See Me After Class: an interview with Roxanna Elden
I ran across Roxanna Elden's excellent "See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers" while killing time in a bookstore-- gravitating, as usual, to the education section. Elden, a National Board Certified Teacher in Miami, has put together a terrific handbook of non-traditional advice and perspectives on practice. An excellent reference for new teachers, it's also engaging for grizzled veterans--I found myself reading long passages, snorting gently and nodding. In the end, I had to buy the book. You should, too.
TIASL: I love this book! My absolute favorite part of the book was the 
long, annotated list of strengths that new teachers might bring to the classroom (Chapter 6, Your Teacher Personality). You noted that everyone who comes into teaching has at least a couple of these gifts. What inspired you to see new teachers as unique personalities, rather than inexperienced technicians needing strategies?
long, annotated list of strengths that new teachers might bring to the classroom (Chapter 6, Your Teacher Personality). You noted that everyone who comes into teaching has at least a couple of these gifts. What inspired you to see new teachers as unique personalities, rather than inexperienced technicians needing strategies?RE: Teaching is a shift from your first-name self to your last-name self, not a complete character overhaul. Teachers often cause themselves frustration by trying to base their classroom personalities on traits that don't come naturally to them. Our strengths as people carry over into our teaching, and so do our weaknesses. Luckily, many different, and even contradictory personality traits can be ingredients in great teaching. In the book I give examples of how teachers can use their natural strengths to work around their weaknesses. What we don't want is for teachers with the potential to be great to get discouraged because they don't have the same strengths as another teacher.
TIASL: Another thing I found compelling is your "true confessions" moments--stories from teachers who are still in the classroom (and still passionate about
