Your First Year As an Elementary School Teacher : Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional

Rating:
Summary: Okay, but not great
Review: I ordered this along with Harry Wong's First Days of School as something to give my student teacher. I was not impressed with this book. For $7, get Harry Wong's.
This book does contain some useful information, but it's an easy read, with really very little substance. Much of the information is common sense (like what supplies to keep at your desk, or how to make friends with the office staff). In most cases, this information is given out during student-teaching, college courses, or the district induction program. It contains very little in terms of setting expectations, dealing with crises, organization, etc.

If you do choose to get this book, I hope it would be one of many you'd read.

Rating:
Summary: Your First Year As an Elementary School Teacher : Making the
Review: This is a fantastic book! I am a business professional looking to switching careers and go into elementary education, and this book was exactly what I needed to give me a heads up on what my first year as an elementary school teacher would be like. It's well-written, easy to read, and contains lots of tid bits of information that I never would have thought of! If you're considering elementary school teaching as a career, you have to read this book! I'm reading it now before I start my teaching licensure classes, and I'll read it again right before I start my first year of teaching. This book helped me to realize that I really do want to become a teacher.

Rating:
Summary: how-to vs. reference book
Review: This is very similar to "Your First Year as a High School Teacher." I think that the authors were trying too hard to make this a how-to book, when it should be regarded instead as a reference book.

What I mean is, the book spells out everything a new teacher has to think about, from discipline, to lesson plans, to staff relations, to supplies, etc. etc. etc. I don't think it really succeeds as a how-to book, though. If you want something like that, start with Harry Wong's "First Days of School" instead. This book might be handy next to your dictionary and thesaurus as a reference guide, though.

The numerous sidebars are what set apart this book from some others. "From the desk of..." provides nice anecdotes and stories. Sometimes it's nice to know that other teachers have also laughed and cried their way through their first years. "Making the grade" points to numerous excellent online resources. Let me stress how good their resources are - this is truly where you could the best use from this book. The "Teaching terms" are a bit condescending (What first-year teacher doesn't know what a 'school assembly' or a 'grade book' is? If there are a lot, we are all in big trouble!).

On the whole, I think first-year teachers will be able to use snippets of this book. But unless you are a subsitute looking for a "crash course" approach to the profession, I think you will be a bit disappointed if you read this book cover to cover.