Lewis describes and celebrates effective teaching. Her book is part real world discussion of the
qualities of effective teachers and part reminder of all the power that comes with the job.


A celebration of effective teaching, Just Back Off and LET US TEACH, by author Caroline Alexander Lewis, applauds effective teachers and acknowledges the enormous range of realities that make up a day in their lives. Lewis recognizes the extraordinary effort it takes for teachers to be consistently effective, and begins to tackle the urgent need for teacher validation across the profession.


Both descriptive and motivational, Lewis' book defines five assets or SCOPE skills she believes are distinctive of effective teachers, and proposes a simple self-assessment for all educators. It is part real-world discussion of the core qualities of effective teachers and part reminder of all the power that comes with the job. Through stories and messages, the author wrestles with questions like: How do we identify effective teachers? Celebrate them? Grow them? Help them know themselves?
Keep them in the profession?


While Lewis agrees that we must identify and remove incompetent teachers from the classroom, she argues that current education reform strategies increasingly demoralize teachers in general. This she claims contributes to the premature departure from the profession of some of our very best. Urging reform leaders to heed this, Lewis also calls on effective teachers to do their part to make the profession noble again, to seize opportunities to elevate teaching, and to recognize their ability
to impact learning and learners. She honors the best teachers as heroes, noting:


"It is about truly reflecting on whether or not you've earned a superhero cape. It is about becoming and remaining an effective teacher.