Strong Spirits, Kind Hearts is the first practical teacher resource to provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of developing strong spirits and caring young people. It is focused on middle years’ students but most lessons can be adapted for older and younger students as well. This resource describes ways to incorporate emotional and spiritual supports into daily routines and interactions with students and provides ready-to-use activities, lessons and units that can be integrated into subject area teaching. This book helps teachers to: understand the importance of strengthening students’ spirits and how this support improves students’ learning and classroom morale build resilience and hope through their interactions with students distinguish between the development of strong spirits and religious education use approaches that are respectful of religious and spiritual diversity as well as more secular views implement a wealth of strategies, lessons, and units that develop students’ compassion and sense of connection to others and the natural world integrate a focus on meaning and purpose within subject area lessons.

The second book in this series, Impacting Teaching and Learning: Contemplative Practices, Pedagogy, and Research in Education, demonstrates research-based practices from a variety of teacher education programs, bringing together a rich collection of voices from diverse settings. All of the authors in this book share their research investigating the varied ways learners respond to contemplative practices, and the skills and dispositions that contemplative practices cultivate in preservice teachers. Authors explore challenges faced institutionally, with students, and personnel.

The Way of the Teacher is the first comprehensive resource to support the full range of personal qualities needed for teachers to create safe and caring classrooms and develop an authentic presence – acting with compassion, insight, and integrity. Research has confirmed that personal growth is the foundation for professional fulfillment and increases student achievement yet few books exist which support teachers in this holistic way. This book is suitable for a broad audience including new and experienced teachers, pre-service teachers and university and college faculty in education programs as well teacher book clubs and school staffs.

Whether you’ve been a couple who has prayed together for many years or this is your first prayer devotional, inspiration is waiting for you in the daily prayers written here. Ultimately, prayer is a conversation with God. You don’t need to use fancy words or recite long passages of Scripture. Just talk to God. Open your heart. He adores you, and he’s listening to every word you say. Some days your prayers may be filled with gratitude, some days with repentance, and some with need. Just lay your heart and your prayers at the Father’s feet and wait for his powerful response. Be blessed as you connect daily with God and each other.