Mandel interviewed both new teachers and veteran educators who had mentored first-year teachers in Los Angeles schools to ascertain what kind of information new teachers want during their initial year in the classroom. He discovered that few first-year teachers felt they needed guidance related to state standards and standardized tests. New teachers were much more concerned with practical issues about surviving their first year. Their questions fell into five basic categories: setting up the classroom and preparing for the first weeks of school; covering the required curriculum; grading; dealing with parents; and maintaining personal sanity. Mandel discusses possible ways--chiefly through mentoring and targeted professional development--that schools might be more responsive to new teachers' most pressing needs.