Breaking Down the Schoolhouse Doors

College students finishing their academic preparation programs face the difficult challenge of transitioning into the teaching profession. In a short period of time, they can no longer function as a student themselves and must immediately transform into a professional educator. This can be a difficult challenge for a young person and they need guidance doing this successfully.The one opportunity college students have in gaining practical experience as a teacher is through the student teaching experience. Unfortunately, many students squander this critical opportunity and finish their assignment without maximizing their own learning and without capitalizing on professional opportunities that they will need to be hired as a teacher.By building a professional brand name through a thoughtful preservice teaching experience, novice educators are better able to survive the application and interview process and secure a teaching position. Capitilizing on the difficult transition point between the college experience and the school environment is more important than ever. When this is done in a systematic and thoughtful manner, educators can be certain that they are as prepared as possible to enter the demanding profession of education.

Teaching is the only profession I know that eats its young. We must do better. Stephen Newton offers a wealth of practical advice for anyone about to enter the profession as well as a guide to navigating the less-than-transparent education world. It is not enough for new teachers to survive. We need them to thrive., Students don’t have the luxury of waiting while their beginning teacher figures out what to do.  Yet, achieving mastery in teaching is a life-long journey.  Fortunately, Newton’s Breaking Down the School House Doors starts new teachers off with the perfect foothold. This practical guide gives readers the inside scoop on what it takes to transition from a pre-service teacher to a full-fledged classroom professional. This fast and useful read, gives access to information that it took many of us years to learn.  A must read for anyone entering the teaching profession. , Teaching is more difficult today than ever and the numbers of people who join the profession only to depart within the first three or five years is both staggering and crippling to our collective mission. In Breaking Down the Schoolhouse Doors: A Successful Transition into the Teaching Profession, Stephen Newton provides the glue—in the form of sage support and advice based in practical experience—to hold together those entering the profession at the most critical time, both in their potential careers and in the profession as a whole., My favorite parts of Steve’s book are the sections where he asks pre-service teachers to reflect- the key behavior that will serve them, their students, and their colleagues throughout a career. As he notes, reflecting and planning intentionally for their teaching “identities” and matching their beliefs to their practice is essential. This book is a helpful 'education 101' for people considering our grand profession.”, Breaking Down the School House Doors provides a comprehensive and straightforward guide for aspiring teachers.  Graduating with dreams of changing the world is great, but not enough, new graduates need more.  This book is an indispensable resource grounded in real world experiences; a must-read for novice educators looking to launch a successful teaching career.

Dr. Stephen V. Newton is a distinguished educator and leader with over twenty years of experience in education. His success with improving instruction and achievement for students led to his selection as Wyoming principal of the year. He now partners with districts nationwide to improve instruction for students.