This is the book every educator and administrator needs to read.
I’m 28 years old, have a master’s in English (emphasis in literature), and have been teaching for 5 years.
This is the book I wish had existed when I started teaching. But I’m so glad it exists now. I teach in a tiny district; to be clear, I AM the entire high school English department. It’s an extremely diverse school and one in which the majority of students do not come from ‘good’ or stable homes, which means the relationships they build at school mean even more. My students (my kids) are everything to me. And I’ve worked hard to develop those relationships. Yes, I teach my content, but that’s just a small part of it. I’ve had those difficult conversations about life at home, sexual assault, suicidal thoughts, etc. I was called Mom the first time when I was 23–and my student was 17. That first year was so crucial in building those bonds—my kids told me they were used to being left behind so why get attached? But I persisted, I was there.
And once they realized that and saw me at their games, helping with theatre productions, and more, they decided I was okay. And boy did they win my heart.
All this to say, Reynolds has written a book that I wish had been on the curriculum at university. And it’s a book that I’ll be recommending to the new teachers (interviewed some today!) and the veteran teachers in my district. Because it reinforces an idea that I’ve always held firm: relationships are king (or queen—come on, some of the greatest monarchs in history have been women 😉).
I run an eclectic or unconventional classroom that many have scoffed at. BUT I get results—little behavioral problems, kids working their butts off, and most importantly, kids who trust me and don’t hate being at school.
Thanks Reynolds for writing this book. It’s so good to see these ideas and practices in print. 🙏🏻 #TeachYourClassOff