The Ten Commandments of Professionalism for Teachers

Vickie Gill has taught high school English, reading, and journalism for 30 years in both California and Tennessee. Gill has won several teaching and community service honors and was a finalist for Tennessee State Teacher of the Year 2000. She is currently teach-ing part-time and works as a consultant for a school district in central California. She has a BA in English from San Jose State University and an MEd from Vanderbilt University.

Foreword - Neal B. Mitchell Preface About the Author 1. Thou Shalt Define Your Terms What are the characteristics of a professional teacher? Successful teachers develop a clear image of themselves at their professional best. 2. Thou Shalt Locate Your Mentor An appropriate mentor is invaluable. New teachers need to locate someone whose style they respect and who will guide them through the pitfalls of the first few years. 3. Thou Shalt Keep Up Appearances What is appropriate dress for a teacher? Successful educators understand that their appearance will create the first impression that students, colleagues, administrators, and parents will make of them. 4. Thou Shalt Respect Your Power Because of the nature of the job, teachers are handed a great deal of power over their students. Professional teachers respect that power, they do not abuse it by becoming a "buddy" or a "dictator" in the classroom. 5. Thou Shalt Take Care of the Parents Professional teachers work hard to open up the lines of communication between the home and school. They understand the importance of creating positive relationships with their students' parents in the first few weeks of the school year. 6. Thou Shalt Pull Your Weight All teachers are part of a team and must learn ways to work cooperatively with even the most difficult coworkers. 7. Thou Shalt Pay Attention to the Details Before school begins, teachers need to establish a classroom management plan which includes a system for documenting discipline problems. 8. Thou Shalt Pick and Choose Your Battles A professional knows the difference between a petty annoyance and a roadblock. Successful teachers learn to diffuse a negative situation before it gets out of control. 9. Thou Shalt Grow in Your Profession As with any profession, teachers must stay aware of new advances in education and resist the temptation to teach the same curriculum in the same style year after year. 10. Thou Shalt Be Thyself Master teachers work as productive members of their teams, but they are careful to protect those special qualities that they bring to the profession as unique individuals. Afterword

"Finally, educators won't have to trudge forty years through the academic desert to find the answers to their teaching problems. The Ten Commandments of Professionalism for Teachers is a perfect 10." -- Steve Young "This book should be a prerequisite for every teacher before they are permitted to enter a classroom to help them develop a sense of judgment about how a professional behaves on the job. In fact, teachers with years of experience would also benefit by reading this book, as it would help them to better evaluate their skills and performance in the classroom." -- From the Foreword by Neal Mitchell, Former Professor "Gill's conversational tone and nonjudgmental style are perfect for an audience of new teachers. Each chapter is clear, concise, and to the point, a real plus for busy teachers. I wish I had been given a copy of this book when I entered education!" -- Catherine Duffy, English Department Chairperson "Vickie Gill's book is full of sound advice that mentors would give to their proteges. However, I enjoyed it as a seasoned veteran. Many of the lessons are things we only learn through experience. The chapters were short, sweet, and to the point. This book should be supplied to every first-year teacher." -- Lois Williams