About becoming a teacher / William Ayers.

Singing in dark times: a series introduction -- Should I become a teacher? -- What practical steps can I take right now to prepare for a life in teaching? -- How can I get to know my students? -- How do I create an outstanding learning environment? -- What is my role in curriculum-making? -- What is my part in student assessment in an era of high-stakes, standardized testing? -- How can I create some productive classroom arrangements and a bit of positive forward motion with a group of energetic (or disruptive!) kids? -- How do I work with parents (and with colleagues/administrators)? -- How should I develop my own unique teaching signature? -- What commitments should I bring with me into the classroom? -- Afterword: the first day of school has arrived! -- Ready . . . set . . . teach!.

"The book provides practical steps on how to prepare for a life in teaching, curriculum-making, building relationships with students, and fostering an effective learning environment. Should I become a teacher? What commitments should I bring with me into the classroom? How should I develop my own unique teaching signature? These are three of the questions that shape and structure this accessible and helpful guide for people who are moving toward teaching. Grounding hands-on advice and concrete examples in a concept of teaching as both a practical art and an essentially ethical practice, this book can be put to immediate use even as it invites new and prospective teachers to consider the deepest dimensions of a life in teaching"-- Provided by publisher.