A comprehensive work on every phase and aspect of school teaching. Written especially for the beginning and inexperienced teacher, the book addresses and discusses in a very readable style what school teaching is all about and how to do it.

Preparing to teach, day-by-day classroom techniques, how to motivate students to apply themselves to learning, what to do with problem pupils and situations, how to teach the slow student, and how to grade papers, plan lessons, direct recess activities, divert problems before they arise, answer questions helpfully, ask questions that stimulate thinking, prepare schedules, work with the school board and parents, discipline constructively, and plan time efficiently are some of the subject discussed.

An index assists the teacher in finding the answers to his specific needs and questions.

This is more of a reference book than a read through book. It can help you with some knotty problems.

Table of Contents

• From the Publisher
• Preface—A Word Before You Begin

I. Thinking About Teaching

• Chapter 1. The Challenge
  • The Highest Calling
  • Opportunities to Sacrifice
  • Benefits of Sacrifice
  • Reasons for the Sacrifice
• Chapter 2. The Rewards
  • Various Rewards of Teaching
  • When Rewards Grow Dim
  • The Best Reward
• Chapter 3. What Teaching Is
  • Unconscious Influence
  • Influences of Well-known Teachers
  • Students—Your Disciples
  • Your Personal Influence
• Chapter 4. Jesus, Balance Scale for Teachers

II. Teaching the Subjects

• Chapter 5. What to Do First With the Textbooks
  • A Broad Survey
  • Specific Outlining of the Year
  • Planning the First Few Weeks
  • Planning the First Few Lessons
  • Extra Tips
• Chapter 6. What Shall I Talk About?
  • Give a Bird's-eye View
  • Clarify the Main Point
  • Clinch the Lesson
  • Forestall Mistakes
  • Involve Yourself
• Chapter 7. How to Be a Good Classroom Salesman
  • Example of an Interesting Biology Lesson
  • Inspire Rather than Inform
  • Interest More Important than Aptitude
  • Sparking Your Own Interest
• Chapter 8. Skeletons for Lessons and Teaching Periods
  • Preview, Study, Review
  • Skeleton of an Individual Lesson
  • Skeleton of a Single Teaching Period
  • Everyday Use of These Skeletons
• Chapter 9. Preparing a How-to Lesson
  • See Through Children's Eyes
  • Ways to Get It Across
  • Anticipating Problems
• Chapter 10. Preparing Study-skills Lessons
  • Have a Purpose
  • Have a System
  • Three Methods of Study
  • SQ3R Expanded
  • Two Preparation Nutshells
• Chapter 11. Preparing for Reading Class
  • How Lower- and Upper-Grade Reading Classes Differ
  • Eight Steps in Teaching Second Grade Reading
  • Eight Steps in Teaching Eighth Grade Reading
  • Two-Day Cycle for a First-Grade Lesson
• Chapter 12. Using Units
  • Surveying the Unit Method of Teaching
  • Advantages of the Unit Method
  • Disadvantages of the Unit Method
  • Do's and Don'ts When Teaching by Units
  • Extra Tips
• Chapter 13. Realistic Lesson Planning
  • Planning Short Class Periods
  • Planning for Many Different Classes
  • Facing the Facts When the Going Gets Rough
  • Two Views on Student Helpers
• Chapter 14. Assignments: How Big?
  • Beware of the Overload
  • Watch the Indicators
  • Consider Outside Sentiment
  • Adjusting Assignments
  • Questions and Answers About Assignments
• Chapter 15. Assignments: Providing for Individual Differences
  • Four Kinds of Special Students
  • Extra Tips
• Chapter 16. "Why Must We Study This?"
  • Why Study Math?
  • Why Study English?
  • Sources of Ideas for English Compositions
  • Why Study Reading?
  • Why Study Science?
  • Why Study History?
  • Why Study Spelling and Penmanship?
  • The Total Picture
  • Extra Tips
  • Composition Counsel
• Chapter 17. Art for the Nonartist Teacher
  • Three Goals for Art Class
  • Art Syllabuses
  • Some Miscellaneous Advice
• Chapter 18. Teaching Music
  • Three Things to Emphasize
  • Singing Advice
  • Problems in Music Class
• Chapter 19. Suggestions for Memorizing
  • Five Questions about Memorizing
  • Teachers Share Memorizing Ideas
  • Suggested Bible-Memory Passages
  • Suggested Poems to Memorize
• Chapter 20. Ideas for Morning Devotions
  • Sources of Inspiration
  • Ways to Make Devotions Interesting
  • Some Cautions for Devotions
  • Some Questions and Ideas
  • Other Ideas From Teachers
  • A Year of Ideas for Devotions
  • Other Subjects for Devotions
• Chapter 21. Things Teachers Forget to Teach
  • Things to Teach First Graders
  • Things to Teach Second Graders
  • Things to Teach Third Graders
  • Things to Teach Later Grades
  • Other Ideas from Teachers

III. Teaching the Children

• Chapter 22. Making It Sink In
  • Teaching Must Focus Upon Learning
  • Learning by Listening
  • Learning by Doing
  • How to Ask Questions
• Chapter 23. And Making It Stay In
  • Training, the Better Half of Teaching
  • Nine Principles of Training
  • Training by Vigilance: Three Monologues
  • Nine Ideas for Making it Stay In
• Chapter 24. Understanding How Students Think
  • Think in Children's Language
  • Predicting Common Mistakes and Problems
• Chapter 25. How Students Block Their Own Thinking
  • Children Misunderstand the Thinking Process
  • Crutches Children Use
  • Helping Pupils Think
• Chapter 26. How Students Block Their Own Thinking, Continued
  • Failing to Appreciate the Value of Learning
  • Not Demanding Enough of Themselves
  • Failing to Cultivate Attention and Interest
  • Thinking Their Learning Is the Teacher's Responsibility
• Chapter 27. How Teachers Block Their Students' Thinking
  • Taking Shortcuts That Lead Nowhere
  • Teaching Only a Pack of Facts
  • Assuming Too Much
  • Piling It on Too Thick
  • Keeping Pupils on Edge
  • Things Teachers May Neglect
• Chapter 28. Why Did My Child Fail?
  • Six Questions Parents Ask
  • Passing "On Condition"
• Chapter 29. Sixty Ways to Help a Slow Learner
  • Respect Your Slow Child
  • Take Extra Time
  • Look for More Than One Problem
  • Do First Things First
  • Use Penetrating Methods
  • Give Special Considerations
  • Help the Student Succeed
  • Apply Discipline
  • Praise and Approve
  • Know Your Resources
  • Slow, or Stubborn, or Neither?
• Chapter 30. Learning Disabilities: A Thumbnail Introduction
  • What Learning Disabilities Are
  • Causes of Learning Disabilities
  • How the Teacher Can Help
  • One Teacher's Story
• Chapter 31. Checking Papers in Class
  • Why Check Papers?
  • Why Check Papers in Class?
  • How to Save Checking Time
• Chapter 32. Checking Papers: Teaching Hard-Fact Thinking
  • Recognizing Vague Thinking
  • Ten Pupil Instructions that Promote Hard-Fact Thinking
• Chapter 33. Checking Papers: Teaching Logical Thinking
  • Recognizing the Faulty Thinking Behind Errors
  • Seeing Where Their Reasoning Will Take Them
  • Thinking Logically When Diagraming Sentences
  • Logical Thinking Through Comparing and Pondering
• Chapter 34. Checking Papers: Strategies for Common Interruptions
  • Eleven Typical Interruptions
  • How to Handle These Interruptions
• Chapter 35. Why Students Do Not Talk in Class
  • Student Problems
  • Teacher Problems
• Chapter 36. Discussion: Starting It, Steering It, Stopping It
  • Controlling Lower-Grade Discussions
  • Directing Upper-Grade Discussions
• Chapter 37. Quick, I Need a Question!
  • Sources of Good Questions
  • Seed Questions
• Chapter 38. What to Do With All the Questions
  • The Value of Student Questions
  • Forestalling Excessive Questions in Class
  • Handling After-Class Questions
• Chapter 39. Jesus, Master of Every Discussion
  • He Had Average Students
  • He Was Master of Questions
  • He Involved His Listeners
  • He Got His Point Across

V. Preparing For Teaching

• Chapter 40. Making a Schedule
  • Seven Steps in Making a Schedule
  • Explanatory Notes on Sample Schedules
  • Miscellaneous Helps and Suggestions
  • Some Sample Schedules
• Chapter 41. Using a Plan Book
  • Value and Versatility of a Plan Book
  • Questions and Answers
  • Sample Plan Book Pages
  • Sample Assignment Cards
  • Sample Teacher's Textbook Page With Notes
• Chapter 42. Exploring Old Grade Books
  • Grade Book Examples
• Chapter 43. Checklist of Practical Preparation
  • Forty-five Questions to Ask the Principal or the School Board
  • Forty-five Questions to Ask Last Year's Teacher or the School Board
  • Twenty Things to Check Several Weeks Before School Starts
  • Ten Things to Plan Ahead of Time
  • Fifteen Classroom Projects to Finish Before School Starts
  • Eighteen Tasks for the Last Days Before School Starts
• Chapter 44. The First Day
  • Step-by-Step Procedures
  • Some Comments on Specific Points
• Chapter 45. First Day: First Grade
• Chapter 46. The First Weeks
  • A Quick Overview
  • A Few Practical Pointers
  • Establishing Good Habits
• Chapter 47. The First Weeks, First Grade
  • Common Challenges and How to Meet Them
  • Demonstration of How to Keep Instructions Simple
  • Suggestions from "The Idea Counter"
• Chapter 48. Pitfalls of First-Year Teachers
  • Faulty Self-Concept
  • Ignorance of Technique
  • Poor Planning
  • Ineffective Discipline
  • First-Year Teacher's Advantages
• Chapter 49. How to Prepare Yourself for Teaching
  • Are You Teacher Material?
  • Preparing Over the Years
  • Prospective Teacher Questionnaire
  • Forty Things to Observe as You Watch Other Teachers
  • How to Keep Improving
  • Substituting
  • Teacher's Improvement Card
• Chapter 50. How to Teach an Apprentice
  • What Teacher Preparation Involves
  • Steps in Teaching an Apprentice
  • Suggested Agenda for an Apprentice
  • Additional Experiences to Give Your Apprentice
  • The Teacher's Personal Relationship with an Apprentice
  • A Start in Self-Study

V. Preventive Teaching

• Chapter 51. Keeping Respect and Goodwill
  • Inspire Respect for Yourself
  • Require Respect from Your Pupils
  • Ways to Inspire Goodwill
  • Additional Pointers for Keeping Goodwill
• Chapter 52. Portrait of an Old-Fashioned School Teacher
• Chapter 53. Order Please
  • The Value of Orderly Habits
  • Some Habits to Establish
  • What Should I Expect of My Pupils?
• Chapter 54. Keeping Your Wits About You
  • Ways to Observe Student Behavior
  • Limits of Your Own Observation
• Chapter 55. Consistency, Thou Art a Jewel
  • Why Consistency Is Important
  • Why Some Teachers Are Not Consistent
  • Helps in Being Consistent
  • The Point System
• Chapter 56. Getting Their Want-to Working
  • Indoctrinate the Students
  • Have Few Rules
  • Trust Your Pupils
  • Teach Methods of Self-Discipline
  • Go to the Root of the Matter
• Chapter 57. Avoiding Sticky Discipline Problems
  • Take a Critical Look at Yourself
  • Rely on the Rules
  • Act Promptly
  • Act Thoughtfully
  • Excerpts From an Old Book
• Chapter 58. Using Artificial Incentives
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Artificial Rewards
  • Guidelines for Giving Rewards
• Chapter 59. The Rewards of an Assignment Well Done
  • Sense of Achievement
  • Approval
  • Acquired Knowledge
• Chapter 60. Praise is Potent
  • Value and Danger of Praise
  • Guidelines for Giving Praise
• Chapter 61. Remember Your Childhood
  • Children See Through Different Eyes than Adults
  • Children Need Security
  • Children's Minds Are Unreliable
  • Children Deserve Abundant Patience

VI. Corrective Teaching

• Chapter 62. Careless Work and Unfinished Papers
  • Diagnose the Problem
  • Help the Disorganized Student
  • Apply Pressure When Necessary
• Chapter 63. Whispering and Disturbances
  • Prevention and Penalties
  • Exceptions to the Rules
• Chapter 64. Rudeness and Arguing
  • Playground Problems and How to Handle Them
  • In the Classroom Too
• Chapter 65. Handling Influential Problem-Makers
  • Watch Your Attitudes
  • The Attention-Getter
  • The Annoyance-Maker
  • The Sour Student
  • The Feet-Dragger
  • The Live Wire
  • Some General Remarks
• Chapter 66. Who Did It?
  • Avoid Making A Big Issue of Small Episodes
  • Suggestions for More Serious Cases
  • More About Tattling
• Chapter 67. Nonverbal and Verbal Correction of Problems
  • Nonverbal Corrections
  • Verbal Corrections
  • Handling More Serious Problems
  • Some Approaches to Avoid
  • A Few Other Little Items
• Chapter 68. Corporal Punishment
  • When?
  • Where?
  • How?
  • Who?
  • Duration and Frequency
  • Some General Guidelines
  • A Delicate Issue
• Chapter 69. Choosing the Right Punishment
  • Fit the Punishment to the Offense
  • Fit the Punishment to the Student
  • Questions and Answers
  • Miscellaneous Considerations

VII. Practical Teaching Advice

• Chapter 70. Testing and Grading
  • Using Preprinted Tests
  • Making Your Own Tests
  • Sixteen Suggestions for Making Tests
  • Grading Tests
  • Questions and Answers
  • Achievement and IQ Tests
• Chapter 71. Report Cards
  • Saving Time
  • Computing Grades
  • Filling Out Report Cards
  • Grading Conduct
  • Questions
• Chapter 72. Recess
  • Value of Recess
  • A Concern for Purity
  • Finding Activities for Everyone
  • Knowing What Is Proper
  • Managing Smoothly
• Chapter 73. Games for Rainy Recesses
  • Activities in the Playroom
  • Activities in the Classroom
• Chapter 74. Lunchtime and Story Period
  • An Orderly Lunchtime
  • Making Story Time Worthwhile
• Chapter 75. Your Duties Before and After School
  • Duties Before School
  • Duties After School
• Chapter 76. Checking Papers After School
  • Where to Start
  • Nine Suggestions to Increase Efficiency
• Chapter 77. Profitable Diversions
  • Cautions
  • Small Diversions
  • Diversions Suggested by Teachers
• Chapter 78. Meeting Emergencies
  • Delays
  • Interruptions
  • Illnesses
  • Accidents
• Chapter 79. Bulletin Boards
  • Two Targets to Aim For
  • Round Up Outside Assistance
  • Use Handy Materials
  • Eleven Other Ideas
• Chapter 80. Where to Find Extra Ideas and Materials
  • Sources in Your School
  • Sources Outside the School
  • Addresses of School Suppliers
• Chapter 81. How the Teacher Relates to Church, School, and Home
  • Relating to the Church
  • Relating to the School
  • Board Members' Responsibilities
  • Principal's Responsibilities
  • Relating to the Parents
  • Ten Questions and Answers About Teacher-Parent Relationships
  • Things Parents Should Teach Their Children Before First Grade
• Chapter 82. Year-End Duties
  • Checklist of Tasks to Finish Before Vacation
• Chapter 83. The Teacher's Personal Resources
  • Facts to Relax With
  • Facts to Focus On
  • Facts to Use
  • Odds and Ends
• Chapter 84. Encouragement From a First-year Teacher
  • Tale of My First Six Weeks

Appendices

• Appendix A. Building Reading Skills
  • Recalling
  • Seeing the Setting
  • Recognizing the Main Idea
  • Observing Causes and Effects
  • Comparing and Contrasting
  • Inferring from Evidence
  • Making Personal Applications
  • Critical Thinking
  • Appreciating Quality
  • Summary
• Appendix B. Building Vocabulary
  • Twenty Vocabulary Activities
• Appendix C. Faster Reading
  • A Few Practical Suggestions
• Appendix D. Activities and Materials for Music Class
  • Rhythmics
  • Melodics
  • Dynamics
  • Some Helpful Materials
• Appendix E. "Fair Use" of Copyrighted Materials in the Classroom
• Appendix F. Addresses of School Suppliers
• Bibliography
• Index
• One More Consideration