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Summary: Enough with the platitudes!
Review: Anyone with any skill as a teacher quickly becomes accustomed to the platitudes thankful students and parents use. This gift book gets pass all of that.Here is a bouquet of thoughtfully written stories about the important work teachers do challenging, inspiring and guiding their charges. It is about teaching that goes beyond the routine of instruction to affect lives. A teacher somewhere in your life deserves this book. Make a gift of it to him or her.
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Summary: Underappreciated Rightly Honored
Review: Every person (I presume) has had a teacher or teacher who has made a lasting and important impression. This book honors teachers by letting them know just that. My favorite chapter is Chapter 2 entitled "The Thinker" devoted to teachers who sparked the love of knowledge. Reading this Chapter reminded me of those who have influenced my intellectual development. One tribute, written by Judith Bell Ungar for Professor Hogan, an English teacher she had at the University of Illinois, is particularly memorable. In her writing class, Ms. Ungar states that Professor Hogan used the metaphor of climbing a mountain to demonstrate the shifting nature of perspective. Ms. Ungar then used that same metaphor to explain how her perspectives have evolved over time and how, like climbing a mountain, she has acquired knowledge through life's journey. Reading this book revives memories of student days when times seemed simpler and dreams were wildly alive.
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Summary: Life's Turning Points
Review: How many of us can look back on our education and formative years and remember a particularly enlightening moment, when a teacher, or coach, or mentor, opened our eyes and changed the direction of our lives? For me it was ninth grade honors biology class, taught by Mr. Wong. He was so enthusiastic and motivating, I decided right then and there to study biology. I majored in biology in college and have never regretted it. This wonderful book is filled with memories of these great moments. Some of these entries are filled with heart-warming emotion, others with clarity and logic. Yet all pay tribute to a special teacher or mentor who made a lasting difference in someone's life. Oftentimes we don't realize the impact until it is too late. Several of the entries are written from that perspective, as tributes to teachers who are no longer alive, but never forgotten. Inspiring, thought provoking, refreshing, and motivating, every one who teaches should read this.
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Summary: The perfect gift
Review: I am so happy I bought this book - it has now become my favorite gift for all those who have been teachers and mentors in my life. There are so many excerpts which connect straight to the heart of the mentor/student/life learner relationship. I hope that Jeff Spoden comes out with a second volume for next year's holiday gifts!
Rating:
Summary: The perfect gift
Review: I am so happy I bought this book - it has now become my favorite gift for all those who have been teachers and mentors in my life. There are so many excerpts which connect straight to the heart of the mentor/student/life learner relationship. I hope that Jeff Spoden comes out with a second volume for next year's holiday gifts!
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Summary: Tributes to our forgotten heroes
Review: This gem of an anthology should make all of us feel gratitude to the author for making us remember our mentors and teachers. It would be a perfect teacher gift.
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Summary: Insightful Collection of Memories and Memoirs
Review: To Honor A Teacher is a collection that will give inspiration to all of those who teach--whether their teaching is in or out of a classroom. The essays and poems within the collection honor teachers and honor students also by realistically rendering the difficult process of learning and how a good teacher can break through and change lives. The collection honors students as well as teachers by establishing the connections that last a lifetime...that spark that once lit can last forever. The writers are famous and unknown, of all ages and ethnicities, from all parts of the U.S. As one of the writers selected for the anthology I felt doubly honored: first, to be selected, secondly to be part of such a moving collection of voices--telling stories that touch anyone who has had a teacher who has changed their life for the good.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful Collection of Memories and Memoirs
Review: To Honor A Teacher is a collection that will give inspiration to all of those who teach--whether their teaching is in or out of a classroom. The essays and poems within the collection honor teachers and honor students also by realistically rendering the difficult process of learning and how a good teacher can break through and change lives. The collection honors students as well as teachers by establishing the connections that last a lifetime...that spark that once lit can last forever. The writers are famous and unknown, of all ages and ethnicities, from all parts of the U.S. As one of the writers selected for the anthology I felt doubly honored: first, to be selected, secondly to be part of such a moving collection of voices--telling stories that touch anyone who has had a teacher who has changed their life for the good.
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Summary: A Refreshing Gift Idea
Review: To Honor A Teacher is a wonderful gift book! How many coffee mugs can one person use? I'm always looking for creative ways to thank the teachers (including piano and coaches)that work so wonderfully with my children. I've already given several as gifts and the receipiants have all been delighted. The entries are moving without being sappy. The stories illustate that it's sometimes the little caring gestures that really matter to people. How nice it would be if anyone considering a teaching career could hear these first hand accounts of what is important from a student's perspective.
Rating:
Summary: A Refreshing Gift Idea
Review: To Honor A Teacher is a wonderful gift book! How many coffee mugs can one person use? I'm always looking for creative ways to thank the teachers (including piano and coaches)that work so wonderfully with my children. I've already given several as gifts and the receipiants have all been delighted. The entries are moving without being sappy. The stories illustate that it's sometimes the little caring gestures that really matter to people. How nice it would be if anyone considering a teaching career could hear these first hand accounts of what is important from a student's perspective.
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