I’ve followed Dave Stuart Jr. for several years now. He is a teacher, author, speaker and thought-leader. His work has deeply impacted my thinking (and, I hope, my practice) as an educator. Dave started out by exhorting teachers to adopt a common-sense approach to the Common Core.
Dave’s message has evolved to address more than a widely accepted curriculum. He has become a voice of reason in this crazy age of cock-eyed accountability. And thank goodness, Dave has published a book put out by Corwin Press that gives educators the world over a balanced narrative on the real work and sacred calling of teaching.
Tidbits from Dave’s book, These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching On What Matters Most—
Let’s face it: none of us got into teaching for the impact we can make as measured by an end-of-the-year test; all of us got into it for the tiny contribution we hope our work can make to the life outcomes of our students, twenty years from now.
I need to admit something: I wrote this book for me. Or rather, for teachers like me who find themselves crushed between two conflicting beliefs. On one hand, we completely believe in the value of teaching. You don’t need to convince us that teaching is a noble calling, or that it’s worthy of a life’s work. So here is the book’s central argument: there’s a way to be both a strong teacher and someone who has a life and interests outside of school. That way starts with knowing why we’re here—the long-term flourishing of kids—and it will be fleshed out in the six chapters that follow this one
I think there are thousands of teachers who, like me, long to be told, “If you and your students are working on this handful of things, repeatedly and with increasing skill, throughout the school year as you move through your curriculum, you’re okay. You’re not a screw-up.”
The table of contents in Dave’s book:
You do not want to miss the wisdom that Dave Stuart Jr. shares with teachers in this timely book. I have found it to be helpful in identifying why I continue in my role as an educational consultant. Teachers, administrators, coaches and support staff can benefit from the clear, concise advice Dave gives in making sure we focus on “what matters most”.
