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Energy!
Graves, D. H. (2001). The energy to teach. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Graves (2001) writes about the emotional roller-coaster of teaching. 'Emotional roller-coasters demand energy - high energy - and you need to know how to maximise what gives you energy and minimise what takes it away' (p. 2). Over a number of years, Graves interviewed primary school and secondary school teachers, administrators, academics, students and parents. He began the interviews with the question: 'Tell me what gives you energy, (what) takes it away, and what for you is a waste of time' (p. 4). A large number of interviews were conducted face to face, by telephone and via email. Six ongoing interviews, lasting ... several months, provided opportunities for further exchange of views and reflection.
Graves highlights key themes from the interviews, including:
Energy draining
- Lack of control over time and space
- Lack of support
- Difficult children
- Family commitments
Energy giving
- Students
- Colleagues
- Professional contacts
- Family
- Music
- Informed effective teamwork
- Leadership based on common vision.
Graves provides many examples of case studies and strategies for engaging in reflection on, and action in, one's own practices as a teacher. In particular, he focuses on proactively engaging in energy-giving activities. He also looks to other sources of energy, such as the students, the classroom, the curriculum, colleagues, learning, assessment, exchanges with parents, decision making and lifestyle choices.