Full Product Details
Author: Barbara J. Smith
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Dimensions:
Width: 15.10cm
, Height: 1.10cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.227kg
ISBN: 9781475870831
ISBN 10: 1475870833
Pages: 148
Publication Date: 02 June 2023
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
Barbara Smith can write from the perspectives of teacher, student, mentor, mentee, and school leader because she has BEEN all of those. I've taught for her, worked alongside her, been challenged by her...and she is a thinker who thinks from the beginning, not from the 80-metre mark. This book is at its core solutions-oriented. Rather than bemoan the statistics of teacher retention, let's get to who those teachers...who each ONE of those teachers...really are and is. What do they need and want? What fires them up and excites them to the point that leaving isn't even an option? Those drawn to teaching are precisely those drawn to impact and connection...and strategies here that prioritize their time, their learning, their energy...will keep teachers where they were originally drawn. There's no shortage of extraordinary people wanting to teach; the shortage is of people willing to stay in teaching when their own priorities aren't seen or acted upon. -- Luke Coles, Director, Thriveto.org, Toronto, Canada This is the ultimate how to guide for making school systems great! With thirty years of teaching experience, I've come across plenty of books, professional development workshops, and abracadabra talks on how to make traditional education better. Barbara J. Smith's TEACHER SHORTAGES and THE CHALLENGE OF RETENTION is far different than anything I've encountered. With its easy-to digest sections that map out fresh ideas, plans of action, and needed outcomes, I found myself cheering on each page and wishing someone had had the insight to share this information decades ago. But as this book states, it's never too late to make schools great-and this book tells you how. Every person in the educational arena should read it. -- Kathleen Fox, Former Elementary Teacher, Founder and Director of Creative Arts of Mount Pleasant School, Co-Creator of ImaginGO.com, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (US) Barbara Smith effectively captures many of the hurdles educators face as they weigh their commitment to stay in the profession. She balances a well-constructed analysis of each critical issue with examples that offer hope for a better future. Her challenging questions guide readers to reflect on their own situations. A close study of this book can provide a blueprint for your next strategic plan! -- Bena Kallick, co-founder and co-director, Institute for Habits of Mind Barbara Smith displays a wealth of understanding of what it is like in schools now, and then takes the reader through the reasons for and the process of changing things for the better. Her real school examples are combined with research and presented in reader-friendly language. One of the best education books I've read and an excellent starting point for the educator wanting to make a difference. -- Michael Lawrence, Writer of the book: Testing, 3,2,1, presenter of the Teacher Trust: A Finnish Perspective in partnership with Tampere's University of Applied Sciences (Australia)
Author Information
Barbara J. Smith has a depth of experiences in education that include over four decades as a teacher, principal, teacher educator, school founder, and board member in public, international, independent and charter schools. Smith is committed to serious change in schools that improve both conditions for teachers and learners.
