Contributing Author: Nanette Thorsen-Snipes
Reviewed by: Marjorie Vawter
Price: $10.19 (hardcover)
To order: Amazon
We all have a favorite teacher who in some way encouraged us, and no matter how many years later, we remember him or her with fondness. Wayne Holmes has compiled many of these memories in The Heart of a Teacher. The authors of this book tell stories of Sunday school teachers, elementary and high school teachers, workshop leaders at writers conferences, and other people who came alongside to mentor and encourage their students in various ways.
The sections, each with four or five stories to illustrate the various aspects of a teacher's heart, cover such topics as nurturing, example, discipline, strength, wisdom, influence, encouragement, and compassion.
As I read, I laughed and cried through many of the stories. I could relate many of the incidents to similar people in my life. As a teacher, I was encouraged and challenged by the stories: encouraged to keep pouring my life into the lives of my students; challenged to be persistent even when some students seem to reject what I want to impart to them about life principles. I was also challenged to encourage those who have taught me and mentored me by letting them know how they have impacted my life. If you're looking for something to encourage you when you feel you're having no effect on those you teach, you will find it in The Heart of a Teacher.
