This book highlights the natural challenges in teaching and provides the kind of skills and understandings that are essential to be a professional teacher. It provides accessible, realistic, honest and practical ways to address the natural challenges inherent in a multi-task profession like teaching. Each chapter addresses an essential facet of the teaching profession: beginning with the individual--what it mean "being a teacher" and then exploring teachers' values, and aims; how they build positive, respectful relationships with students, colleagues and their immediate parental community. In each chapter there are essential skills that any new teacher will immediately benefit from. In particular the issue of challenging student behaviour is addressed with care to consider the total context of behaviour not only a teacher's immediate responses. Examples of how to manage and address student behaviour are given in every chapter, particularly students with behaviour and learning needs. This book will encourage and reassure beginning teachers to be more aware of why they chose teaching, what its demands, challenges and joys, and will equip teachers to be more consciously and professionally self-aware in their role. The content is covered in eight chapters: (1) Introduction; (2) You as a Teacher; (3) You and Your Resources (Physical; Time; and Emotional) (4) You and Your Class; (5) You and the School; (6) You and the Community; (7) You and Your Biggest Challenges (Part A--Thinking about Students with Challenging Behaviour; Part B--The Learning and Behaviour Connection; Part C--Taking Action; and Part D--Your Own Survival) and (8) Summary and Useful Reading. An index is also included.