Teaching Life: Life Lessons for Aspiring (and Inspiring) Teachers

by Todd Shy

"There are so few books now that capture the feel and the texture of teaching and that also have empathy for the students themselves. This is one."— Martin Bickman, author of Minding American Reclaiming the Tradition of Active Learning“…an eloquent love letter to teaching and to life, written by a veteran teacher at the height of his powers.”— Sam Swope, Founder of The Academy for Teachers“I admired its feeling, candor, and exuberance — and of course its Emersonian hope.”— Mark Edmundson, author of The One Who Made the Difference “Shy abounds in wry observations about practical experiences; his quiet reflections verge on and flow into wisdom ...”— Bob Blaisdell, author of Tolstoy as Leo Tolstoy’s Writings on Education

Great teachers are indispensable champions and guides for students passing through crucial years. They are forks in the road. They are artists with living canvases and hidden audiences. The essence of what teachers do when the classroom door is closed is not written about, or celebrated, enough. It is unsung work. Teaching Life sings it here. One part memoir and one part educator travel guide, Teaching Life is a charming and loving missive to the author’s aspiring-teacher daughters and a lyrical celebration of the unsung work of teaching. This book will surely shine as a North Star for teachers the world over.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2021

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the deep privilege of teaching with Todd over a decade ago. This book came at exactly the right time for me. Wearied from the pandemic, it reminded me of the reasons I love teaching and called me back to some of the practices that had fallen by the wayside.