Coming Soon (Mid-April 2025) Educator Reflections : The Power of Our Stories

Authors

Pamela Kramer Ertel (ed)
Robyn Ridgley (ed)

Keywords:

Teacher education, educators, career reflections, teacher stories, aspire to teach, heros and mentors, pivotal moments

Synopsis

The monograph, Educator Reflections: The Power of Our Stories, highlights the diverse professional journeys of various educators within Middle Tennessee State University and their partner schools as they share their experiences in the teaching profession. Contributors represent all educational levels, from preschool through higher education.

Teachers from various levels recount their unique paths to the profession, emphasizing pivotal moments and acknowledging the heroes and mentors who influenced their professional development. These shared experiences aim to inspire and guide individuals at different stages of their careers, including those just considering teaching as a career, preservice teachers, current educators, and those nearing the conclusion of their educational journey who seek to continue making a positive impact.

The book concludes with targeted recommendations and insights designed to propel the profession forward in a constructive direction, motivating readers to engage further with the content and their professional development.

If you have ever considered a career in education at the preschool, elementary, or high school level, aspired to be a college professor, or been inspired by a remarkable teacher, you will find resonance in the powerful stories these incredible educators share. Their experiences highlight the profound impact of teaching and will leave you inspired to embark on or continue your journey in the field of education.

**This book will be published later in spring 2025, stay tuned!**

https://doi.org/10.56638/mtopb00325

Chapters

  • Preface, Dedication, and Acknowledgements
    Pamela Kramer Ertel , Robyn Ridgley
  • CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATOR REFLECTIONS
  • Introduction
    Pamela Kramer Ertel
  • CHAPTER 2: THE PATHS TO TEACHING
  • 2-1
    The Community of Scholars
    John Wallin
  • 2-2
    My Path to Teaching
    Cheryl Hitchcock 
  • 2-3
    Happy Students, Happy Life
    Kenneth George
  • 2-4
    The Challenge and Joy of Growing as a Mathematics Teacher
    Terrance Quinn
  • 2-5
    From Preschool Dropout to College Professor: An Unlikely but Positive Path
    Elissa Ledoux
  • 2-6
    The Unexpected Trajectory of My Career in Education
    Pamela Kramer Ertel
  • 2-7
    Fifty-One Years in Education
    Patricia Nelson
  • CHAPTER 3: IMPACTFUL HEROES AND MENTORS
  • 3-1
    Throwing Away the Syllabus
    Carla Swank Fox
  • 3-2
    Memories of My Favorite Heroes and Mentors
    Pamela Kramer Ertel
  • 3-3
    The Winding Path
    Ernie Reynolds
  • 3-4
    Echoes of the Past: A Mentor’s Voice Never Goes Silent
    Kendra Miller
  • 3-5
    The Scraper on the Gravel Road
    Seok Jeng Jane Lim, Christine Chen, James L. Hoot
  • 3-6
    It’s All About the Framing: How Mentorship Shaped my Perspective as an Early Career Teacher
    Rehab Ghazal
  • 3-7
    Teaching is a Work of Heart
    Christina Oats
  • CHAPTER 4: PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN CAREERS
  • 4-1
    Taking a Chance on Honors
    Bonnie Barksdale
  • 4-2
    Pivotal Paradigms
    Beverly Joan Boulware
  • 4-3
    Enacting Compassion in the Classroom
    Melody J. Elrod
  • 4-4
    You Are Not Alone
    Heather K. Dillard
  • 4-5
    Grow From What You Go Through
    Christina Oats
  • CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND POWER OF STORIES
    Robyn Ridgley, Pamela Kramer Ertel
  • About the Authors and Editors
  • Press Acknowledgements
book cover is turqoise background with stack of books with a lightbulb on top and this image is also reflected with an inverted and transparent replication

Published

April 1, 2025

Series

Lightning Series
Copyright (c) 2025 the Authors