The title of this book should actually be changed to "The Things All Teachers Should Know". I really think that everything Kyle Schwartz put in this book is absolutely essential to every single teacher, classroom, and administrator...no matter what teaching philosophy you have, or how many years you've taught. If anything, this book would be a great refresher to read every year to get ready for the next. I wish I would have read it in college - it would be a great introduction to teaching textbook for preservice teachers as well.
Here are a few specific things I absolutely loved about the book:
0 Her undying emphasis on relationships, community, and team building
0 Her amount of research that she shares with her readers (even though sometimes the stats were depressing)
0 The tips and tricks she's found that have worked in her classroom
0 Things that have worked in both her classroom and school, on her own and with colleagues
0 The specific stories that were included
0 She included stories from other teachers as well
0 Focus on making things equitable, not equal
0 I love how she starts off with her personal childhood views about school (she didn't really love school as a kid)
0 We should not be our kids' friend - but we should ALWAYS make a point to be their allies.
0 I love the fact that there was an entire chapter dedicated to student character development
...And...
0 The focus on growth
And I know I'm not technically supposed to quote from the book until publication (which will July 12th, 2016) but...
"In an age of teacher and school accountability, we are missing the something if we don't teach our students that they are the ones who need to take ownership of their own learning."
**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids for free through NetGalley**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is subject to change until publication**