Table of Contents
Introduction xvii
Part I RCA's Core Principles and Values 1
1 Teach children to believe in themselves and don't destroy the dream. 3
2 Not every child deserves a cookie. 7
3 Define your expectations and then raise the bar; the more you expect, the better the results will be. 11
4 Uplift other adults who play a role in the lives of our children. 20
5 Listen. 25
6 Give all that you have to your children even though you will often receive nothing in return. 29
7 Get to know your students in nonacademic settings. 34
8 Be selfless with your contributions to the team. 39
9 Make it happen. Don't give excuses; find solutions! 43
10 Be excellent! 46
11 Create moments that will have a lasting impact on children's lives. 52
12 Set the tone for a love of learning. 58
13 Treat every child as if he or she were your own. 61
14 Push yourself to be innovative beyond your imagination. 63
15 Know the name of every teacher, student, parent, administrator, and board member. 68
16 Use music to excite, motivate, and inspire. 71
17 Know your students. 76
18 Don't let opportunities pass you by, even if the time, funding, and circumstances aren't completely right. 80
19 Make learning magical. 84
20 Teach children that the good you do in the world comes back to you. 91
21 Teach children to embrace their personalities and present themselves with confidence in all situations. 95
22 Live with no fear. 100
23 Love what your students love, whether it's iCarly, Twilight, or the NFL. 107
24 Create lasting traditions. 110
Part II The Role of the Parent in the Success of the Child 115
25 Be prepared for the long haul if you want your child to succeed. 117
26 Don't be a helicopter parent. You can't come to their rescue forever. 121
27 Realize the power of gratitude and appreciation. 127
28 Remind children of their blessings and stress the value of a strong work ethic. 131
29 Nip it in the bud; small issues can grow into big problems. 136
30 Don't get your kid a video game system unless you are ready to be a prison guard. 140
31 Show them how to study; don't expect it to come naturally. 143
32 Realize that even very good children will sometimes lie. 147
33 Be patient. 150
34 See the potential in every child. 153
35 Punctuate the power of words. 156
36 Don't be a Penny Parent. 157
Part III Creating the Right Climate and Culture 161
37 Welcome students and families to your school in style! Roll out the red carpet-literally! 163
38 Believe that every child can learn, regardless of ethnicity, learning disabilities, emotional or behavior problems, or the economic situation of the family. 168
39 Open your doors to the parents. 172
40 Dress the part; attire matters! 173
41 Make the most of every moment! There should be an urgency in education! 176
42 Can the intercom. 178
43 Please don't interrupt a teacher's lesson to deliver a note, ask a question, or disturb the class. 178
44 Avoid sitting down while students are in the room. 179
45 Do not use cell phones or computers while the students are in the room, unless the device is part of the lesson being taught. 180
46 Make homework for home, not school. 181
47 Make sure you do your homework, too! 182
48 Begin each class on fire! 183
49 Increase teacher quality instead of reducing class size. 184
50 Set an electric tone on Day One. 185
51 Don't constantly stress about test scores. We have to stop sending the message to our students that the purpose of learning is to take a test. 194
52 Open up your home to your students. 196
53 Stay connected; have parents on speed dial. 199
54 Give children a chance to respond and don't give up so quickly. 200
55 Realize that kids need to move! Bring education to life with kinesthetic learning. 204
56 Use chants to create a supportive, encouraging, exciting environment! 206
57 Get on the desk! ' 209
58 Resolve to find your own Red Button. 214
59 Celebrate the beauty of their ancestries. 215
60 Show them examples of excellence. 217
61 Set the bar high for parents, too! 218
62 Use an Amazing Race to bring learning to life! 219
63 Love your eighth graders. 222
64 Don't give children second chances on tests and projects. 225
65 Encourage children to cheer for one another. 227
66 Paint the walls with positive memories. (If their faces are on the walls, they are less likely to pee on them!) 231
67 Never read a speech. 233
68 Make eye contact with your classroom or audience. 237
69 Move around the room throughout the lesson and never remain in the same place. 238
70 Teach the students, not the board. 239
71 Exhibit the same energy you expect from your audience. 239
72 Smile. 240
73 Never allow students to begin a statement with "Umm," "Well," or "Me and." 241
74 Fake it to make it. 243
75 Use a djembe drum. Every classroom in the world needs one. 244
76 Don't put the blame on students unfairly. 246
77 Lift up your teachers. No, really, lift them up. 248
78 Have fun. 249
Part IV Reaching Out Beyond the Classroom 253
79 Teach parents the correct way to tutor their children. 255
80 Build strong bonds with parents. 257
81 Ask the hard questions-"What do you want this school to be?" 260
82 Join parents, teachers, and community members together to create "theme days" for the school. 264
83 Accept the fact that if kids like you all the time, then you're doing something wrong. 267
84 Recognize that the heart of the school is the teacher. Hire the best and never settle. 269
85 Always observe a teacher applicant teaching a lesson before offering him or her a job. 271
86 Teach children the history and symbolism of their home and school. 275
87 Remember that children are literal thinkers and, as adults, we really have to spell out what we mean. 277
88 Remember that the little things can make all the difference. 280
89 Provide lessons in life that will become lessons for life. 284
90 Uplift the students who have the furthest to go. 285
91 Allow teachers the freedom to make their rooms reflect their personalities-allow them to use color! 287
92 Let the students shine. 291
93 Leave the jealousy at the door. 294
94 Realize that you never truly know all that is going on in the life of a child. 296
95 Raise our children to be global citizens. 297
96 Recognize the big cost of big dreams. 301
97 Reach out to the community to build a powerful network. 305
98 Once you have donors, work hard to keep them! 307
99 Send fhank-you letters that are hand-drawn, colorful, and grammatically correct. 312
100 If you need advice, ask for money. If you need money, ask for advice. 313
101 Make your good-byes mean something. 314
What's Next? The New Dream 318
Acknowledgments 321
Ron Clark Academy Educator Training 323
