This book takes a look at the realities of classroom life, offering specific suggestions for dealing effectively with today's students. More than a compendium of activities, the first edition of the book introduced educators to a philosophy of teaching illustrated and implemented by workable, realistic techniques. The second edition of the book continues to offer the same coverage, but with the addition and expansion of material to address new concerns in the field. The second edition features: expanded chapters on school and its culture, what it takes to be a teacher, models of teaching, and what to do when "it doesn't work"; a new chapter on setting up and running a classroom--with suggestions on classroom environment, lesson planning, discipline, improving teaching, and when to break the rules; another new chapter on media literacy, with material on surfing the Web as well as using movies, television, and radio in English language arts; more information on students, the teaching of literature (including young adult and multicultural literature, contemporary novels, and Shakespeare), language, grammar, and usage, and questioning strategies and behaviors; and additional material on reader response, alternatives to the book report, literature circles, sentence combining, the use of conferencing and writing groups, getting ideas for writing, and ethics. Each chapter provides separate reference and resource lists. (NKA)