Teaching With Intention, A New Book for Teachers
Debbie Miller’s Latest for Classroom Teachers of all Grade Levels
Aug 31, 2008
Several years ago, Denver first grade teacher Debbie Miller published her much lauded Reading with Meaning [2002] aimed at elementary reading teachers. Now she follows that title with the just released Teaching with Intention, a book that will speak to teachers of all grades, primary and beyond, and all experience levels.
Miller’s Book is Accessible and Practical
Debbie Miller’s new book is a fast read. And in the life of a busy teacher, that’s a huge plus. It is also a significant read, focusing on defining beliefs and the importance of being a reflective, purposeful teacher. But Miller’s book is also surprisingly practical.
Given it’s rather erudite title, a reader might suspect Miller of drifting into territory that is overly esoteric. But in fact, after laying out her thesis in a very conversational first twenty pages, Miller, in the second section of the book, plunges into the nitty gritty of a teacher’s everyday life in the classroom.
She offers suggestions on how to organize a classroom and how to create a learning environment that supports and promotes thinking. But then she goes further, laying out the steps needed to create lessons based on a teacher’s core principles; and she even provides graphic organizers that can be used as is, or edited to suit individual needs.
Debbie Miller’s Core Beliefs About Teaching
In her introduction, Miller claims it doesn’t matter so much which core beliefs a teacher holds, but rather it only matters that the teacher takes time to develop a set of grounding principles that guides the day-to-day work with children. But in fact, Miller has developed a set of specific and authoritative core beliefs about teaching; and she doesn’t hesitate to communicate those principles to the reader. In fact, chapters three through eight are subtitled with statements describing Miller’s convictions.
Miller decries scripted lessons throughout the book, but then she offers scripts of her own demonstration lessons. The temptation is to take her scripted lessons and use them as a teaching manual. However, that is not Miller’s intention, as evidenced in Chapter Five when she says she shares the lessons “not because I’m hoping you’ll turn around and do it with your kids…The point is to know…your beliefs, your students, and the environment you are creating. [Then you] can create purposeful lessons at any time that make sense and meet [your] children’s need precisely.” [p.68]
One potential frustration, when reading a book like Teaching with Intention, is the inclination to view Miller’s experience as being in a setting different from that of the reader, and to picture her as always having been a master teacher. The average teacher may feel he or she has no hope of living up to Miller’s level of competence.
Miller has made a point of taking her teaching into a variety of challenging classrooms throughout the country. And she frequently reminds her readers that she didn’t always teach the way she does now. She struggled, messed up, missed opportunities to extend learning. Developing into the kind of teacher Miller eventually became is a journey. And Miller intends her book to be a guide to help other teachers who are on that journey. Teachers who take the time to study and reflect on her book will appreciate her guidance.
About Author Debbie Miller
Debbie Miller is an experienced educator with thirty years experience teaching primary grades in the Denver Public Schools. Miller now consults with schools and districts to plan and develop literacy programs. She is a staff developer with the Denver-based Public Education and Business Coalition. She formerly served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, and currently holds that position at Regis University.
Her previous book, Reading with Meaning [2002] was published by Stenhouse Publishers. Reading with Intention [2008] is also published by Stenhouse; ISBN: 978-1-57110-387-1.
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