Suddenly the student stops, looks up at the professor and shouts Sir, you are a bastard. Without batting an eyelash, the professor looks up and says, Go back to your seat; youre beginning to think like a lawyer.

This story, I inform my class, epitomizes the purpose of law school, which is to instill habits of skepticism, verbal aggressiveness, and the readiness to challenge the authority of a lawyer. I continue by conveying my expectations and hopes for them this semester. My purposes in teaching this course are very different from that professor at Harvard. I do, however, want to help you begin to think and act as a teacher... to respect teaching as a noble profession. That is my goal for you, too, my reader. To think, act, and be proud that you are a teacher. As a new teacher, you face daunting tasks and inevitable challenges. The problems and pressures you encounter are unique. At every turn you may be belittled, criticized, and unappreciated. Those who do not teach can never really know all that you encounter and experience. As one of my nonteaching acquaintances once queried: How tough can it be? You teach a half a year, have all holidays and summers off, and leave work when the sun is still shining?! Go on, explain... ugh.... Do you feel the same way? Respond to the Likert-type statements in Form P1 to reflect on and express your feelings about your profession and some of the reasons why you decided to teach.

Form P.1 RESPOND

If you checked Strongly Agree (SA) for most, if not all of the items, then you value your chosen profession, understand why its so vital to society, and are upset when others misunderstand or denigrate teaching. And now for another story.

Many years ago when I was a fourth-grade teacher with only a few years of teaching experience, I attended a conference, unrelated to education, in Austin, Texas. Between conference sessions, I walked into a cocktail reception area and found myself in a small group with three other conference attendees. Not knowing each other, the first question one of the fellows posed was What do you do? An athletic, tall, tan-skinned gentleman dressed in a rather expensive black suit proclaimed proudly that he was an anesthesiologist. The next gentleman, anticipating his turn, announced boldly and arrogantly, I am a successful attorney (notice the added adjective) working on Wall Street. Intent to outdo the first two contributors of this dull yet intense conversation was a short, stocky middle-aged man who stated emphatically, Well, I own a chain of high-tech companies throughout North America (fortunately for him, this conversation took place many years prior to the recent demise of dotcoms and related tech companies). Their eyes then turned toward me. I must admit I hesitated for a moment. I swallowed and looked as confident as I could saying, I am a teacher. They stared at me in deathly silence. The seconds felt like minutes. Then, I think it was the lawyer who muttered, Uh hum... Clearing his throat nervously, he quickly changed the topic to discuss the weather. The discomfort was palpable. Although Im usually reticent in such situations, a fearless attitude overcame me that afternoon. Perhaps it was wanting, or needing, to give it to those snobbish, elitist gentlemen, or perhaps I felt an obligation to the profession I loved so much. I stated loudly and clearly, Excuse me, but may I ask how you became a lawyer? Momentarily stunned, the fellow retorted, Well, of course, I attended the finest law school. And, I added, who taught you how to conduct research, write a brief, and to do lawyering in general? Well, my professors of course. To which I quickly responded, Oh, you mean teachers. At that point, I placed my drink on the nearest tabletop and disdainfully walked away from the smoke-filled room with so much negative energy.