As any veteran teacher knows, four years of educational theory in college cannot prepare the first-year teacher for the practical difficulties of managing a classroom of 30 or more children—especially in an urban setting. While there is no substitute for experience, First Year Urban Teacher fills the important gaps commonly left by teaching degrees, marshalling an impressive array of no-nonsense wisdom from seasoned educators.

Stressing that classroom order and discipline are prerequisites for learning, educator Jessica Parenti focuses squarely on how to contain and direct the innate energies of children, primarily those in elementary and middle school. The only way to stave off chaos, she asserts, is through prior planning and firm, consistent enforcement of a clear set of rules from the first day of school.

Clear and concise, First Year Urban Teacher is less about academics than about procedures—procedures for everything students do throughout their day, from walking down the hall to completing homework assignments—as well as procedures for teachers in carrying out their critical and multifaceted duties. Establishing these structures and an overall environment of mutual respect, says Parenti, creates the freedom to make quality learning happen.

First Year Urban Teacher should be on the required reading list for all first year teachers—not just those in urban districts—and it should grab the attention of public school directors of professional development and new teacher orientation programs, as well as instructors in college urban education programs and classroom management courses.

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