The Good Preschool Teacher: Six Teachers Reflect on Their Lives

Early Childhood Education

by William Ayers

This important book is the result of an in-depth inquiry into the lives and work of six outstanding preschool teachers. Through a creative, original combination of interviews, letters, vignettes, interpretive analysis, and reflections, the author describes and links together the events, people, and experiences that have made these women the excellent teachers they are. Ayers’ method of using autobiographical reflection to understand teaching practice will be excellent for use in pre-service teacher education classes and inservice teacher renewal efforts. Well-written and highly readable, this book is essential for early childhood practitioners―both women and men―at all levels and within all types of services, and will appeal to researchers and parents, as well. “If teachers are to continue to grow, they must at some point begin to study themselves.”
―From the Foreword by Vivian Gussin Paley

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

About the author

William Ayers is Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago (retired), education activist, and bestselling author of Teaching the Taboo: Courage and Imagination in the Classroom (with Rick Ayers), To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, Third Edition, and To Teach: The Journey, in Comics (with Ryan Alexander-Tanner).

Reviews

[Teri Pardue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was required to read this book for a grad class, and upon first glance, I was disappointed that we were reading something that looked so dated. I could not have been more wrong!

Ayers wrote this book in the 1980s and it's a compilation of 6 different preschool teachers' stories (some working in home day cares, some in public institutions and some in private). He weaves vignettes of their daily work with their own backgrounds, experiences, and values. It was riveting! I ended up being unable to put it down—inspired and touched by the stories of these educators... ones I could resonate with and feel encouraged by and ones that empowered me or pushed me to be my best self: both as an educator and as a human being.
Since the book is over thirty years old, it shows a picture of early childhood education in a different time and place. However, this does not make it any less relevant! It helped shape the picture for me of where ECE has come from (and where it's headed) while showcasing *real* teachers whose stories are as important to hear in 2019 as in 1989.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with biographies of early childhood educators in a variety of positions with different populations of children. It was truly inspiring to read about how these different teachers deal with the daily struggle of working with young children and their families. Every early childhood professional will find at least one essay in this collection that they identify with. A must-read for those who are struggling with their teacher identity and those who want to know more about the deeply profound interactions that occur daily with young children.

[Melody Harmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was required to read this for a class I took in college. It was an easy read with some relevant information. There were aspects of this book that I disagreed with, but overall it was ok.