Customer Reviews

Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management From a Softy who Became (Eventually) a Successful Teacher

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I laughed my way through this book in less than 2 hours, and yet I put it down with a clear vision of how I was going to move forward in my classroom as well as help the teachers under me to be more effective.

If you work with difficult students or are just having big problems helping your students behave, this is a GREAT book. Rubinstein validated many of my beliefs that have helped me maintain the learning environment in my classroom. He also helped me articulate why what I do works to other teachers who say to me, "The kids are so good for you. They're not good for me!"

There's nothing worse than classroom management advice from someone who's "never been in your shoes." Rubinstein jumped into teaching middle school in the inner city with hardlly any training. His students were ruthless. Five years later, he was voted teacher of the year at his school and his students were successfully mastering their work.

Rubinstein is incredibly humble and lays it all out--his failures, his misguided philosophy of teaching, and his slow and bumpy road to success.

Rubinstein is quite critical of teacher preparation programs. As someone who went to an excellent university for teacher preparation, I didn't appreciate his knocks on colleges of education, but what he says is true of many certification programs. I'll forgive him becuase his book is sooooo good.

One note, I found the strategies very appropriate for middle and high school teachers. It may not be as appropriate for primary teachers. Still, it's hilarious and the philosophies are sound.

Buy this book. If will re-motivate you, rejuvenate you, and excite you about the months and years of teaching ahead of you.

As a third-year teacher, I found the book easy to read with plenty of laughs - especially the author's accounts of staff-required inservices. However, there were few actual classroom management techniques offered, which was my purpose for buying the book. It's an enjoyable read for those teahers wanting to feel relief in knowing others had made the same mistakes in classroom discipline efforts, but look elsewhere for management plans to use in your own classroom.

While this book is fast-paced and written with a sarcastic tongue, it was largely impractical. If you want a story about first year teaching, this is your book. If you want answers to your questions regarding discipline, this is not the book to purchase. The author starts off asking a lot of questions regarding discipline that I have but fails to answer any of them in the book. Much of the information that he presents is fairly common knowledge (e.g. don't yell, don't be your students' friend). Save your money to purchase one of the more expensive books on discipline. They may not be as entertaining to read but they are much more useful.

In the spring semester of 2004, Mr. Rubinstein was my trigonometry teacher. For those of you in New York state, that's the equivalent of the last term of Sequential Math III or the last term of the Math B curriculum. Being a tenth grader at the time, I found his methods of teaching to be one of the best. Not only did I enjoy being a student in his class, but I also enjoyed learning math and because of him, I continued to pursue advanced math classes.

When he made a mistake, he was never afraid to let us correct him. He is a humble man and is able to connect with his students on a personal level. There was never anything fake about him.

Now that I am a senior in Stuyvesant HS, I look back and see that I never had a math teacher, or teacher of any subject, quite like Mr. Rubinstein. There are only a few teachers like him and I feel lucky to have been taught by him.

If his book is anything like the way he teaches, then many people will learn from him by reading this book.

I read Mr. Rubinstein's book and laughed so hard that I didnt think I could read anymore because my sides hurt so much. I laughed because of the humorous situations, sure, but also out of relief that I was not the only one. I failed to teach because I failed to discipline, and it wasn't for the lack of effort on my part. I owed those children a disciplined classroom and I wasn't providing it. This book helped me get past my own issues with failed discipline by recognizing my short comings and conquering them. This book will cure your psyche that you may cure your classroom management. It is a must read for any classroom teacher if for no other reason, just for the laughs.

I liked the humor in this book. Rubenstein is honest and says what we're all thinking when we're in front of a classroom--and can't say. He's a great story teller, and you can picture the situations when his students outwit him. He does offer some good advice and admits that all teachers are works in progress and still learning--and that we should be! My only disappointment with this book is in its format; there is a lot of white space. However, the amount of white space makes it a quick read, which is a must for any busy teacher!

The other books on the subject (and I've read the top seven or so) are all too theoretical, dense, boring, and advocate techniques that simply don't work in an out-of-control secondary class. "First Days of School" is one of the few books that is decent in terms of practicality and readability. However, it is too elementary-focused for secondary teachers. Also, it advocates a standard pattern of incremental steps (writing names on the board with checks and so on).

As Rubinstein points out - relying on this type of pattern of incremental discipline in an out-of-control classroom is like trying to slay a dragon with a fly swatter. This author also sets himself apart from the competition by focusing on how appearance and techniques lead you to be respected as a "Real Teacher."

Let's say you are (like me), the instructor for a graduate course for new teachers. If you assign this book, "Assertive Discipline," and "Discipline with Dignity," I guarantee you that the only one most of the new teachers will actually finish reading is "Reluctant Disciplinarian."

This book really helps when you are feeling down about being too nice. That's the only way to put it. It shows how kids really prefer structure, and less touch-feely stuff. Fair price, not a how to book, more of a "why to".

A few weeks ago, I started teaching at a local high school without any prior classroom experience--what a disaster! I wish I had read this before I walked into class that first day. It goes beyond all the classroom discipline theory books and gives specific advice on what you should and should not do as a new teacher. And it's FUNNY! My wife even started reading it just for the humor. Every new teacher should read this before their first day.

I got this book, because I was having trouble controlling the kids in my Sunday school class. It gives some good common sense approaches to classroom behavior and it gives you insight into the authors struggle to become a good disciplinarian.

If you are in a teaching role with kids and started out wanting to make things fun and interesting, but feel like you have lost control, this book will help.