Posted by Candice on Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Cinco de Mayo has come and gone, but don't worry, there is still reason to celebrate this week...today is National Teacher Day! The National Education Association urges folks to take the time to thank a teacher today, and I think it's a great idea! Of course, I might be a little biased due to the fact that I am married to a teacher, but I am also wise enough to recognize that I wouldn't be here today, with a great job and an active mind, if I hadn't had the support of dedicated teachers through all my years of schooling (or, as my Mother is fond of saying, my many, many years of schooling). This is something to be thankful for.
I think it's especially important now, when there is so much talk about what is wrong with the education system, and long lists of 'schools in need of assistance,' to remember what our individual teachers do. They put in a great deal of effort to provide students with life skills and reasoning capabilities, and they prepare their students to go out into the world. It can be a stressful and very time-consuming job, but teachers keep teaching because they find value in it, and because they care.
I think many people who go into teaching do it because they had a teacher who made a great impact in their life. Maybe there is a teacher in your past who made a difference, or maybe your child has a teacher right now who does their job really well...thank them if you can!
If you want to take a look at what some of our teachers are doing in their classrooms to make a difference, check out American Teacher: Heroes In the Classroom. It's a beautiful book, and very inspiring.
About the Author
I work at the Info Desk on the second floor, and I select books for the adult nonfiction collection. I have a degree in anthropology, which really helps in selecting...well...almost anything. I also manage the Art To Go collection of framed prints and original art, and the nonfiction DVDs.
What do you like to read?
In no particular order:... more
This was a really fun listen! The subject matter is a nice blend of serious and otherwise, with a main character who is both a private detective and movie location scout. The action takes place is Canada, which was part of the reason I gave it a listen--a different setting is always nice. The mystery here is a slow-burner, and worth the wait. The discussion of male depression and suicide is important and nicely done, and then there's a bonus side-mystery involving lots of stake-outs and following, and perhaps the occasional double-crossing and a modicum of violence. The main characters--the aforementioned detective/scout, along with his burgeoning love interest who's a late-30s bit-part actress with an endearing fondness for early-century architecture--are worth following and rooting for. The narration is excellent! -Candice