I am starting my first year of teaching (well, starting as a student teacher until January then on my own). What books would you recommend for new teachers? I will be teaching middle school (social studies and SPED).

Thanks!
Sharon

Hi Sharon!  Welcome to teaching :)

I'm a middle school Spanish teacher, working on SPED certification.  Here are a few books I can think of right off the top of my head:

If you didn't already have to read it:  The First Days of School by Wong. 

Also, I would suggest that you look through A Framework for Poverty by Payne.

I'll dig through my professional lit, and if I have anything here at home that sounds like a good reccomendation, I'll post again.  I think most of my teaching suggestions books are in storage, though. 

As a verteran teacher, I would definately agree with KayCee1976's recommendations!  Two very valuable books. Although very research based, one that i go back to all the time is Classroom Instruction That Works by R. J. Marzano. Also anythign by Strong and Silver is good for classroom instruction,.

Sue

One book I can strongly recommend is Writing Down The Days. Sorry, it's at school for the summer and I can't remember the author.  Every day of the year has an entry, which I use for my  middle and secondary SPED student's journal writing.  A lot of them are historical, trivial, etc., but also have some questions built in.  I've used it for a long time and love the way it allows for individual responses and group discussion.

Valerie

Thank you all so much for the responses. I grabbed the Wong book and will look for the others!

Thanks again! I am very excited!
Sharon

The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child Author: Ron Clark Rating:

This book is posted on our site.  When this came out several years ago, I read it.    Another teacher in my school also read it that summer.  To our good fortune, we both collaborated on which of the "essential 55" rules to carry out with our middle school students, and did it.  It was a SUPER year!  Those middle school kids can be difficult if allowed to, but, secretly, they, like our own children, like rules, structure, and predictability.  Sarah and I couldn't get over how, after introducing the rule in the first week and practicing, just as Clark says, our students said, "Thank you," from then to the end of the year whenever we handed them anything!!  Even tests!!  It was marvelous.  And we said, "You're welcome," not, "No problem," as is so common these days (and rude, I think).

Anyway, I highly recommend this book; the next year I read the Wong one already mentioned.  It was great, too.

Good luck and enjoy!

Ann