A friend recently gave me a copy of Lynda Mullaly Hunt's Fish in a Tree . I devoured the middle-grade book in just two days, and I ended it wanting to be more like the main character's teacher, Mr. Daniels. This book reminded me of why I wanted to be a teacher. Growing up, school was a safe place for me. I felt accepted, and I knew I knew that I had adults who cared about me and that showed an unwavering commitment to making sure I learned and, most importantly, felt safe. That is exactly who Mr. Daniels is. Ally Nickerson, the main character, suffers from dyslexia. She knows she's different from everyone else, and a few of her peers make her painfully aware that they notice it too. But things change when Mr. Daniels becomes their teacher. He treats all students with respect, and he works to show every student that all types of learning are valued. With less than a month before school starts, this is who I want to be. Remaining steadfastly positive is so difficult wh
Lessons from a novice teaching life