It is always a wonderful feeling to publish a book by someone who does so much to support our work. That's why I am so excited about bringing Educational Eye Exam: Creating Your Vision for Education into the world. If you have not read the #DBCBookBlogs of Alicia Ray, you are definitely missing out. She reads EVERY SINGLE DBC Inc. book and writes an incredibly reflective and powerful post about each one. Truly amazing and personal reflections from an incredible writer. 

It was my honor to write the foreword for Alicia's book and I'm proud to publish it for you below...even if I had to confess that I'm getting WAY old. Just don't tell anyone! 

My Foreword 

I stared in stunned silence at the prescription bottle as she repeated the question, “What is the Rx number on the label?” I stammered an embarrassing excuse about needing to call back and hung up, even though it had taken me a seemingly endless amount of time and frustration fighting through a phone tree to get to an actual human being. I could not read the number.

A similar incident had occurred on a plane a week or so earlier as I tried unsuccessfully to buy Wi-Fi because I could not make out the numbers on my credit card. I had chalked it up to the plane being too dark and thought little of it. There in the bright lights of the kitchen, however, I couldn’t escape the truth; my eyesight had deteriorated to the point that I needed reading glasses in addition to my contacts.

Apparently, this is why I had found it increasingly hard to focus on books, blogs, and articles of late. The problem is it came on slow. If it had happened all at once, I would have done something immediately, but it crept up on me.

The same thing happens to us all the time in life, whether it is in relationships, fitness and health, or our occupations. 

How did I end up this out of shape?

Is this what I would have chosen for my life?

Did I ever see myself teaching like this?

It happens one day at a time, and you never see it coming. Gradually you become more frustrated and a little less satisfied with your life. 

. . . a little less likely to make healthy decisions.

. . . a little more complacent at work.

. . . a little less self-reflective.

. . . a little too comfortable with the status quo.

And then, in one moment, it can all change. Decades of descent down a dastardly steep slope into despair and darkness can be reversed, and you can walk away with a purpose and passion that are rekindled and restored and return to a path of promise and progress. Sometimes all you need is that precipitating event, that fortuitous encounter, that perfect prompt from a partner—or even a protagonist—that jars you just enough to knock you out of your comfort zone and into a state of heightened and enlightened awareness. 

I have incredible news: Your decision to pick up and read this book is exactly that precipitating event, that fortuitous encounter, and your all-access pass to an #EduEyeExam chock-full of prompts that will shift your paradigm, sharpen your edu-vision, and propel you forward into your career with a renewed commitment to being the best possible version of yourself. Don’t let the folksy stories and the southern drawl fool you—Alicia Ray is sneaky in the best way and will have you marveling at the courage of her vulnerability, transfixed by her storytelling, and just when you let your guard down—BOOM—she will have led you by the hand to an all-new clarity of purpose and intriguing new insights, and you will walk away with a wonderfully revitalized and radiant outlook on education.

It’s time for your appointment; “Dr.” Ray is awaiting you inside the coming pages.

There ya go! I hope you enjoyed my foreword...I know you'll enjoy Alicia's book! Let us know your takeaways on social media using the #EduEyeExam hashtag. 

Thanks, 

Dave

PS: Today is the release of #TeachBetter by the Teach Better Team of Jeff Gargas, Chad Ostrowski, Rae Hughart, & Tiffany Ott. Highly recommended! More details coming soon! 

PSS: A book study of Kasey Bell's Shake Up Learning is starting September 26th (Multiple weeks...join anytime!!) Learn more HERE! 

PSSS (last one!): I will be helping to host a Teach Like a Pirate book study using the #HATBookStudy hashtag on Twitter starting Oct. 1st!! Jump in! All welcome!