Don't Smile Until December, and Other Myths About Classroom Teaching

Peggy Deal Redman - University of La Verne, USA
Don't Smile Until December, and Other Myths About Classroom Teaching
November 2005 | 104 pages | Corwin
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eBook
ISBN: 9781452280875
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412925532
Available from January 0001

Description

"I felt inspired and renewed and validated."
-Cathy Lutz, Teacher
Madison Station Elementary School, MS

"Both practical and inspirational."
-Chris Laster, Teacher
Russell Elementary School, Smyrna, GA

"This is a book I want to utilize with my preservice students. It is right on, a great positive PR tool for our new teachers."
-J. Victor McGuire, Founder
National Association for Beginning Teachers
Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"The author's voice is clear and comes from a deep set of values and beliefs that should be heard by contemporary teachers in training and by practicing teachers."
-Marilyn Katzenmeyer
Professional Development Center

Smile as early and as often as you can in your learning classroom!

Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers:

  • Tools for building a positive classroom environment
  • Sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students
  • Tips for collaborating with colleagues, administrators, and parents
  • Ideas for rekindling professional idealism

Contents

Foreword

Foreword

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

About the Author

  • 1. Myth #1: Don’t Smile Until December
  • Reality: Smile as Early On and as Often as You Can to Build a Healthy Classroom Climate
  • 2. Myth #2: Teaching Is a Cushy Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is Hard Work and Requires Year-Round Planning in Addition to Daily Preparation and Professional Development
  • 3. Myth #3: Good Teachers Are Born, Not Made
  • Reality: Teachers Are Lifelong Learners Continually Growing in Their Profession From Their “Aha” Moments Through Their Veteran Mentoring Years
  • 4. Myth #4: Good Teachers Don’t Make Mistakes
  • Reality: Good Teachers Learn From Their Most Dramatic Mistakes
  • 5. Myth #5: Good Teachers Teach Facts
  • Reality: Good Teachers Teach the Whole Child How to Think and Learn
  • 6. Myth #6: They Can’t Learn; They Belong in Special Education
  • Reality: Every Child Can Learn and Is Legally Entitled to the Best Education
  • 7. Myth #7: Teaching Is a Lonely Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is a Collaborative Profession and Today’s Schools Are Professional Learning Communities
  • 8. Myth #8 Teaching Is a Dead End Job
  • Reality: The Rewards of Teaching Are Unending

Afterword

Afterword

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

Description

"I felt inspired and renewed and validated."
-Cathy Lutz, Teacher
Madison Station Elementary School, MS

"Both practical and inspirational."
-Chris Laster, Teacher
Russell Elementary School, Smyrna, GA

"This is a book I want to utilize with my preservice students. It is right on, a great positive PR tool for our new teachers."
-J. Victor McGuire, Founder
National Association for Beginning Teachers
Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"The author's voice is clear and comes from a deep set of values and beliefs that should be heard by contemporary teachers in training and by practicing teachers."
-Marilyn Katzenmeyer
Professional Development Center

Smile as early and as often as you can in your learning classroom!

Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers:

  • Tools for building a positive classroom environment
  • Sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students
  • Tips for collaborating with colleagues, administrators, and parents
  • Ideas for rekindling professional idealism

Contents

Foreword

Foreword

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

About the Author

  • 1. Myth #1: Don’t Smile Until December
  • Reality: Smile as Early On and as Often as You Can to Build a Healthy Classroom Climate
  • 2. Myth #2: Teaching Is a Cushy Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is Hard Work and Requires Year-Round Planning in Addition to Daily Preparation and Professional Development
  • 3. Myth #3: Good Teachers Are Born, Not Made
  • Reality: Teachers Are Lifelong Learners Continually Growing in Their Profession From Their “Aha” Moments Through Their Veteran Mentoring Years
  • 4. Myth #4: Good Teachers Don’t Make Mistakes
  • Reality: Good Teachers Learn From Their Most Dramatic Mistakes
  • 5. Myth #5: Good Teachers Teach Facts
  • Reality: Good Teachers Teach the Whole Child How to Think and Learn
  • 6. Myth #6: They Can’t Learn; They Belong in Special Education
  • Reality: Every Child Can Learn and Is Legally Entitled to the Best Education
  • 7. Myth #7: Teaching Is a Lonely Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is a Collaborative Profession and Today’s Schools Are Professional Learning Communities
  • 8. Myth #8 Teaching Is a Dead End Job
  • Reality: The Rewards of Teaching Are Unending

Afterword

Afterword

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

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Don't Smile Until December, and Other Myths About Classroom Teaching

Peggy Deal Redman
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November 2005 | 104 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781412925532 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452280875 $35.00

"I felt inspired and renewed and validated."
-Cathy Lutz, Teacher
Madison Station Elementary School, MS

"Both practical and inspirational."
-Chris Laster, Teacher
Russell Elementary School, Smyrna, GA

"This is a book I want to utilize with my preservice students. It is right on, a great positive PR tool for our new teachers."
-J. Victor McGuire, Founder
National Association for Beginning Teachers
Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"The author's voice is clear and comes from a deep set of values and beliefs that should be heard by contemporary teachers in training and by practicing teachers."
-Marilyn Katzenmeyer
Professional Development Center

Smile as early and as often as you can in your learning classroom!

Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers:

  • Tools for building a positive classroom environment
  • Sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students
  • Tips for collaborating with colleagues, administrators, and parents
  • Ideas for rekindling professional idealism

Table Of Contents:

  • Foreword
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • About the Author
  • 1. Myth #1: Don’t Smile Until December
  • Reality: Smile as Early On and as Often as You Can to Build a Healthy Classroom Climate
  • 2. Myth #2: Teaching Is a Cushy Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is Hard Work and Requires Year-Round Planning in Addition to Daily Preparation and Professional Development
  • 3. Myth #3: Good Teachers Are Born, Not Made
  • Reality: Teachers Are Lifelong Learners Continually Growing in Their Profession From Their “Aha” Moments Through Their Veteran Mentoring Years
  • 4. Myth #4: Good Teachers Don’t Make Mistakes
  • Reality: Good Teachers Learn From Their Most Dramatic Mistakes
  • 5. Myth #5: Good Teachers Teach Facts
  • Reality: Good Teachers Teach the Whole Child How to Think and Learn
  • 6. Myth #6: They Can’t Learn; They Belong in Special Education
  • Reality: Every Child Can Learn and Is Legally Entitled to the Best Education
  • 7. Myth #7: Teaching Is a Lonely Job
  • Reality: Teaching Is a Collaborative Profession and Today’s Schools Are Professional Learning Communities
  • 8. Myth #8 Teaching Is a Dead End Job
  • Reality: The Rewards of Teaching Are Unending
  • Afterword
  • References
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"...gets the message across without resorting to an excess of technical language...the stories and examples invite the reader into the author's world..."
John Pieper, Teacher, Webster Stanley Elementary School, Oshkosh, WI
"A great read, and the title is a winner! Upbeat, validating, different from a highly technical or research-oriented piece...refreshingly light and readable, yet substantive."
Patricia Clark, Patricia Clark, Teacher, Gotham Avenue School, Elmont, NY
"I would use it as shared text-based reading for my school's Critical Friends Group. We are seasoned teachers K-6, special education teachers and our school social worker, who want to continue to grow professionally and need a source to use for discussions and for reflecting on teaching practices, and to keep us from burning out...having a book of this nature helps us realize we are making a difference each day one child at a time."
Pam Roller, Teacher, Galveston Elementary School, Galveston, IN
"Reminds me of the writing of Harry Wong who conveys his experiences very effectively...The book title is very catchy. It would make me pick it up in the bookstore and look further...both practical and inspirational."
Chris Laster, Teacher, Russell Elementary, Smyrna, GA
"The book is uplifting...excellent readability...it reminds us of why we wanted to be teachers..."
Carrie Carpenter, Teacher, Deschutes Edge Charter School, Redmond, Oregon

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