101 "answers" for new teachers & their mentors : effective teaching tips for daily classroom use / Annette L. Breaux ; illustrations by L. Susan Brandt.

Previously published: Larchmont, NY : Eye on Education, ©2011.

[1.] Classroom management : Off to a positive start ; The importance of classroom management ; Have procedures for almost everything ; Discipline ; Use the "are you all right?" technique ; Greet students daily ; Learn what to overlook ; Handle discipline problems discreetly ; Handle your own discipline problems ; Catch students behaving ; Be proactive ; Provide frequent stretch breaks ; Use proximity ; Do not provoke defensiveness ; Avoid "down" time ; Put students at ease ; Provide structured "bell-work" ; Avoid power struggles with students ; Make the punishment fit the misbehavior ; Attack the problem, not the person -- [2.] Planning : Manage your time wisely ; Understand that teaching is hard work ; Do not procrastinate ; Plan effective lessons ; Be organized and prepared ; Maintain accurate records ; Make the objectives "clear" for each lesson ; Provide a plan for substitutes -- [3.] Instruction : Learn to recover quickly ; Teach students at "their level" ; Observe other teachers ; Refrain from lecturing ; Refrain from "textbook teaching" ; Teach social skills ; Focus on students' strengths ; Allow and encourage students to work cooperatively ; Relate lessons to real life ; Avoid homework overload ; Model the skills you teach ; Make learning fun ; Encourage active student participation ; Challenge students to think critically ; Use authentic means of assessment ; Vary your teaching strategies ; Do what's best, not what's easiest -- [4.] Professionalism: attitudes and behaviors of effective teachers : Maintain a positive reputation ; Do not fall prey to feeling victimized ; Choose your reactions ; Don't let negative coworkers affect you ; Learn to work cooperatively with parents ; Steer clear of the blame game ; Participate in after-school functions ; Resist the temptation for more "stuff" ; Avoid lounge gossip ; Remind yourself why you chose to become a teacher ; Enlist the support of others ; Be the best you can be ; Set goals for your own improvement ; Be flexible ; Learn and grow from your mistakes ; Ask lots of questions ; Dress like a professional : Devise a "teacher report card" ; Be a role model for your students ; Maintain your composure ; Cooperate with administration ; Avoid "acting when angry" ; Do not allow your personal problems to spill over into the classroom ; Focus on what you can change ; Grow as a professional -- [5.] Motivation and rapport : Celebrate the uniqueness of your students ; Light a spark in your students ; Smile ; Give your students more credit than they deserve ; Make every student your "favorite" ; Set the stage for success ; Provide positive feedback ; Use clever psychology ; Act as though every subject you teach is your "favorite" ; Focus on the "positives" in your classroom ; Display student work ; Have positive expectations of all students ; Get to know your students ; Encourage improvement, not perfection ; Avoid sarcasm ; Be "human" to your students ; Refer to yourself in the first person ; Remember that little things make a big difference ; Dignify incorrect responses ; Avoid nagging ; Laugh with your students ; Be an optimist ; Thank your students often -- [6.] A teacher's influence : Recognize the importance of your influence ; Realize that you will affect lives ; Remember your "favorite" teacher ; Remember your "least favorite" teacher ; Inspire for a lifetime ; Keep an "I am special" folder ; Teach students that mistakes are wonderful learning opportunities ; Refuse to give up on any child -- [7.] Plus 7 more! : Hold private practice sessions ; Take responsibility for whether your students pass or fail ; Start over on any day! ; Defuse disrespectful students ; Speak awfully softly ; Keep your rose-colored glasses on -- [8.] Conclusion.