Teaching methods and best practices

¶ … Teach like your hair's on fire: The methods and madness inside room 56 by Rafe Esquith. Specifically it will contain a book report on the book. This book, written by a teacher with nearly 25 years experience, talks about how to make a difference in the classroom, and make a difference in children's lives. He writes about his classroom, "It's a world where character matters, hard work is respected, humility is valued, and support for one another is unconditional" (Esquith x). That is the thesis of this book, that our culture is insane, and that the right things no longer matter to society, which he is attempting to change through his teaching. He believes if you teach as if your hair is on fire and you do not know it (which happened to him in the classroom), you are moving in the right direction as a teacher, and you will serve your children well.

The author maintains that most teachers maintain order in their classrooms with fear as the prime motivator, and that is not the way to manage a classroom. He maintains most teachers want to show the children who is "boss" to maintain order, and he believes this leads to the children being afraid in the classroom, which does not foster learning or good citizens. He writes, "It's not easy to create a classroom without fear. It can take years. But it's worth it" (Esquith 6). He believes there are four ways to manage a classroom without fear, but still maintain order. They are, base your classroom on trust, not fear; be dependable; discipline with logic; and finally, be a role model for your children. These all make sense, especially as the author explains them and gives examples, and they make sense in the classroom setting, too.

The author also bases his teaching on Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Levels of Moral Development, which are, don't get in trouble; get a reward; please somebody; follow the rules; be considerate of others; and have a code of behavior and follow it. He also gives examples of these levels at work in the classroom, and shows how the children use them and learn from them as well. That is one of the helpful elements of this book; the author gives examples, shows real situations in the classroom, and generally leads the reader through the steps of transforming their classroom and creating a new, healthy environment for the children. It is easy to read, the steps are easy to follow, and it seems that just about any teacher could implement these steps in their own classrooms.

No book on teaching would be complete without information on the administration and regulations teachers face. The author believes that staff meetings are worse than torture, and that often, the guidelines teachers must follow (such as the reading scores the author discusses) are a disservice to the children, and they do not help the teachers teach any better. He writes, "We are no longer supposed to introduce our students to powerful, challenging works of literature. We are punished for the incompetence of some teachers. The real losers, however, are the kids" (Esquith 31). Esquith is especially passionate about turning his children into readers, because he believes it is a "foundation of life" (Esquith 33). He also believes that in being a role model, a teacher should guide children, and help them make the right choices on their own. He believes this is another foundation that will continue to help them grow throughout their lives.

The book's chapters follow the basic curriculum of elementary school, discussing reading, writing, and math, and then discusses standardized testing, history, science, art, sports, classroom jobs, and problem solving. The third section of the book discusses managing the classroom, including how to choose films that are appropriate for students, organizing class field trips, classroom music, community projects, and special projects. Esquith expects a higher level of performance out of his children, and he gets it, but that is because he is dedicated and requires more from them than other teachers do. For example, each year, his students produce and perform a full Shakespearean play. He writes, "This requires the kids to work harder than they have ever worked in their lives as well as a teacher who is willing to sacrifice thousands of hours of personal time" (Esquith 208). He ends the book by saying that it is always a struggle in the classroom, that teachers often do not get support from administrators, and teaching is very difficult. However, he says that it is worth it when he hears from former students he has inspired. He writes, "As usual, it is a student who proves to be my best teacher. There is a reason to believer. Let us all work hard to build those safe havens" (Esquith 227). His book is inspiring because he is so dedicated, and because it is quite clear that he really cares about his kids and his job as a teacher. This book should be on the bookshelf of anyone in the teaching profession, or considering it as a profession, because it is an eye-opening look into the world of the teacher, and what works in the classroom, as well.