3-Minute Tips for Teachers

Heather Garcia is a secondary teacher with almost two decades of classroom experience. Sheserves as a teacher-leader by developing and facilitating professional development for teachersin her district and across the nation.Michelle Lindsey is a secondary teacher and English Language Arts Program Planner. She wasawarded the annual NCTE Highschool Teacher of Excellence Award for the State of Florida.She uses her teaching experience to educate and mentor teachers throughout the nation.

This book is a must-read for every teacher in America. I've been teaching for 20 years, and every other page of this book challenged my outdated assumptions or made me think of a completely new way of solving the problems I face as a teacher. Now more than ever, teachers need Heather Garcia's and Michelle Lindsey's practical wisdom to make their teaching work effective and joyful and sustainable.

• Table of Contents Preface Introduction Section 1: Preparing for the Start of SchoolStart Each Year FreshKnow Your Standards Before the School Year BeginsOpen House NightSetting Up Your RoomDon’t Spend Your Check Before You Earn ItPre-School NightmaresSection 2: Starting the School YearHave Reasonable ExpectationsStart Them Right Into Content In an Engaging WayIce Breakers Are a Death SentenceAccessing Online Platforms Battling Cell Phones Find Out Who the Friends Are and Move Them Section 3: Making Your Workload More ManageableStarting the Morning Checking Email Lesson Planning Photocopies Keeping Up With the GradingBuild In Work Days The Teacher BagLeaving for the DayStay Organized and Write Everything DownSection 4: Establishing Student RoutinesCollecting Student WorkHanding Back Student Work Assigning Work Behaviors That Need RoutinesSection 5: Dealing With AdministrationDon’t Panic When They Call (Or Email)Informal Walk-ThroughsFormal EvaluationsSection 6: Communicating With Students, Parents, and AdministrationAnswering Emails Calling Home Using Mass-Text Alert Systems Parent Conferences Section 7: Optimizing Interpersonal SkillsTreat Your Students Like Rational Humans Keep the Rules Simple The Chronically Absent The Loud Kids The Mean Kids Choose Your Battles Section 8: Thriving as an EducatorChoosing Your Work TribeDeciding Where You Eat LunchKnow What You Can (and Cannot) ControlUsing Your Time On Teacher Workdays Ditch the Red PenWhat You Wear Matters Good Teachers Are Always Students Don't Let the Data Scare You Polish Your Dragon Scales Section 9: Increasing Student Engagement and LearningBack to the Basics Get em’ Movin’Show Students the Work Means Something Make It Yourself Student Choice Let Your Kids Struggle Holy Sh*% We Ended Early, Now What?Section 10: Incorporating Reading and WritingReading Isn't Just for English ClassGet Them Writing Section 11: Crossing the Digital DivideIncorporating Technology Let YouTube HelpKeep it PGSection 12: Creating and Maintaining Your Work-Life BalanceKnow Your LimitsAllow Yourself Time to Recharge Know Your Contract Censor Your Social Media Don’t Overshare With Your Students Section 13: Ending the School YearDon’t Just Shove It All In a Box. Have the Kids HelpCelebrate What Worked Financially Surviving the Summer