I’m Already Professionally Developed: Straight from the Teacher’s Desk

by Eddie B.

Eddie Brown found himself in a spot most teachers know all too Some days he loved his job, and other days he hated it.Teaching gave him money to take care of his family and a sense of fulfillment. But the culture, the work, the bureaucracy, and the stress wore him out.He walked a thin line between inspiration and despair. Each new school year, he’d give his relationship with academia another try, rolling the dice and praying to avoid a breakup.Things improved when he started coping with his struggles by engaging with them through comedy, joining the Teachers Only Comedy Tour. He went from performing on local stages in Houston in front of a few dozen people to telling jokes in major arenas and theaters across the country.From Charlotte to New York City, Dallas to Biloxi, Baton Rouge to Seattle, Montgomery to Denver, and countless other cities across America, tens of thousands of supportive fans have welcomed him with open arms, loud cheers, and contagious laughter.Join the author as he shares the struggles of what it means to be a teacher and celebrates the significance of mentoring, educating, and encouraging students.

Genres: Nonfiction

110 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2019

Reviews

[Stephanie Luebbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this book up on a sick day! As an educator, a lot of this resonates with me. Going into education I had this rosy view of what teaching would be like, probably because I held my teachers in such high regard, and I've found my experience to be much more "real" than the preconceived notions I brought to the table. I do wish the book was a little longer, though.... There are times it feels like Eddie brings up a subject, but could say so much more, specifically about his own experiences.

[Terynce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nodded along, I laughed, and I enjoyed this book.

I follow Eddie B on insta, thought he was funny, happened to see he had a book, and decided to support.

Early on he mentions The Secret in a positive light. "The Secret" is bunk, plain and simple. Absolute bunk. There are people in my life that I love that disagree with me, but on this matter they are wrong.

That business aside, I enjoyed the book. Many of his professional frustrations have been my professional frustrations. His insights are conversations I've had with my colleagues. Following protocol and guidelines from people that couldn't handle your classroom. Priorities being everywhere other than improving instruction. Manage your classroom, students first, don't be afraid to try new things, and guard your passion.

He'd be a good welcome back speaker for teachers, except teachers would rather have that time in their classrooms to prep for students.

Read it for a bit of feel good catharsis.

[Lisa HEFLIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Eddie B!! As a teacher, I am always delighted by his videos and how they nail it on the head about how teacher really feel. I was looking for more of that in this book. Instead I got to know the man better as a person and a teacher. The book is a nice entry into the literary world, an easy, quick read. I hope his next book is more aligned to his videos.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super quick read that I really wanted to enjoy. I’ve enjoyed Eddie’s videos and as a teacher, relate to them. This book was too brief-I wish he had expanded on some of the topics more instead of glossing over them. He does have some good advice for teachers, both veteran and new.

[Alyse Schmidt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve seen him live and he was hilarious but this book was more about his life. It needed better editing as there were errors throughout.

[Patti Hinko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros: Eddie B. doesn't hide away from the fact that teaching can destroy your spirit regardless of how much you want to make a difference. He also shows the importance of supportive adminstration and co-workers in succeeding at the job. Without that, no teacher will survive long at a school.
Cons: He needs a good editor. What Eddie B. has to say is important, but the lack of a professional editor shows. Some of his chapters seem oddly placed and I wanted him to expand more in other locations. This could easily be transformed into a well rounded narrative if it had the right guidance.
Would I Recommend: Depends. For my teacher friends that want an escape for a couple of hours and feel like you're being heard, totally. For everyone else? Eh. I want it to go through more editing before I could fully recommend it to everyone. It has potential.

[Chelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddie B. does great comedy and I enjoy the voice he brings to those who are often without one. Thank you for your efforts! I also appreciate that you represent Christians as well. This short book was a glimpse into his personal and professional life behind the comedy scene. I would recommend some minor editing for language and a few errors, but overall, I appreciate his transparency and recommend this book for teachers who may feel alone and burdened in our field of work.

[Tasha Tidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

He hit the nail on the head

As a teacher reading this book, I found myself nodding in agreement and laughing as I read things that were oh so true. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I was lucky enough to see Eddie during his Teacher's Only tour and when I found out about the book I knew it would be just as funny but with a touch of seriousness also. A book worth reading for new and veteran teachers alike.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like Eddie B.'s videos about teaching, so I naturally expected this book would be similar to his comedy. It just wasn't what I expected. First off, it's not intended to be funny. Secondly, I was surprised at how genuinely bitter and jaded he seems about the teaching profession as a whole. I find his videos hilarious and easy to relate to, but this was just too cynical about teaching for me. Plus it is filled with references to God, Joel Osteen, and the book The Secret....no thanks.

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stellar guy. Not-so-stellar writing.

I was so excited to read this book because I love Eddie B! He knows what it takes to be a teacher and so it well! He not only feels for us, but he is in the trenches with us. The only negative I can say is that the writing is very disjointed. Each chapter sounds like a different essay, which I did not expect.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

I loved this book! Eddie B puts so many of the things I feel as a teacher into words that make me say me too as I was reading. This was also the perfect book to read to remind me why I teach. I recommend this to anyone. It’s not just meant for new, retired, veteran teachers and administrators it is also a good book for people not in the profession to read.

[Jennifer Cook Nafziger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always found Eddie B’s videos to be funny and painfully true as a fellow teacher. I guess I thought this would be more of the same. This book was really more of a memoir of his personal experience and lacked the humor he uses in his act. While it was nice to hear his story, I was a big disappointed that I didn’t read like his comedy persona.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular read!!!!

Totally enjoyed reading this book! As a teacher and professional, I have great respect for Mr. Eddie Brown. You are an inspiration to our profession. Congratulations to you and thank you for being a voice.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overall!

This story had good morals and lessons, and was nice to be represented as a teacher. There were some grammatical mistakes in the Kindle version that could be corrected for improvement. I’m looking forward to seeing Eddie B. live for the 3rd time next year!

[Gwen Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel this book was a little gem. I started serving students in an educational setting over 40 years ago. I was so sure that I would change the world. This book really had me looking at my service to students over the years. This is a great read for educators and non-educators.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this book was going to be more akin to his hilarious stand-up or YouTube series, but instead it's a short book on overcoming obstacles and the many frustrations of teaching. The book meanders a bit, but his observations as a teacher are still right on, so it made for a fine quick read.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet, but so much resonated with me.

[Tawanda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little treasure

I really enjoyed reading this. He did a good job of summing up the challenges faced by many teachers in the classroom.

[Lisa Cater · Rating 4 out of 5]

On point about the lack of support some teachers show, it’s great when your administration encourages teamwork

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and impressive man

He makes me laugh with his observations of teaching life. The struggle is too relatable. His faith is inspirational. I love Eddie B!

[Alanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take

A severely condensed life story. I feel like we missed all of the important things that could have come from this tale.

[Nicole Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read

I laughed and cried while reading this book. He touched on so many relatable topics. Every educator should read this book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

His videos are better but, let's you know who he really is.

[Patricia Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I read this book.

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a long time fan of his teacher videos. Nice to learn more of his story!

[Stephanie Patrigani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting but still a decent read

[mUdd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every teacher should read this book .

[Lauren Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME READ! I highly recommend for educators!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great quick read! It was a good balance of the personal and the professional with a bit of humor sprinkled throughout. It was nice to see Eddie in a serious light since we usually get the funny side most of all. I really liked hearing the personal stories of his life and it wasn’t overkill at all. I also enjoyed his advice to teachers. Teaching is hard and stressful with a capital WTH and I appreciate his realness when he talks of his experiences (which I’m sure many can relate to, myself included.) It’s nice to know we aren’t alone in this career sometimes.