It Won't Be Easy

Tom Rademacher is an English teacher in Minneapolis. His writing has appeared in EdPost, MinnPost, and on his blog, Mr. Rad’s Neighborhood, and he speaks about teaching at universities, conferences, and TEDx events. In 2014 he was honored as Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year.Dave Eggers is author of ten books, including, most recently, Heroes of the Frontier. He is the founder of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing house in San Francisco, California, and cofounder of 826 National, a network of eight tutoring centers around the country.

• ContentsForewordDave EggersIntroduction: The RulesPart I. SummerWelcome to the ShitshowThe InterviewGetting Along with GrownupsCrappy Job, Great CareerPart II. FallExtra Pants and Other Teacher EssentialsWatch Your MouthFear, Anger, and Controlling a ClassroomSo, You Think You’re a Terrible TeacherPart III. WinterThe Goddamn InternetThe Worst Advice EverWhite Guy BullshitWhen Kids Work for ChangePart IV. SpringGive Your Room to the KidsLiberal Racism, Racist Racism, and the Middle RoadWhen Bad Things HappenI QuitPart V. Summer, AgainLet Me Tell You About These KidsIndex

"Besides the fact that it is truly laugh out loud funny, this book stands in for what so many teachers need: the teacher-friend whose room you can stomp into when you need empathy over your lack of coolness; the friend who will make you feel better about the mistakes you made, who will celebrate your crazy schemes, who will help you find your reasons why you need to come back when you want to quit. That kind of friend is a rare and precious person who doesn’t exist on many campuses, so thank God that Tom gave us one in book form that’s portable enough to take wherever we need companionship."-Shanna Peeples, 2015 National Teacher of the Year"In a breath of fresh air called Tom Rademacher, we get that desperately needed voice of a teacher who loves his kids enough to challenge us to think differently. It Won't Be Easy gets us into the classroom and on the path to new ways of educating and valuing the next generation."-R.T. Rybak, former mayor of Minneapolis, President and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation, and author of Pothole Confidential: My Life as Mayor of Minneapolis"Rademacher does not hold back... his honest, inspiring, and often humorous book will appeal to teachers, future teachers, and those interested in education."-Booklist"Many of these narratives are studded with insights into the art of teaching."-Library Journal"Rademacher's classroom wisdom is suitable for anyone who is trying to communicate effectively with children, especially adolescents."-Pioneer Press