Presents 250 tips and techniques for classroom management, featuring advice for starting the school year, helping students be responsible, communicating, bonding, being fair, avoiding confrontation, building self-esteem in students, staying safe, and working with parents and colleagues, and including a special section of hints for new and student teachers.

Foreword to the Second Edition -- xv -- Barbara Perea -- Foreword to the First Edition -- xvii -- Michelle Fratti -- Preface -- xix -- Acknowledgments -- xx -- About the Author -- xxii -- Introduction -- PART I. TIPS FOR NEW AND STUDENT TEACHERS -- Odds and Ends for Beginners -- Put Loved Ones on Notice -- Your Students Didn't Sleep Last Night Either! -- The Mentor Teacher -- Dress Like a Grown-Up -- Students Do Get Crushes -- Overplan -- Flexible Personal Expectations -- Everyone Else's Plans Are Better -- ``The Clerical Work Blues'' -- Ask Teachers for Help -- Just Say No -- PART II. BEGINNING A WINNING YEAR -- They're Not Here Yet -- Get to School Early -- Organizing the Room -- Say Cheese -- Don't Be Caught Unprepared or Late -- Enthusiasm Is Caught, Not Taught -- Friendly, But Not Buddies -- First Name Versus Surname -- Personal Records Debate -- Going on Automatic -- Don't Take Their Behavior Personally -- They're Here -- The Rush to Seats -- A Seating Idea -- Don't Seat by Height---or Gender -- Record Keeping Questionnaire -- The First Day ``Sneaker'' -- Put Your Name---and Phone Number?---on the Board -- ``You've Got Mail'' -- Tangible Class Guidelines and Rules -- You Own the Limelight -- Alternative to Screaming #1: The Stare -- Alternative to Screaming #2: The ``Excuse Me'' Smile -- Alternative to Screaming #3: The Lowered Voice -- Alternative to Screaming #4: The Art of Gestures -- Alternate to Screaming #5: Clap, Clap -- You Can Always Ease Up -- Sit With Your Students -- Fun Introductions -- Now and Later Cards -- To Touch or Not to Touch -- Lifesaving Referral Slips -- Yowks! 5 Minutes Left -- End the First Day on an Up Note -- They're Gone and You Survived! -- Everything Can Be Redone -- You're Not a Shrink -- You Can't Win 'Em All -- Go Home and Chill Out -- PART III. HELPING STUDENTS BE RESPONSIBLE -- Establishing Routines -- Creatures of Habit -- The Standardized Notebook -- Bless the Bargain Stores -- The ``Do Now'' -- The Aim of ``Aim'' -- The Homework Spot -- The Importance of Homework -- Numbering Homework -- Collecting Homework -- Homework Buddies -- When to Give Out Worksheets -- You Teach, Not Videos -- ``Bathroom Control'' -- The Cafeteria -- Division of Labor -- Who Dismisses? -- Class Wrap-Ups -- Empowering Students -- We Make Our Own Choices -- Let Students Set Rules and Consequences -- The Right to Pass -- The Sanctuary -- Tacit Approval -- One Is a Rat---Ten Is Power -- The ``Many Kids Told Me'' Fib -- Don't Call Home -- Tons of Quizzes -- Offer Choices -- Confer for Grades -- ``Class''---The Collective Noun -- Independent Reading, With Twinkies! -- Go With the Roll -- Incorporating Fads -- Role Reversal/Role-Playing Technique -- Am I Boring? -- A Fun Way to Limit Slang -- Don't Overcorrect -- Student Revenge: Your Personal Evaluation -- ``Help! I'm Being Observed'' -- Setting Consequences -- Every Act Has a Consequence -- Rewards -- Homework Penalty (With Room for Redemption) -- Sign on the Dotted Line -- Start With a 99% -- The Tardy Quiz -- Conduct Sheets -- Torture Sheets -- You Are Not the Supply Store -- Collateral, Please -- When to Call Home -- PART IV. SHOWING YOU'RE ON THE SAME TEAM -- Communicating Like a Pro -- Acknowledge Feelings -- Never Deny Perception -- Use ``I'' Messages -- ``Let's'' Instead of ``You'' -- Interchange Gender Pronouns -- Limit the ``You Shoulds'' -- One-on-One -- How to Listen -- Make Limits Total Rather Than Partial -- State Rules Impersonally -- Vague Allegations -- Describe What You See (or Don't See) -- Pick a Rule and Stick to It (It's All in the Perception) -- Stay Simple: One Word or Sentence Will Do -- The Desk Drummer -- Would You Talk to an Adult That Way? -- Don't Futurize -- Paraphrase -- Don't Mix Criticism With Praise -- @#$%* Yes or No? -- Forced Apologies Not Accepted -- The Double Message -- What Would Another Teacher Tell Me? -- Conflict Resolution -- Being Fair -- Admit When You Are Wrong -- Admit When You Don't Know Something -- Never Break a Promise -- Never Demand a Promise -- ``I'm in a Bad Mood'' -- ``This Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You'' -- No ``Boys Will Be Boys'' -- Etiquette Pitfalls -- Please and Thank You -- Gauge the Amount of Homework -- Bonding Strategies -- ``I'm on Your Side'' -- Being Vulnerable: Share a Giggle -- Relating Your Own Experiences -- Staying Neutral -- Those Special Few Minutes -- 15 Seconds of Fame -- Creative Excuses -- Bend the Rules -- Journals -- Know When You Are Overly Involved -- Read Aloud to Your Students -- Giant Calendar -- Celebrate Birthdays -- Catch the Spirit -- ``I Thought of You'' -- Morning Meetings -- Class Solutions -- Lowden's Life's Lessons (or, Teaching Winning Ways) -- The Bellhop Bell -- Assure Students You Will Tell Their Parents Something Wonderful -- Thank Them for the Joy They Bring -- PART V. BUILDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH EARNED PRAISE -- Self-Esteem Strategies -- Praise, Praise, Praise---But Don't Overpraise -- Acknowledge Improvements -- Overgrading -- Confidence Grading -- Enthusiastic Credit When Credit Is Due -- Put-Ups, Not Put-Downs -- Respect Uniqueness -- Don't Rush to Correct -- Call Home for the ``Average'' Student -- ``I Knew You Could Do It'' (and More) -- A Little White Lie -- ``You're a Late Bloomer'' -- Tracking -- Some of Us Can't Spell -- Wonderful Comments on Paper -- Post Every Student's Work -- ``I Got a 97%! What Did You Get?'' -- PART VI. AVOIDING CONFRONTATION -- Preventing Showdowns -- Everything Is Embarrassing -- Humor, Not Sarcasm -- The Biggest No-No: ``Only Kidding'' -- ``Shut Up!''---Not! -- ``I Told You So'' -- Avoid Arguments -- Globalizing -- Choose Your Battles -- Start All Over -- Beware of Empty Threats -- No Spur-of-the-Moment Rules -- To Chew or Not to Chew---That Is the Question -- Set Up Winning Situations -- Don't Force Students to Lie -- Make Rules Specific: Narrow Them Down -- No Sides -- Time-Out -- Hurry! Shut Out the Lights -- No Comparisons -- Never Attack Personally -- Distractions -- Knowing Your Audience -- Group Dynamics -- Don't Play ``I Gotcha'' -- Deceiving Looks -- Kids Have Bad Days, Too -- Negative Attention Seekers -- Good Kids Can Do Bad Things -- Hold Students to Different Standards -- If You Don't Try, You Can't Fail -- Too Much Push on Sports -- ``Can We Really Be Anything We Want?'' -- Audio or Visual? -- Check the Senses -- Respect Privacy -- A Secret Is a Secret, Unless... -- Ignore Reputation -- Permissive Versus Overly Permissive -- Cultural Differences -- What Language Is Spoken at Home? -- Quality, Not Quantity -- Confusing Neatness With Responsibility -- Describe a Fight to a Potential Pugilist -- The Sound-Off Minute -- It's That Time of the Month -- PART VII. SAFETY -- Personal, Physical, and Professional Safety -- Face the Door -- Never Release a Student to a Stranger -- Never Throw a Student Out of Your Room -- Screen the Videos -- Your School's Emergency Plan -- Keep the Door Open -- Never Leave Classes Unattended -- You Are Not a Pharmacist nor a Doctor -- Do Not Drive Your Students in Your Car -- Report Every Accident -- Trust Your Gut Feelings and Follow Instincts -- Go Home Already! -- PART VIII. USING YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM -- Working With Parents -- Meet Parents Right Away -- Send Home an Introduction -- Tear on the Dotted Line -- Parents and the Internet -- Structured Chat Hour -- Getting Parents Involved -- Special Relative Day -- Call Both Parents -- Students at Parent Conferences? -- Parent/Teacher Conference Management -- Assuring Parents -- The Defensive Parent -- Parents and Homework -- Children as Dream Fulfillers -- Parents Knowing More Than You -- Beware of the Answering Machine -- Working With the School Support Team -- Cooperative Teacher Input -- Buddy Teacher -- Confronting Other Teachers -- No Gossiping About Your Students -- Teacher Competition -- Do You Float? -- Field Trip Protocol -- Helping Substitute Teachers -- Preparing Your Students for Your Absence -- Evaluating Substitute Teachers -- Bookstore and Library Partnerships -- Getting Along With the ``Boss'' -- The Teachers' Union -- Keep Those Skills Sharp -- The Really Important People -- PART IX. PARTING SHOTS -- See You Next Year! -- Is Teaching What You Really Want to Do? -- When All Else Fails, Buy Pizza -- Keep in Touch -- The Portfolio -- Only a Few More Months Till Summer Vacation -- Suggested Readings -- Index.