The Well-Balanced Teacher

How to Work Smarter and Stay Sane Inside the Classroom and Out

By: Mike Anderson

Narrated by: Gary L Willprecht

Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

You've probably heard the advice put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. This is true both in airplanes and in classrooms. You have to take care of yourself before you can help someone else. If teachers are stressed out and exhausted, how can they have the patience, positive energy, and enthusiasm to provide the best instruction for students? Author Mike Anderson asked that question as a teacher himself, and the answers he found form the basis of The Well-Balanced Teacher. He found that teachers need to take care of themselves in five key areas to keep themselves in shape to care for their students.

In addition to paying proper attention to their basic needs for nutrition, hydration, sleep, exercise, and emotional and spiritual refreshment, teachers also need.

Belonging: Teachers need to feel positive connections with other people, both in school and outside school.

Significance: Teachers want to know that they make a positive difference through the work they do.

Positive engagement: When teachers enjoy their work, they have great energy and passion for their teaching.

Balance: Healthy teachers set boundaries and create routines so that they can have rich lives both in the classroom and at home.

Anderson devotes a chapter to each of these needs, describing in frank detail his own struggles and offering a multitude of practical tips to help readers find solutions that will work for them. When teachers find ways to take care of their own needs, they will be healthier and happier, and they will have the positive energy and stamina needed to help their students learn and grow into healthy adults.

The book is published by ASCD

©2010 ASCD (P)2012 Redwood Audiobooks

A+

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Great book for teachers...I listened to it during my hour commute to school. Every day after listening, I walked into my classroom with such a great attitude. Thanks! I'll be listening to this book again!

Highly recommend for all teachers!

I enjoyed reading this book at the beginning of my 6th school year. It reminded me of things I already try to do to keep my life balanced between work and home, and suggested other new things to try. It's only 4 hours long, so it's easy to listen through the whole thing in a few commutes to and from work. Fellow Teacher friends, check it out!

Regain your confidence in your teaching ability

I especially related to chapter 5 which talked about the confidence or lack thereof of teachers in their own abilities. This was an excellent book for teachers to read and gain more confidence in their training and learn to take care of themselves so they are in condition to be most effective with their students.

I loved this book! I NEEDED this book!

This was an excellent, quick read! It approached the self-care of teachers with a very positive outlook!

Good advice but dry

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The author has good advice but the reader is dry and difficult to listen to for long periods of time. This is a book you listen to in between other books for short periods.

A excellent read for homeschooling

I have two grade school homeschoolers who are different ages (and a toddler and a baby). There are days that are just too much. While I don’t have administration breathing down my back—I do have to keep track of important paperwork for my kids. There are days that I cannot even think well, get frazzled, and of course have to deal with different moods and tantrums throughout the day. This book was a great reminder to take care of yourself first then do what is important. While my experience is not like those in the book—I am still a teacher regardless and still struggle with “trying to do it all” (household management, child rearing, cooking, Doctor appointments, etc). This is read that I would listen again and again.

A Must Have Book for TEACHERS

This book is heaven sent. Thank you for writing this book. It has everything I have felt in my gut that I needed to do but for some reason I felt I needed someone to give me permission to do it. Thank you for sharing your experiences as a teacher and that of other teachers. The simple thing of taking care of ourselves as teachers is the most difficult. Thank you for empowering me and providing wonderful ideas to balance my life. Your book is a life changer. Thank you!

frustrtion.

I was looking for encouragement, but found frustraion instead. I did not finish the book, only the first two chapters. I found the ways the topics were covered to be depressing.