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As someone who was almost eaten alive their first year with fifth graders You need to pick up a copy of this, and this. Children need to be taught how to act and yelling sometimes can add fuel to the fire. Give them very specific instructions about how you want them to behave during an activity. When problem behaviors occur I have a "practice academy" until it's done exactly how I want it done. For instance when I taught low socioeconomic 5th graders I noticed that they didn't respond to me being "nice" or when I chewed them out (most are used to being yelled at when at home, what freaks them out is calm, direct, and un-phased). But, when I kept a calm voice (sometimes I have to repeat and repeat) and directed them that's when things got better. Don't use a nice sing song voice develop that I'm calm but serious voice. So, if they came into my room like wild things and ignored my directions I would stop everybody and tell them that we need to try this again. Go through my expectations "When you enter my room you are at a voice level one, you get your journal and have a seat and immediately go to your seat and start your bell ringer". "Now everyone up we are going to practice coming in the room the correct way" when you leave the room together and enter watch for any negative behavior and say " No sorry we've got to start over because we were still too noisy entering the room" repeat expectations and try again and again. I did this about five times one day because they kept running to get in line for lunch saying "whoops we still can't get in line correctly go back to your seat and we will try this again" explain procedure and give them another chance to show you the correct way. They even start policing each other because they hate to practice over and over. Have a procedure for everything and make them practice it until it is done correctly. Even if it's something simple like picking up around their desks. If one in particular is causing a lot of trouble ask them to step out into the hall, direct your class through the procedure and then have a private conversation with the problem student about what you expect them to be doing and that it is not a choice. Have a consequence you can enforce, empty threats just give them more control over you because they know you won't do anything. Our school has a card system, They get a yellow card on their desk as a non-verbal warning, then a red card for a second warning when they aren't following expectations, then a white card and they are sent either in the hall or to a corner to fill out a form about why they are making bad choices, and they are brought back and given one last chance to come back and act correctly. If they mess up again they are given a green card for "Go to the office". I made notes on a clip board to document behavior in case I needed to call parents or talk to admin about problems with a student. I also used the class dojo site to deal out individual points for kids that they could earn for good behavior. I gave daily points for good behavior, then points for bringing homework on time, and points for reading and responding with a book report. You could do tickets or bucks if you don't want to involve technology. On Friday's I would go through and give passes for points. I think I did 20 points a piece. I had a bean bag pass where they could do work on a clipboard and sit in a bean bag, I had a "Stinky feet" pass where they could take off their shoes ( I would use this for a whole class reward too), I had a computer pass where they could go to cool math and play games when they finished their work, Teacher helper pass, Thursdays movie during lunch pass, homework pass, and a draw on a white board pass. Anything I could think of that I could provide pretty much for free because I was spending so much on a prize box my first year and the rewards weren't as meaningful because they like having a little bit of attention from their peers from it (pencils and toys get them like 3 secs of attention but 30 mins of bean bag have their classmates green with envy). Use a prize box as an extra special reward for birthdays and when someone really goes above and beyond to be helpful then bring out the secret special treasure box. For getting participation in a positive way I had an "answer ball"( a squishy koosh ball) I would toss to the person who answered my question and I would only toss it to someone who is quiet and has their hands raised. They also loved getting stamps or stickers on their hands or for the real attention seekers on their face. I would walk around the room and give them out to participators. A few hard lessons I learned: until you get them completely trained don't "desk sit" because you have a lot more proximity control if your up quietly correcting behavior, share things about yourself to help your kids get to know you better they'll do more for you if they don't consider you some random big person in the room, and absolutely never back down to be nice all I learned was that my kids would completely walk all over me when I wouldn't make good on my threats. If you threaten to make them write 50 sentences about talking to much for the sub than you better be prepared to make them do that when they didn't meet expectations and the same with positive rewards if you say they need to be at a voice level zero to get a reward that day don't give them the reward if they didn't meet the expectation .....sorry for the essay but these things helped me.

Congratulations! ! I'm a second grade teacher and absolutely love the age. They're old enough to learn to work independently but they're still young enough to engage in imaginary play. So much fun!

I would highly recommend getting this book to help you start off your year. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1892989816/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1466540252&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=the+first+six+weeks+of+school&dpPl=1&dpID=41CWPyLbqNL&ref=plSrch Really helpful in pacing and teaching routines. Also, even if you don't use the Daily 5 structure, I would highly recommend reading the book to give you an idea of how to teach routines for independent work and to build stamina. Those strategies for teaching routines really helped me establish a routine for independence that lasted all year. Slow down in the beginning so you can cruise the rest of the year. You'll also need to get really comfortable with beginning and transitional reading stages. I'd recommend On Solid Ground by Sharon Taberski and Jennifer Serravello's The Reading Strategies book.

You are going to love this age group! ! Best of luck and feel free to pm me if you have any questions!

I teach 7th Grade in a Title I inner city school. I totally understand your feelings. Don't give up yet! Since my first year, the things that improved my teaching / classroom management the most were:

1. Reading Teach Like a Champion - really helped me put my classroom needs into actual techniques. As a beginning teacher, it's really frustrating to hear admin and mentors give advice in platitudes. This gives actual techniques that you can apply.
   
   
2. Changing my curriculum to favor hand-on approaches (interactive notebooks, lots of cutting and pasting, etc.) instead of more traditional notes and worksheets.
   
   
3. Creating a Rewards System in my classroom. It doesn't have to be big or expensive, but low income kids will do a lot for food and candy. Reward for participation and good behavior. Make them have to earn several of something to get a prize, so you don't have to constantly pay out.
   
   
4. Try to lead with positivity and remain calm when things go badly. You are the leader of this classroom. You can handle it when things go awry. At this age, they really do want to do well and to please you. Give them a chance to buy in before you hit them over the head with difficult work. Support them and praise whenever you can. I know it's hard to find those times, but it makes a difference.
   
   
5. Use whatever discipline system you have. Send out kids if you need to. You need to protect your learning environment. Be clear about what your expectations are - you can do this without yelling and screaming. Kids want a safe, calm place where they can learn. Give that to them by using your resources and not allowing kids to derail your lessons. They will respect you more if you have a low tolerance for shenanigans.
   
   Good luck!! Feel free to PM if you want to vent or have any questions.
   

School supply retail manager here! Please allow my $0.02 USD ($1.51 CAD)

If you don't want to pay more than fifty bucks but need an electric, I recommend the Bostitch XACTO series. The great thing about it is that it has a blue light that comes on when the pencil is adequately sharpened. Great for middle schoolers who know someone's going to watch them sharpen the pencil and go "OOOH IT'S BLUE AND YOU DIDN'T STOP" if they don't pay attention. The downside to it is that you have to be very conscious about shaving piling up. The motor can jam very easily if shavings get in there. For the price, it's pretty solid.

If you want the sharpener to end all sharpeners, go with the Bostitch MPS1. "But a manual?!" I hear you cry... yes, a manual. It needs emptying once a day but holy god, does it sharpen like a beast. In the retail business the best feedback we get is when people return things. In other words, if it doesn't get returned it's good. I'm looking at my inventory program right now and we've had exactly 1 returned since we started carrying them back in 2008. We've sold 151. Seriously, that's un-fucking-heard-of. It's also 18 bucks on Amazon, so grab that sucker right now.

Feel free to respond or PM me with any questions. I'd be happy to share my (limited) insight.

EDIT: grammar ^^^I'm ^^^not ^^^an ^^^English ^^^teacher, ^^^dammit

The year I graduated and got my teaching certificate, my boyfriend's sister (who was already a teacher) loaded up a big tote bag (Google "thirty one tote bag" and look at the images that pop up: you could buy something like that to load it up) with a ton of teacher-type stuff: a few packs of different types of bulletin board letters, some bulletin board borders, several packs of Sharpies, boxes of pens and pencils, cutesy push pins, etc.

If you really know your girl well enough to know her "type" when it comes to desk organizer types of things, you could also get her a pencil cup, drawer organizers, a good stapler and tape dispenser, etc. Since she's in college, she probably already has a travel mug or two, but you can never have too many of those. There are some cute designs out there! Or get her a teachery kind of mug? If she doesn't use it for coffee, she can put it on her desk and use it to hold pens.

Then again, depending on where you are, it can be a long and frustrating journey from "I graduated! I can be a teacher now!!" to "I finally got hired somewhere!!" so you might want to save that tote bag for "YOU GOT HIRED YOU'RE A REAL TEACHER I'M SO PROUD OF YOU" rather than just...Christmas. The bag o' stuff that I got from my boyfriend's sister ended up sitting around for a long time while I went on interview after interview and didn't get hired.

In terms of books, I really really recommend What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World by Taylor Mali. It's not a book of methods or professional development or anything: it's a collection of stories and essays, but it's amazing. Since she's going to be an elementary school teacher, she might appreciate The First Days of School by Harry Wong, if she doesn't have it already. My professors in college freaking revered that book, so I bought it after I graduated.

Taught Fifth for one year, first year as a teacher in my own right. It was an amazing experience and I learned a TON. Brace yourself, lots of text incoming! Please feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.

Get to know your students, particularly what they're interested in. It sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised what lessons you can generate if you use their interests as a spring-board. It shows them you care about them, too, which will go a long way toward keeping them invested.

Not sure if you like Minecraft, but don't underestimate it as a teaching tool! My fifth graders used it when we talked about Colonial America--built their own village with each of them doing different colonial jobs they'd researched. Minecraft could also lend itself well to math, though I didn't have a chance to utilize it that way.

Google Classroom is also an amazing tool to use with them, particularly if you're going to have them do any collaborative writing. Speaking of collaboration, don't be afraid to connect with the teachers on your team. See if you can tie what they're reading in someone else's class to what they're learning in social studies. Check if the science units have connections to Math. I was a one-woman show and the only teacher for my grade--I know for a fact that if I had other teachers on a team with me, the year would've been MUCH smoother.

Start strict, loosen up later. (I didn't and had to play catch-up with classroom management which wound up costing me lots of instructional time.) "Setting Limits in the Classroom" (amazon link here: https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Limits-Classroom-Revised-Discipline/dp/0761516751) was a life-saver and really helped me to shape up my classroom management. I'd HIGHLY recommend buying and reading it.

I know this is a lot of text...I'm happy to talk more if you want, just PM me!

Hi! Congrats on starting your new career :) I was in the same boat as you; graduated with a Chem degree and have ended up teaching most every science content (bio, physics, chem, and physical science) in the HS level.

Regarding subject specific resources, hopefully your school provides you with curriculum so that you can know what you need to review/look up--I know I spent a lot of time reviewing biology content when I had to teach that class since I was rusty on it. For a decent content review book, I found this book at Costco last year but they sell it on Amazon:

[Help Your Kids With Science] (http://www.amazon.com/Help-Your-Kids-Science-Publishing/dp/0756692687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406088680&sr=8-1&keywords=help+your+kids+with+science)

I actually use the book sometimes with my Sped students or when if a class needs some quick review. It's pretty thorough with nice pictures.

This book is about using Science Notebooks in class... I spent a lot of time in grad school/student teaching using notebooks so I felt I had a good grasp on them, but this book provided a few good ideas. It is a little pricey though.

[Teaching Science With Interactive Notebooks] (http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Science-With-Interactive-Notebooks/dp/1412954037/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406089065&sr=8-3&keywords=science+notebook)

If you need any first day advice or anything like that, feel free to PM me!

I was going to say the same thing. I LOVE using these....not just for organization but as a tool for kids to make sense of information on their own (a la constructivism). I agree about the pretty much saving my life comment; it has completely changed how I teach and I would never not use them! I've read a few sites for ideas but I also came across a book (http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Science-With-Interactive-Notebooks/dp/1412954037) that was really helpful. You can really customize to your style and it gives kids a chance to be creative with processing pages. Let me know if you want suggestions for implementing them. It takes a little buy-in, starting with the teacher. Good luck!

As others have mentioned, your school may provide basic supplies. There are always the supplies that there are never enough of, though, so it's awesome that you are watching the sales. Things I'd watch for: art supplies (crayons, colored pencils, markers, construction paper), glue sticks, tissues, hand sanitizer. A decent pencil sharpener is a must. This one seems to be universally loved at my school; mine is 2.5 years old and shows no signs of slowing down. I'd also start thinking about how you plan to organize/ store all these supplies. Are you going to need plastic trays for papers? Are you going to keep supplies in plastic caddies at table groups, or in pencil boxes, or in those little metal tins? Dollar Tree and the Target Dollar Spot are both great places to find organizational tools in bright, classroom friendly colors.

The biggest thing I'd say is to focus on things that will be used at every grade level. You might end up in kinder, or you might end up in upper elementary. Supplies, organizational bins, picture books, and things like that are useful with any age group. I'd wait on things like super-grade-level-specific posters for the walls, until you know what age group you will be teaching.

Congrats on your upcoming graduation!

What an awful situation.

Take it bird by bird--the most important thing right now is (like you said!) going to be management, and it sounds like management is going to be pretty much impossible in your context without relationships with the kids.

I found Teach Like a Champion super helpful when I was starting out--very concrete strategies, and I liked the videos. I thought it translated fine to a middle school context. I didn't love The First Days of School, but I know a lot of other folks do. It helped me to watch videos--I liked this one a lot in terms of the level of structure you'll want while you get settled.

Consistency, structure, relationships.

One other note, though - you can't pour from an empty cup. Sounds like your admin is dealing you a pretty tough hand. Make sure to take care of yourself this year.

Check out this book!

http://www.amazon.com/Ace-Your-Teacher-Interview-Fantastic-ebook/dp/B007B6QGGI

It got me 2 job offers. I feel like I should work for the publisher since I push it so much, but it really is a great book with helpful advice. It helps you understand how to phrase your answers and talk during your interview. You might be able to find a free .pdf on a torrent site, but I really do recommend getting it. I've given it to two of my friends who got done student teaching recently.

http://www.amazon.com/Ace-Your-Teacher-Interview-Fantastic-ebook/dp/B007B6QGGI

I have some books to recommend but only remember a couple at the moment, I'll update later when I can.

Two of the books I would read are Fred Jones' Tools for Teaching and Notching up - Nurtured Heart Approach. The Nurtured Heart book is to help implement the idea but a quick google showed another book you could check out too if you want more info.

You've probably read it, but Harry Wong's The First Days of School is a great resource as well.

Keep up the good work. I personally am not a big fan of TFA, but good teachers can come from anywhere and we need people who care like you more than anything!

1. Definitely set your behavior plans. What rules are nonnegotiable and what rules might you want students to have a hand in? What are the consequences for rule infractions? The more you have set and ready for yourself prior to the school year, the better.
   
   
2. I also script the first three weeks of the school year for that grade level so that I know what I am going to introduce and how to teach students to be responsible and use the classroom. Responsive classroom has a great book - The First Six Weeks - http://www.amazon.com/First-Weeks-School-Strategies-Teachers/dp/1892989042/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375056913&sr=8-1&keywords=the+first+six+weeks which helped me really plan out how to use the first six weeks so that I make the best of them for my students.

I recommend getting this book
https://www.amazon.com/First-Days-School-Effective-Teacher/dp/0976423316

And I also got this one
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0976423332/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/186-4435791-4861608?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=EZF6K6K7KE7SWRFX5Q9Z&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_i=0976423316

Teachers pay teacher will have some cute and fun back to school activities for you. You will always start the year with rules and procedures. As a class my kids and I make our classroom rules and then each student signs it the best they can (it looked interesting in kinder) and then you refer to them often. Practice things like how we line up, what we do when we need to use the restroom, how do we come in the room in the morning? Stuff like that. I always over plan for the first week or so - that way you have lots of backups. Think about what your classroom management system is and how that is going to look - then think about how you will teach that to your class. Don't assume they know what you want or how to do what you would like them to do.

I feel like I post this every time someone posts about management, but I really mean it. I wish I had read and followed nearly every word of advice in Teach Like a Champion. I attribute all of my success in managing student behavior to this book. It changed my life (very dramatic, but really made me happier day-to-day).

Yes. I've been there, and I've gotten out of it, too. The anxiety comes from having more things on your to-do list than you have time to get done, and not knowing if it's even possible to do them. Check out the book The Together Teacher for the answer to your anxiety. You might not be able to get everything done, but you can sure become a lot more organized and effective, which means that you can honestly say, "There was just too much. I worked hard and it didn't all get done, but that's okay," and feel good about it. I started using it over winter break last year and it has literally changed my life from where you are at to where I am at now. At least that helps with the "feeling swamped" bit.

I'd be more than happy to have a PM conversation about particulars if you want, but the one book I credit with really turning me around is Reluctant Disciplinarian by Gary Rubinstein.

The first couple of pages of the book describe how, when he was young, Rubenstein's parents used to harshly reprimand the dog when it shit on the carpet, and how he used to then sneak into the puppy's room when his parents had left to reassure the puppy and make it feel better. The puppy proceeded to continue shitting the carpet for months. I read that and I was like "Oh my God. This is the book."

He's also a Teach For America alumnus who is now a vocal TFA critic, which I love, because I'm both of those as well.

I don't know how much you rely on primary texts for handling philosophy but you will likely find that many philosophical works are a bit much for high schoolers. I really like the style and level of the philosophy videos from this channel for introducing people to the major players in philosophy. I would imagine that this class is a good candidate for something akin to 'Problem Based Learning' but I am not a philosophy specialist so I might be off base there. In my intro philosophy and ethics classes we did a lot of group discussion that worked well because the professor knew how to be an effective moderator of topics that can cause emotions to run high, hell if I know how he did it though.

You will probably have some more issues with behavior management that are not normally present at the college level, even though these students are self selecting this class you should still have a consistent strategy to handle them (this works at the university level as well, so I think you should do this if you plan on teaching even at higher levels). I suggest finding a teaching strategy book and giving it a read through. You can find some that are very accessible, like Wong and Wong or Fay and funk. There are plenty of others, just find one that is decently reviewed and give it a quick read through. You don't have to agree with everything in it or put it all in place but find some things you like and think you can do and be consistent with it and it should work out.

In my experience, there are two types of schools there. One type just collects resumes. The other type is looking to do interviews at the fair, on the spot. Your goal should be to secure as many interviews as possible.

Get there early and hit the booths ASAP. Interview slots will fill up fast. Go from booth to booth, seeing what is up. If all they want is a resume, drop one off, talk briefly, shake hands, and move on. If they are scheduling interviews, put your name on the list and don't forget the time.

As for materials, a stack of resumes is good. Individual cover letters isn't necessary. I brought materials and student work from a couple of showpiece lessons, and not a full portfolio. It is good to have something concrete you can refer to while you are interviewing.

As for types of questions, expect any and all questions you would get at a job interview. If you haven't read any books on how to approach teacher interviews yet, now is the time. I suggest this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Ace-Your-Teacher-Interview-Fantastic-ebook/dp/B007B6QGGI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

I ended up getting my job from a connection made at the recruitment fair, so it definitely does happen. Good luck.

Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov is the best book in the world for managing a classroom.

I can not turn a single page without thinking to myself, "Yes, I need to incorporate this into my classroom." It's brilliant.

This book really helped me set down an action plan to better my class structure: Teach Like a Champion - http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0470550473.

If you'd like to talk more about this and getting adapted to teaching, feel free to PM me.

>Therefore, I'm looking for advice on how and when to introduce the class routines and procedures.

Day 1, and continue for the next several weeks. Jointly develop and agree upon classroom expectations with the kids. Have them sign a "Classroom Contract" with the rules you came up with together. Display it in the room and keep it up.

>I'm guessing because they are so young and unable to read, it is better to repeat expectations / procedures often

Yes. Very often. But do more than repeat; model. Then have kids model. Comment on how they model. Ask other kids to comment on the modeling their peers do ("what do you notice ____ doing?")

>Should I make "personal anchor charts" for each student explaining these procedures

That's not really necessary if you have a large anchor chart for the whole class. An anchor chart is essential, but individual ones are not (with a few exceptions--usually kids with significant disabilities).

Now I've got some questions for you:

1. So this will be French immersion? 100% French? Or part French part English? Do you share the kids with other teachers?
   
   
2. Since you're starting the year, will you be the one setting up the classroom?
   
   
3. How many on your roster?
   
   
4. When is the first day? Is it a full day or half day?
   
   
5. Do you have this or have access to it? It's the best for those critical first weeks.
   
   
6. Who else is on your first grade team?

AT LEAST the first few days, you'll want to go over class procedures and routines. Dear lord, please do this. I promise you the rest of your year will be 1,000,000 times better if you do. Not sure if this is your first year, but mine was absolute hell because I didn't bother with these. Be proactive, not reactive. Good luck, friend.

Here are two excellent books, that, if you're ambitious, you can read by Friday:

The First Days of School

THE Classroom Management Book

I agree with everything that you've written. There are some decent studies out there, but they are really hard to find. ERIC is flooded with research that has been bought and paid for by proponents of various systems.

There are a couple of books that I'd like to recommend, if you haven't read them: Teach Like a Champion and Why Don't Students Like School. In fact, I generally like everything by Daniel Willingham.

I truly, TRULY, highly, HIGHLY suggest Harry Wong's book The First Days of School its all about setting routines the first day few days of school and sticking to them throughout the year. Remember you are their teacher NOT their friend. Be fair but firm and have high expectations. Good Luck

It's not necessarily a bad thing either. There's a lot of proof that rote memorization helps cognitive skills. This book (https://www.amazon.com/Why-Dont-Students-Like-School/dp/047059196X) talks about the science behind this as well as other things, but really made me think differently about rote memorization and realize it has serious value. I'm not saying STAY there in Blooms all through schooling -- I value the top levels of Blooms for sure. But there's some reason to believe Elementary schooling should have a ton of rote learning, and even higher levels should perhaps have some.

I believe in balance, of course, but most Americans way undervalue rote memorization and foundational skills nowadays (I know I did for years until I read that book and then pursued reading more research).

You could also try this book:https://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Management-Book-Harry-Wong/dp/0976423332 I'm in my second year and used this to start my year. It is like night and day! Either way you will find a place that you fit in and it all just clicks. Good luck!!

I'm in a different situation from you, but I also am not very mean. When I was starting out I read this book and it helped me out.

When I was student teaching I was in a district with half urban, half suburban kids because of weird districting. My cooperating teacher explained to me that while I grew up in an area where kids understood indirect directions, like, "Now, if everyone would get out their notebooks..." my students were from a community that was used to more direct directions, like, "In 30 seconds I want to see everyone with their notebooks on their desks. No exceptions." It made a huge difference for me in that situation.

I teach in an affluent district. So anything I offer here might not work:

I'm a good story teller and I've learned to use that to my advantage (it was initially a disadvantage because I like telling stories and was getting off topic too often). I also found, over time, that I just wasn't planning enough to do and was stretching things out to long. Now I've got my pacing down much better and the difference is huge.

Anyway, I'm not sure anything I say could be of much use because I have no experience in your circumstances.

Your actions will speak louder than your words in convincing your students you understand them. Show them through your actions that you care about and respect them as holistic people (not just consumers of your subject matter). Also, it may be possible to go too far in trying to convince the students you understand ... there are aspects of their experiences you may not be able to understand, even if you went to a Title 1 school.
https://www.amazon.com/White-Folks-Teach-Hood-Rest/dp/0807006408

something like this would be both cool, fun and useful


IPEVO Point 2 View USB Camera
http://amzn.com/B002UBPBTC

I used to have a huge problems with classroom discipline/management. I would tell myself "For the love of GOD if I can just finish writing this sentence on the board I can take care of whatever is going on when I finish." It was about the worst way for me to go. The stress of dealing with it was draining me to no end. The best decision/thought that allowed me to get into a better frame of classroom discipline was "If I let it go on a little bit then it's the same as telling them it's ok to do it all the time". I will stop in the middle of writing a letter on the board, and slowly... painfully slowly turn around and stare at students who think it's ok to talk while we are doing note taking. By the time I'm staring at them for 3-8seconds the other students in the room are scolding them for me. Works great.

The Book I learned this from was this one by Fred Jones: https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Jones-Tools-Teaching-Instruction/dp/0965026329

The videos might come off as a little corny but 10 years later of using this stuff I still stand by it and recommend it to anybody.

Read "Teach Like a Champion" (link) It's all about classroom management and keeping kids engaged.

If you're looking for resources, I highly advise The First Six Weeks of School -- sorry, not free. So much of your (and your students') happiness and success is set up in the beginning of the year. It's way easier to just avoid the hole rather than spend energy all year climbing out of it.

I would also strongly suggest Teach Like a Champion. It has great ideas and tips and also has a DVD with it so you can see the teaching practices in action.

Teaching Science with Interactive Notebooks is a fantastic read. I started using interactive notebooks this year, and it's been a huge help.

Teaching with Love and Logic by Jim Fay and David Funk was recommended to me. It's about classroom management, which you will need if you're doing alternative certification. IMO, everybody new to teaching needs classroom management help. It's just something that is hard to learn until you're in the trenches.

If you're looking for anything on classroom management, although it touches on much more than that: Doug Lemov's Teach Like a Champion is good.

Also, I've heard good things about Daniel Willingham's Why Don't Students Like School, but I haven't read it myself. Good reviews though.

This is a FANTASTIC book, along with:
The First Six Weeks of School (Strategies for Teachers) by Paula Denton et al. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1892989042/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_W.r4tb0GZ5PEK
(I'm on mobile, I hope this link works...)

Isn't that rubric great?? It's from Kellie Marcarelli's book Teaching Science with Interactive Notebooks. I basically stole everything I do from there!! Actually, that rubric does a pretty good job explaining the expectations for those output assignments. To get a 10/10 they need to go above and beyond, they need to use drawings/color effectively, and they need to show in depth reflection/connection-making skills. Students do not love being told that meeting the basic requirements only gets a 9/10. In practice, their homework assignments (which I grade for completion) will get a 10/10 if they meet the requirements BUT their overall notebook grade (1-2 times a quarter) will be a 9/10 if they don't go above and beyond.

I have a document camera in my classroom (highly recommended if you will be using the notebooks) and after students complete their first assignment I walk around the room and look for the best examples. I ask those students if I can borrow their notebooks and then I project them from the document camera and explain to the class why these examples are so fantastic. I don't name the students as I'm showing their notebooks, and I try to be subtle when I ask for the notebooks/return them, but the class can see who's notebooks I'm taking. I had to do this because this was my first year using the notebooks, but next year I will have student examples to show them too.

I understand your frustration completely. Before starting my first year of teaching, I set up my room, was told to move to another, and then told to move again. I think I had final confirmation on my room less than a week before the first day and construction held me up from setting up and organizing in a way I felt comfortable with. This stress became a lot of my focus, and I neglected solidifying routines. If you have some solid routines that make your life and your students' lives easier, your room will fall into place to mirror these routines.

Think about your preferences for collecting worksheets, storing materials and books, and for grading. Can you create any temporary or mobile homes (milk crate with hanging folders, bins, furniture on wheels, etc.), that can be moved as you settle in more?

I was given this book during my new teacher orientation. You might find some ideas that resonate with you.

Best of luck!

One skill I've developed over the years is being able to read how receptive my kids might be to an engaging activity. Two days before spring break was maybe not the best day for something like that, I saved a nice assessment for this last day since we have Friday off.

Next, the disrespect has nothing to do with you as a person. It doesn't matter how respectful you have been to them, the way they are acting (usually) reflects the classroom management. I have had classes full of kids that other teachers think don't care, are disruptive--good classroom management can turn a class full of unproductive kids into productive ones. Separate yourself from your students attitudes, it is not personal.

This year is almost over, but every year right before school starts I read Harry Wong's [First Days of School] (https://www.amazon.com/First-Days-School-Effective-Teacher/dp/0976423316/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522339992&sr=8-1&keywords=first+days+of+school+by+harry+wong) many of my problems as a young teacher stemmed from my lack of clear classroom policy and my failure to establish clear procedures early on in the year. Reading this book every year helps to remind me of what I need to do in the beginning of the year to make my year go well. Pick up a copy, it will help

Congratulations! I teach Grade 6, too (although I'm much further North--in Canada).

I think you're looking for Wong & Wong! Their ideas are a great starting point for all that classroom management stuff. Their book "The First Days of School" is full of ideas. I saw a post here a few days ago outlining their tips...some of them are pretty hardcore, but when I was a new teacher I erred on the side of more structure.

Here's a link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/First-Days-School-Effective-Teacher/dp/0976423316/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=57HWSG26QM0C1ZYMCE9P

Another great resource is "The First Six Weeks of School." https://www.amazon.com/First-Six-Weeks-School/dp/1892989816/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501256208&sr=8-1&keywords=the+first+six+weeks+of+school
They help you get your classroom up and running right away. The first grade teachers in my building swear by the routines section.

District gave me an iPevo to use. It's really not that great, but if you have to buy one with your own money.. this one works well enough for me. FPS is not the greatest, but if you write really fast or wave your hands under it, the kids love it.

https://www.amazon.com/IPEVO-Point-View-USB-Camera/dp/B002UBPBTC

I randomly got a free copy of this a few months ago and found it to be a very helpful resource: https://www.amazon.com/First-Days-School-Effective-Teacher/dp/0976423316/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466968039&sr=1-1&keywords=the+first+days+of+school

No articles, but For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood by Christopher Emdin is a great read.

I am trying to find it. I don't see it on Amazon. It was X-Acto brand. They have others like it, but not mine. This one is similar, but definitely not it. A pro is that it is cheaper!

https://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-Teacher-Electric-Sharpener-SmartStop/dp/B001PMG98O/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1469497109&sr=1-1&keywords=TeacherPro+Classroom+Electric+Pencil+Sharpener

I recommend the book:

Setting Limits in the Classroom, Revised: How to Move Beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classrooms https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761516751/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BE6MybT9YSYG1

Long story short: set CLEAR simple expectations (no mode than 4-5 rules that could apply to many situations) and be incredibly, INCREDIBLY consistent about consequences with ALL students.

There are plenty of books out there on interviewing as a teacher. I definitely went over them before I started. This is a good one.
https://www.amazon.com/Ace-Your-Teacher-Interview-Fantastic-ebook/dp/B007B6QGGI?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&redirect=true&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

This is the best one I've encountered.

http://www.amazon.com/X-Acto-School-Heavy-Duty-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IEI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412910684&sr=8-1&keywords=xacto+pencil+sharpener

https://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-School-Classroom-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IEI4

This is the one that I have used for the past 2 years. It is the best thing I've bought for my classroom thus far.

Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit really broadened my perspectives and helped me be more culturally loving.

For you to read, I would recommend, "Other people's children."

https://www.amazon.com/Other-Peoples-Children-Cultural-Classroom/dp/1595580743

For your students I would recommend, "The skin I'm in."

https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Im-Sharon-Flake/dp/1423103858

In order to help yourself stay sane: The Together Teacher by Maia Heyck-Merlin. SO MANY tips and tricks about how to make the most of your time. I didn't read it till my third year teaching and I wish I had read it sooner.

This one:

X-ACTO School Pro Classroom Electric Pencil Sharpener, Blue, 1 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IEI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6DtlDbCPG2TSB


It is on sale big time now. I set up 2, 1 on each side of the room. They work like a dream.

What consequences are you giving? Do they make sense? Would working on the major problem behavior of the worst offenders help? Sometimes it's one kid influencing others to be naughty.

I recommend Collaborative Problem Solving with the worst kids. Here are the forms.

Secondly, I recommend reading Teach Like a Champion.

Lastly, I recommend Teaching with Love and Logic.

This book is helpful! I go over it at the beginning of each year to get ideas and start formulating a plan.

https://www.amazon.com/First-Weeks-School-Strategies-Teachers/dp/1892989042

I picked up Ace Your Teacher Interview and found it very helpful.

http://www.amazon.com/IPEVO-Point-View-USB-Camera/dp/B002UBPBTC
This is the document camera that I use and I couldn't live without it. It's $70 though. Otherwise, dry erase markers... Maybe some mini white boards if they don't have already. Starbucks gift card. K cups. A day off?

I politely disagree! Check out Teaching with Love and Logic. OP, you too.

I've found this handbook pretty helpful for understanding patterns and methods for classroom management: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Like-Champion-Techniques-Students/dp/0470550473

The main reason I'm interested in the MS credential is to teach middle school core. I already have the book by Zarillo and I've used Teacherstestprep which has helped me in the past.

Would a cheaper solution like this work in your classroom?

I highly recommend this (click here) one instead. It has a blue indicator light that says when to stop sharpening. It's the only kind I hear from everyone that students don't quickly destroy because they know when to stop jamming the pencil in. I love mine, but it's only been about 3 months since I got it.

The following book is chock full of insightful and often overlooked techniques to empower a class. Definitely give it a read.

http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Like-Champion-Techniques-Students/dp/0470550473

I had the same problem, but after five years I'm an ol' battleaxe! You MUST get this under control or you won't enjoy your career, and the good students will suffer in your class. But do not worry, there is hope!

Here are a couple of the books that helped me develop me "teacher persona."

http://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Disciplinarian-Management-Eventually-Successful/dp/1936162156

http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Limits-Classroom-3rd-Edition/dp/0307591727

Beyond this: Learn their names. Call them by name when they have their phones out or they are talking while you are talking. Kick them out into the hall if you need to, then have a non-antagonistic chat with them. They are different when they are with you one-on-one. Develop relationships. Ask them about what movie they saw that weekend. Tell them stories about your home life. Put the hammer down if you have to -- call home, referrals, etc. -- but those are a last resort.

You'll hear 100 recomendations for Harry Wong's books, and I think they are worth it.

His most well-known is The First Days of School which is all about procedures and having routines.

This year he released another book called THE Classroom Management Book which is an elaboration on his section of classroom management.

He focuses on classroom management rather than discipline, as he believes that most discipline issues are caused by lack of routines and procedures.

They are not too long of a read, and set up like a textbook. My main issue is that every other page has a large blurb by someone talking about how awesome the book is and how well it worked. A few times, I get, but seriously over and over there is that stuff. It's like, I get it, I know it works. That's why I bought the damn book.

This is good.

However, if you want something that you can potentially use as a weapon and will probably outlast you as a teacher, go with something like this

My grade level swears by this pencil sharpener. We all have one and have yet to see one give out. My partner's had hers since 2013!

Our math department uses this one and swears by it. The office also uses it for sharpening the school set of pencils prior to any tests the kids take. The other school I taught at also had one of these in every math and English classroom. It's basically the standard.

Buy this book and read it:

http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Days-School-Effective/dp/0976423316/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343942191&sr=8-1&keywords=the+first+days+of+school

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IEI4/

This one.

What book are you using to study? A professor at my school wrote this: http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Revised-RICA-Preparation-Californias/dp/0137008686

I found it really helpful. Our reading classes were structured around it and I passed the RICA no problem.

STUDY THIS BOOK:
http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Revised-RICA-Preparation-Californias/dp/0137008686

Zarrillo.

SERIOUSLY.

Don't mess with quizlet- I found most of the questions/answers to be inaccurate.

Focus on case study examples.