A joyous collection of tributes-both original and previously published-that celebrate the gifts of remarkable teachers.;;Teachers have always made an indelible impression on their charges. Now, in this new book, Gloria Wade-Gayles has brought together a winning and touching collection of pieces about teachers and teaching, with inspiring and dramatic anecdotes woven in. Each story offers a new and unique perspective on some of our country’s most beloved teachers.;;With pieces by legendary writers like Langston Hughes and Alice Walker, we see how a strong teacher can turn a nervous child into a world renowned artist. Robin D. G. Kelley frames a short history of busing with a sweet story about having a crush on his third grade teacher. Marian Wright Edelman celebrates Howard Zinn’s teaching style, his insistence on exploration and questioning; and Zinn himself provides an opinion on the profession he has practiced for most of his life.; ;But we also hear from a diverse group of students- writers who were part of the first wave of integration in their school system and immigrants who learned to speak English and participate in American culture in their schools.;;We get stories from Catholic schools, pubic schools, college classrooms, and more. In this age of standardized testing, In Praise of Our Teachers is a wonderful reminder of the immeasurable influence that teachers will always have on their students.