This collection of essays on teaching is written from the perspective of a high school English teacher. The ideas for these essays are drawn from experiences, from debates in the faculty lounge, from confrontations with parents, and from crisis interventions with distraught students. Personal narratives and classroom vignettes are used to illustrate and describe the present teaching environment and indicate effective classroom management. Specific suggestions are provided on English instruction including the writing process and ways to encourage young authors. The varied roles of a teacher today, including mentor, fund-raiser, athletic coach, and classroom psychiatrist, are discussed and illustrated. (JLS)