First Days Of School By Harry Wong Summary

Harry Wong, “How to Be an Effective Teacher: First Days of School”
"Effective teachers affect lives," say the Wongs. While reading through this book, it can be noted that Mr. Wong is very blunt in his ideas of what makes an effective teacher. He demonstrates specific methods that a teacher will use, with students or in planning, that will be effective or ineffective. Much of the book states strategies that involve positive modeling and expectations, classroom management, and designing lessons that will be appropriate for all types of students. In the different parts of the book, these details are driven home through reallife examples and compared to negative examples. In seeing the two demonstrations, it is easier to see why these strategies should be within
Addressing students by name, rather than just being address as a student, can bring a student to feel cared for and important. I have found that students will positively affect their peers when I use their name when addressing a positive situation or behavior. In one instance, I wrote positive notes on five students’ desks, including their name in each. Four of the five students kept the note on their desk the full day and their behavior was much better than the day prior. The feeling of importance and being cared for drove these students to react positively towards myself and others in the classroom. Showing a positive reaction to students through behavior and requests also tends to reap positive results. Mr. Wong talks about using manners regularly in the classroom. Using “Please” and “Thank you” when asking students for certain tasks has proven to yield more students on task and engaged than not using this wordage. Mr.
Wong states that all teachers should think about using this language within worksheets and handouts, as well, to model positive talk that can enhance life outside of the classroom. In modeling positive experiences, students will grow with a more positive outlook socially