Graves offers an at-once practical, philosophical, and positive framework for making our teaching days rich and rewarding rather than merely frustrating and wearying.
—The Quarterly
Over the course of a year you and thousands of other teachers will spend
countless hours with children and experience the full range of emotion
associated with parenting. Every day you will be second-guessed by parents,
administrators, and pundits who have never taught. Standardized tests will be
mandated that try to govern the teaching transactions you make with children.
It's no wonder that many teachers these days are feeling drained and it's no
surprise that Don Graves is ready to offer his uncommon insight, unwavering
support, and unbounded hope for the future. "The idea for The Energy to
Teach," Don relates, "began with the startling contrast I noted
between much of the fatigue in the profession and the promised energy in
curriculum." This led to eighteen months of extensive interviews, with
educators and others across the country, beginning with the questions: What
gives you energy, what takes energy away, and what, for you, is a waste of
time?
Based on these interviews—plus Don's extensive experience as a teacher and
researcher—The Energy to Teach offers groundbreaking insight on how
highly effective teachers deal with emotional demands, and how they gain help
and support from their colleagues and administrators. It explains what gives
them energy, how they handle energy-draining situations, and how they cope with
this never-ending emotional roller coaster.
What's more, Don offers proven-effective techniques. You'll discover how to
find out exactly when energy is added, expended, or wasted; conserve more
energy; build energy with colleagues; induce an energy surge when it's urgently
needed; transform energy-draining situations into energy-giving events; and
much more. Just as important, you'll find comfort and encouragement from
someone who for two decades has served as a wise and compassionate mentor to
thousands of educators.
To learn more about Donald Graves, visit www.donaldgraves.org.
