Teaching From the Deep End

`Dominic Belmonte has built rich, exciting classrooms for kids year after year, and for over a decade has led efforts to recruit talented young people into teaching and designed programmes to ignite their hearts, fire their minds, and develop their capacity to be the best′ - From the Foreword by William Ayers, Distinguished Professor, University Scholar University of Illinois at Chicago

For novice teacher, veteran teacher, or mid-career professional entering teaching for the first time, stepping into a classroom can be like diving into the deep end of a pool. In the words of Foreword writer William Ayers, "the plunge will be heart-stopping." For all those who take the plunge, Dominic Belmonte′s wise and humorous book provides support. The author blends theory with example, anecdote, and reflection to guide the teacher through developing a teaching persona, teaching philosophy, and teaching tenets; through the stresses of coping with limited career advancement and sometimes-cynical colleagues; through ethical dilemmas guaranteed to make any teacher say "yikes"; and always through the challenges of creating and nurturing a caring and thoughtful student-teacher dynamic. With a clear vision of what it means to be an excellent teacher, this book has relevance for student teachers, new teachers, alternative certification teachers, veteran teachers, mentor teachers, and all teacher educators and school administrators charged with recruiting, training, and credentialing teachers who can succeed with today′s classroom challenges.