"Everyone is allotted a miracle worker, but they don't realize it until they accept the fact that they need one. Most people don't believe they need help, so they don't get it. The other part of my job is to sense when someone cares profoundly about a person or people and wants to make a positive impact. I know then that he or she is ready for a miracle, and I show up." So says Barnabus, a mythical mentor to a young teacher during the first term of her career, in Six Promises of the Golden Pair, a compelling guide for educators written in the form of a simple fable. It's easy for teachers to feel like they should have all the answers that they are just supposed to make things work. It's also hard for teachers to ask for help, especially when that seems to only bring on more work. But what if a "miracle worker" like Barnabus showed up in your classroom one morning and greeted you with, "I'll take you back to the fundamentals of learning and teaching-fundamentals you know but have forgotten. You will need these fundamentals if you are serious about making a difference." Would you be skeptical? Would you wonder if he was a mole for the administration? And what would you do when he mentioned time travel? Would you even have time for that? Alexandra Penn, EdD, knows the world of education. As an educator for over twenty-five years, working in a myriad of roles-teacher, administrator, and consultation-she knows the stresses, time constraints, and desires that teachers have. And as a salute to all of that, she wrote this funny and inspiring fable of a young teacher's journey, as she is led by her strange-but-sage, time-traveling mentor toward educator's bliss: actually making a difference! This slim volume offers real, practical advice in an easy-to-read format that will make you laugh and reignite your ambitions to change the world, one student at a time. With the state of education these days, teachers are often confronted with overcrowded classrooms paired with overambitious expectations thrust upon them from outside forces. On top of that, now teachers are being asked to teach to multiple learning styles. In such a chaotic environment, how is success possible? The author believes that every child can learn, and that one-to-one teaching is always possible, no matter how many students a teacher has. Through her story of "time travel and platonic dialogue," she reminds teachers of the basic principles that often get buried beneath the pressures of day-to-day teaching. The secret of the "Golden Pair" is revealed as the special relationship between teacher and student. You will love Six Promises of the Golden Pair simply because it's a good story. And you will be surprised at just how much you learned in the reading of it. A great book for both new and experienced teachers, it is a reminder that it's never too late to learn. Even people outside of the world of education will enjoy the wisdom of this parable and be able to quickly apply its lessons within their lives and careers. Are you ready to go on an adventure with Barnabus? Prepare yourself; it will change your life.
About the Author: Alexandra Penn, EdD, has worked in the field of education for more than twenty-five years. Born and raised in New York City, she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hunter College of The City University of New York. She has worked with students of all ages and experienced both the classroom and administration. She has served as a trustee to Brevard Community College, a visiting professor at the University of Florida, and a special advisor to the Florida Commissioner of Education. The author has established herself as a respected school reformist in Florida, offering her services as a consultant through her school-choice consulting organization, GoldenPair & Company. She is also the creator of the first Aerospace Career Academy in Florida. A strong believer that every child can learn, she has written numerous professional articles as well as several books that focus on the importance of the student-teacher partnership.