Full Description
There are dramatic differences in the quality of teachers in every school. Every building has teachers who consistently engage students and deliver high-quality instruction. Every building also has teachers with varying ranges of ability. If all teachers could be more like the best teachers, then we would have significant improvement in every school.
In this important book, Todd Whitaker demonstrates how this can really be achieved. With inspiration, humor, and practical advice, Whitaker shares the qualities of the best teachers and how we can teach these qualities to others. He shows how the best teachers emphasize the learning relationship; focus only on what they can influence; and use effective classroom management involving filtering, proximity, redirection, and business mode. He then explains how we can coach other teachers by showing, not telling; by creating subcultures and learning experiences; and by leading the way. Finally, Whitaker describes the importance of hiring highly talented people who form new lines rather than fall in line. He provides strategies for asking the right interview questions, for choosing the right mentors, and for selecting the best hosts for student teachers.
No matter how education changes, there are always outstanding teachers making a difference. We can grow our schools by helping even more teachers become exceptional.
Contents
Part I: Can We Really Help All Teachers Become Like The Best Teachers? 1. First The Big Picture, Then The Real Picture 2. The Teacher Is The Variable That Matters The Most (By Far) 3. How Great Teachers Look At The World: Hint - You Can Do It Too. Part II: Hiring Exceptional Teachers 4. Two Core Ways To Increase Teacher Quality In Your Setting: Let's Start With Hiring Highly Talented Teachers 5. The Number One Goal In Hiring 6. The Construction of Induction 7. Improve The Pool and Our Pool - Student Teaching Part III: Improving The Teachers We Have 8. Teaching The Teachers 9. The Specificity of Teaching Classroom Management 10. The Power of Proximity 11. The One Best Way 12. Teach Me How to Filter, Please 13. The Emotional Modes Part IV: Timeless Truths and New Learnings 14. The Learning Relationship 15. The Eyes (and Ears) Have It 16. Understanding High Achievers 17. The Bottom Line on How to Get to The Top
