Real Talk for New Teachers: Tools for Building a Sustainable Career

Real Talk for New Teachers helps beginning teachers develop their vision and orient their practice toward a personally fulfilling, healthy, and sustainable career.

Having a sustainable career goes beyond buzzwords like self-care, and Farber and Bishop provide meaningful ideas for balancing the demands of the profession and getting the most out of it. Topics include managing health, time, and emotions; building community with students and families; collaborating with colleagues; creating an engaging curriculum; and leading a busy classroom.

Each chapter features loads of practical strategies, an approachable, encouraging tone, helpful inspirations, useful resources, space to write and reflect, and, most importantly, guidance to help you develop a personal action plan. Whether you read this book alone or with a mentor, you’ll come away with clear ways to cultivate strong learning communities and practices that support both personal and collective efficacy in this vital profession.

Dr. Katy Farber is an Assistant Professor of Education at Saint Michael’s College. She has over 25 years of education experience, including as a teacher and a professional development coordinator. Katy has authored or co-authored six books, regularly writes for educational journals and websites, and presents at conferences. Read more about her work at katyfarber.com.

Dr. Penny Bishop is Dean of Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. A former middle grades teacher, Penny has spent two decades researching effective school environments and teaching middle grades educators. This is her eighth co-authored book in the field of education.