Welcome M. Shannon Hernandez, author of Breaking the Silence.
Changing Lives Across the Country, One Page at a Time
by M. Shannon Hernandez
It’s been just seven months since my memoir, Breaking the Silence: My Final Forty Days as a Public School Teacher, has hit the market. As a first-time, self-published, indie author, I wasn’t sure what to expect when choosing to publish such a raw account from a teacher’s perspective. At its core, my memoir deals with the hot-topic in our nation right now—the many flaws of public education. But my memoir is also a story of reinvention, hope, and having the courage to dream again.
As readers finish my book, there are times when it is has been almost impossible to keep up with the onslaught of emails I am receiving from them. Each writes to me with a personal story of how my story could be theirs, or how I have given them the courage to change careers, or just to thank me for telling the truth about something that hasn’t been made public. I am honored to receive these emails, and I am committed to personally answering everyone at least once…because well…I never wanted to be that author who was impersonal and a recluse.
Below are two excerpts from the most recent emails I have received:
"I JUST finished your book and wanted to share what it meant to me. Three months ago I left my job as the assistant behavioral intervention specialist at a group home for adults with developmental disabilities. I loved my job and love the people I served. Changes in the field, staffing, morale and an unexpected job opportunity motivated me to resign. I look forward to going back to school for my masters in social work, but must admit that fear and my inability to find the right words have prevented me from writing my admissions essay. Tonight I spent my evening reading your book out loud to a resident from the group home who is currently in a coma due to a fall. Our professions are different, but our passion and dedication to changing lives is the same. After reading your book I am really encouraged to overcome my own mental barriers, apply to school and get the tools I need to have the career I feel lead to. Thank you for sharing your story.” ~Sabrina
“I just wanted to reach out and say that I identify with your message. I too am a teacher struggling to decide whether to stay or go. I am a doctoral student who wants to research how the teacher evaluation system has contributed to the large teacher turnover. I have been working on updates to our mentoring program and handbook as part of my grad school work. I saw your post about your mentor and was wondering if you would be ok if I included it as a success story in a training I am going to be doing. There are so many things you have said that totally resonate with my experiences. Looking forward to reading more from you.” ~Carol
One of the greatest aspects of this entire journey is that I have been able to build some quality, loving relationships with people who were just complete strangers only a few months ago. Some have invited me to coffee or dinner, some have asked me too speak at a meeting or event they are hosting, and some are just finding me on social media—so we converse there.
I chose to write this honest, raw memoir to tell the nation why great teaches are leaving—and what we need to do about that if future generations of children are to have a quality education. Of course, it was my story, but it is shared and common among so many teachers, that my story became theirs.
Seven months ago, I didn’t know that my words would impact others so greatly. I was nervous and timid about publishing such an open and vulnerable account. But I’m glad I had the courage do so—because my book is changing lives across the country, one page at a time. What a remarkable journey this has been so far!
Where to purchase Breaking the Silence: My Final Forty Days as a Public School Teacher
Find Shannon online:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCahp5D25vJus2mn_9P7S59Q
Thank you to Wow! Women on Writing
for providing this stop on M. Shannon Hernandez's blog tour!
For more information and more tour stops, click here.
About Breaking the Silence:
America’s public school system is broken and M. Shannon Hernandez knows why, firsthand. After fifteen years in the teaching profession, three gut-wrenching realizations forced her to recognize that she must leave the career she loved so dearly. She knew that if she continued to work for a failing system, she would also continue to lose a little piece of her heart and soul every day.
You are invited into Hernandez’s classroom for the final forty days of her teaching career to understand the urgent need for school reform, clearly demonstrated in each story. You’ll witness the intelligence, vulnerability, and humanity of her students, and the challenges teachers like Hernandez face as they navigate the dangerous waters between advocating for and meeting students’ needs, and disconnected education policy.
This book is not only a love letter to her students, her fellow teachers, and to the reformed public school system she envisions, but also a heartfelt message of hope, encouragement, and self-empowerment for those who feel they are stuck in soul-sucking careers. It is an essential read for each citizen who is seeking a life comprised of more purpose and happiness, as well as parents, teachers, administrators, and policymakers who know our nation’s education system is in desperate need of an overhaul.
About the Author:
M. Shannon Hernandez is the founder of The Writing Whisperer, and her mission is to help heart-centered entrepreneurs and heart-centered authors find their brand voices, share their unique stories, gain more visibility, establish themselves as experts, and create authentic marketing messages, all through the use of smart content strategy and engaging copywriting. The Writing Whisperer was named one of Top 100 Websites for Writers by The Write Life in both 2014 and 2015, and Shannon has been featured as a content strategy and copywriting expert on many prominent podcasts and websites. She is a leading voice in the world of authentic business writing and heart-centered education reform, and she writes regularly for The Huffington Post. Shannon’s memoir, Breaking the Silence, chronicles her exit out of public education, after 15 years, and provides readers an intimate view of her journey to business ownership, finding happiness, and reinvention.
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For more information about blog hostess, Audry Fryer,
please visit www.audryfryer.com
Thank you for hosting Shannon on her tour, Audry!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so happy to hear readers are sharing how much the book means to them.