Preface

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear.” ― Tao Te Ching

Teaching has been an inspiration, which is one of the reasons I'm writing* this book. That inspiration, now motivation, came from my students and colleagues. And so I wanted to tell you their stories and how their influence awakened a renewing and animating spirit that for 39 years moved me to continue teaching. But just like I told my students. "Don't believe me. Don't believe me because I'm your teacher. I could be misinformed or mistaken. You have my invitation to be skeptical of everything I say, everything you hear and see and read.* 

Ask yourself, "Who said that? (based on what expertise) Who wrote this? Who paid for the making of this such and such media content or that video? What's the motivation behind this editorial or that brochure? Find other sources to prove or disprove what you learn from me or what you hear from anyone else.

*(Written in present tense, that sentence reveals that the writing of this book continues on NeuroUnique, one of my websites.)

Try these questions on this next sentence.

Teachers make a remarkable and unimaginable difference in the lives of their students.

Don't believe me, but take a look at this. Click HERE for example number one.

My thesis: teachers make little known but unimaginable differences in the lives of their students. But don't believe me... here's more.

Before we end, here is a list of “Must Sees” and “Must Reads”. 

Film: 1. Dead Poets Society. When watching, take notes about what Keating does that are characteristic of a great teacher.  We’ll compare notes when you’ve seen the film and read “Oh Captain, My Captain”. 

Books: 1. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature by Abraham Maslow