The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher

By Harry K. and Rosemary T. Wong

5th Edition 2018

If you’ve been thinking about purchasing The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher as a resource to help you succeed as a new teacher, use the review below as a preview before you buy.

I received a copy of this book as a first year teacher in 1995. At that time, the information was very helpful, BUT overwhelming. There was so much to take in as a new teacher. I was concerned with setting up my classroom and figuring out what to teach and when.

While this book does contain ideas and guidance for many of these basics, the overall message is about the characteristics of an effective teacher. Characteristics that are built over time with teaching experience. Therefore, this book is helpful for the new teacher, but is also a continuous reminder to experienced teachers of why we do what we do and how to do it well.

FAST FORWARD 27 years…purchasing the newest edition and reading it through the eyes of an experienced teacher, my reaction during and after reading was WOW. 

The overarching message of The First Weeks of School resonated with me because it fully aligns with the beliefs and actions of the leadership and teachers at my own elementary school.  

AND WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS IN OUR STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT!!

The majority of this resource is SPOT ON. The book is written to ensure that key ideas, like what an effective teacher is, truly stick. Therefore, these ideas are repeated over and over. And over.

Full chapters are devoted to information that will help the reader to begin a school year successfully, like setting up the room, classroom management, planning effective lessons, and assessing student learning.

BONUS: The First Days of School includes links to the Effective Teaching website with a plethora of additional resources.

The Wongs have also published companion books for Classroom Management and Classroom Instruction.

The purchase of The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher is most definitely a helpful tool for new teachers. The purchase of all three books in the series is an excellent trifecta. It is important to note that this series of books provides generalized guidance for all elementary grade levels.  

If you are looking for grade level specific guidance, check out the entire How to Teach Elementary School series!

KEY IDEAS from THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL:

How to be an Effective Teacher