The Essential 55

The Essential 55 was written in 2003 by Ron Clark. Mr. Ron Clark is an educator who teaches elementary school students on the East coast. He has taught since 1995 and along this journey he developed, implemented, and enforced fifty-five essential rules for his students (and himself) to follow. These 55 rules have enriched the lives of his students, colleagues, and educators throughout the United States. A few years into his journey of educating children, Mr. Clark became the recipient of the 2001 Disney's American Teacher Award.
This is an excellent common sense book for the beginning as well as the seasoned teacher. Ron Clark does not claim to have all the answers nor all of the "right" rules to make life in the classroom perfect. However, Mr. Clark offers these 55 rules that have been tried, tested, and proven to bring out the successful student in every child.

The book has been written in a basic format. Each rule is numbered. The rule is stated, then a brief story and/or an explanation. The structure and purpose of this book is similar to Mr. Swanson's leadership booklet entitled, "Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management". The only difference has to do with the audience. Both books provide insight on leadership and how to become more efficient and effective in the job.

The fifty-five rules range from communication (to fellow students, teachers, other adults) to personal responsibility (honesty, hygiene, organization).

When you look at the rules and begin to analyze them, character building comes to mind. Each of his rules molds and builds productive character traits in all of his students. It has become evident through the stories Mr. Clark has shared in his book, that these rules have helped an enormous number of his students experience academic and social success beyond his classroom.

I highly recommend this book for anyone new to the profession of education. Additionally, I think those of us who have been teaching or working with children for a huge number of years could also benefit from this book. Although the fifty-five rules may seem tedious, at times silly, and overwhelming to consistently enforce, children need to have guidelines. These rules serve as a foundation to build upon and/or a stepping stone to the essential rules/guidelines you will establish in your classroom. Students will perform at the level of the teacher's expectations. If the teacher's expectations are low, then the students performance both inside and outside of the classroom will be low. However, if the teacher's expectations are high, then the students performance both inside and outside of the classroom will be high. Children can and will rise the level you have set the bar. Set the bar at a height that will provide them with the best opportunity of being successful inside as well as outside of the classroom.

This book should be on the professional book shelf of every new and seasoned teacher in the education field.

NO AR