Teach Like a Champion is an educational resource designed to empower teachers with competence and confidence to take full control of the teaching experience. The book consists of 12 chapters and 21 DVD clips designed to illustrate the ideas, including the 49 techniques taught in the book.
Before reading and applying the ideas and activities of this magnificent book, I often struggled with lesson planning and classroom management challenges common to the teaching experience, especially in grades K-12.
It only took a long summer week on vacation to get through the book and to become a master teaching in my classroom. The knowledge, insights and secrets I obtained from Teach Like a Champion changed the quality of my teaching experience for ever.
Pros
- Offers a comprehensive understanding of the entire picture of the American classroom Teaching Experience.
- Illustrates the importance of academic excellence in teaching. It covers best practices and the results of studies
- Provides a blueprint for assessing one’s teaching strategies and skills
- Provides real life role play examples of book ideas to provide better comprehension
Cons
- Take considerable time to get through the book and its accompanied DVDs
- Lake of accompanying academic and illustrative photos
Who is Teach Like a Champion for
Teach Like a Champion has something to offer every teaching, from the first-year teacher to educators who have been in the teaching industry for years. There are tons of insights and strategies which advanced teachers can use to sharpen their own methods and approaches toward excellence in teaching, leading and controlling a classroom of students.
Tools and Training
Teach Like a Champion offers the avid educator a ton of examples, exercises and DVD demonstrations of the ideas and insight presented in the book. In Twelve chapters, packed with tons of strategies and techniques, the author builds upon the ideas of the previous chapter, although for the more knowledgeable teacher, the book chapters may be read randomly. However, I recommend that first year teachers progress from chapter to chapter. Some of the most intriguing chapters include:
- Setting High Academic Expectations
- Structuring and Delivering Your Lessons
- Engaging Students in Your Lessons
- Setting and Maintaining High Behavior Expectations
- Challenging Students to think Critically
- How all Teachers Can (and Must) be Reading Teachers
Support for DVD Clips
The author offers support for the DVD included with the book, providing step by step trouble shooting activities as well as a phone number for product technical support: 800-762-2974.
Testimonies of Educators
Wendy Kopp
According to Wend Kopp, chief executive officer of Teach for America:
“With Teach Like a Champion, teachers across the country will be better prepared to wake up on Monday morning and help their students climb the mountain to college.”
Dave Kevin
According to Dave Levin, co-founder of KIPP (knowledge is Power Program):
“All teachers should own at least two copies of Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion, one for home and one for school, so that they are never for from the road map to excellence that lies within.”
Teach Like a Champions: My Final Opinion
The book delivers on its promise. With pleasurable reading and thorough explanations and illustrative clips, the book is a godsend for teaching who desire to drastically improve their teaching knowledge, skills and strategies.
In fact, I would recommend that student teachers or those who are thinking about becoming teachers read the book to gain a considerable advantage before heading off to the college.
Do You Know How to Teach Like A Champion? Let This Book Teach You!
