Teaching as an Act of Love: Thoughts and Recollections of a Former Teacher, Principal and Kid (Paperback)

~ Richard Lakin (Author)
Key Phrases: Richard Lakin, Act of Love, Bun Bun (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The author, a former elementary school teacher and principal, conveys in this collection of thought-provoking, humorous and heartwarming pieces, written over the past 35 years, that teaching and learning are essentially acts of love.

Richard Lakin’s collection is geared to teachers, principals, parents, and all those concerned with making schools more loving and effective for each child. He presents a close look at his school staff working together to create both a caring, challenging learning environment and a real partnership between school and home.

In today’s high stakes and test obsessed world, Teaching as an Act of Love encourages teachers as they remember why they entered teaching in the first place—to zero in on the individual child, “the whole child” and encourage the love of learning. In the 55 informative and optimistic pieces in the book, Richard proposes more personalized “smaller caring schools of choice,” where the child comes first, where bureaucracy, testing and NCLB are minimized and where a loving school climate and kindness prevail.

• Just right for leisurely inspirational reading—a great gift for teachers or teachers in-training



• A perfect springboard for thought-provoking discussions and to explore new directions in Teacher and/or Parent Study Groups

Visit Richard’s website www.thanks2teachers.com

About the Author

As an elementary school teacher, principal and child advocate, Richard Lakin has worked and learned alongside youngsters, their teachers and parents since the mid-1960s. A people person at heart, his lifework in Connecticut and Jerusalem has been devoted to helping each child thrive in an accepting, caring and challenging school setting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (November 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595461557
• ISBN-13: 978-0595461554
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaching As An Act of Love is a real winner!, January 7, 2008

By	Nancy Schumann - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Teaching as an Act of Love is a real winner for anyone interested in kids and in education! Written with love, humor, insight, and humility, Lakin gives numerous real life examples of what works and what doesn't work in schools. The title says it all. Teaching IS an act of love,

As a retired French and Special Education teacher, I could relate to the basic premise of the book and enjoyed following Lakin through his many adventures in dealing with elementary school students. I laughed at the many examples of delightful children being themselves, empathized with feelings of bewilderment, got annoyed at the narrow "bean counter" approach to education. And I smiled many, many times as the difficulties melted away when genuine caring and professional expertise prevailed. Lakin is to be complimented for including all the school staff into his book, because, as all teachers know, everyone contributes a meaningful part to the whole effort..

I was impressed with Lakin's dealings with parents, always seeking what is best for the student, and engaging to help the parents provide meaningful support. He clearly understands that "One size does NOT fit all". This philosophy of education based on caring, discipline, listening, and acting out of commitment to the child touched me deeply.

This is a book for everyone!! Parents, teachers, all school personnel, and former kids will enjoy and be inspired by Lakin's experiences and philosophy. He takes us through his education career, showing us his vulnerabilities, and his capacity to find solutions through imagination, listening, and love. Congratulations to Richard Lakin for presenting us with an amazingly readable book about an amazingly complex subject: education.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars honest advocacy, January 2, 2008

By	Martha Gilburg "Martha Johnson Gilburg" (So. Hadley, MA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Richard Lakin, a teacher and principal, speaks from long experience, learning from, modeling, and advocating for, caring classrooms which nourish children in their developing years. A refreshing and inspirational collection of stories for teachers and school systems who dare to make essential interventions in the health of our culture as a whole.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only the test centered "experts" would listen!, January 2, 2008

By	Suzanne J. Weiner (Ogunquit, Maine,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With his wealth of experience and warm, anecdotal style, Richard Lakin advocates for teachers to have the freedom to create an atmosphere in the classroom that encourages cooperation and enthusiastic learning. A wonderful book for any administrator, teacher, parent or grandparent who hopes that learning can be more than simply "teaching to the test."