COMING SOON….
Lessons Learned
A Teacher and Coach Reflects
How introspection, philosophy, and heartfelt bullshit can help you survive and thrive with your sanity, self-respect, and sense of humor intact.
Currently in pre-production…
Burke’s essay collection is for any one who wants to teach well. Through often hilarious and sometimes brutally honest anecdotes about growing up in a dysfunctional Irish Catholic family, attending parochial schools, then going on to a four decade career teaching high school English and coaching a variety of sports, Burke provides practical advice and philosophic insight into how understanding yourself is essential to effectively teaching others. Though this collection is aimed at teachers in any stage of their careers, the stories and lessons learned are relevant to anyone in a leadership role.
“There are over 3,600,000 active teachers in the U.S. and I imagine all—whether driven by politics, the aftermath of the pandemic, or the everyday pressures of the job—are battling burnout. This collection is meant to help. ” —Coach MF Burke
What People Are Saying
“Burke’s essays speak to a multitude of audiences, reminding us that we are all both teachers and learners. I enjoyed the humor, honesty, and grit of his anecdotes, but I found myself wanting to speed to the end of some essays—where Burke reflects on what he learned—because that was (to me) the highest portion of the work. What did he learn and from whom?”
—Darren Pierre, Senior Lecturer, Office of Global Engineering Leadership, University of Maryland; author of The Invitation to Love: Recognizing the Gift Despite Pain, Fear, and Resistance; recipient of the 2021 Loyola University Chicago Transformative Educator Award
“Fan-fu##ing-tastic! The combination of personal and practical philosophy joined alongside a spattering of professional pedagogy creates a completely original read, unlike anything I’ve experienced. This blend of work with life simultaneously speaks to the teacher side of me while resonating with my everyday human journey. Tears and laughter, frustration and joy. The experience is one I will not forget.”
—John Uhrik, AP English Teacher, Wheeling High School
“These essays—and the discussion questions at the end—are ideal for education classes and professional development. Burke confronts issues both in and out of the classroom that are relevant to all teachers and prime for deliberation and debate.”
—Andrew Sharos, teacher, administrator, and author of All 4s and 5s: A Guide to Teaching and Leading Advanced Placement Programs and Finding Lifelines: A Practical Tale about Teachers and Mentors
NEXT UP…
Run
Run is the based-on-a-true-story account of a high school cross country team Burke coached in the fall of 1986. The major events that happened during that season, both in practice and competition and in life outside the sport, are powerful and almost beyond belief (no spoilers here). Most impressive are the young men and the young woman who are central to this story. This is not the heroic tale of a few exceptional individuals. This is the story of average individuals who behave often like the kids they are and occasionally with exceptional courage and character. This all of us wrestling with trying to be our better selves.