Teachers with The Magic

Great Teachers Change Students' Lives

By (author) M. Scott Norton

Publication date:

08 May 2015

Length of book:

164 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475817614

This book centers on the fact that needed improvements in our schools will not occur unless education is able to attract and retain great teachers in the school’s classrooms. Teachers with The Magic is directed to administrative leaders as well as those individuals that are seeking ways to become better teachers. Great teachers themselves will be inspired by the book’s discussion of what great teachers do the classroom to engage students in learning.

Chapter 1 Look! Now There’s a Great Teacher
Great Teachers—What Do They Look Like?
Establishing Our Purposes and Focus of the Book
GCT Quiz—Characteristics of Great Teachers
Responses to Each of the Fifteen Quiz Questions
Studies Related to Effective Teachers
What About the Characteristic of Enthusiasm?
A Look at Other Effective Teacher “Research Studies”
A Composite of Affective and Cognitive Characteristics of Great Teachers
High Quality Teachers and Their Effect on Student Achievement Gains: What
Do We Really Know?
Some Answers Might Be Closer Than You Think
Our Teacher Assessment and Evaluation Processes Need Overhauling
An Application Form for Effective Teaching Positions
Snapshot #1-A Change of Pace

Summary
Discussion Questions
Case Studies
References

Chapter 2—What We Can Do to Select and Retain Great Teachers

Facing the Existing Problems That Inhibit the Recruitment and Selection of High Quality Personnel
Recruitment of Personnel: What You Should Know Before Initiating the Process
Snapshot #1-All the Teacher Colleges in the World Can’t Make a Teacher Who Isn’t One
Research Evidence for Cognitive Characteristics
Recruiting and Selecting High Quality Teachers
Giving Priority to Those Student Graduates from Quality Institutions and Holding
Majors in Their Subject Areas, Licensure and Certification
The Personal Interview: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Structuring a Candidate Interview for a Mathematics Teacher at Wymore Middle
School: Focusing on Great Teacher Characteristics
An Interview Analysis
Snapshot #2-Caring, Compassion, Knowledge, Courage, Persistence

Summary
Discussion Questions
Case Studies
References

Chapter 3---Great Teachers Can Influence the Success of All Teachers

How the Talents of a Highly Qualified Teacher Are Applied in the Classroom
Putting the Qualities of Great Teachers to Work
Assigning Your Highly Qualified Teacher as Mentors for New Personnel
Helping the New Teacher Implement His or Her Professional Development Plan (PDP)
Snapshot #1—Insights of a Great Teacher: Antonia Antegra
The Implementation of Employee Assistant Programs for Troubled Workers
How the Highly Effective Teacher Can Help the Marginal Teacher
The Tragedy That We Face: The Loss of the School’s Great Teachers
Why Great Teachers Leave the Profession
Recommendations Related to Capitalizing on the Talents of Great Teachers
Education for All—We Can’t Afford Not to Afford It
Closing With a Few Best Practices for Retaining Best Teachers

Summary
Discussion Questions
Case Studies
References

Chapter 4 The Great Teacher at Work: Magic in the Classroom

A Look at What Great Teachers Do
A Competency-Based Great Teachers Assessment Resource
The Benefits of a Good Story
True or False? MAGT Quiz
The Evidence for Each of the Great Teacher MAGT Questions
Selected Teaching Strategies Used by Great Teachers in the Classroom
Preparation for Teaching
Teacher Student Relationships
Student Engagement: An Absolute Necessity
A Great Teacher Looks in the Mirror
Post Script
Teacher Services: What Great Teachers Say
Snapshot #1 A Great Teacher Steps “Out of Bounds”

Summary
Discussion Questions
Case Studies
References

Chapter 5 Much Ado About Great Teaching: How Great Teachers Promote Student Learning

Teachers Teach Subjects, Great Teachers Teach Students
The Story of Richard: Great Teachers are Student Advocates
The Classroom of Great Teachers
A Look at What Great Teachers Say They Do
An Example of the Importance of Learning About Art
The Gold Quiz
How to Engage Students in Social Studies Instruction
Great Teachers are Quick to Call Time Out
Time Out Quiz
Great Teachers Work Closely With Parents
Snapshot #1—Parental Support Makes a Difference
Competency-Based Performance for a Great Teacher

Summary
Discussion Questions
Case Studies
References

Without question, I would recommend this book to any teacher - novice, seasoned, or retired - as it is a font of inspiration.