

Lessons Learned
A Teach and Coach Reflects
How introspection, philosophy, and heartfelt bullshit can help you survive and thrive with your sanity, self-respect, and sense of humor intact.
Lessons from a Career Educator
An honest and introspective look at a teacher’s life. From early childhood through his retirement, Burke shares stories and lessons learned that helped him and can help you make it to the finish line. This is not the story of a Magical Teacher. Burke is an average individual working hard to be a good educator by trying first to be a decent person. Most of his anecdotes will make you laugh, some will make you cry (the good cry), a few will make you cringe, but all will make you think.
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“Burke’s writing is honest and engaging…(He) invites readers to reflect on their own experiences, whether as teachers, parents, or simply as individuals seeking to live meaningfully. The essays are not just about teaching—they are about learning from every moment, whether painful or joyful, and using those lessons to become better at whatever we do…As someone who enjoys stories that make me laugh and think, I found myself both entertained and moved. Lessons Learned is a wonderful reminder that life’s best lessons often come from the most unexpected places.”
“Fan-fu##ing-tastic! The combination of personal and practical philosophy joined alongside a spattering of professional pedagogy creates a completely original read, unlike anything I’ve experienced. This blend of work with life simultaneously speaks to the teacher-side of me while resonating with my everyday human journey. Tears and laughter, frustration and joy. The experience is one I will not forget.”
“This book is not really, or at least not all, about teaching. It's about teaching. And it's not. It's about a man's quest to examine his life and to live it meaningfully. It's a model for how we can learn from the most painful and the most joyful moments of our lives and use these lessons to make us better teachers, coaches, leaders, and people.”
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- 409 pages
- Paperback
- 5.5in × 8.5in
- Black & White
- 979-889988277-7