Foreword Preface Acknowledgements About the Author 1. Myth #1: Don't Smile Until December Reality: Smile as Early On and as Often as You Can to Build a Healthy Classroom Climate 2. Myth #2: Teaching Is a Cushy Job Reality: Teaching Is Hard Work and Requires Year-Round Planning in Addition to Daily Preparation and Professional Development 3. Myth #3: Good Teachers Are Born, Not Made Reality: Teachers Are Lifelong Learners Continually Growing in Their Profession From Their "Aha" Moments Through Their Veteran Mentoring Years 4. Myth #4: Good Teachers Don't Make Mistakes Reality: Good Teachers Learn From Their Most Dramatic Mistakes 5. Myth #5: Good Teachers Teach Facts Reality: Good Teachers Teach the Whole Child How to Think and Learn 6. Myth #6: They Can't Learn; They Belong in Special Education Reality: Every Child Can Learn and Is Legally Entitled to the Best Education 7. Myth #7: Teaching Is a Lonely Job Reality: Teaching Is a Collaborative Profession and Today's Schools Are Professional Learning Communities 8. Myth #8 Teaching Is a Dead End Job Reality: The Rewards of Teaching Are Unending Afterword References Index
"I felt inspired and renewed and validated." -Cathy Lutz, Teacher Madison Station Elementary School, MS "Both practical and inspirational." -Chris Laster, Teacher Russell Elementary School, Smyrna, GA "This is a book I want to utilize with my preservice students. It is right on, a great positive PR tool for our new teachers." -J. Victor McGuire, Founder National Association for Beginning Teachers Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas "The author's voice is clear and comes from a deep set of values and beliefs that should be heard by contemporary teachers in training and by practicing teachers." -Marilyn Katzenmeyer Professional Development Center Smile as early and as often as you can in your learning classroom! Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers: Tools for building a positive classroom environment Sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students Tips for collaborating with colleagues, administrators, and parents Ideas for rekindling professional idealism
Peggy Deal Redman is director of teacher education and professor of education at the University of La Verne in La Verne, CA.