Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Education

Beat burnout and bring joy back to teaching—and learning. Recharge the optimism that made you an educator in the first place! School is where students and staff should feel safe, engaged, and productive—and choosing optimism is the first step toward restoring healthy interactions necessary for enacting real change. In this book, learn to implement the Five Principles of Deliberate Optimism. Research-based strategies, practical examples, and thought-provoking scenarios help you Rediscover motivation Take a positive view of events beyond your control Build an optimistic classroom where students flourish Partner with other stakeholders to create an optimistic learning environment Take the road to new potential and positive outcomes! With a healthy dose of humor to make it fun, Deliberate Optimism shows you the actual differences a change in attitude can make. “This book provides a framework for taking responsibility in classrooms, choosing to see the positives, dealing with problems rather than dwelling on them, recognizing choices are always available, and building relationships with all in the school community.” Charla Buford Bunker, Literacy Specialist Great Falls High School Sun River, MT “The authors have a realistic view of a teacher’s daily life and provide realistic solutions for teachers to embrace optimism and positivity in a myriad of situations.” Kati Searcy, Teacher Mountain Park ES Roswell, GA “This book is a nice synthesis of current research and classic literature about climate, culture, and the environmental context of the classroom and the teachers’ lounge.” Chris Hubbuch, Principal Excelsior Springs Middle School

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction Chapter 1. Choosing to Become a Teacher Is a Telling Vote for Optimism Chapter 2. I'm Not an Optimist, but Hopefully, One Day I Will Be Chapter 3. "But We Have This ONE Teacher Who Keeps Ruining Things for Everyone!" Chapter 4. Building Healthy Relationships and an Optimistic Shared Community Chapter 5. Creating the Optimistic Classroom: Building a Relationship Culture Chapter 6. Reclaiming the Joy in Our Classrooms and Our Curriculum Chapter 7. Balancing Your Life to Promote Optimism Chapter 8. Joyful School Communities: The Sum of Their Parts Appendix References Index

About the Author :
Dr. Debbie Silver is a humorist, consultant, and retired educator with over thirty years of experience as a classroom teacher, staff development facilitator, and university professor. As a classroom teacher, Debbie won numerous awards, including the 1990 Louisiana Teacher of the Year award. She speaks worldwide on issues involving education and is a passionate advocate for students and teachers.  Debbie wrote the best-selling books, Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers and Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8. She co-wrote the best-selling Teaching Kids to Thrive. In 1990, Debbie Pace and Lawrence Silver merged their families of 3 boys (Debbie) and 2 boys (Lawrence) as they married and eventually both earned their doctorate degrees (to form a “pair-a-docs”). They currently reside in Melissa, TX.  One of the nation’s most popular keynote speakers and professional development presenters, Debbie has given presentations around the world (including 49 states [Hey, Delaware, let’s talk!], Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, and Asia), helping audiences to interact with students on a more meaningful level.  While inspiring educators to enjoy the job they once loved, she reminds them of how important they are in the lives of children, their families, and the world. Through her writing and her speaking she makes essential points while sharing poignant stories and lots of laughs. Jack Berckemeyer is a nationally recognized presenter, author, and humorist, Jack Berckemeyer began his career as a middle school teacher in Denver, Colorado. After only two years, he was recognized as the outstanding educator at his school and in his district. Then in 2003, Jack received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Falcon School District. Jack has also served as a judge for the Disney American Teacher Awards and has served on the selection committee for the USA TODAY All-Teacher Team. Jack has a master’s degree in Middle Level Education as well as an administrator’s degree. For 13 years, Jack served as the Assistant Executive Director for the National Middle School Association. He is the owner of Berckemeyer Consulting Group where he has presented in hundreds of school districts and conference settings both nationally and internationally.   Jack is known not only for his keynotes and workshops but is also highly regarded as one of the best long-term professional developers in the country. Jack is best-practice focused and research-based. He is in high demand and enjoys working with districts that truly want to see measurable changes. As the owner and director of NUTS and BOLTS—the Never Boring Conference for Educators Jack brings conferences for educators to a whole new level of engagement by focusing on best practices, and offering realistic and practical hands-on tools to increase success for educators, schools and students. He is the author of Managing the Madness: A Practical Guide to Middle Grades Classrooms; Taming of the Team: How Great Teams Work Together; How to Do Virtual Teaching Even If You Have a Face for Radio; and numerous educational articles. In addition, he is the lead author of the comprehensive professional development curriculum: Elements of Effective Teaming. Jack has also co-authored Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Education (with Debbie Silver and Judith Baenen); The What, Why, and How of Student-Led Conferences (with Patti Kinney), and H.E.L.P. for Teachers (with Judith Baenen). His latest book, Successful Middle School Teaming, was released fall of 2022 and is the companion guide to, The Successful Middle School:This We Believe.   Jack lives in Denver, Colorado and has no pets or plants.

Review :
"Deliberate Optimism reminds us that we have far more control than we realize.  The refreshing and encouraging perspective helps us tackle our daily challenges and offers concrete actions and introspective suggestions that capture our true sense of efficacy as a professional.  By heeding the message, we can become empowered to do whatever we can to make a difference with our students, in our classrooms, and throughout our schools.   It affirms that “Can Do” attitude and culture that I witness in the National Forum’s Schools to Watch middle grades initiative across the country.  The message of Deliberate Optimism reinforces my personal, coping strategy of humming “Keep on the Sunny Side” when I encounter negativity and challenges!" "The monologue about teachers has been pretty awful over the past few years. Teachers did not get into the profession to be kicked around during political campaigns, they got into education because of a love for children, and a passion for learning. Deliberate Optimism is for all of those teachers who have lost or forgotten that along the way. Read this book…and regain your optimism." “Teaching is tough, but it's not supposed to be masochistic. Sometimes teachers forget that taking care of ourselves is an important part of the job. Deliberate Optimism helps educators learn how refill our mental and emotional gas tanks – or at least increase our fuel efficiency.” "I can't think of anyone more effective in helping us teachers bring joy and optimism to our work than Debbie Silver.  And that also goes for providing us with instructional strategies to help our students want to do the same." "Students have a right to see someone in the front of the room who is confident, competent, and incurably optimistic. Too often, the status quo in classrooms and buildings is decidedly—and powerfully—negative. Every district leader and building principal should put this book in the hands of teachers and teacher assistants—and then model the kind of deliberate optimism teachers have a right to expect from their leaders." "You'll love this book! The authors offer a prescription for schools that costs nothing but has been proven to be invaluable: joy. By the time you finish this book, you'll find yourself truly optimistic about the future of education. If you are interested in improving education, be deliberate and grab copies of this book for everyone in your school district. It will remind you how smiles - not standards - are the secret to inspiring lifelong learning." "This book is a must-have resource for experienced as well as novice teachers. Easy to read and implement, it offers a wealth of sensible, realistic, and inspiring advice about how to successfully manage the daily business of being a classroom teacher. Its positive message is simply empowering!" "A must read for every educator. This book details why they must work to maintain their optimism and how they can do that—and does this with a twist of humor. Nothing important can be accomplished without optimism. Since teaching is a task of highest importance, this book should be read by anyone who is, or aspires to be, a teacher. In an era of relentless criticism and overriding pessimism about our educational system, this book will lift the spirits of all who work in schools." "With so much negativity heaped on education today there is a need for sources of inspiration and this book provides it. Not only is the book a singular call to arms for teachers to reclaim their joy but within these pages are real strategies for healing our souls and growing positive, nurturing classrooms. Bravo my friends, we needed this book!" "Deliberate Optimism is what every teacher needs before the start of school, in the midst of the longest months of teaching, and at the end of the academic year. The work of Silver, Berckemeyer, and Baenen is insightful, uplifting and engaging! The book is inspiring and reminds all educators that they are in control of their own happiness and can transfer that happiness and optimism to students." "Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Education is a highly relevant and engaging book that goes directly to the heart and soul of what education should be, not what it has come to be.  The authors offer practical suggestions on how to reclaim what we have lost in the struggle to keep students, learning, and relationships at the core of educational practice.  Their suggestions provide a pathway for educators to take deliberate personal action to reject the increasingly dehumanizing and deadening effects of politicization and corporatization of education. Deliberate Optimism provides us with hope that the joy in education, which attracted us to our profession, is still available; it is just waiting for each of us to take deliberate action to reclaim it." "Debbie asked me to review this book and I said, Depends.  As in, the countenance product – I knew I would need them while reading a book by her and Jack and Judith.  I didn’t know I would need Kleenex too, as I found myself dabbing at tears of both joy and released frustrations.  These authors are the most insightful, funniest, and now I will add, compassionate, minds in education today.  Their practical tips about maintaining and rebuilding realistic optimism are, in our students’ vernacular, Da bomb!  This book has great wisdom no matter what your profession, or lack thereof.  Mahalo!"     "The Universe provides.  Debbie asked me to review this book at a time when I was facing new and daunting challenges both at home and the workplace.  Deliberate Optimism offers not only encouragement, but much more importantly, practical steps for maintaining and rebuilding realistic optimism at work, home, wherever.  Their insights are grounded in the real world of too little funding, too much criticism, too many demands, too little time, etc.  And they show how to find and nurture light there.  Mahalo, Debbie, Jack and Judith!" "This is such an important book for every classroom teacher.  I wish schools would keep a copy in the faculty room so teachers can get practical ideas for finding the fun in working with students!  I love how the book provides deliberate strategies that help teachers overcome the everyday bumps in the road that accompany the classroom.  Thank you Debbie, Jack, and Judith for reminding us that teaching kids should be joyful!" "Blind optimism is no more effective than blind pessimism when it applied to providing children a good education. Thankfully respected educators Silver, Berckmeyer and Baenen offer optimism as a tool with eyes wide-open. While acknowledging the challenges - social, political and professional - of today's teachers, the authors describe and promote concrete strategies for building, sustaining, and using optimistic behaviors to improve professional effectiveness. A great book for whole school discussion - or to simply read for personal uplift, Deliberate Optimism belongs on every teacher and administrator's bookshelf - and hearts." "Justice and self-improvement are interdependent. You can't change yourself without working to change your world; and you can't change your world without working to change yourself. With realistic scenarios, clear, sympathetic suggestions, and funny off-hand references to The Big Bang Theory and Harry Potter, Debbie Silver and her co-authors help educators tackle the latter half of this interdependence in _Deliberate Optimism_. In this book we are offered tools to cultivate the fund of energy and creativity we all need to set in motion real change."   "The focus of this book is on optimism and the development of a school environment where students and staff feel safe, engaged and productive. The book opens with over fifteen comments from teachers that praise the authors for their ‘sensible, realistic and inspiring advice…simply empowering!’  So does the book live up to this? The authors all include the word ‘humorous’ in their descriptions of themselves, allied to a wealth of experience as teachers, consultants and presenters. Debbie Silver is the author of ‘Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Teaching Kids to Succeed’, which I have previously reviewed here. The book is built around five principles of deliberate optimism which include: Establish what you can control and seek tools and strategies to help you maximize your power Take ownership of your plan and acknowledge responsibility for your choices These principles are then linked to Action Steps and Points for Discussion, with illustrations of what can be controlled and what cannot. The authors also stress the importance of finding joy and optimism through striving for balance and developing the skill of ‘Single-Tasking’ as opposed to multitasking. The appendix contains exercises, sample happiness and optimism tests, team building exercises and suggestions for using humour and managing stress. This is an interesting book that would have benefited possibly from some cartoons or other visual content to balance its quest for optimism and joy."