Book excerpt: The life of a teacher is complex, and on the best days, you head home knowing that you have positively impacted the lives of your students and in a broader sense potentially bettered the world. Those are the days that you think about when you decide to become a teacher, those are the days they tell you about in college, those are the days you teach for, but those are not all the days. And those other days? Well, they don't get mentioned much, do they? This book is for those days, and sometimes weeks, months, years... when it's hard to see the fruit of the seeds you're planting. It's about developing the resilience to be the best educator in the dimmest of times and becoming the light for others in your field. It takes reflection, planning, and work, but it's all worth it to reclaim the joy in teaching. Joy in Teaching is a book to inspire reflection and to motivate action. This is a book for educators who see the need for a new approach to teaching for their students and themselves. It is for all those who want to know they are not alone when the profession they have dedicated their lives to begins to lose its joy. It is a beacon of light amidst the turbulent turmoil of a profession in which statistics prove has the ability to devour. Nobody decides on a career in education for selfish reasons. Those who choose this path have done so because they care deeply and desire strongly to make a difference. The rewards of teaching are great, but often it is not without sacrifice. Educators face pressures at all levels and each year more and more is added. No one benefits for frustrated or burned-out teachers. However, the benefits from happy, caring, strong teachers are immense. The time is now to reclaim the joy in teaching. Perfect for personal reading and for book studies and professional development, Joy in Teaching clearly lays out methods and tools to boost teacher resilience, reduce job-related stress, and support career retention in schools.