The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly | Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to...

Teach Like A Champion | Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College | Doug Lemov

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	• Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College Doug Lemov Jossey-Bass, 2010 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 56 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Excellent book

Purchased this book for my niece's K-5 teacher for her end of the year gift. I had heard several good reviews of the book and hope she found it useful! Thanks to Amazon for their great service!!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I bought TEACH LIKE A CHAMPION despite its admittedly cheesy title and without knowing that it was featured by the NY TIMES (which I gather from a sampling of other reviews). Before finishing Doug Lemov's introduction, I realized I was reading a book from "the charter camp" or the "standardized tests slash data is everything" camp. OK. Not having a closed mind (last I checked), I took a deep breath and dove in. Coming out the other end of the rabbit hole, I see that Lemov's Wonderland is not for everybody, but there's something in it for everybody. I said someTHING (or things). Others may find it far too elementary (literally -- given the age groups covered -- and figuratively). And though all of Lemov's teachers and examples come from private and charter schools and most of them are from the Uncommon Schools he himself is a part of, public school teachers can glean something from this mixed bag, too.

Let's start with the good: TEACH LIKE A CHAMPION is a practical book with strategies that can be used immediately in the classroom. You can use all, some, or a few if you wish. Why do I mention this first? Many teachers who invest in professional development books complain that their purchases are too much on theory and not enough on practical ideas. That won't be the case here. Satisfied?

Next: this is about as basic a nuts and bolts text as you can buy. Lemov names things experienced teachers might not even bother to, such as "No Opt Out" (meaning: it's bad to let a kid say, "I don't know") and "Right Is Right" (meaning: you have to answer the question fully and accurately). Still, what looks obvious to teachers already in the trenches might not be to newbies and interested parents. Also, if you're a new teacher who feels like you're being fed to the lions with only platitudes from the veterans for assistance, you'd do well to hang your hat on this book's techniques before you review your notes from college education courses or repeat the mantra "Don't smile until Easter." The Uncommon Schools are mostly inner city ones proving that socio-economic factors can be negated if a school develops a business-like attitude with predictable structures and techniques. So even if you're in a public school, many of these ideas -- if used consistently and rigorously -- might help.

Now for the bad (if it strikes you as ugly, so be it): Veteran teachers will mostly shrug because little if anything is new. Also, many of the approaches -- and this is confirmed by the accompanying DVD in the book's sleeve -- seem hopelessly regimented. Even fun is planned, boxed, and labeled -- in this case, into something called "Vegas" (performing for the kids or kids performing for you -- briefly now!) and the "J-Factor" ("J" stands for -- surprise! -- "Joy" and includes competitive games, dance, and song, but only briefly now!). The brief jokes are only half in jest. Lemov is constantly reminding you that time is of the essence, that you own the classroom, that you'd best get back on task ASAP or the kids' standardized scores and chances for going to college will plummet. To which I can only say, "Good grief." Spontaneity and tangents in the classroom can often lead to wonderful places where learning and enrichment DO occur (even if it wasn't planned and even if it has no silly name).

And the video. Well, each clip is designed to show a strategy (though not all are shown -- not by a long shot). The trouble is, you might see a teacher showing one strategy while not observing another. For instance, a teacher could be showing the "Right Is Right" technique while students in the clip are not observing the SLANT (Sit Up/ Listen/ Ask and Answer Questions/ Nod/ Track the Speaker) one. They're slouched in their seats or doodling and certainly not looking at the speaker. And one clip demonstrates a means of "Tight Transitions" by showing a teacher instructing kids on how to pass out papers quickly and to a timer (lots of timers in these clips -- remember, "regimented"). The object is to pass papers across by row so kids don't "waste time" twisting around while passing it back. And yet SLANT demands that kids "track" the speaker -- and because of the traditional seating arrangements favored by Lemov et. al. (it has a name, of course -- "Draw the Map"), kids have no choice but to "waste time" by twisting in their seats to look at classmates in back. You also see gimmicks like one or two claps, a brief cheer, all timed and clipped neatly, much like military instructions and echoes.

OK, my next technique I'm going to name "Wrap Up." Here goes: I'd recommend TEACH LIKE A CHAMPION to new teachers, struggling teachers, and teachers in need of classroom management help. Veterans -- especially of the public schools -- might get a bit indignant at the way the obvious is gussied up here. They also might take issue with some of Lemov's opinions. For instance, he dismisses silent reading for enjoyment as wasteful, but advocates the ancient practice of reading aloud (which can be torturous and brutally boring, even while applying Uncommon strategies... sorry).

Is the book food for thought? Some. Is it grist for the argument mill? That, too. How about worth your money? Check your demographic. And politics. Then name it, will you? < clap, clap -- track the reviewer! >

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Teach Like A Champion

As a public school teacher of 33 years I have seen a lot of changes in education in a quest to improve eduction.

This book is the best I have ever read. It is so good I have recommended it to all my friends in education. Especially those who have retired from public schools and are now working with colleges in teacher training programs.

This should be required reading for all college students who are considering education as a major.

I hope to teach several more years. This book has validated some of what I have been doing in the classroom, and has given me great ideas to try in my effort to be the best teacher I can be.

This is a book I plan on referring to as I go through the coming year.

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A guide that shouldn't be overlooked for any teacher who wants to keep improving

The first step for a great student is a great teacher. "Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College" is a guide for teachers who want to hone their techniques to give themselves and their students the best educational experiences that they can give and receive. With plenty of advice and resources, Doug Lemov uses his expertise as president of School Performance at New York State University and many levels of education. "Teach Like a Champion" is a guide that shouldn't be overlooked for any teacher who wants to keep improving.

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Practical teaching strategies for student success...

This book goes past theory and presents common sense real-world applicable teaching strategies that can help teachers move students past being just good test takers and into being strong long term learners. These practical strategies can be used in any classroom, at any grade level, and for any content area. A must read for any teacher! I highly recommend it!

Teach Like a Champion offers effective teaching techniques to help teachers, especially those in their first few years, become champions in the classroom. These powerful techniques are concrete, specific, and are easy to put into action the very next day. Training activities at the end of each chapter help the reader further their understanding through reflection and application of the ideas to their own practice.

Among the techniques: Technique #1: No Opt Out. How to move students from the blank stare or stubborn shrug to giving the right answer every time. Technique #35: Do It Again. When students fail to successfully complete a basic task?from entering the classroom quietly to passing papers around?doing it again, doing it right, and doing it perfectly, results in the best consequences. Technique #38: No Warnings. If you're angry with your students, it usually means you should be angry with yourself. This technique shows how to effectively address misbehaviors in your classroom.
Please note that the kindle edition does not come with a DVD.

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