Book Review

Book Review on What Great Teachers Do Differently:

17 Things That Matter Most

Todd Whitaker is a professor of educational leadership at Indian State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. He has written many books according to his own experience and many studies. One of them is What Great Teachers Do Differently 17 Things That Matter Most, a nonfiction book. This title can arouse people’s attention and interest in reading this book.

This book is the second edition and has added three new parts to the first edition. On the cover, the word “differently” is painted colorful, and the original number “14” is crossed out in red and changed to “17.” The main space of the cover includes a photo of butterflies; four dull colored little butterflies, and one colorful and huge butterfly. Butterfly means change, so four dull butterflies changed to a big and colorful butterfly which stands for the author’s to desire teachers and readers who can change education to an interesting and promising activity. This information reminds readers the main idea and some changes about this book. The author wants improve education in America, so the book provides 17 useful tips for educators.

The special dedication was written for his three children, after that is the introduction about author and acknowledgement of those who helped him. On the back cover and before the dedication, readers obtain more information about the author’s other books, which include 50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior, Dealing With Difficult Parents, What Great Principals Do Differently, and others.

In the table of contents, there are nineteen chapters to explain the author’s ideas. Readers can easily understand the organization of this book clearly. The first chapter introduces the background and explains why we need to learn tips from great teachers. The second to the eighteenth chapters explain the attitudes and actions of great teachers. The last chapter introduces the author’s own experience on how to be a great teacher, and enlightens readers and educators teaching methods. The framework of this book is very clear, brief, and easy to read.

With organized the framework, Whitaker also makes efforts to polish the words of this book. The author uses simple words to express his ideas. Therefore, international students can understand the whole meaning of this book. To explain the contents of this book, Whitaker adds many examples, so these examples also help readers to connect to the author’s meaning.

In chapter one, Whitaker asks which kind of teachers can be great teachers. If schools desire to improve their reputation and to cultivate excellent students, they should have several great teachers. Great teachers do not rely on dull, platitudes and clichés. Great teachers have faith which they develop and maintain. They are very sensitive and sharp to observe their students, and they often receive feedback from students’ behavior. The author provides an example of a teacher who has taught fifth grade thirty-eight years. Her secret is that she maintain her energy and enthusiasm. She may be getting older, but her students are new and fresh faces every year, she is quoted as saying. The question and example is very appropriate, which creates a good beginning, so readers will ask this question as they read this book. After reading this book, they may have a clear answer about how to be a great teacher.

In the last chapter, the author expresses some of his own experiences and attitudes about being a great teacher. Whitaker persuades readers and educators to try to make a plan for educating activity. No matter what happen or who speaks, teachers should think whether or not it is right for the student. Teachers lead students to be excellent through teaching lessons. As the author say “Think of it as a blueprint. The teachers are the architects. The lessons are the foundation. The students move into the building and fill it with life and meaning” (p. 121). Teachers are just like compasses that steer students in the right direction. Teachers tell students how to retain knowledge and create their own future. They only need to obtain the outline from teachers because students will use their own methods to explore this world and discover new things. The author emphasizes how these young lives contain much creativity and energy which is beyond our imagination.

In chapter twelve, the author introduces “The Ability to Ignore,” which means teachers should ignore the minor mistakes of students. When teachers learn how to tolerate their students’ little faults, students may acquire more private space and less pressure in school because they desire to receive understanding from teachers. In school, teachers scold their students when they are wrong; however, they can use another way to express their attitude and opinions, according to Whitaker. Readers may wonder why teachers sometimes obsess on find these mistakes. One of the reasons is that they forget the ability to ignore. “Great teachers have the ability to ignore trivial disturbances and the ability to respond to inappropriate behavior without escalating the situation” (p. 77). Therefore, Whitaker appeals to teachers as far as possible to overlook these minor mistakes of students, and attempt to not respond negatively when students try to challenge authority. Students will feel more freedom and less stress in schools because of teachers’ tolerance.

In chapter ten, the author introduces the idea that great teachers should be like a filter to prevent other teachers and students from negative opinions. Great teachers will overlook these passive words and criticism because they are willing to protect other teachers and students’ respect. They believe that negative opinions cannot help students’ and others teachers correct their mistakes. Therefore, great teachers listen to the complaint, but will not tell it to others. This advice is great; however, the author does not provide any tips for those who always listen to the passive words. They need to take actions to release emotions; otherwise, they could wooen into desperate feelings. It is not good for listeners’ physical and psychological health. Furthermore, it may influence the teaching process and create hidden dangers in future work.

Whitaker makes me believe that teaching is a process that teachers and students help each other to explore and discover new objects. Teachers also will receive some experiences. These discoveries may help teachers to enhance their teaching methods and teaching theory. Teaching is never a one way activity because teachers receive feedback and students retain knowledge. In this process, both sides complete themselves, and both sides will become more sophisticated.

This book is an excellent, readable book for in-service and pre-service Whitaker’s book makes this very clear. Even administrators can derive some useful information from it. Maybe readers just have a vague image about what a great teacher is, or how the great teacher could be. Nevertheless, after reading the book, readers will get a clear idea about great teachers. Readers can derive more feeling and gain more experience if they compare the author’s theory with their real life in the process of reading this book.

This book published by Routledge and is available. Readers can purchase it on Amazon. The price is $26.29 for paperback.