Professors… or anyone using See Me After Class to train pre-service teachers:
This chapter-by-chapter guide is specifically tailored to readers preparing for the first year of teaching, which leaves you more time to develop that lesson on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for Education Majors and Pre-Service Teachers
What this Book is… and is Not
In the first chapter of the book, the author addresses the three types of books on the market for new teachers: Professional development, inspirational stories, and general guidebooks. What does she say are the weaknesses of each type of book? Do you agree?
Ten Things You Will Wish Someone Had Told You
Which of the advice in this chapter have you heard before? Do you agree with this advice?
First Daze
In this chapter, the author lists and answers frequently asked questions about the first day of school. What are you most worried about as you approach your first day as a teacher? In what areas are you most confident?
Maintaining and Regaining Your Sanity, One Month at a Time
Chapter four charts the morale of teachers at different points in the school year. Why do you think you find teacher morale tends to follow this pattern?
Piles and Files: Organization and Time Management
In this chapter the author talks about her own struggles with organization, and shares the filing systems she eventually developed to deal with the inflow of paperwork. What are your own plans for keeping your classroom organized?
Your Teacher Personality: Faking it. Making it.
This chapter suggests building a teacher personality that rests on personal strengths and works around weaknesses. What do you believe will be your greatest strengths as a teacher? In which areas do you think you will need the most work? In what ways can you use your personal strengths to work around weak areas?
Classroom Management: Easier Said Than Done.
In this chapter, the author details potential pitfalls in management principles like consistency and positive reinforcement. Have you had any experiences in which “common sense” wisdom fell short? How did you deal with these situations and what did you learn from them?
Procedures that (Probably) Prevent Problems:
Chapter eight suggests that readers “beg, borrow, and steal” classroom procedures from other teachers, “… then adapt” those procedures to their own classroom. What procedures have you observed in the classrooms of other teachers that might work in your own classroom? What details will you change to make the ideas work considering your personality, age group, and subject area?
The Due Date Blues: When High Expectations Meet Low Motivation
Here the author talks about the heartache of watching students miss major assignments. Who is most responsible for making sure students turn in their work? How can we best promote responsibility in our students?
No Child Left… Yeah, Yeah, You Know
In chapter 10, the author discusses difficulties with individual students. She also says that many teachers have a specific type of student in mind when they choose their career, and are sometimes more effective with their favorite type of student. Which students do you think will be easiest for you to connect with? Which might be the most difficult?
Parents: The Other Responsible Adult
Chapter eleven includes many stories involving difficult parents, but the tone of the last two stories is different. Why do you think these stories were included? How would you deal with some of the situations discussed in the chapter?
The Teachers’ Lounge: Making it Work with the People You Work With
Chapter eleven describes difficult types of coworkers, including those who are overly negative, but also those who are positive to the point of bragging. Is there such thing as too much positivity? What do you believe is the proper balance between positive and negative when teachers talk about work?
Please Report to the Principal’s Office
Chapter thirteen discusses actions by administrators that make teachers’ jobs harder. How can teachers work with or around administrators who do these things?
Stressin’ About Lessons
In chapter 14 the author discusses reasons that seemingly well-planned lessons go wrong. How would you reign in a lesson that is starting to go off track? What back-up activities could you use if left with extra class time after a lesson?
Observation Information
In this chapter, the author addresses two schools of thought about dealing with observations: “Always teach like you are going to be observed,” and “the dog and pony show.” What are some potential pitfalls of each of these ways of thinking?
Testing, Testing
Chapter 16 deals with unintended consequences of testing. Is there a way to minimize these consequences while still holding teachers accountable for good teaching?
Grading Work Without Hating Work
Which of the grading tips in this chapter were helpful? What other strategies do you plan to use to keep up with grading?
Moments We’re Not Proud Of
In chapter eighteen, teachers share their low-points. Which of these stories did you find most memorable? Why?
Dos and Don’ts for Helping New Teachers In Your School
In this chapter, the author comes down hard on teachers who say things like, “That would never happen in my class.” In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good mentor? As you seek out informal mentors at your schools, what type of person do you hope to find?
Making Next Year Better
The author ends the book by saying you probably won’t be satisfied with the ending. Were you? Why or why not? How do you think you might have reacted differently to this book if you read it after, rather than before, your first year as a teacher?