The purpose of this book is to help beginning teachers and to refresh veteran teachers of K-12 grades to handle many of the situations that confront all teachers and to guide teachers toward a love for their craft and their students. If you have been in teaching and are not as enthusiastic or as effective as you need to be, this small book will highlight the basics of the art of teaching. These thirty insights for new teachers will help the teacher navigate many of the issues that will arise during your years as an educator. You wont find these insights peppered with fancy educational jargon. What you will find are realistic situations that all teachers encounter, and some food for thought on how to maneuver day-to-day classroom experiences.
Curt Richards is a retired public school teacher. He has taught various science courses for 37 years ranging from middle school to college. During his career Richards has mentored numerous teachers and practice teachers
Introduction: The Heart of a Teacher
Chapter One: Monitor and Adjust
Chapter Two: Classroom Management—Rules and Correction
Chapter Three: Teaching to Various Learning Styles
Chapter Four: Everyone Learns at a Different Rate
Chapter Five: Make the Material Relevant
Chapter Six: Consider the Needs of the Student
Chapter Seven: The Teachable Moment: Time To Be Flexible
Chapter Eight: Be a Servant Leader
Chapter Nine: There Is Something Important About a Name
Chapter Ten: Timing Is Important
Chapter Eleven: Help Build a Better Brain Through Repetition and Spacing
Chapter Twelve: Forgetting Has Its Place in Learning
Chapter Thirteen: Curiosity and Gap Instruction
Chapter Fourteen: Teaching Machines Versus Humans
Chapter Fifteen: Journaling Has Its Place in Any Subject
Chapter Sixteen: Front Door—Back Door
Chapter Seventeen: Peer Learning—Each One, Teach One
Chapter Eighteen: Teacher-Centered Versus Student-Centered
Chapter Nineteen: Use Your Energy Wisely
Chapter Twenty: Redirection versus Rejection
Chapter Twenty-one: Develop More Than One Passion
Chapter Twenty-two: Stay Current
Chapter Twenty-three: Classroom Organization and Displays
Chapter Twenty- four: Professionalism
Chapter Twenty-five: Nonverbal Cues
Chapter Twenty-six: Documentation
Chapter Twenty-seven: Parent Conferences
Chapter Twenty-eight: Teacher Burnout and Rewiring Your Brain
Chapter Twenty-nine: Morning Person
Chapter Thirty: Relationships with Fellow Teachers
Appendix A: Insightful Teacher Experiences
Losing My Marbles
Passing Papers
Never Turn Your Back
Let’s Go Outside
What’s in a Name? A Lot!
Things My Contract Does NOT Say
Whoa, Nellie! Another Field Trip
Who Threw the Pickle?
I Screamed, You Screamed, We All Screamed!
Snow Day!
These Kids Today
Appendix B: List of Remember Statements from the Chapters
About the Author
30 Insights for the Thriving Teacher is an absolute must-have book on the desk of every new and not-so-new teacher. In fact, entire faculties should be required to study and practice every truth in this book. I have been a secondary teacher for over 40 years and have employed all the practices that Richards presents and explains, long before the writing of this book was conceived. These practices really work; I didn’t understand exactly why they worked, but they did. Beautifully. Now after reading 30 Insights, I know the scientific reasons why these strategies were so successful in helping my students learn and retain information. Richards’ easy-to-understand explanations and his strong voice and humor are what set this book above any other teaching strategies handbook. The teacher who employs these insights will definitely thrive—not just survive—in her classroom. — Lorraine Angel, Secondary English Teacher, Former Education Supervisor of Christian Learning Centers of Greenville County
I love it! Where were these insights when I was a new teacher? First year teachers, I feel, will benefit from the insights in this book. — Carmella Powell, retired teacher, Supervisor of student teachers
