Everything a New Elementary School Teacher REALLY Needs to Know

Otis Kriegel is the teacher every parent wants their child to have. For those who care about improving the quality of our schools you simply have to hope that elementary teachers and parents will buy and read this book.”
—Bob Kerrey, president emeritus, The New School

“When I first started teaching, I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. I was taking attendance by calling out kids’ names, I didn’t use a seating chart, and I couldn’t figure out why it felt like my students were running the class. How I wish I’d had Otis Kriegel’s book back then! This is an indispensable guide for any teacher, whether they’re just starting out or looking for straight-up, sensible advice on how to improve their classroom and their practice.”
—Dan Moulthrop, journalist, former teacher, and coauthor, with Dave Eggers and Ninive Calegari, of Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers

“Challenging many of the night frights that haunt newcomers to the teaching profession, Everything a New Elementary School Teacher REALLY Needs to Know offers sweeping and practical guidance to the novice teacher. Through engaging anecdote and lucid reflection, Kriegel draws on his own professional journey in making a vital contribution to the field of teacher education.”
—Michael Grady, Ed.D., Deputy Director and Clinical Assistant Professor, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University

“Otis Kriegel is the hurricane of fresh air that elementary teacher education needs today.”
—Joseph Patrick Rafter, Ph.D, clinical assistant professor, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University

“A terrific guide filled with excellent tips and suggestions for new teachers.”
—Steve Reifman, National Board Certified Teacher and author of Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning, K-8

“Drawing upon his own years of teaching and reflections on what it means to teach well, Kriegel offers readers a practical, personable road map for how they can become better teachers.”
—Brad Olsen, associate professor of education, University of California, Santa Cruz, and author of Teaching What They Learn, Learning What They Live: How Teachers’ Personal Histories Shape Their Professional Development

“A delightful book, chock-full of practical advice for new teachers. Where else will you learn to keep a change of clothes handy (in case a child pees on you) or to tell a parent volunteer that the snacks are for the CHILDREN (and that she shouldn’t eat them all herself)?”
—Clara Hemphill, founding editor of InsideSchools.org and author of New York City’s Best Public Elementary Schools

“In these pages teachers will find ways to mend the disconnect they commonly feel between their reasons for choosing teaching and the fears about struggles in the early part of their careers. Covering crucial territory that is often overlooked in certification programs, without ever being rigidly prescriptive, Kriegel guides the reader with humor, care, and incisive intelligence. It’s a book to devour from cover to cover, and to return to often.”
—Andra Miletta, assistant professor, Mercy College

“More than a job, teaching is a way of life. More than a book, this volume is a companion along the way. Lighthearted and appreciative, Otis Kriegel’s book recognizes the challenges and joys of this endlessly complex, challenging, and rewarding profession. It offers insight and encouragement to beginning teachers—and contains more than a few tips on survival! You’ll want to meet Otis for a cup of coffee at the end of the school day.”
—Susan Crosby, National Board Certified Teacher

“Otis Kriegel has provided sound, pragmatic advice on the multitude of topics and issues that brand-new teachers brave in their first year. School administrators should enclose a copy of this book with every signed contract. Many teachers leave the profession within the first five years of teaching because they are overwhelmed by the vast responsibilities of the job. We administrators are challenged to find genuine, meaningful ways to support them. Kriegel taps into his substantial teaching experience to weave together a comprehensive roadmap to student success and support, coupled with increased teacher satisfaction and competence.”
—Lois Kortum, 40-year veteran independent school administrator

“The section on ‘Your Students’ Families’ is a must-read for all parents. It contains information on how you, as a parent, can build a better relationship with your child’s teacher so that your child’s school experience is enhanced. While the chapters are presented from a teacher’s perspective, they clearly show how parents can help in nurturing an effective teacher. In fact, I recommend the entire book to parents in hopes that they will have a better understanding of what it takes to be a teacher!”
—Shino Tanikawa, member, Community Education Council District 2, New York, NY

“Teaching is not easy, especially those first few years. This book aids you through those moments when you wonder why on earth you have decided to be a teacher and helps ground you in the normalcy of chaos that is being a first-year teacher. Otis’s advice is practical, his experience is real, and the lessons are incredibly valuable. Even an old teacher like me can still learn a thing or two!”
—Fran Snowise, 10-year veteran K–8 teacher