An Onward Journey is a narrative of Kartar Chand's complicated life of misery and throbbing pain, and his path to find freedom and dignity. This voyage began during his childhood in a small rural Indian village, as a poor struggling student who was disgusted with a society of caste discrimination, bigotry, and bad customs. Kartar's dream was to escape from all the harmful traditions and evils, despite the challenges that he faced - all to free himself, his children, and his future generations from this slavery. His struggles may have ended, but his memoir will live on.

"In my continuing spiritual journey I have become increasingly convinced of two truths: first, that each individual has the capacity to be touched by the divine and thereby to be made whole; second, that the combination of reason and materialism are literally destroying the world and its creatures, human and otherwise. This little book is implicitly a plea for the reinstitution of love and peace-as opposed to hatred and war-as the animating principles of life. Perhaps you will find your own search for the divine reflected in it." -from the Prologue. Over the course of a long, rich life and legal career, John Rehm realizes there is much more meaning-and joy and pain-than mere reason can convey. Attentive to the variety of his "peak experiences" and glimpses of the divine, Rehm discovers a renewed love of and trust in life: the more he acknowledges its polarities and mystery, the more he understands. Simple couplets describe the life of Jesus, torturous poems reflect lives of the saints, and charming fables give us closely observed glimpses of the freedom that often only comes with age. Rehm's words and truth telling transport us on our own onward journey of seeking the Divine.

A practical framework to avoid burnout and keep great teachers teaching Onward tackles the problem of educator stress, and provides a practical framework for taking the burnout out of teaching. Stress is part of the job, but when 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years because the stress is making them physically and mentally ill, things have gone too far. Unsurprisingly, these effects are highest in difficult-to-fill positions such as math, science, and foreign languages, and in urban areas and secondary classrooms—places where we need our teachers to be especially motivated and engaged. This book offers a path to resiliency to help teachers weather the storms and bounce back—and work toward banishing the rain for good. This actionable framework gives you concrete steps toward rediscovering yourself, your energy, and your passion for teaching. You’ll learn how a simple shift in mindset can affect your outlook, and how taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally is one of the most important things you can do. The companion workbook helps you put the framework into action, streamlining your way toward renewal and strength. Cultivate resilience with a four-part framework based on 12 key habits Uncover your true self, understand emotions, and use your energy where it counts Adopt a mindful, story-telling approach to communication and community building Keep learning, playing, and creating to create an environment of collective celebration By cultivating resilience in schools, we help ensure that we are working in, teaching in, and leading organizations where every child thrives, and where the potential of every child is recognized and nurtured. Onward provides a step-by-step plan for reigniting that spark.

An empowering journey that keeps great teachers in the classroom The Onward Workbook is a collection of tools and strategies that help teachers banish the burnout and cultivate true resilience. Keyed to the framework presented in Onward, this companion piece augments the text with practical exercises, coaching, and step-by-step walkthroughs of beneficial practices. Deep introspection allows you to verbalize your feelings, name your challenges, and identify the tools you have and the tools you need—from there, you’ll explore each of the 12 Key Habits and learn how to put them into practice every day. In cultivating resilience within yourself and your teaching practice, you improve your health, your outlook, and your relationships while building an environment in which every child succeeds. This workbook takes you on a journey of specific self-discovery that changes your perspective, renews your confidence, and empowers you to make the much-needed changes that allow you to continue inspiring young minds. Dig deeper within to discover what you’re truly made of Decode complex emotions, body language, and nonverbal communications Challenge your beliefs, build community, and navigate difficult interactions Learn more, feel more, play more, and practice effective self-care Resiliency is an underrated skill—one that can make all the difference in our schools. Challenges will always arise, but it is your response that dictates the outcome. Can you think of a more important lesson for your students? When some 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years, it is clear that changes must be made. The Onward Workbook equips you to make the changes that you can, and flourish into the future. While this book can be used by individuals, it is also designed so that groups, teams, departments, or an entire staff can take up the learning together. There are specific suggestions in the workbook for using this with a group, and educators will reap even more reward from discussing the practices and experiences with colleagues.