ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Meet Milton G. Harris
Educator. Writer. Mentor. Lifelong Learner.
More than 25 years in education have taught me a great deal about teaching. They have taught me even more about growth, purpose, people, and myself.
MY STORY
I grew up in a small town outside of Selma, Alabama. My beginnings were modest, and many of the people, experiences, and values that shaped who I am today came from those early years in rural Alabama.
Education became another important part of that foundation. It expanded what I believed was possible and opened doors I could not have imagined when I was younger.
But my education did not end in a classroom or with a degree.
Some of my most important lessons have come from more than 25 years of standing in classrooms with students.
A LIFE IN EDUCATION
I began teaching in 2001 and have spent my career working with young people, particularly as a middle school science educator.
Over time, my work expanded into higher education, professional development, curriculum, mentoring, educational research, and doctoral faculty work.
Working with middle school students and graduate students at the same time has given me an interesting perspective. One group is beginning to discover who they are as learners. The other is often refining who they are as educators and leaders.
Both continually remind me that learning never really ends.
MORE THAN A TEACHER
Teaching is an important part of who I am.
But it is not all of who I am.
I am an educator, writer, mentor, distance runner, lifelong learner, and someone who continues to think deeply about growth, purpose, relationships, and what it means to live a meaningful life.
That understanding became increasingly important as my career progressed.
For many educators, teaching can become so intertwined with identity that it becomes difficult to know where the teacher ends and the person begins.
I have learned that caring deeply about your work does not require allowing your work to become your entire identity.
WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
After more than two decades in education, I found myself reflecting on all the things I had learned that were never part of teacher preparation.
Decision fatigue. • Boundaries. • Burnout. • Relationships. • The pressure to always give more. The students who stay with you. • The mistakes you make. • The systems you eventually create just to make the work sustainable. • And the realization that becoming a better teacher also requires learning how to remain a whole person.
Those reflections became Nobody Tells You This About Teaching.
I did not write it because I believe I have teaching completely figured out.
I wrote it because after more than 25 years, I have learned some things worth sharing.
Milton G. Harris, Ed.D.
