Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management from a Softy Who Became (Eventually) a Successful Teacher Paperback – 1 July 1999

One of the best qualities a person can possess is the ability to see folly and laughter in the things they do. Mr. Gary Rubinsetein is that kind of person. He looks back at his first year and laughs, and with that act of laughing, he learns that there is a better way to do things. And as a result, he blossoms into a great educator - the school's "Teacher of the Year."So much of being an effective teacher comes from practice, that reading more extensively into the various learning modalities or the newest trend in classroom management will only improve your reading skills, not your teaching skills. Just because I read books about Mixed Martial Arts, for example, doesn't mean that I can walk into the octagon and be ready to fight. Any professional fighter will tell you that stepping into the octagon is one of the ways to become a better fighter; any teacher will tell you that teaching is a way of becoming a better teacher. The process of stepping in "there" is a necessary ingredient in the process of becoming better.Becoming an effective teacher takes time, reflection, and the ability to handle disappointment. These are all lessons that are expounded in the book "Reluctant Disciplinarian." This is a must read for all new teachers.

This book chronicles the first three years of Gary Rubinstein's teaching career. In the first year he is a self proclaimed "softy," - he wants to believe that if you care about students and have interesting lessons, there is no need for being authoritative and having rules, the (high school) kids will recognize these things and toe the line. This is a myth brought on by watching inspirational movies about teaching too often - you want interesting lessons, and you want to care about the kids, but they also need structure and rules. After being walked all over the first year, he decides to be a complete hard nose his second year - no smiling, no laughing, you care about the kids, but you don't necessarily show it. This also backfires, when he realizes he has become so unapproachable that none of the kids even tell him when one of their classmates dies suddenly. This leads Gary to a comfortable median between being too soft and being too hard, and by combining the two he ends up being a successful teacher.Quote: "Teachers should be prepared to utter a decisive answer to any question within two seconds."I liked this book both as a memoir and a book of broad, general advice on classroom management. If you already have things under control and just want a few little new ideas, this book is probably not for you. If you want to get lots of good, general advice for managing a high school classroom, this would be a better fit. I liked this book because it was entertaining, short, and helpful. It acknowledges weaknesses both in learning classroom management at education colleges (where this is often a weakness because theories often don't pan out when confronted with actual children who don't *know* that if you have non book work and you care for them, they are supposed to be good. Rubinstein's book contains bits of wisdom such as, "many students perceive working in groups as not really working at all," calling parents without warning is far more effective than warning students that you will call," and "actions are more powerful than threats."

Look...if you want a complete "How To" book for new teachers then go buy "The First Days of School". If you want to laugh and feel related to, buy this book. This book made me laugh and made me realize that it wouldn't always be so bad. And it did give me some solid, un-touchy feely advice on how to avoid getting walked all over. There are things I picked up from this book that I would NEVER read about in any other book (like why you should answer questions in less than 1 second). So many teaching books nowadays highlight how the perfect teacher behaves and realizes I'm not even close to being there simply makes me feel overwhelmed and hopeless. This book gave me hope.

This was a cute book, but not helpful. I'm a 2nd year teacher, and while Rubinstein has amusing anecdotes, most of what he has to say is just common sense, boiling down to: keep your temper, be yourself, and plan for everything. I was really looking for some gems of wisdom, but was very disappointed in this overly quick read. If someone you know has it, go ahead and read it. Otherwise, just talk to teachers with experience - that will help you more than this book.

I bought this book after my first year teaching and it's no surprise why. I was in the same situation that Rubinstein was in his first year. The kids walk all over you because you're soft. You come back your second year with a vengeance, vowing not to crack a smile and beat the kids into submission. That doesn't work either.Rubinstein describes his journey as a reluctant disciplinarian. The book will have most teachers, especially the newer ones, rolling on the floor with laughter...because most of us have been there! Although he offers helpful advice, it's more a book of comfort and encouragement. Most teachers have to find their own niche, and what worked for Rubinstein didn't necessarily work for me, now in my 6th year teaching. It's a great and quick read, though; great summer reading for teachers who are struggling through the same thing or want to take a trip down memory lane, laughing all the way.