We Never Know How High We Are Till We Are Called to Rise: Fifteen Five-Minute Speeches for Induction Ceremonies

by Michael Hogan

Time and time again, Dr. Hogan invites his audiences to embark on intellectual journeys whose singular common thread is the relentless examination of life and learning. Sometimes he will challenge us to broaden our understanding of our world; other times, he will invite us to narrow our focus to consider attitudes and behaviors which impact our effectiveness as teachers, learners, and citizens in our school and community. His words are timeless wisdom for the parents and veteran teachers in the audience, yet also student-centered and relevant to the challenges of today's adolescents. Above all, "Doc" is a master teacher recognizing that caring about his students leads them to care about what we teach. This is why his words are so moving; he honors their dignity as people, as the current, not future, contributors to and leaders of our community. Rich with anecdotes that range from hilarious to poignant, and crafted with literary finesse and imagery, these speeches leave the listener entertained and enlightened, but most of all committed to the love of learning, the love of teaching. David C. McGrath. Director General The American School Foundation of Guadalajara, AC In this booklet, Michael Hogan brings us a lifetime of service, of teaching, and plain old common sense. Reading his speeches, one not only admires his wit and scholarly knowledge but also his charm and lifelong commitment of service to his students. He also debunks the idea that speeches are more or less, well, boring. Actually, one looks forward to finding out the end of a particular story or anecdote, and secretly wishes that the speech would go on longer than expected. Apart from being amused and entertained, one comes, at the end, with a sense of having learned something of value, and, more often than not, quite emotionally. Over his long tenure at the American School of Guadalajara, since 1990 Dr. Hogan has forged a path of outstanding academic professionalism, imprinting on many generations, including my own, the true sense of being a teacher. This work is ample evidence. Moises Hernandez Nuno, President, Board of Founders American School Foundation of Guadalajara, AC"

74 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Alina de Teresa]

Loved it!! An absolute must read if you are a teacher or work in a school. Many wonderful ideas on how to positively motivate young adults into growing up to be more than just good students but also good citizens. Michael Hogan is an excellent poet plus a wonderful teacher who has been positively influencing kids every day for over 20 years. Thank you Dr. Hogan for being there class after class believing in every one of us and making us see the world and life differently through literature.

[Pedro Jimenez]

What I will take from this collection of speeches are the references that led me to read poetry (Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), adding some books to my "want to read" list (Man's Search for Meaning, Profiles in Courage, Midnight's Children), and my new interest in psychology (pragmatism, logotherapy).

The biggest lesson for me is exercising creativity and using that emotional energy to do something constructive.

[Brooke Gates]

We Never Know How High We Are Till We Are Called To Rise is a short book that contains various short speeches specifically directed at NHS and NJHS. My absolute favorite part of the book was when Dr. Hogan explains the meaning of character. It makes you become aware of the mistakes that you often make regarding both character and personality. Character is a word we frequently take for granted and most likely have an affinity for, but probably have never really had to define it and as people, may struggle to do so when pressed. This book is full of anecdotes that can easily be related to certain hilarious parts of life.