Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Your Students By Their Brains

by LouAnne Johnson

This book is like sitting down with the author to talk about teaching for a few hours. Johnson begins with a discussion of what it takes to be a teacher, then offers tips for preparing yourself, your classroom and your paperwork so you can start the year off on the right foot. The focus on discipline is positive -- how to create a dynamic classroom where all students feel motivated and capable of learning.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, School, Adult, Ebooks

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

LouAnne Johnson is a former U.S. Navy journalist, Marine Corps officer, high school teacher, and the author of The New York Times bestseller Dangerous Minds (originally My Posse Don't Do Homework). In 1989, LouAnne began teaching reading and writing to non-English speakers as an intern at a high school in California. Since then LouAnne has taught English, adult basic education, developmental reading and writing at high schools and colleges. She also designs and presents workshops in classroom management and motivation. LouAnne has presented keynote and commencement addresses to numerous organizations, including the National School Boards Association, the National Council on Curriculum Development, National University and the European Council of International Schools. She has appeared on several TV shows, including Oprah, CBS Eye to Eye, NBC Weekend Today, Maury Povich, Tom Snyder, and CNN."

At present, she lives in rural New Mexico with her adopted canine companion, Nellie, and an adjunct instructor for an online alternative licensure program for future teachers.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

LouAnne Johnson’s Two Parts Textbook, One Part Love: A Recipe for Sucessful Teaching is the greatest book I’ve ever read on teaching bar none. That’s especially true if, like me, you teach at an alternative school with students who have had pretty hard-knock lives. Reading this book, whether you’re a student teacher, wet behind the ears, or a hardened veteran will change your life.

Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Your Students By Their Brains isn’t quite as good. Part of it may be that some of the material is recycled from Johnson’s earlier work; however, I think that this book wasn’t as heartfelt as Two Parts Textbook, One Part Love. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t read this one: This text is an invaluable resource on instilling discipline, revving up pizzazz in lessons, scotopic sensitivity disorder, teaching adolescents to read, and much more. I’m glad I bought it, but it won’t replace Two Parts Textbook, One Part Love in my heart.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I read this as a first year teacher. While much of this is a review, it's good to start thinking about the basics as I prepare for a new year.

A must read for new teachers, especially in urban schools. Also helpful for secondary teachers.

[Shawn Bird · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this book might be appropriate for a non-teacher attempting to teach a class, to call anything in here 'outside the box' is laughable. I took it out of the library looking for innovative ideas. This is so deeply IN the box the author can't see the edges of the box she's in.

If you are an experienced teacher or one that's university trained in Canada, don't waste your time. There isn't anything new here. If you are brand new, you may find a few old school techniques that your sponsor teacher expected you to either absorb by observation, or figure out with your own common sense.

Written in a very simple language, so it's accessible to the masses.

[Erin Dwyer Sears · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for new teachers who need ideas on classroom management (like me!).

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title caught my eye since I'm always looking for ways to be a better piano teacher. I thought it would be inspiring summer reading. In many ways, it was almost a "5", but some of the soapbox topics (light, nutrition) at the end of the book along with a very disappointingly brief section of the book based on the subtitle of the book convinced me to give it a "4". In any case, I learned a lot and took many notes, some of which I which I will include here for my future reference. While I picked up the book with a goal of being a better teacher, I also found some helpful information for my son who is a reluctant reader and encounters challenges in school. I look forward to trying some of the ideas.

Things I want to remember from this book:
1. p. 14 When students believe success is possible, they will try."

2. p. 21 and p. 116 Unless you give specific instructions, they won't meet your expectations. Student failure to comply with our requests may not be due to lack of respect or unwillingness to cooperate, but rather to lack of clarity about exactly what is expected.

3. p. 28 What all teachers teach: teaching students to analyze information, relate it to other information they know, put it together, take it apart, give it back to you in the form that you request it and teaching them to believe in themselves. What do you want your students to know when they leave your class?

4. p. 42 Students take what we say very seriously.

5. P. 47 Give attention to the studio: look, feel, sound, smell.

6. p. 97 Grab students by the brain--subtitle section, very disappointingly small section with that title!

7. p. 114 transitions and classroom procedures. Have something that signals a change.

8. p.118 Use non-verbal cues to find out if everyone is understanding (thumbs up)
Use mandatory thinking time before responses sometimes to give slower thinkers a chance (20 sec, 60 sec. etc.)

9. p. 125 Fill in the blanks: I have to _______. I choose to _______. Now use those same answers for these: I can't _____________. I don't want to ______________. Consider the differences.

10. p. 146 Successful discipline techniques (consider cultural differences, model the behavior you expect from students, separate the child from the behavior, make the student accept responsibility, allow the student to back down gracefully, seek solutions instead of simply assigning consequences, assign consequences that address specific behaviors, clearly state your expectations for future behavior, provide positive feedback when behavior improves, wipe the student's slate clean, identify the reason for repeated misbehavior, focus on rewarding good behavior, send students to the principal as a last resort.) Many of these are excellent suggestions that can be used in parenting.

11. p. 174 Reading problems (vision, read-aloud embarrassment, slow, stupid labels, hopeless to catch up, worried about tests, no interest, gets lost, fears wrong opinions, wants independence.)

12. p. 188 search for "online reading instruction". Catching up a grade level doesn't necessarily require an academic year.

13. p. 192 Model what you consider to be an excellent example of the work you are looking for. Work with the child to get excellence.

14. Light topics: www. hrsi.com, www.irlen.com for testing kits and overlays for sale.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really remarkable (at least to me):
Reasons
Simple and quick read
I am sure most of the topics covered are known and read somewhere or the other or heard, but the way they are put together made this book interesting
I had lots of good things and bad things (related to experiences with teachers some of them really made me go through hard life (but I never lost hope)
This book reiterated my good feelings towards teachers
I strongly recommend to all (teachers - to feel good how your contributions are important, to educators, parents to all those who are concerned with education to see how the teachers contribution makes a difference)
The book also provides, recommended books websites for further reading.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were many things I liked about this book -- her brutal honesty about what it takes to be a super, good, and excellent teacher; her ideas about what to do when your class is making you want to quit teaching (and honesty there, too); her enthusiasm and optimism. However, I changed my mind about this being a good textbook for education. It is not well organized and tends to jump around a bit. Also, there are not too many unique teaching methods for even for someone who has only been teaching 6 years. It's a nice read, though, and has some interesting thoughts.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic for a first time teacher especially in regards to getting organized BEFORE the year starts and discipline issues. Johnson includes a bunch of lists that are really helpful for making sure that you have what you need where you need it before the school year speeds away from you. It also has a lot of good ideas for what to do that first week of class and how to start the year off strong.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was easy to read and filled with interesting and impactful anecdotal stories. For a new teacher, especially of middle school and above, I imagine this would be a five star read. However, for a primary years teacher, who has been teaching for several years, some of the strategies felt out of reach for my students, or repetitive. That being said, I still gained some insightful ideas and enjoyed the writing style and inspiring stories.

[Jane Ono · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a good resource for new teachers, but not very useful for experienced teachers.

[Makaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting for me to read and I am so glad I chose this book. From the beginning chapter, there were some really insightful ideas and examples of real-life incidents from teacher-to-student relationships. LouAnne Johnson described the "3 flavors of teachers" (good, super, and excellent) and it really put into perspective for me what kind of teachers I had growing up, and what kind of teacher I am willing to be, what I am willing to give to do the best that I can do for my students. This book was not hard to read or get in to at all. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed sitting and actually reading the information she had to say, only because these books arent something I normally gravitate to. My placement/ shadowing teacher even brought it up to me in a conversation and said that it was one worth reading. I will definitely use the material later on in my future classroom, and it felt good to know that if I am going through a hard time as a teacher, LouAnne makes sure you know that you are not alone.

[Mr. Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that's the size of a textbook on teaching, but it reads like an interesting memoir.

We've read a lot of books on teaching that deal with specifics, or extremely broad generalities. This one has very specific pragmatic advice on all things ranging from Classroom aesthetics to Teaching reading. Johnson talks about things that teachers will have to deal with, and they're like "oh yeah" moments. She covers so many aspects of teaching for the first year teacher that I would say this book is better than Wong's The First Days of School.

I recommend this book to all looking to go into the field of teaching, and I know it's going to end up on my teaching bookshelf so I can reference it.

[Jessica Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book is designed to assist and guide those who are new to teaching or may be struggling in their classroom. The book is packed with practical tips, scenarios, and suggestions on how to approach diverse situations that may come up in a teacher's day-to-day life. The author shares her own mistakes, and how she learned from them, making the book even more relatable and helpful.

Reading this book is an amazing experience, especially for those who are about to enter the education world. It instills a sense of confidence and prepares the reader for their teaching journey. The book is highly recommended for first-year teachers, student teachers, and anyone who is passionate about education.

[Brittany Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few good tips and things I bookmarked but a lot felt like very common sense things. I know there are some teachers out there who should put down the pointer stick and retire but if you're reading this book and are one of the teachers who shames and laughs at kids for trying.... please choose another career. That is not the reason I'm giving less stars but just a feeling I had when reading. I wished the book gave more examples and suggestions for in-classroom use instead of broad case studies. It's also geared more towards older children than elementary.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The majority of this book was incredibly helpful. I feel that I found some interesting new strategies for teaching, although I won't get the chance to try them out for a little while. However, the sections where students wrote in asking for advice seemed a little out of place. I understood how it tied in a student's perspective, but in general the section was pretty unhelpful. It was also a strange choice to put it smack-dab in the middle of the book.

Besides that, it was engaging, and a fun and quick read.

[Tori LaPres · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did enjoy this book! I love how she used personal experiences in every single chapter. I would have given it 5 stars but honestly there were some unnecessary things in it. Seating charts didn't need to be talked about for half a chapter and It was difficult to read because of how long it was. I had no idea someone could have so much to say about such little things in a classroom. I would recommend for someone who is aspiring to be a teacher to read it though!

[Mrs. Brim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may have given this more stars had I read this at the beginning of my teaching career. I do not think the contents match up with the title - it does not talk about what I expected. It is essentially an overview/teaching manual for new teachers that covers the basics - lesson planning, discipline, homework policies, seating arrangements, first week ideas, etc.

[Carmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for teachers both old and new! Johnson is a gifted writer with lots of experience (it feels ELA focused, but she adds in some other subjects and grades too).

She should leave off the nutrition chapter in her next update, however. Gifted teacher of teachers she is, nutritional scientist she is not.

Highly recommended.

[Natasha Cowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a first year teacher and my boyfriend bought me this book after a little research once he heard me worrying about how I was going to handle behaviour and make the difference I wanted to in my students’ lives.
This book had so much wonderful and practical information that I cannot wait to put to use with my first permanent class.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, first, I’m lying because I only had to skim this book to see there is nothing new or revolutionary here. If you are a first time teacher OR if you are a total failure at learning anything through experience or common sense, you might find this useful. But,if you actually already know what you are doing and need new, research based ideas, this is fluff.

[Jennifer Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book to start your first year of teaching. Some of the discipline sections are a little outdated, but overall I would recommend this book to pre-service teachers wanting to teach upper elementary or higher.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is a great read for new teachers for sure but it certainly has offerings for those who have been teaching for awhile. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on reading.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most important book I've read for teachers

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

More for new(er) teachers but a great read with actual lesson ideas either way!

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from page one forward. I haven’t taught Shakespeare or poetry in years but found those sections especially enlightening and meaningful. I highly recommend this book; great summer read

[Matt Candler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated some helpful gems for teaching out of this book. I reference it often before semesters for new inspiration.

[Kari McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and creative ideas! Very helpful! I love the emphasis on caring for students and helping them learn the joy of discovery and self-confidence.

[Jessica López-Barkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book for my EDUC204 class I'm taking this summer for my license in teaching K-12, called "Effective Teaching." This is the most enjoyable teaching book I've read in all of the classes I've taken so far, and, frankly, I would recommend it to all of my friends who are teachers or are parents of soon-to-be or school children because it has so much helpful information about health and education, reading techniques and problem-solving for reading problems, and creative discipline. Yeah for LouAnne Johnson (famous, by the way, for her other book DANGEROUS MINDS...made famous by the movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer).

I think my initial reading of "Dear Teacher: An Open Letter," was the nicest thing I could've read on the day that I did because I had to find a way to get $95 to pay for my extra endorsements that I need to be a teacher next year, and pay my bills, after already having paid that same $95, once, but no one told me, at the time that I had to put all potential endorsements there, and they won't retroactively give me them, if I qualified originally, or not...they don't care at PED. (Soapbox moment...sorry, but...why are the fingers always pointed at the teachers, when I can't even get someone to answer the phone, an e-mail, or a voice mail at the upper-tier of our supposed education system?) I then loved the scary chapter on "Are You Teacher Material?" which definitely would make anybody who hasn't taught yet, question whether or not they are capable of doing so...or maintaining good teaching habits in order to create supposed great citizens. I also loved the next chapter "Do You Homework," because it talks a lot about things that theater people need to ask when creating a role or creating a concept for a production. The classroom is like a production and being a teacher is like creating a character, and, as any competitive theater artist can tell you, "You need to do your homework or everyone will notice."

I have been utilizing some positive discipline skills in the past year that I learned at Mountain Mahogany Community School, and they work like a charm. I was dubious, at first, because my previous methods worked as well, but I do find that with positive discipline...I'm less tired at the end of the day, and I'm less-stressed, in general. Anyone who is interested in positive discipline for their child, should read this book. (Chapters 4-6)

Chapter 7 was amazing in its multi-faceted approach to reading. I also had some supplemental readings about Carob tapes, and I'm going to use all of the things I read in this chapter with my Pre-1st and Pre-2nd graders that I will have at Albuquerque Academy's Summer Session each year. I tried some of them out this year, and I'm getting my Pre-1st up to the Pre-2nd grade level really quickly. Also, after reading David A. Sousa's book HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS, I'm also more aware of how boys learn to read vs. girls, and it's a very different/slower process, and my empathy for my pre-1st and pre-2nd grade boys is much higher after reading this book and that one.

Chapter 8's "Light and Learning" was not new to me in regards to Irlen filters and florescent lights being the devil, but...it was a good review.

Chapter 9's "Foods for Thought," made me decide I will use this chapter page by page for two weeks for my P.E. class' focus questions at the beginning of the year because I was so fascinated with how Omega-3s, HFCS, and Aspartame, could so negatively affect one's learning. Again, parents read this, especially if you find that your children are struggling in school in one way shape or form. They tested students in Durham, England, with great success, and the studies are very persuasive.

Chapter 10's Motivational Strategies were a nice thing to read because I have been relatively successful at being a very motivational teacher, and I never really knew what I was doing right, and now I have vocabulary for it. It was very validating to find what I was doing works, and the metacognitive vocabulary I now have will make me that more persuasive.

[Moonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a student teacher, this book has been helpful with informing me of situations that I will encounter as a teacher so I can mentally prepare before I experience them. I feel like this book has really set me up for success in student teaching. I look forward to revisiting this book after I get licensed and secure a job so I can begin planning for my classroom environment and curriculum.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read some reviews on amazon that said this book didn't teach them anything new and that the book spent too much time talking about the class portrayed in Dangerous Minds (which I've never seen). I completely disagree, and think this book was very valuable and would be even more valuable for an English teacher. The end of the book does follow up on the students from the movie (confession: I stopped reading it at that point because I've never seen the movie), but the rest of the book barely mentions them. I learned so much from this book, and I've been teaching successfully for over 10 years. I feel like this book gave me strategies to be a more positive and problem-solving teacher. Also, unlike some of the other books I've read, these strategies apply to secondary school. I just finished Assertive Discipline, but I prefer the positive strategies this book outlines. Another must-read. I'm looking forward to combining all the different tips I'm taking from all the classroom management books I'm reading to help me create a positive classroom that also fits my natural style. One of the first points this book makes is that you need to embrace who you are instead of trying to be someone else. Simple advice, but very fitting because of all the teacher books out there that say that only one way of managing a classroom works. I'll be reading the highlights of this one again. I couldn't put it down.