The Board Message Hook
The Costume Hook
The Props Hook
The Involved Audience Hook
The Mystery Bag Hook
The Storytelling Hook
The Swimming with the Sharks Hook
The Taboo Hook
The Mime Hook
The Teaser Hook
The Backwards Hook
The Mission Impossible Hook
The Reality TV Hook
The Techno Whiz Hook
The Contest Hook
The Magic and the Amazing Hook
The Chef Hook
The Mnemonic Hook
The Extra-Credit Challenge Hook
PART III: BUILDING A BETTER PIRATE
Mediocrity Doesn’t Motivate
The Mighty Purpose
When in Doubt, Take Action
Collaboration vs. Killaboration
More from Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.
I would like to express my gratitude to the following people who were instrumental on my journey to create this book:
My wife, Shelley, for serving as a constant reminder that administrators and teachers are on the same team. You can read her amazing thoughts on educational leadership at http://shelleyburgess.com.
My children, Hayden and Ashlyn, for dealing with a distracted father while this was being written and for offering the opportunity to see school from a parent’s perspective. I’d love for you to visit my daughter’s blog at http://ashlynburgess.com.
My parents, Ann and Bill, for not only being great educators, but also for supporting me along the twists and turns that led to my current path.
My inner circle of educational linchpins: Dan McDowell, Reuben Hoffman, and John Berray.
My officemate, Jarrod Carman, for dealing with the ruckus and for the hundreds of office-walk conversations.
Billie Fogle, a special education teacher extraordinaire and my first period team-teacher for sixteen consecutive years and counting.
Bryan Ross, my colleague, friend, and Department Chair who encouraged an environment that honors individual expression in the classroom. I have made three significant career moves in my life; he has been instrumental in all three.
I built a publishing “dream team” to bring this book to fruition. Much thanks and gratitude to:
Erin Casey (http://erin-casey.com): My amazing editor who so beautifully polished my words while absolutely maintaining my voice.
Kristen and Joe Eckstein (http://artsimagine.com): They took my vision for the cover and interior design of this book and wonderfully brought it to life.
Penny Sansevieri (http://amarketingexpert.com): Her marketing advice and book launch campaign has helped me significantly expand the reach of my message.
A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME
I’ve spent the past few years of my life traveling from conference to conference and school to school, dressed as a pirate.
I get some odd looks. But that’s OK. I’m a teacher. Getting odd looks is part of the job.
I am on a crusade to spread the message of Teach Like a PIRATE—a system that can, like a treasure map, guide you to the reward of total transformation of your classroom and your life as an educator. In my book, that’s worth a few odd looks.
Teach Like a PIRATE is part inspirational manifesto and part practical roadmap. My hope is that it will lead you to become more passionate, creative, and fulfilled in your role as a teacher. At the same time, my goal is to help you create an inviting, engaging, and most importantly, empowering classroom climate.
So why a pirate? After all, we don’t want teachers who attack and rob ships at sea. Teaching like a pirate has nothing to do with the dictionary definition and everything to do with the spirit. Pirates are daring, adventurous, and willing to set forth into uncharted territories with no guarantee of success. They reject the status quo and refuse to conform to any society that stifles creativity and independence. They are entrepreneurs who take risks and are willing to travel to the ends of the earth for that which they value. Although fiercely independent, they travel with and embrace a diverse crew. If you’re willing to live by the code, commit to the voyage, and pull your share of the load, then you’re free to set sail. Pirates don’t much care about public perception; they proudly fly their flags in defi- ance. And besides, everybody loves a pirate.
That description of the pirate’s spirit sounds exactly like the kind of character we need