The best teachers are leaders, and the best leaders are teachers. Teaching by Heart summarizes the author's key insights gained from more than forty years of teaching and managing. It illustrates how teachers can both lift people up and let them down. It proposes that the best teachers are also leaders, and the best leaders are also teachers. In examining how to lead and teach, renowned Harvard Business School professor Thomas J. DeLong takes the reader inside his own head and heart. He notes that, as teachers, we often focus more on our inadequacies and missteps than on our strengths and unique talents. He explains why this is so by dissecting and analyzing his own experiences--using himself as a case study. The book's goal is to help readers learn about the intricacies of teaching and managing, and to impart lessons about how teachers can create a unique teaching atmosphere. To do this, the author analyzes the process of creating a curriculum, preparing for an eighty-minute class, managing the fifteen minutes before class begins, and evaluating the nature of the teaching experience after the session concludes. Along the way, he connects specific classroom behaviors with leadership issues--in organizations, in teams, and in personal relationships. He also asks--and answers--some provocative questions, such as: What happens on multiple levels when I teach or lead--with me, students, or professionals? What am I thinking and feeling as I process what students are thinking and feeling? How are my internal conversations affecting how I teach and lead? How do I manage my biases, including having "favorite" students? To what extent can I use teaching methods in the arena of management? Throughout Teaching by Heart, DeLong discusses why empathy and authenticity matter. When teachers embrace this mindset, students have the opportunity to have a unique learning experience. Teachers and managers will learn how to create moments of transformation for students. Whether you're a university professor, a student, a business leader, or just someone fascinated by teaching, this book will instruct, entertain, and--hopefully--inspire.

Are you weighed down by the challenges you face each day in your classroom? Take heart, and join us to discover how to... Manage your classroom and create a conducive learning environment Find balance, wisely investing your time and energy Teach with His peace and joy, even when things are going wrong Make a bigger difference and shine His light in your classroom "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. - Galatians 6:9

"This book is for teachers who have good days and bad -- and whose bad days bring the suffering that comes only from something one loves. It is for teachers who refuse to harden their hearts, because they love learners, learning, and the teaching life." - Parker J. Palmer [from the Introduction] Teachers choose their vocation for reasons of the heart, because they care deeply about their students and about their subject. But the demands of teaching cause too many educators to lose heart. Is it possible to take heart in teaching once more so that we can continue to do what good teachers always do -- give heart to our students? In The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with their vocation and their students -- and recovering their passion for one of the most difficult and important of human endeavors.

Has teaching left you stressed, frustrated, or even discouraged? In Teach Uplifted you'll discover how to... Renew your passion for teaching by finding joy and peace in Christ Teach with joy even in difficult circumstances Banish anxiety and learn to trust God instead But be warned: This is not a collection of light, fluffy, feel-good stories. These powerful devotions will completely transform the way you view your life, your classroom, and your relationship with God.

The extraordinary memoir of the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Freedom Writers Diary, who’s been hailed as “a true inspiration” (Hilary Swank) and “simply magical when it comes to inspiring people to action” (Los Angeles Times). Don’t miss the public television documentary Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart In this passionate, poignant, and deeply personal memoir and call to arms, Erin Gruwell, the dynamic teacher who nurtured an extraordinary group of high school students from Long Beach, California, who called themselves the Freedom Writers, picks up where The Freedom Writers Diary—and the hit movie Freedom Writers—left off and brings the reader up to date on where the Freedom Writers are today. Including their unforgettable trip to Auschwitz, where they met with Holocaust survivors; their tour of the attic of their beloved Anne Frank; and their visit to Bosnia with their friend Zlata Filipović, Teach With Your Heart chronicles what happened with the Freedom Writers as they made their way through college and beyond. Along the way, Gruwell includes lessons for parents and teachers about what she learned from her remarkable band of students as she traveled through the emotional peaks and valleys on the front lines of our nation’s educational system. A mesmerizing story of one young woman’s personal odyssey and of her unique ability to encourage others to follow in her footsteps, Teach With Your Heart is marked by the enviable radiance and irrepressible force of nature that are Erin Gruwell and her unbelievable determination to ensure that education in the United States truly meets the needs of every student.

In a world where students are often seen as test scores and not as human beings, where their well-being is challenged by poverty, intolerance, and bullying, and where technological innovations frequently erode genuine personal contact, compassionate teachers are needed more than ever. Teaching with Compassion offers practical tools and strategies designed to help educators foster a culture of care and compassion. Organized around an eight-point “Teaching with Compassion Oath,” this book draws on real life examples and exercises to demonstrate the power and potential of teaching from the heart. Written for both experienced and novice educators alike, Teaching with Compassion is sure to stimulate inquiry and provide ongoing inspiration.

New from best-selling authors Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker, 50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior: Simple Solutions to Complex Challenges is a must-read reference for teachers, both new and experienced! In a lively and engaging style, Annette Breaux and Todd Whitaker share 50 simple, straightforward techniques for improving student behavior and increasing student cooperation, participation, and achievement. Each practical, well-defined strategy can be applied in classrooms of all grade levels and subjects. Strategies include: How to make students more responsible How to nip potential problems in the bud Learning what to overlook Establishing classroom rules and procedures Teaching in small bites (It makes students hungrier!) As student behavior improves, so too will the quality of learning in your classroom. With this book, you can begin to introduce a host of new strategies into your teaching practice today! Companion Study Guide Available