Remember? You Went Into Education to Make a Difference!

Dr. Sáenz’ The Power of a Teacher is the result of years of research and professional development conducted in school districts nationwide.  The bottom line is that you do have tremendous power to make a difference in your role as an educator, and this book is the self-care guide designed specifically to empower educators to maximize their impact in the classroom.

Two qualities characterize teachers who teach well over the course of a lifetime, and these two qualities are true of professionals who excel in any field.  The first quality is that they understand the true nature of what they do.  They understand that what they do is not a job, which is a basic agreement to exchange labor for a wage.  They also understand that what they do is not a career, which is a job with advancement opportunities.  These teachers understand that what they do is a calling.  Another way to say that is that they have aligned what they do on a day-to-day basis with their deepest value system.  When these educators face the monotony of the mundane that is inherent in any profession, they remember that while they may not be particularly passionate about lesson plans or staff meetings, they remember that those activities are simply expressions of their underlying value system, and we are, by definition, passionate about our deepest values.  That reframe is empowering.

The second quality is that they do not find satisfaction in their calling.  That is not a typo.  Rather, they find satisfaction in the totality of their life experience, and then take that satisfaction to their calling.  In other words, they practice well-being; they actively steward the occupational, emotional, spiritual, financial and physical areas of their lives.  When we practice well-being, we are living the most efficient, effective, and productive life we can live, which makes us much more resilient to work-related stress.  On the other hand, when we do not practice well-being, we are living inefficient and ineffective versions of the rich life we deeply want to live and were created to live, and that diminished living makes us more vulnerable to work-related stress.

In The Power of a Teacher you will:

• Learn!

  What are occupational, emotional, financial, spiritual and physical wellbeing, and what do they have to do with your role on campus?

• Know yourself!

  Take the 50-item Teacher Wellness Inventory ™ to assess your current occupational, emotional, financial, spiritual, and physical wellbeing.  Chart your results on the five-spoke life wheel to see what kind of ride you can expect out of life.  Then, use the Wellness Organizer™ to prioritize and achieve your goals.

• Build community!

  The Power of a Teacher is loaded with discussion questions to create the kind of interaction and dialogue among you and your colleagues that will build the support and accountability you need to live and teach well.

The Power of a Teacher is scheduled for release Spring 2012 through Intermedia Publishing.
Pre-order it Today