Heart!: Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader

by Timothy D. Kanold

This inspiring resource presents the concept of a heartprint—the distinctive impression that an educator’s heart leaves on students and colleagues during his or her professional career. The author writes in a conversational, humorous manner as he offers his own anecdotes and reflections to help readers uncover their professional impact and foster productive, heart-centered classrooms and schools.

Part 1 addresses “Happiness”—having passion, purpose, and a positive impact in education. In part 2, “Engagements,” readers explore the engagement teachers must have in their work to put forth the needed energy and effort. Part 3, “Alliances,” asks readers to be open to forming alliances with their fellow educators so they can collaborate effectively. Next, part 4, “Risk Taking,” demonstrates for readers why teachers should engage in vision-focused risk taking to create sustainable change in their schools. Finally, part 5, “Thought,” focuses on the knowledge capacity educators should have to fulfill the heart of the teaching profession.

Benefits

Examine five unique HEART aspects of your professional life: Happiness, Engagement, Alliances, Risk, and Thought.

Examine your distinctive heartprint as an educator and the magnified impact your professional life has on students and colleagues.

Gain wisdom and inspirational insights for your work life from Dr. Kanold as well as dozens of thought leaders and researchers inside and outside of the educational profession.

Take advantage of the opportunity to connect your professional life to each chapter and embed your personal and professional story into the book.

Use the book as part of a professional group book study with your colleagues and friends at your school.

Connect and reconnect to the emotion, passion, energy, growth, and collaborative intimacy expected when you choose to become part of the education profession.

Contents

Part 1: Developing HEART—H Is for Happiness

Part 2: Developing HEART—E Is for Engagement

Part 3: Developing HEART—A Is for Alliances

Part 4: Developing HEART—R Is for Risk

Part 5: Developing HEART—T Is for Thought

Genres: Professional Development, Teaching, Education, Nonfiction, Leadership

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2017

Reviews

[Stacy Stefani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book after attending an NCSM conference the year it had just come out. I took my time reading it, and journaling as I went. I was an instructional coach at the time.

I’m now an administrator and just told my friend I would like to get another copy and see how my responses and perspective have changed.

I have recommended this book to educators over and over again. I know I got a lot out of it because I also put a lot into it!! ❤️

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kanold offers some great pointers. I did feel a little uneasy at a couple of points in the book where the author described violent events that seemed incongruous with a “Heart-print” paradigm; reaching over a conference table and grabbing a teacher by the necktie is an aggressive act that ought never be taken regardless of how frustrating that teacher may be.

I also found the religious references alluding to Christianity were unnecessary in that they may be reflective of religious perspectives, but the nature of any religious belief reflects an “us-versus-them” mentality. If this a religious-based book, the author should state that at the outset.

Proselytizing, no matter how minimal is disingenuous because offerings, musings and insights tend to exclude anyone who does not subscribe to the writer’s belief system - Judeo-Christian or otherwise. Imagine interjecting Islamic beliefs if you are Christian and see how it might feel that belief in Allah supersede your belief in Jesus Christ? The Christian references in this book were unnecessary.

In the Audible version, there is an annoying guitar strum preceding the “Heart-print” reflection points. It’s just a personal dislike of mine.

Despite the afore-mentioned concerns, Timothy Kanold provides some actionable ideas. However, the guitar gimmick, coupled with some of the veiled Christian values and the two violent references left me questioning whether I wanted to buy into his best practices in teaching. My concern is that Kanold might be someone His subordinates would have trouble disagreeing with or working for to advance student learning. Intentionality is inspiring, willfulness, not so much.

Buy the book and read it for yourself. Don’t let my personal biases stop you from garnering the good Dr. Kanold has to offer.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an inspiring book covering mindset, collaboration, and other relevant areas of teaching. Most importantly, it makes you think about the imprint you leave on colleagues and students. People are in this profession for a greater good, as what teachers do yields effects years after students leave a classroom. I’m glad I received this at a workshop.

[Jolene Gen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes, but this book was a tremendous disappointment to me. The author constantly brags about his great work. There are ways to talk about your accomplishments with humility, but this author does not do that. It is overly sappy at times, too. The best parts of the book were when he cited other people's work such as Angela Duckworth and Brene Brown. There is also an excellent chapter on social intelligence, where he cites other experts work on the topic.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was assigned a chapter in this book for a education college class that I was in. I enjoyed it so much I told the teacher I wanted to get the book and read the rest. He was kind enough to let me borrow his copy instead. It's a very positive, encouraging book about education that will inspire you to want to be a better, more enthusiastic teacher and colleague.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really helped me think about the way I teach my classroom. I incorporated a lot of the concepts that this book recommended. I found that student engagement and test performance increased with the new techniques. Overall I found the book to be very helpful.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read for a grad class. I found it WAY too sappy and not my style. Some of the reflection ideas were ok but there were too many and I found them being in the margins of most pages really distracting to reading the book.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read, and I enjoyed journaling along as I read. Much of the book is relatable to those of us that are teachers. Kanold’s experiences are eye-opening and have great connections to what he’s explaining. As teachers, we need to have HEART to be a successful.

[Lindy Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great read. Every educator should read this. Get the actual book though so you can write and respond to what you’re reading. I sure hope I’ve made a heart print on someone else during my educational journey!

[Julie Kordick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very reflective book on how your words & actions leave an impression on those you interact with on a daily basis.

[Samuel Longoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended read from Principal at my school. I recommend it to bring back passion if you have lost it in the classroom. Good fast read.

[Cindy Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all teachers who want to make a positive difference in the lives of students.

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of very few books that I couldn’t finish.....slow going and I got the message after the first few chapters.

[Trina R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend for all educators. Good advice, wonderful personal stories, and meaningful.

[Tracy Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good for educators who want to put more heart in their teaching. There are also a lot of great little nuggets in there that anyone can benefit from.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me a lot to think about as a teacher. I have a lot of improving to do!

[Tina Humphrey Boogren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.
And I’m honored to call the author my friend and partner on our quest to take care of educators.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read for a class, "Mindfulness in Today's Classroom".