Your First Year

Learn all the essentials for making your first year of teaching a success! In this bestselling book, renowned educators Todd Whitaker, Madeline Whitaker Good, and Katherine Whitaker offer step-by-step guidance to thriving in your new role, developing classroom management skills, and overcoming the challenges that many beginning teachers face.
In a practical, reader-friendly style, the Whitakers help you learn how to establish procedures and rules, build relationships, maintain high expectations and consistency, and manage your own emotions in the classroom. They also show how to plan effective lessons and how to work with peers, administrators, and parents to foster collaboration. Each chapter offers specific examples and vignettes from different grade levels.
This updated edition contains additional guidance on classroom management and dealing with challenging student behavior, two areas that can affect job satisfaction. Importantly, you'll learn how to make tweaks or hit the "reset" button when something isn't going as planned. In addition, there is also a special new feature called "Think About...," which helps you reflect on how you will consider topics such as representation and inclusion as they pertain to your classroom. You can use these reflection questions independently or with a mentor or new-teacher colleague.
New teachers are special and needed, and the practical advice in this book will provide valuable support for your professional and personal journey.

Todd Whitaker is a leading presenter in the field of education and a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri. He has written over 60 books including the bestseller What Great Teachers Do Differently. Madeline Whitaker Good is at the University of Missouri working toward a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She taught elementary and middle school for five years. Katherine Whitaker is the Director of Board Development for the Missouri School Boards' Association. She taught both middle and high school mathematics for ten years in Kansas City, Missouri.

Section I Before the Students Arrive: Structure, Structure, Structure 1. Setting Up and Organizing Your Classroom Furniture Materials 2. Developing Your Procedures 3. Developing Your Rules 4. Lesson Planning and Instruction Lesson Planning: Down to the Minute Instruction: Focus on Engagement But What About Curriculum? Section II The Students Are Here... Now What? 5. Classroom Management: Prepare Your Mindset Relationships High and Clear Expectations Consistency Can We Maintain Consistency, But Still Change?6 Revisiting Expectations 7. Managing Your Students Managing Yourself When Students Follow the Rules When Students Don't Follow the Rules8 Creating Your Management System Planned Consequence System Implementing Consequences Individual Case Study The "What If" Situations A Final Note 9. Mid-Flight Corrections Tweaking: Be Your Own Control Group The Reset Button Section III Working with Adults 10. Working with Administrators Administrative Support 11. Working with Peers Peer Support 12. Don't Be Afraid to Repair: Students, Co-Workers, Principal 13. Parents: Friend Not Foe The Best They Can Build Relationships Before You Need Relationships What Do I Say When I Call a Parent? 14. The Empowerers The Empowerers and Navigating the Waters Finding Your Empowerer What About Everyone Else? 15. Be a Sponge Soaking It Up Observing Others Attending Meetings Getting Observed Yourself Don't Be Afraid to Say No Section IV Reflect, Refine, and Grow 16. It Always Starts with You Trust Your Gut 17. What's Next? You'll Start Year Two Undefeated Reflection Guide