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For the Love of Learning: A Year in the Life of a School Principal
INSTANT BESTSELLER For parents, teachers, and everyone who remembers being a student, an unforgettable glimpse into the inner workings of school, from a life-long educator.Children spend most of their waking hours in school, exploring boundaries, forming important relationships, and of course, learning. But as you step into the unique vantage of the principal’s office, you experience first-hand the wide range of characters, efforts, and decisions that ensure all students thrive. Kristin Phillips takes us through a school year, from the excitement of fall, through the long days of winter, and into the renewed energy that comes with spring. Through her eyes, we experience the increasingly complex education students with unique learning needs, teachers bringing their practice into the 21st century, and the parent-partners who have entrusted their children to the school system. Myles, a precocious five-year-old, introduces himself by swearing a blue streak on the first day of school. He finds solace in a paper box rocket ship in Phillips’s office. Rafi, a grade 8 boy oozing with attitude, makes a very uncool choice to lunch with the principal. And Harriet, a struggling teacher, is oblivious to the fact her students are bored to tears. Throughout the story, Phillips develops caring relationships with the people who need her the most, as she works with colleagues to create an environment where everyone succeeds. But principals are people, too, and Phillips also recounts the demands on her as a single mother with three teenagers, one of whom suffers from significant mental health issues. As an educator, she tries to help students coping with similar problems and reveals a heartfelt story of dealing with the system, from both sides. With honesty and compassion, Phillips gives a human face to the joys of school, and the very real difficulties educators work to overcome, one year and one student at a time.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 16, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 22, 2022
For The Love of Learning is a well-written, fascinating memoir by a former principal at a Canadian public school.
Having a child in high school and one recently graduated, this memoir caught my attention. It was so interesting to get an insider’s view of a year inside a school. In an easy to read, conversational style, the author successfully used the four seasons in the school year (fall, winter, spring and summer) to take the reader inside the inner workings of a school. The author touched upon so many interesting topics such as teaching approaches, innovating to make learning more interactive - I loved her catch phrase to teachers - « try something new, no-one will die », student and teacher assessments, mental health, bullying, etc. Her authenticity, love of learning and her desire to make a difference in students’ lives and help them succeed clearly shone through.
The book is interspersed with the daily challenges, the highs and lows, of the school system and we follow along with the author’s interactions with students and teachers. Simply fascinating and absorbing. I also found the author’s inclusion of her familial challenges with her own three children while being a principal to be very effective. This book read like a novel and I was engaged throughout.
Highly recommend for parents of school-age children or for anyone interested in a behind the scenes look at the school system.
Having a child in high school and one recently graduated, this memoir caught my attention. It was so interesting to get an insider’s view of a year inside a school. In an easy to read, conversational style, the author successfully used the four seasons in the school year (fall, winter, spring and summer) to take the reader inside the inner workings of a school. The author touched upon so many interesting topics such as teaching approaches, innovating to make learning more interactive - I loved her catch phrase to teachers - « try something new, no-one will die », student and teacher assessments, mental health, bullying, etc. Her authenticity, love of learning and her desire to make a difference in students’ lives and help them succeed clearly shone through.
The book is interspersed with the daily challenges, the highs and lows, of the school system and we follow along with the author’s interactions with students and teachers. Simply fascinating and absorbing. I also found the author’s inclusion of her familial challenges with her own three children while being a principal to be very effective. This book read like a novel and I was engaged throughout.
Highly recommend for parents of school-age children or for anyone interested in a behind the scenes look at the school system.
November 12, 2022
What a stellar read! I read this book in two days and was so happy to be back in school while at the same time getting a new perspective from the eyes of a principal.
The book is divided into four sections – one for each of the seasons. I did not grow up in Canada and that always makes books about here fascinating to me. I am trying to glimpse ideas for the future I will have with my kids while trying to understand the profession of many of my close friends. Kristin is an elementary school principal and she balanced the demands of the job with her personal life very well.
The kids that become important to Kristin over the course of the book became very dear to me too. Having been a student teacher in a classroom, it was easy to fall back into those routines, and at the same time, imagine the trajectory of my career if I had had a mentor teacher like Kristin. Reading her perspective on education, funding, teacher and parental support was refreshing and offered a broader view on the school system than I had ever had. The challenges to education with covid were also mentioned towards the end of the book. I experienced the joy of first day of school as well as the new hopes and sadness of the last day.
This is a book I would go back to. Anyone with the love for learning and even a single fond memories of school will love this book. If you have worked in the education section, I’m sure you’ll experience all the ups and downs with Kristin as the school year progresses.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book. This review was first posted on Armed with A Book.
Review on Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
The book is divided into four sections – one for each of the seasons. I did not grow up in Canada and that always makes books about here fascinating to me. I am trying to glimpse ideas for the future I will have with my kids while trying to understand the profession of many of my close friends. Kristin is an elementary school principal and she balanced the demands of the job with her personal life very well.
The kids that become important to Kristin over the course of the book became very dear to me too. Having been a student teacher in a classroom, it was easy to fall back into those routines, and at the same time, imagine the trajectory of my career if I had had a mentor teacher like Kristin. Reading her perspective on education, funding, teacher and parental support was refreshing and offered a broader view on the school system than I had ever had. The challenges to education with covid were also mentioned towards the end of the book. I experienced the joy of first day of school as well as the new hopes and sadness of the last day.
This is a book I would go back to. Anyone with the love for learning and even a single fond memories of school will love this book. If you have worked in the education section, I’m sure you’ll experience all the ups and downs with Kristin as the school year progresses.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book. This review was first posted on Armed with A Book.
Review on Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
April 20, 2022
I was fascinated by Phillip's account of a year as a Canadian principal. I learned so much about teaching, supporting teachers and students and introducing new ideas while in a leadership position. While you can learn a lot from this book, it is primarily a well written, easy to read memoir. This is one that I couldn't put down. Highly recommended for anyone interested in a peek into schools.
April 4, 2023
It’s a nice book, I do recall myself wondering what principals get up to on the daily. I doubt most principals are like her and that she’s an exception but it’s cool. Education is so complex, schools can really ressemble à third parent.
June 5, 2022
I agree with the author that despite the challenges “schools need to be places where the love of learning is at the core”. It was interesting to read the different situations Kristin presents in this book, and how the situations are dealt with differently depending on each situation.
As I read this book, it becomes clearer how important practical experience is despite what is learned or taught on what needs to be done if a situation arises. Unfortunately, most teachers go by the book without trying to adjust their teaching according to the students in the classroom, which creates the gaps and ultimately becomes a loss for the students. Teachers and administrators should have an open mind to hear out the concerns of parents and not give a standard answer to every situation, rather take a look at every situation separately to be fair so no one loses out or goes through unnecessary hardship that could actually do the opposite and hinder growth. On the other hand, I agree with the author that parents overprotecting their children from disappointment causes children to fail in developing resilience and coping strategies. Children should get an opportunity to experience this type of challenge during childhood to become stronger adults.
Kristin shares stories of frustrated parents, children that trouble settling in, children in special education classes, and more. I liked reading the real life stories, which were similar to what I have heard, seen and can relate to as an educator. This is an interesting read which will be enjoyed by parents wanting to get some insight into schools in southern Ontario from the perspective of a teacher, principal, and parent, and those in the educational field as the stories are easily relatable. I like the connections and the hope that I got from the emotional stories Kristin shares in this book.
As I read this book, it becomes clearer how important practical experience is despite what is learned or taught on what needs to be done if a situation arises. Unfortunately, most teachers go by the book without trying to adjust their teaching according to the students in the classroom, which creates the gaps and ultimately becomes a loss for the students. Teachers and administrators should have an open mind to hear out the concerns of parents and not give a standard answer to every situation, rather take a look at every situation separately to be fair so no one loses out or goes through unnecessary hardship that could actually do the opposite and hinder growth. On the other hand, I agree with the author that parents overprotecting their children from disappointment causes children to fail in developing resilience and coping strategies. Children should get an opportunity to experience this type of challenge during childhood to become stronger adults.
Kristin shares stories of frustrated parents, children that trouble settling in, children in special education classes, and more. I liked reading the real life stories, which were similar to what I have heard, seen and can relate to as an educator. This is an interesting read which will be enjoyed by parents wanting to get some insight into schools in southern Ontario from the perspective of a teacher, principal, and parent, and those in the educational field as the stories are easily relatable. I like the connections and the hope that I got from the emotional stories Kristin shares in this book.
January 3, 2023
“For the Love of Learning” made me both proud to be a teacher and pushed me to take a deeper look at my practice. Thank you for allowing an authentic insight into this profession. This will definitely be a book I return to!
October 5, 2022
Rating this book if it were in a report card: A+
For personal reasons that I’ll share at the end, this memoir could be my favourite book of the year. Normally, it’s fiction, and this one is not, nor by one of my favourite authors. Kristin Phillips is a retired school principal and depicts a year’s worth of her life experiences at school with teachers that are both motivated and others that she receives calls from parents about when kids complain about their class. She also mentions the students in her office, and some of her experiences inspire me in my career and aspirations in higher education. I am most inspired by how she builds relationships between the stories she shares. Setting routine visits for students to visit the principal before their day to avoid misbehaviour and to know that a single person is one they can count on for being there for them, the assurance they need. She may wear different clothes every day, but it’s the same person they look forward to seeing.
My younger self grew up aspiring to be a teacher, and when I was 17, I let it go and went with the backup plan my guidance counsellor told me to prepare when I was in grade 10. That plan was college, and I completed a business and human resource program with co-op placements. I knew I wanted to do my placements on campus, and what I didn’t know then that I know now is that I still wanted to be in education. Fast forward 10 years later from when I finished high school, amongst Covid erupting into the second wave, I began my master’s in education. At the end of my master’s in August 2022, I came across this book from the recommendations that Indigo provides. The title first had me, then at that moment, an email from Simon & Schuster flashed across my screen about For the Love of Learning, and a link to Kristin Phillip’s TEDx talk. I listened to it and knew I needed to read this amongst the other books I wanted to read while I finished my master’s capstone project.
Having just completed my master’s in education and affirming my dedication to lifelong learning, I knew I needed to read this book right away. For the Love of Learning further enriched me to live my life with purpose and as a continuation of my drive in education. A chapter that surprised me from the beginning was report cards. Throughout my master’s, I also argued about how grades should not determine a student’s intelligence, and this chapter did exactly that. Having personally struggled with grades, a singular letter or number does not assume those students are not smart, and more importantly, does not validate their self-worth. This memoir deserves to be read by anyone in education or who admires education. Kristin Phillip’s experiences felt relatable as an educator, professional, and human; everything I could’ve thought about and expected when I first saw it in my Indigo recommendations.
For personal reasons that I’ll share at the end, this memoir could be my favourite book of the year. Normally, it’s fiction, and this one is not, nor by one of my favourite authors. Kristin Phillips is a retired school principal and depicts a year’s worth of her life experiences at school with teachers that are both motivated and others that she receives calls from parents about when kids complain about their class. She also mentions the students in her office, and some of her experiences inspire me in my career and aspirations in higher education. I am most inspired by how she builds relationships between the stories she shares. Setting routine visits for students to visit the principal before their day to avoid misbehaviour and to know that a single person is one they can count on for being there for them, the assurance they need. She may wear different clothes every day, but it’s the same person they look forward to seeing.
My younger self grew up aspiring to be a teacher, and when I was 17, I let it go and went with the backup plan my guidance counsellor told me to prepare when I was in grade 10. That plan was college, and I completed a business and human resource program with co-op placements. I knew I wanted to do my placements on campus, and what I didn’t know then that I know now is that I still wanted to be in education. Fast forward 10 years later from when I finished high school, amongst Covid erupting into the second wave, I began my master’s in education. At the end of my master’s in August 2022, I came across this book from the recommendations that Indigo provides. The title first had me, then at that moment, an email from Simon & Schuster flashed across my screen about For the Love of Learning, and a link to Kristin Phillip’s TEDx talk. I listened to it and knew I needed to read this amongst the other books I wanted to read while I finished my master’s capstone project.
Having just completed my master’s in education and affirming my dedication to lifelong learning, I knew I needed to read this book right away. For the Love of Learning further enriched me to live my life with purpose and as a continuation of my drive in education. A chapter that surprised me from the beginning was report cards. Throughout my master’s, I also argued about how grades should not determine a student’s intelligence, and this chapter did exactly that. Having personally struggled with grades, a singular letter or number does not assume those students are not smart, and more importantly, does not validate their self-worth. This memoir deserves to be read by anyone in education or who admires education. Kristin Phillip’s experiences felt relatable as an educator, professional, and human; everything I could’ve thought about and expected when I first saw it in my Indigo recommendations.
September 14, 2022
If I could ensure that every educator, every teacher and every principal and every education board member, and most importantly, EVERY PARENT of a child in school, read this book, then I would. I am seriously considering gifting it to the principal and vice principal at my children’s school, and maybe a few teachers.
It’s a memoir, but as engrossing as a novel, with a natural flow that makes it a pleasure to read through. It is an eye opening account of what the elementary educational systems in southern Ontario is really like. Parents in Toronto! Read this book.
I went through it with a highlighter, because it is full of gems; and it explains what is wrong with the educational system without actually pointing out the wrongs, and just saying it how it is. This memoir of a veteran educator - a principal with decades of teaching under her belt - provides a look at a year in the life of a school, and is extremely important read for anyone involved in education, whether parent or educator.
I think the author should be celebrated by school boards, and that this book become required reading for all. Phillips is honest, vulnerable, compassionate and authentic in her observations, and manages to interject humour throughout. There are challenges in the school system here that can certainly be overcome with more educators like this author.
It’s a memoir, but as engrossing as a novel, with a natural flow that makes it a pleasure to read through. It is an eye opening account of what the elementary educational systems in southern Ontario is really like. Parents in Toronto! Read this book.
I went through it with a highlighter, because it is full of gems; and it explains what is wrong with the educational system without actually pointing out the wrongs, and just saying it how it is. This memoir of a veteran educator - a principal with decades of teaching under her belt - provides a look at a year in the life of a school, and is extremely important read for anyone involved in education, whether parent or educator.
I think the author should be celebrated by school boards, and that this book become required reading for all. Phillips is honest, vulnerable, compassionate and authentic in her observations, and manages to interject humour throughout. There are challenges in the school system here that can certainly be overcome with more educators like this author.
September 3, 2022
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Kristin Phillips for this copy I won on a Goodreads giveaway. Education and mental health are both things I feel passionate about. It was especially nice to read about the education system in my own province. I recommend this to anyone who has a child in the school system, who is considering entering the field or who just wants to learn about something new to them.
April 20, 2023
The subtitle for this book is "A Year in the Life of a School Principal". It was terrific! Unputdownable. I have had a few late nights before i made myself stop reading. It really helped me to appreciate and understand all the things that happen in the school system. I wish I had had this guidance about parenting. Great ideas and lots of role modelling for being engaged but not intense. Going slow to make a difference.
July 1, 2022
I was eager to get an insider's perspective on the challenges in the public education system and this was a good overview. It was particularly interesting to learn how difficult it is to terminate a teacher that is failing at his job. Kristin Phillips has a very thoughtful and experienced perspective. She also wove in her personal story including her daughter's struggles with mental health and I actually found this to be the most compelling part of the book. The epilogue also touched on the unique struggles of the Covid-19 pandemic and I think this would make a very interesting book on its own.
June 20, 2022
Kristin Phillips is such an inspiring human. I enjoyed reading her story of her first year as a principal as well as dealing with her fresh divorce.
Her daughter is also having mental health issues and the way the author is able to navigate life with everything being thrown her way was emotional and inspiring.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
Her daughter is also having mental health issues and the way the author is able to navigate life with everything being thrown her way was emotional and inspiring.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
November 11, 2022
Reads like a novel. Very easy to read. Interesting and insightful for anyone working in education.
August 9, 2023
Incredibly relatable! It left me inspired to return to the classroom in September with more love and patience.
August 24, 2022
This is a delightful read that is also powerful. The stories are sticking with me. I am not in the education sector, and found it very interesting. The stories are charming and a comment on children and learning and life in general
Well written, easily read and very interesting. Highly recommend.
Well written, easily read and very interesting. Highly recommend.
May 24, 2022
A different perspective than I'm used to, as a parent with a child in school and going through the public system myself. Phillips gives us the other side of the story, as a principal and as a teacher, into the inner makings of the struggle, love of children and ability to celebrate learning despite the challenges they, and we, all face.
I was hesitant at first, not looking forward to it being another book that celebrated a perfect system and to be told to be patient and understanding.
This wasn't that.
This book is real life scenarios, feelings of failure and moments of success. It's the story of good students and those who don't fit the norm. It's the story of teacher's who still haunt me with their monotone lectures and clear lack of effort. It's tales of starfish, of self-harming, of mystery all wrapped up in a full year of school.
Through staff rooms and hospitals, student rampages and fires ignited, Phillips showed both her weaknesses, strengths and heartbreaking journey to us so we can see teachers and principals as people, the school system as a work in progress and our own kids journey through the public school system in a way we have never seen it before.
If you're considering a job in the education field, if you're in the education field or even if you have kids in public school, this book is enlightening, humbling and eye-opening.
I was hesitant at first, not looking forward to it being another book that celebrated a perfect system and to be told to be patient and understanding.
This wasn't that.
This book is real life scenarios, feelings of failure and moments of success. It's the story of good students and those who don't fit the norm. It's the story of teacher's who still haunt me with their monotone lectures and clear lack of effort. It's tales of starfish, of self-harming, of mystery all wrapped up in a full year of school.
Through staff rooms and hospitals, student rampages and fires ignited, Phillips showed both her weaknesses, strengths and heartbreaking journey to us so we can see teachers and principals as people, the school system as a work in progress and our own kids journey through the public school system in a way we have never seen it before.
If you're considering a job in the education field, if you're in the education field or even if you have kids in public school, this book is enlightening, humbling and eye-opening.
October 4, 2022
One of my favourite things about reading in general, and non-fiction especially, is that you think you’re reading a book about one thing but it’s always about so much more. As a phd student, that’s also one of my favourite things about research. There’s something about the author’s wish to be part of something bigger, to talk about deeper things, to move beyond putting out fires in the everyday (even as she recognizes that that is one way to have a big impact) that I really related to.
For The Love of Learning follows an elementary school principal in Ontario for a whole year. It’s about learning and being an educator. The reader gets some insight into how our educational system works.
We talk about education like it’s this inanimate institution, often filled with bureaucracy, paper pushing, a huge divide between practitioners and administrators. But this book suggests that “education” is more than that. It’s about the human side of education. It’s about relationships, and emotions, and managing expectations.
It’s about how every teacher is not just a teacher; they are siblings, parents, citizens.
It’s not just about what you learned on the first day of school, but about the friends you made and the relationships you built. The consistency you found that wasn’t there at home. It’s about wanting to make change, feeling so passionate about what you do, and still having to deal with paper pushing and rules. Finding a way to work within what’s available to you. Realizing that people are more motivated by good feelings than hard facts. About seeing the limits of what you can do and still deciding that whatever you can do is worth it.
It’s about how the stories we tell about schoolyards matter. A principal is never just a principal.
Thanks Simon & Schuster Canada for an egalley ARC of this title #gifted.
For The Love of Learning follows an elementary school principal in Ontario for a whole year. It’s about learning and being an educator. The reader gets some insight into how our educational system works.
We talk about education like it’s this inanimate institution, often filled with bureaucracy, paper pushing, a huge divide between practitioners and administrators. But this book suggests that “education” is more than that. It’s about the human side of education. It’s about relationships, and emotions, and managing expectations.
It’s about how every teacher is not just a teacher; they are siblings, parents, citizens.
It’s not just about what you learned on the first day of school, but about the friends you made and the relationships you built. The consistency you found that wasn’t there at home. It’s about wanting to make change, feeling so passionate about what you do, and still having to deal with paper pushing and rules. Finding a way to work within what’s available to you. Realizing that people are more motivated by good feelings than hard facts. About seeing the limits of what you can do and still deciding that whatever you can do is worth it.
It’s about how the stories we tell about schoolyards matter. A principal is never just a principal.
Thanks Simon & Schuster Canada for an egalley ARC of this title #gifted.
November 16, 2022
For the Love of Learning: A Year in the Life of a School Principal by Kristin Phillips is an honest, revelatory look at the complex role of a school administrator. Aptly named after the 1994 Royal Commission Report on Education in Ontario, Phillips exposes the difficulties inherent in being a school leader given Ministry mandates, EQAO testing, Board directives, strong unions, and the individual needs of staff, parents, and struggling students.
For those of us who have had the privilege of leading a school, this book is a testament to the multi-faceted skills that are required to juggle a myriad of expectations from many stakeholders. Most of us failed. Phillips’ book provides a candid window on the disappointments, frustrations, and heart-breaks of the job while also affording some insight into why so many of us persevere in the often-humbling and lonely role – essentially because we love kids and want to provide safe and rich learning environments for them.
The book is divided into four sections: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Phillips is clear that it is how these four seasons pertain to school life that direct and prescribe much of what happens in her personal and family life, as well. She begins with her entry to a new school, where she does not know the building, the staff, the children or their families and yet is expected to take charge and become the instructional leader. Already an experienced and well-seasoned educator, Phillips recognizes that establishing trust and genuine caring relationships is key to her work. She begins very naturally by observing attention-seeking behaviours in some of the children as they struggle to acclimatize to a new school year. She supports staff by providing relief and taking on some of the more challenging situations personally. She works hard to communicate with anxious parents, to reassure and help staff to problem-solve, and to build school routines that will support young people.
All of this fine work takes place against a personal family situation that is unravelling. Her marriage is falling apart, her eldest daughter has become a cutter and her charming son is completely disengaged from his own education. While Phillips is both a loving and conscientious mother, she finds herself struggling with the lack of access to mental health supports for her daughter and engagement strategies from the school for her son. It is hard for her to continue with her professional responsibilities while her own heart is breaking about these personal challenges. For the reader, it becomes increasingly difficult not to resent the educators her children are exposed to when they do not offer the supports that Phillips regularly puts in place for other people’s children. She is exhausted by the duality of her life and contemplates returning to the classroom. Throughout her account, it becomes clear that Phillips was not someone who left teaching for the prestige of higher office - she loves teaching. Rather, like so many other administrators, she felt she could make a difference, and often puts in an exhausting sixty-hour work week, despite a lack of support.
As Phillips moves through the school year in her new building, she becomes aware of the instructional best practices that are-and are-not taking place. Teachers reading aloud for large blocks of time to disengaged students, worksheets and wordsearches that have no educative value, unprepared staff with no lesson planning, technology that is utilized with the sole purpose of typing up good copies of work to hand in, poor quality assessment and evaluation, report card preparation and general role modelling for effective learning. Phillips kicks into gear, utilizing her allotted once-monthly staff meeting to challenge the staff to rethink their approach to what is done in the classroom. She is able, with the support of a stellar Vice-Principal, to successfully engage a small core of staff. They willingly enter into discussions about how learning could and should be different for this generation of students. Her catch phrase, "try something new, no one will die" empowers staff to experiment with new approaches to teaching. She provides release time for them to do co-planning, buys new resources, and actively engages with them in their new teaching ventures. She is both an instigator and a cheerleader. And although Phillips knows what the research has to say about so much of what is being discussed, she largely refrains from insisting upon top-down directives, and only hints at new directions.
There are many more challenges in store for Phillips. Approaching December holidays, she realizes how much of the school is gearing towards celebrating Christmas without acknowledging other traditions, despite the fact that the school community is quite multi-cultural. She unpacks their school achievement data and realizes that there are huge inequities between the upper- and lower-income students, marked discrepancies between boys and girls, in addition to racial performance inequities. Additionally, her school has a large percentage of children with special needs and extremely limited professional services supports.
The Ontario Principal’s Council has been conducting leadership studies for several years, concerned about the increasing demands placed upon system leaders. In fact, School Principals' Work and Well-Being in Ontario: What They Say and Why It Matters, July 2020 by Dr. Katina Pollock and Dr. Fei Wan confirms everything that Phillips so eloquently and compassionately makes clear. In the Executive Summary, we read:
A number of principals indicated how passionate they were about the principalship, but this was often coupled with a comment on how the role has changed over time and how difficult the job was becoming. The recommendations put forth are for all education stakeholders, including practicing and aspiring principals. Specifically, the recommendations focus on four main areas: (a) addressing work intensification, (b) promoting well-being, (c) ensuring safety, and (d) exploring coping strategies.
The complexities of making a public education system work while serving a diverse community, navigating the scrutiny of unions with regard to holding low-performing teachers accountable, balancing personal health and well-being with the demands of the job, moving staff forward in terms of professional practice, prioritizing equity, challenging the use of technology, all with little practical support from a school board is, unfortunately, not an unusual story.
Written with wisdom and grace, Phillips has bravely captured the everyday life of a committed, passionate principal struggling to lead her school. This book should be mandatory reading for everyone who works in the school system: teachers need to know what lies behind the principal’s door; Board staff need to be reminded of the extraordinary challenges a principal faces; and all administrators need to be reminded that what they do matters, and that they have the rare privilege of being able to touch hearts and change lives. Highly recommended.
For those of us who have had the privilege of leading a school, this book is a testament to the multi-faceted skills that are required to juggle a myriad of expectations from many stakeholders. Most of us failed. Phillips’ book provides a candid window on the disappointments, frustrations, and heart-breaks of the job while also affording some insight into why so many of us persevere in the often-humbling and lonely role – essentially because we love kids and want to provide safe and rich learning environments for them.
The book is divided into four sections: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Phillips is clear that it is how these four seasons pertain to school life that direct and prescribe much of what happens in her personal and family life, as well. She begins with her entry to a new school, where she does not know the building, the staff, the children or their families and yet is expected to take charge and become the instructional leader. Already an experienced and well-seasoned educator, Phillips recognizes that establishing trust and genuine caring relationships is key to her work. She begins very naturally by observing attention-seeking behaviours in some of the children as they struggle to acclimatize to a new school year. She supports staff by providing relief and taking on some of the more challenging situations personally. She works hard to communicate with anxious parents, to reassure and help staff to problem-solve, and to build school routines that will support young people.
All of this fine work takes place against a personal family situation that is unravelling. Her marriage is falling apart, her eldest daughter has become a cutter and her charming son is completely disengaged from his own education. While Phillips is both a loving and conscientious mother, she finds herself struggling with the lack of access to mental health supports for her daughter and engagement strategies from the school for her son. It is hard for her to continue with her professional responsibilities while her own heart is breaking about these personal challenges. For the reader, it becomes increasingly difficult not to resent the educators her children are exposed to when they do not offer the supports that Phillips regularly puts in place for other people’s children. She is exhausted by the duality of her life and contemplates returning to the classroom. Throughout her account, it becomes clear that Phillips was not someone who left teaching for the prestige of higher office - she loves teaching. Rather, like so many other administrators, she felt she could make a difference, and often puts in an exhausting sixty-hour work week, despite a lack of support.
As Phillips moves through the school year in her new building, she becomes aware of the instructional best practices that are-and are-not taking place. Teachers reading aloud for large blocks of time to disengaged students, worksheets and wordsearches that have no educative value, unprepared staff with no lesson planning, technology that is utilized with the sole purpose of typing up good copies of work to hand in, poor quality assessment and evaluation, report card preparation and general role modelling for effective learning. Phillips kicks into gear, utilizing her allotted once-monthly staff meeting to challenge the staff to rethink their approach to what is done in the classroom. She is able, with the support of a stellar Vice-Principal, to successfully engage a small core of staff. They willingly enter into discussions about how learning could and should be different for this generation of students. Her catch phrase, "try something new, no one will die" empowers staff to experiment with new approaches to teaching. She provides release time for them to do co-planning, buys new resources, and actively engages with them in their new teaching ventures. She is both an instigator and a cheerleader. And although Phillips knows what the research has to say about so much of what is being discussed, she largely refrains from insisting upon top-down directives, and only hints at new directions.
There are many more challenges in store for Phillips. Approaching December holidays, she realizes how much of the school is gearing towards celebrating Christmas without acknowledging other traditions, despite the fact that the school community is quite multi-cultural. She unpacks their school achievement data and realizes that there are huge inequities between the upper- and lower-income students, marked discrepancies between boys and girls, in addition to racial performance inequities. Additionally, her school has a large percentage of children with special needs and extremely limited professional services supports.
The Ontario Principal’s Council has been conducting leadership studies for several years, concerned about the increasing demands placed upon system leaders. In fact, School Principals' Work and Well-Being in Ontario: What They Say and Why It Matters, July 2020 by Dr. Katina Pollock and Dr. Fei Wan confirms everything that Phillips so eloquently and compassionately makes clear. In the Executive Summary, we read:
A number of principals indicated how passionate they were about the principalship, but this was often coupled with a comment on how the role has changed over time and how difficult the job was becoming. The recommendations put forth are for all education stakeholders, including practicing and aspiring principals. Specifically, the recommendations focus on four main areas: (a) addressing work intensification, (b) promoting well-being, (c) ensuring safety, and (d) exploring coping strategies.
The complexities of making a public education system work while serving a diverse community, navigating the scrutiny of unions with regard to holding low-performing teachers accountable, balancing personal health and well-being with the demands of the job, moving staff forward in terms of professional practice, prioritizing equity, challenging the use of technology, all with little practical support from a school board is, unfortunately, not an unusual story.
Written with wisdom and grace, Phillips has bravely captured the everyday life of a committed, passionate principal struggling to lead her school. This book should be mandatory reading for everyone who works in the school system: teachers need to know what lies behind the principal’s door; Board staff need to be reminded of the extraordinary challenges a principal faces; and all administrators need to be reminded that what they do matters, and that they have the rare privilege of being able to touch hearts and change lives. Highly recommended.
February 11, 2023
Great writing and a compelling read, but the hate for teachers unions is oversimplified and there’s a lot of reference to what research says without connections to any actual research.
November 25, 2022
A fascinating behind-closed-doors look at the true-life experiences of an elementary school principal, based in Southern Ontario, Canada, and serving a student body of approximately 600 sometimes overwhelmingly-needy students.
An instructional leadership champion, longing to support widespread changes in teaching practices that will facilitate critical thinking, interactive learning, and a new student-driven learning experience, as the author begins the year at the helm of a new school, she chronicles her challenges, experiences, crises and successes, - on the way, “for the love of learning”, to a new beginning.
Her journey, perhaps unsurprisingly after all, is as captivating, inspirational and sometimes heartbreaking as any story centering on the practical realities of educational policy and outcomes would be expected to be, particularly when looking at the author’s own incredibly culturally-diverse student base, peppered with a large contingent of students with special needs, including those struggling with emotional challenges.
With infinite patience and a warmly compassionate (and always professional) approach, the author painstakingly builds relationships with the most visibly-suffering children, (allowing them to hide in cardboard forts constructed in her office, beat her at backgammon, drink tea, hear stories, and color with markers) as well as those entering their teenage years - many of whom just want an opportunity to bond, to feel safe, and to know someone is there to be counted on.
Part “Mom”, part counselor, and all compassionate professional, it is these relationships, and the genuine need to support and nurture a safe and happy learning experience that the author must fall back on, as she is faced with sixty-hour work weeks in a highly unionized environment, teeming with never-ending administrative duties, and insufferable bureaucracy, which cannot help but raise an acknowledged sense of loneliness, and ultimately, hidden but persistent fears of ineffectiveness.
Forced to manage mediocrity as well as excellence in the teaching staff, the author finds herself drawing the line at allowing for blatant disdainful incompetence, choosing to focusing her efforts on the big important (and all interrelated) questions, including:
What makes a good teacher?
How to foster “best-teacher-ever” feeling?
How to develop a passion for learning? (In both teachers and students)
How to facilitate students doing more work, teachers doing less lecturing?
I enjoyed this story tremendously, rich with professional and personal insights every parent of school-age children (or indeed, anyone interested in educational policy or people) will find difficult to put down.
A great big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
An instructional leadership champion, longing to support widespread changes in teaching practices that will facilitate critical thinking, interactive learning, and a new student-driven learning experience, as the author begins the year at the helm of a new school, she chronicles her challenges, experiences, crises and successes, - on the way, “for the love of learning”, to a new beginning.
Her journey, perhaps unsurprisingly after all, is as captivating, inspirational and sometimes heartbreaking as any story centering on the practical realities of educational policy and outcomes would be expected to be, particularly when looking at the author’s own incredibly culturally-diverse student base, peppered with a large contingent of students with special needs, including those struggling with emotional challenges.
With infinite patience and a warmly compassionate (and always professional) approach, the author painstakingly builds relationships with the most visibly-suffering children, (allowing them to hide in cardboard forts constructed in her office, beat her at backgammon, drink tea, hear stories, and color with markers) as well as those entering their teenage years - many of whom just want an opportunity to bond, to feel safe, and to know someone is there to be counted on.
Part “Mom”, part counselor, and all compassionate professional, it is these relationships, and the genuine need to support and nurture a safe and happy learning experience that the author must fall back on, as she is faced with sixty-hour work weeks in a highly unionized environment, teeming with never-ending administrative duties, and insufferable bureaucracy, which cannot help but raise an acknowledged sense of loneliness, and ultimately, hidden but persistent fears of ineffectiveness.
Forced to manage mediocrity as well as excellence in the teaching staff, the author finds herself drawing the line at allowing for blatant disdainful incompetence, choosing to focusing her efforts on the big important (and all interrelated) questions, including:
What makes a good teacher?
How to foster “best-teacher-ever” feeling?
How to develop a passion for learning? (In both teachers and students)
How to facilitate students doing more work, teachers doing less lecturing?
I enjoyed this story tremendously, rich with professional and personal insights every parent of school-age children (or indeed, anyone interested in educational policy or people) will find difficult to put down.
A great big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
July 20, 2022
“Schools need to be places where the love of learning is at the core”. - Kristin Phillips.
I just finished reading For The Love of Learning by Kristin Phillips. This book will be published August 16th, 2022.
Overview:
Children spend most of their waking hours in school, exploring boundaries, forming important relationships, and of course, learning. But as you step into the unique vantage of the principal’s office, you experience first-hand the wide range of characters, efforts, and decisions that ensure all students thrive.
Kristin Phillips takes us through a school year, from the excitement of fall, through the long days of winter, and into the renewed energy that comes with spring. Through her eyes, we experience the increasingly complex education system: students with unique learning needs, teachers bringing their practice into the 21st century, and the parent-partners who have entrusted their children to the school system.
As an educator working with different principals it was really interesting to see the way others interact with their staff. It is always good to be put into a reflective practice and I feel like Kristin did that. It was interesting to read the different situations Kristin presents in this book, and how the situations are dealt with differently depending on the student and the staff. I think that this is something everyone in the education world can read and relate to. But beyond that you can look at learning in new and unique ways.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I just finished reading For The Love of Learning by Kristin Phillips. This book will be published August 16th, 2022.
Overview:
Children spend most of their waking hours in school, exploring boundaries, forming important relationships, and of course, learning. But as you step into the unique vantage of the principal’s office, you experience first-hand the wide range of characters, efforts, and decisions that ensure all students thrive.
Kristin Phillips takes us through a school year, from the excitement of fall, through the long days of winter, and into the renewed energy that comes with spring. Through her eyes, we experience the increasingly complex education system: students with unique learning needs, teachers bringing their practice into the 21st century, and the parent-partners who have entrusted their children to the school system.
As an educator working with different principals it was really interesting to see the way others interact with their staff. It is always good to be put into a reflective practice and I feel like Kristin did that. It was interesting to read the different situations Kristin presents in this book, and how the situations are dealt with differently depending on the student and the staff. I think that this is something everyone in the education world can read and relate to. But beyond that you can look at learning in new and unique ways.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 1, 2023
I was fortunate to work for Kristin at my first school. I didn’t realize at the time how incredibly I’d lucked out - to have the support and investment that Kristin gifts to her teachers, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an educator. Years later, I still find myself coming back to her advice. So reading this memoir was like a homecoming, but also a gratifying reminder that I’m not crazy: this IS a hard job. And also, the best job in the world. In the ridiculousness of “post” pandemic teaching, hearing Kristin’s words again was exactly what I needed. Plus, it was fun to recognize certain “characters” in her stories!
Read it if you’re an educator, for sure. You’ll find your priorities shifting and your belief in meaningful change restored.
But also read it if you’re a parent. You trust your most important parts of your life to us at school - don’t you want an insider’s view on how it all really works?
Read it if you’re an educator, for sure. You’ll find your priorities shifting and your belief in meaningful change restored.
But also read it if you’re a parent. You trust your most important parts of your life to us at school - don’t you want an insider’s view on how it all really works?
August 29, 2023
Incredibly interesting and engaging read - one of the best, if not the best, book I’ve read this year! As someone who grew up in the Toronto school system, and who has friends currently navigating the system as teachers, it was eye opening to get a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a school. I would especially recommend this to those who have or are planning to have children, but I think it would be a worthwhile read for anyone. The stories were relatable and compelling, and I was both touched and excited by the methods the author used to engage her staff and encourage them to try new things. There are ideas and strategies that I’ll be applying to my own job, even though I’m not a teacher. Excellent read. Highly recommend!
August 13, 2022
Educators genuinely love the kids.
How did the book make me feel/think?
I'm 62. Want to go back to school?
Not really.
Elementary school?
No.
Why am I in this hallway? I thought I finished here in 1972.
Being a principal must be outrageously challenging and conflicting.
You want control.
You must control.
You are at the top of the pinnacle.
Was I a good kid? A manageable kid?
I think so.
In "For the Love of Learning," Phillips enrolls us back in class, showing us the life of an educator from inside the halls. Leaders (Principals) must navigate a never-ending list of morals and values, egos, and frailty. Principals walk a fine line between total control and an understanding of the diversity of students, families, and teachers, balancing tenuously on the edges of ensuring education reaches everyone and is delivered in such a way to give each one of us a chance to thrive.
Being a Principal is an all-consuming passion—chock-full of love, empathy, and compassion. Where regardless of what's transpiring in a Principals’ personal life (some of the best parts of the book).
"For the Love of Learning" helps us understand something I never considered in 1972: educators genuinely love the kids, and their work will never be complete—and as much as we believe them to be rocks—at the end of class, they are human too.
Class dismissed.
WRITTEN: 13 August 2022
How did the book make me feel/think?
I'm 62. Want to go back to school?
Not really.
Elementary school?
No.
Why am I in this hallway? I thought I finished here in 1972.
Being a principal must be outrageously challenging and conflicting.
You want control.
You must control.
You are at the top of the pinnacle.
Was I a good kid? A manageable kid?
I think so.
In "For the Love of Learning," Phillips enrolls us back in class, showing us the life of an educator from inside the halls. Leaders (Principals) must navigate a never-ending list of morals and values, egos, and frailty. Principals walk a fine line between total control and an understanding of the diversity of students, families, and teachers, balancing tenuously on the edges of ensuring education reaches everyone and is delivered in such a way to give each one of us a chance to thrive.
Being a Principal is an all-consuming passion—chock-full of love, empathy, and compassion. Where regardless of what's transpiring in a Principals’ personal life (some of the best parts of the book).
"For the Love of Learning" helps us understand something I never considered in 1972: educators genuinely love the kids, and their work will never be complete—and as much as we believe them to be rocks—at the end of class, they are human too.
Class dismissed.
WRITTEN: 13 August 2022
November 9, 2022
Kristin taught me a lot through this book. Lots to think about and implement in my own life.
Some of her comments and attitudes annoyed me.
I loved her way of thinking through issues. Innovative. Putting children first. Having them think and try.
She discusses her struggles with parenting, making it very relatable for many. Loved the updated at the end about her kids.
Overall a good book that I would recommend.
Some of her comments and attitudes annoyed me.
I loved her way of thinking through issues. Innovative. Putting children first. Having them think and try.
She discusses her struggles with parenting, making it very relatable for many. Loved the updated at the end about her kids.
Overall a good book that I would recommend.
December 27, 2022
This is a wonderfully well written book. It is relatable for both teachers and administrators and eye-opening for parents. The book was easy to read and very interesting. Filled with funny stories and inspiration it made me feel like I wasn’t the only teacher feeling how I feel and also inspired me to be better. Recommending to all educators.
January 9, 2023
absolutely delightful. it was so inspiring for me to read as someone who wants to be a teacher. all the tidbits about elementary schooling felt nostalgic, while giving a fresh perspective to learning that i think about often. it’s also super cool to read a book about schools in my neighborhood! 100% recommend for anyone, future teacher or not :)
August 16, 2023
As an educator in Canada I was excited to read this book to see things from a new perspective. I wasn’t expecting a story that really pulled you in! I really enjoyed this book, and going into the new school year, in a new school for me, I’m very glad I read it now to bring some refreshed ideas back with me.
November 5, 2022
I found Kristin’s memoir to be both relatable and inspirational. I loved hearing about her starfish students, how she focused on relational leadership, and her stories of her own children. A lovely read.
November 30, 2023
Fascinating- frightening- insightful. Our public school system has some serious flaws, and also some amazing educators. Interesting to reflect on my kids journeys through the system with the perspective of this book as context.
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