Just Teaching

This beautifully written, refreshing, and highly intelligent book highlights the much-overlooked human side of teaching. But it's not "fluff." Jonathan Eckert demystifies the complexity of education and shines a spotlight on three necessary teaching elements, helping readers focus on what matters-to change the life of each student. -- Megan Allen, NBCT, Founder, 2010 Florida Teacher of the Year Leave it to Jonathan Eckert to take a phrase that conjures up the skin crawl of proverbial nails on a chalkboard, use it as a book title, and then convince the reader to embrace it! Just Teaching does just that. Although "this book is only about three things," the synergy of well-being, engagement, and feedback as explored in these eight chapters create a powerful design of the essentials to teach each student well. Educators who prepare, are prepared, or are preparing to teach will benefit from this thoughtful work of inspiring stories and practical tools. -- P. Ann Byrd, President of CTQ With Just Teaching, Jonathan Eckert has written the right book for the right moment. District and school leaders are seeking coherent ways to frame the important work of academic recovery in a post-pandemic world. Eckert helps us by naming the FEW areas we must prioritize. His straightforward language along with built-in application tools allow even the busiest practitioners to read this book and-more important-use it with their teams in service of supporting students! -- Joan Dabrowski, Chief Academic Officer, Baltimore City Public Schools The dehumanization of American education on many fronts in the wake of a pandemic has often left teachers and students feeling alienated, like cogs in a broken system that no longer cares. The solution is as it has always been: in the eternity altering spark exchanged between caring teacher and engaged student. In Just Teaching, Jonathan Eckert injects new life and passion into this most noble profession, providing simple yet refreshingly creative strategies for engaging students, advancing their well-being, and restoring joy into the schoolhouse. This book will make teachers remember why they love what they do! -- Jay Ferguson, Head of School, Grace Community School, Tyler, TX What a great book-for those beginning their training and for those in induction programs, as well as for all those already in the classrooms. Eckert reminds us of the power, complexity, simplicity, and joys of teaching. He asks us to savor the time as teachers, and make the experience meaningful to you, your students, and your colleagues. And he backs this with so many ways of thinking and doing that remind us daily of why we all entered this profession: to maximize our impact on others. -- John Hattie, Author, VISIBLE LEARNING (R) series Jonathan Eckert's joy and admiration for the teaching profession has led him to create a book for teachers that combines a mix of practical advice with life-giving advice for finding the joy in the work. In Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student, he shares advice and research about finding the essential parts of the job while also serving each student. In a time when our schools and communities need teachers more than ever, this book provides a road map for new teachers to begin their profession focusing on the most important aspects of the work and gives experienced teachers space to reclaim their enjoyment of teaching. Woven throughout are practical exercises for reflection, entertaining stories, and research supporting the practices he recommends. "Each educator matters because each student matters" and this book is a road map for making teaching a joy-filled and sustainable profession. And, he wouldn't be a former eduwonk without including a one pager to summarize all this useful advice. -- JoLisa Hoover, US Department of Education Teaching, Ambassador Fellow, 2008, 2014, 2015 It is easier than ever to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of demands placed on educators. In Just Teaching, Jonathan Eckert reminds us that while our plates as teachers may be perennially overfilled, success in the classroom often boils down to a handful of factors that, if approached thoughtfully, can often equal success. Eckert backs these claims up with deep and compelling research and provides his readers with a pile of proven tools for implementing these approaches in their classes. Just Teaching is that rare book that seamlessly blends scholarship, philosophy, and practicality and will be on my list to buy for almost every teacher I know. -- Matthew Johnson, Author, Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Middle and High School ELA Jonathan Eckert delivers a powerhouse book that every educator (and parent) needs now. Students are struggling like never before, and Eckert's Just Teaching clearly explains why every child must be seen, heard, and loved and how to get there. This book is an urgent must read. -- David Magee, Bestselling author (Dear William) and a creator of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi Jonathan Eckert is a rare jewel among teacher educators today. He brings together a deep understanding of educational research, of practical classroom realities, and of the love of Christ. In Just Teaching, he draws on these understandings to pull us all back to the core of all teaching and learning: feedback, engagement, wellness. New and veteran educators will find this book revitalizing. -- Renee Moore, NBCT, BOD Vice Chair, Center for Teaching Quality Just Teaching is a must read for any teacher looking to build a strong classroom community where all voices are heard, students connect with the teacher and with each other, and take control of their learning. This book is needed today. In the state of our current world, students may feel more disconnected from each other face-to-face than ever. The truth is that no matter how much the teaching profession changes and evolves, the students who sit in front of us just want us to connect with and understand them. In this book, Jonathan Eckert brings us back to the heart and soul of teaching and how to rehumanize the classroom experience. -- Serena Pariser, Author, Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Creating a Dynamic Classroom At a time when parents are more engaged than ever in their children's education, Eckert offers practical strategies that parents and educators alike can embrace to help each child thrive in school. This book builds on its foundational advice to center love and relationships in a student's academic journey, and it models those central elements through anecdotes, tools, and resources to help students meet their goals. -- Jocelyn Pickford, Senior Affiliate, HCM Strategists Jonathan Eckert is one of my go-to sources of wisdom, as I have grown to trust him deeply by observing how he leads his family, his classroom, and his fellow faculty. He is an educator of educators. If you have been challenged by the new landscape of education, you will find an incredible guide in Jonathan Eckert and this much-needed resource! Please read it and share it with everyone in your field. -- Jonathan Pokluda, Bestselling author, host of the Becoming Something podcast, and lead pastor of Harris Creek This book reminds me so much of the work of Marva Collins and Gloria Ladson-Billings, two of my greatest SHEroes. Both felt that teaching was beyond curriculum, but it was a work of the heart. Teaching involves the heart of the teacher connecting with the heart of each student they may encounter. Jonathan Eckert's book provides a very practical way for all teachers to learn the skill of seeing each student for who they are and reaching them where they are, so that the classroom becomes a cocoon for all children to develop into beings who can soar to the greatest heights. -- Anika Prather, Director of High Quality Curriculum and Instruction at the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University and Lecturer at Howard University Just Teaching is refreshingly honest, clear, and heart centered. Reading Jonathan Eckert's stories and using his tools is an opportunity for all of us to bring joy back into the classroom. Just Teaching simplifies the complex issues so we can focus on what is most essential to our well-being and the success of our students. -- Carol Pelletier Radford. Author, Teaching With Light: Ten Lessons for Finding Wisdom, Balance, and Inspiration Student engagement is critical to learning but too many students are disengaged, and studies show an alarming drop in student engagement in advanced grade levels. Jonathan Eckert combines a thoughtful analysis of the root causes of this challenge with highly practical solutions for educators to be more successful in connecting with and engaging each individual student. Eckert shares a compelling vision for educators, parents, and leaders at the system level to better support and engage each individual student in their learning journey. -- Kristan Van Hook, Senior Vice President of Policy at the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching