Book recommendations for new primary teachers?
September 15, 2014 5:01 AM Subscribe
I've just started teaching ESL, and while I am relatively comfortable with my adult classes, I have a few hours a week of primary aged kids. I would like some recommendations for books that would be a good introduction to primary teaching, class management, and planning lessons and activities. What books are generally considered the best?
Best answer: Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov (ignore the cheesy title - hands down the best book on effective teaching techniques)
Nthing Harry Wong for classroom routines and classroom management techniques.
posted by Barnifer at 10:10 AM on September 15, 2014
Nthing Harry Wong for classroom routines and classroom management techniques.
posted by Barnifer at 10:10 AM on September 15, 2014
Best answer: I don't have much in the way of book suggestions, just practical advice. You should, if at all possible, keep a lesson diary. Record what worked and what didn't. Accept the fact that, as it's your first year doing this, you're going to be learning more than anyone else in your classroom. As far as kids, and teaching them, it helps to remember that you are (as long as you're not some evil monster) incapable of breaking them. Kids bounce, and they get back up. If they have a teacher who isn't quite sure if what they're doing, but is doing the best they can, they'll get over any mistakes or issues you've got. Maybe not immediately, but they've got a long trip through school ahead of them, and someone will be along to patch up anything you missed.
As far as classrooms and such, the one thing I've always tried to tell new teachers is that you can start strict and then relax, but it's almost impossible to start too lax, then become more strict. Find out what works for you this year, then implement it from day one next year, and apply all the rules fairly at all times. If students know what to expect, they'll come to class knowing what they need to do. If things change all the time, or are inconsistent, they'll be confused and less likely to engage.
A good routine for starting the class can be very helpful, getting the kids out of whatever mindset they were in before class, and into a language learning mindset.
Be aware of how short attention spans are, and plan your lessons accordingly. Talking and explaining should be simple and to the point, followed by an activity that gets them engaged and using what you just explained. Depending on how long your lesson runs, you should ideally have an opening couple minutes based on the previous lesson (put a sentence pattern on the board, students make a sentence to sit down, lots of modeling, lots of students helping each other). Introduce the new thing. Demonstrate. Quick activity to get basic usage up and running, followed by a comprehension check, followed by a longer activity.
posted by Ghidorah at 10:02 PM on September 15, 2014
As far as classrooms and such, the one thing I've always tried to tell new teachers is that you can start strict and then relax, but it's almost impossible to start too lax, then become more strict. Find out what works for you this year, then implement it from day one next year, and apply all the rules fairly at all times. If students know what to expect, they'll come to class knowing what they need to do. If things change all the time, or are inconsistent, they'll be confused and less likely to engage.
A good routine for starting the class can be very helpful, getting the kids out of whatever mindset they were in before class, and into a language learning mindset.
Be aware of how short attention spans are, and plan your lessons accordingly. Talking and explaining should be simple and to the point, followed by an activity that gets them engaged and using what you just explained. Depending on how long your lesson runs, you should ideally have an opening couple minutes based on the previous lesson (put a sentence pattern on the board, students make a sentence to sit down, lots of modeling, lots of students helping each other). Introduce the new thing. Demonstrate. Quick activity to get basic usage up and running, followed by a comprehension check, followed by a longer activity.
posted by Ghidorah at 10:02 PM on September 15, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 6:05 AM on September 15, 2014