As If There Were No Tomorrow

About the Book

Teachers are at times overwhelmed by the cultural disparities between themselves and their students, the environmental deterrents to learning, and the degree of learning deficiencies they are asked to help students to overcome. How can educators communicate state and national objectives to a streetwise, inner-city youth in a way that he feels inspired to buy into them? How do they establish a pleasing interchange that draws a troubled child toward learning goals that are not within his frame of reference? No Tomorrow addresses these problems. It replaces shoptalk and generic theories with actual scenarios, tested strategies and learning activities. These are tools that Dr. Delaney and his colleagues developed and implemented during his three decades as a classroom teacher, administrator, and staff developer. Hence, this book is a collection of ideas and inspiration that can help the teacher create an academic atmosphere where no student needs to feel left behind. It also provides an “attitude self-check” that helps teachers determine if their personal views are promoting or impeding learning or, even worse, precipitating a crisis. His holistic, student-centered approach has proven effective in the most hostile classrooms in the state of Georgia. Teachers will recognize problems and remediations that affirm their own challenges and triumphs. The methods discussed are not prescriptive and not meant to be a touchstone for accomplished teaching. They are, however, a fountain of ideas from which fellow educators are invited to draw inspiration.

About the Author

Tom Delaney has a PhD in education, an MEd in English, a BA in English, and a CPM in conflict mediation. He has taught at the University of Georgia, Southern Union College, Virginia College, and is currently an adjunct at Columbus State University. The basis for this book, however, is his years as a middle and high school instructor in Georgia’s youth prisons. It was in this setting that he amassed a wealth of unique classroom experiences, implemented successful academic programs, and developed innovative teaching techniques. He has been a guest on Reclaiming At Risk Youth—a television interactive teaching network program. He has been a part of the traveling team of presenters with the University of Georgia’s “Teaching the Tough to Teach,” and is a nationally known keynoter for various educational functions. His goal has always been twofold— to inspire and entertain. This work is the written expression of that objective.