Everything But Teaching

A teacher since 1999, Stephen J. Valentine is currently the Assistant Head of the Upper School at Montclair Kimberley Academy in New Jersey. Valentine oversees curriculum, supervises a team of Department chairs, and advises students while he teaches a variety of English courses. Valentine has recently published educational articles in Independent School and Independent Teacher magazines, and his poetry has been previously published in Hotel Amerika, Broken Bridge Review, and the anthology Red White and Blues: Poets on the Promise of America (2004, University of Iowa Press). His first documentary film, Somebody Loves Me: The Life and Music of Prentis Richardson, won Best Documentary at the Nolita Film Festival in New York City and a Director's Choice award at the Park City Film Music Festival. Stephen's educational honors include: a summer Klingenstein Fellowship and a finalist award in Education and Technology magazine's "Ed Tech Leader of the Year" contest.

Foreword by Pearl Rock Kane Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction: School Time Versus Classroom Time 1. Imperative 1: Plan Your Time Wisely Your Calendar Your Dynamic Calendar Your Goals and How to Accomplish Them Now You Can Relax 2. Imperative 2: Tailor Your Grading to Suit the Needs of Your Students Three Cautionary Tales A Few Final Words 3. Imperative 3: Hold Great Meetings Founded on Authentic Commitment Why Meet? Student Meetings (Part 1) The Systematic Approach Student Meetings (Part 2) Parent Meetings Meetings Led by Others Distractions During Meetings 4. Imperative 4: Use Records to Generate Learning Opportunities The Evergreen System How to Store and Use Records When to Purge Records Record Keeping and Deliberate Choice 5. Imperative 5: Correspond With Grace, Tact, and Detail The First Principle of Teacher Correspondence: Be Supportive and Graceful The Second Principle of Teacher Correspondence: Get Specific Correspond With Colleagues When to Stop Writing 6. Imperative 6: Process or Perish What Is Processing? When and How to Process? 7. Imperative 7: Become a Radical Learner Learning From Mentors and Collaboration Learning at Retreats Learning From Meetings Outside of the School Learning From New School Responsibilities Learning by Leading Groups and School Activities Learning From New Experiences 8. Conclusion: Enjoy Your Balanced Professional Life References Index

"The most compelling line in the book is 'I teach kids,' not books or concepts. Regardless of the subject, we all teach kids, and sometimes we can lose sight of that. The book focuses on how to not let extrinsic factors get in the way of our goal." -- Loukea N. Kovanis-Wilson, Chemistry Instructor "This topic is of vital interest to beginning teachers. The use of time, the demands of time, the changing nature of teaching, the explosion of knowledge, technology: all will be growing in the coming years." -- Ronald W. Poplau, Author of The Doer of Good Becomes Good "Teachers who know how valuable their time is will love this book. Managing these duties will lead to a more successful classroom not only for the teacher, but also for the students." -- Jude A. Huntz, Middle School English Teacher "This book makes an incredible contribution to the field. It helps readers not only gain insights and resources into how to be better teachers, but also encourages us because we wear so many hats." -- Kate Kinnan, Sixth-Grade History Teacher "Once in a while, you read a book that absolutely nails it. Stephen Valentine knows teaching through and through. He is filled with a passion for his field. Here he packs into a short space a huge message. I urge anyone who cares about schools, students, learning, or teaching to read this gem of a book." -- Edward Hallowell, Consultant "I wish I had had Stephen Valentine's wisdom, or at least his book, forty years ago when I first started teaching. With moving anecdotes, pragmatic examples, and incisive observations, this is the teacher's version of the Boy Scout Handbook, the guide you need to march through the forest of teaching purposefully, without getting lost or sidetracked. Valentine demonstrates that routine but necessary tasks outside of the classroom (meetings, conferences, planning, professional development, record-keeping, grading, etc.) can not only be well-managed but actually contribute to a teacher's effectiveness." -- Patrick F. Bassett, President "A practical, plain-spoken primer full of concrete advice for harried, hurried teachers. Stephen Valentine offers down-to-earth prescriptions to help teachers focus their energies, refresh their skills, and renew their commitment." -- Robert Evans, Director "A refreshing insight into modern day and future education that provides a practical outlook for the teachers who hope to keep pace with education's ever-changing scenario. Valentine suggests practices that save time and promote organization so that we may indeed teach!" -- Christina Gordon, Educator