My First Year as a Teacher

This inspiring book features 25 touching, hilarious, eye-opening, and true tales about the most frustrating, intimidating, underpaid, and wonderful job in the world.

In schools across America, in classes for handicapped, gifted, privileged, and disadvantaged students, these teachers recall that exciting first year, when they were often given the toughest kids and the biggest responsibilities of their careers. From coping with inner-city diversity to challenging poor self-esteem, these extraordinary images come straight from people who have already taken those first courageous steps of the novice educator. For anyone who is contemplating teaching as a profession, this invaluable collection is a must-read.

"Vivid, poignant, and often funny stories about one of the most challenging experiences anyone can have: first-year teaching."--Albert Shanker, President, American Federation of Teachers

Pearl Rock Kane is the editor of My First Year as a Teacher: Twenty-Five Teachers Talk about Their Amazing First-Year Classroom Experiences. She is also the editor of The First Year of Teaching: Real World Stories by America’s Teachers. She has published numerous articles on issues of governance, diversity, leadership, and the attraction and retention of teachers. Kane is a professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is the Klingenstein Family Chair for the Advancement of Independent School Education. He holds an MA from Smith College and a doctorate from Teachers College.