Teaching on Solid Ground: Nuance, Challenge, and Technique for the Emerging Teacher

'I connected with the text at every level. I laughed and cried with each teacher's wisdom. The sections and chapters evoked emotions ranging from 'yep, that's right,' at the beginning, to 'Wow! Cool ideas!' in the middle, to 'Oh my gosh, I feel their pain,' and finally to 'Okay, I can tackle the world's problems, one at a time,' in the end....Gives teachers great ideas and validates what they are doing in the classroom. The five examples of extraordinarily grounded teachers are priceless' - Stacey B. Ferguson, Teacher North Bay Elementary School, Bay Saint Louis, MS This sequel to Dom Belmonte's acclaimed Teaching From the Deep End takes beginning teachers from their first year of classroom teaching into years 2 through 5, the most difficult years for teacher development and retention within the profession. Moving from the novice teacher's earliest concerns about standing at the Big Desk, the author now addresses the beginning teacher's instructional issues, offering guidance on 15 teaching topics, including student learning groups, instructional pacing, open-ended questioning, grading, motivators, keeping an ear to classroom tone (and undertone), and more. Five sample lessons are offered and analyzed in core curriculum areas to illustrate teaching methods as practiced by master teachers, and the book closes with a variety of challenges critical to the emerging teacher's resilience and success. The author's tone throughout is engaging, humorous, and encouraging, with a focus on the rewards of having chosen the teaching profession, making this an ideal resource for teacher induction, mentoring, and support programs.