First Day of Class Advice from Tom, “the Anti-Wong”
with 4 comments
Print This Post
"Go, Tom, Go" (Clay, 2d from left, joins Redskin Cheerleaders to cheer Tom's latest post)
Look, I know I plug Tom a lot on this space, but it’s because he can make me laugh at the madness of public schooling like nobody else. Ever since discovering Nietzsche 20 years ago, I’ve sided with laughter over solemnity, with gods that can and do dance over those that can’t or won’t.
Here’s Tom’s latest dance: “Do It the Right Way, not the Wong Way.” Send it to any first-year teacher who’s been force-fed Wong’s First Days of School.
It’s not unusual to be smart. It’s not unusual to be funny. But to be smart and funny? Not so easy. That’s why I like this guy.
–that, and that my heart goes out to any NY liberal transplanted to teach in a small Southern town in Virginia - Camp Joy territory in spirit, if not geography. There should be a sitcom.
–
Photo: littlerottenrobin
If you like this post, please spread it: 
(But don't tag it "education." That will bury it.)
Right on target! With the start of school around the corner this was a timely posting, thanks. I remember well the Wong “bible” and it never really fit for me.
[Reply]
sean williams
10 Aug 08 at 5:43 am
There should be a sitcom? How about M*A*S*H!
dianes last blog post..All the Time in the World
[Reply]
diane
11 Aug 08 at 12:03 am
Clay-
I actually give all the new teachers in my district a copy of Wong’s book when we hire them. During new staff orientation week (actually 4 days) I take an hour to have a book discussion where we dissect Wong. We talk about what is right and what is wrong (Wong?) with his approach and try to use it as a great discussion on why using nothing but a teacher’s edition of a textbook is bad, why being formulaic will never work, and what is the real definition of professional.
On this thread, I’m curious. I know you have left public ed, but if you (or your other readers) had to design a new staff orientation to teach/show/discuss what new teacher “need to know”, what types of things would you do?
We do 4 days. One day of hands on/minds on “thinking skills” where we model how to teach for deep thinking; one day of tech boot camp where we talk about embedding tech as a learning tool; one day of paperwork processing and forms (BORING!) and one day of 10 mini classes or a variety of topics.
Barry
Barrys last blog post..Cool Tools for the Start of School
[Reply]
Barry
12 Aug 08 at 12:48 am
Hi Barry,
For the record, it was Tom’s critical thinking about Wong’s book - not a complete rejection - that I enjoyed so much (and his tone, which I love). It sounds like your approach with staff is similarly critical. Leading new teachers through its advice with the guidance of veterans to question each main point, as you seem to do, sounds like a good use of the book.
I don’t have it in me to answer the new teacher training question at any length, but your program sounds nicely absent the “staff bonding” overkill I’ve seen waste too many first weeks. You know, the ones that leave all the teachers wondering when the hell the admin is going to let them get to their classrooms and start work on curriculum and other nuts and bolts.
I like Day One of your program best, and think it’s what most old and new teachers need to wrestle with: how to deliver instruction based on essential questions and the higher order thinking that makes the knowledge base stimulating and useful. If teachers, for a start, made the transfer of what you do with Wong’s book to what they can do with their own textbooks in the classroom - question them, argue with them, note slants and omissions - then learning with textbooks can become interesting.
Now you’ve got me fantasizing about a day devoted to each department discussing how to make students learn the answer to the single most important question for any discipline: “Why should I care about this stuff, beyond getting a grade?” (Or, what can a person _do_ with this subject?)
I always enjoy the way you push, ever so gentlemanly.
[Reply]
Clay Burell
12 Aug 08 at 4:02 am