Meet Dr. Brown

John Brown is a Clinical Associate Professor of Education at the University of Massachusetts - Lowell College of Education. As a secondary school educator for 19 years and a teacher of teachers since 2012, he has devoted his life to education and has made it his mission to bring to light the silent struggle teachers often face and offer not only empathy but also solutions. John has a doctorate in literacy from Salem State University and enjoys spending time skiing and fishing with his family.

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"As teachers we must attend to a sincere and unflinching reflection of our use of force...Unless we are aware, reflective, sensitive and know what triggers our unconscious behaviors, unless we are watchful and take the first steps to be brave enough to be vulnerable, our students and their thoughts, theories and ideas will remain hidden from us and from them."
- John Brown Ed.D.

Publications

Education is naturally transformative, but the acquisition of new skills and construction of new knowledge are only possible when we empower students instead of forcing their conformity. Our current compliance-based teaching methodologies rely on coercion, conditioning and external motivators that engender submission and fear in students and teachers. These practices are divisive and destructive to the learning process. This book discusses ways of replacing the banking model of instruction with new approaches, valuing the identity, dignity, and humanity of our students.

The Use of Force: Teaching Adolescents in the 21st Century

from Peter Lang Press, 2024

More than just a text on teaching, this book is designed to be the help that teachers need for day-to-day problem solving, grounded in 19 years of screwing it up, learning and soldiering on. The guidance shared aligns with education research and theory but is not about research and theory. It is about the job of teaching.

Unlike other resources teachers access to guide their practice, this book offers more than strategies. It offers new ways of thinking about overcoming the challenges of teaching that are often overlooked and not found in other texts, in professional development, or in "teacher school".

Honest, candid, and relatable, The Use of Force seeks to help teachers accept that being ill-prepared for teaching is normal. Teachers who read this book will reference it as an accurate, clear and bold text that is self-effacing but not confessional.

A readable, easy to use and entertaining book, readers will revisit it again and again as they reflect on their practice - new teachers and veteran teachers alike.

Available from Amazon HERE.

Other Publications

Brown, J. (2022). Should Shakespeare Be Taught High School? The Leaflet, in press. (Winter).
Brown, J. (2019). What Is Pedagogy? And, why it’s important for teachers to consider? educate, (Spring).
Brown, J. (2019). What is my role as a teacher? The Leaflet, 118 (Winter) 25-29.
Brown, J. (2018). Freewriting: Where did it come from? Why should we use it? How does it work? The Leaflet, 117 (Winter) 34-40.
Brown, J. (2003). The big screen: Using the data projector in the writing classroom. Learning and Leading in Education.
Brown, J. (2000). Who should decide if the kids can graduate? Billerica Minuteman.

Selected Presentations

Mindset over Methods - New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) Annual Conference, 2022
Teacher Trauma and Transformation - Eastern Educational Research Association 42nd Annual Conference, February 2019 - Myrtle Beach, North Carolina
Teacher panel as an Alternate Professional Developmental Model - Critical Questions in Education Conference (Academy for Educational Studies), March 2018 - Portland, OR
Progressive Approaches to Teaching Grammar, Punctuation, and Usage - Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Annual Convention, March 2017 - Portland, OR
Building Teacher Effectiveness Through the Use of Teacher Personal Narrative - AACTE 68th Annual Meeting, February 2016 - Las Vegas, NV
Fieldtrip as Field Experience: Preparing Candidates to Plan, Supervise and Embed a Trip to Boston’s MFA Into the Curriculum - The Massachusetts Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Conference (MACTE), October 2015 - Worcester, MA
Progressive approaches to teaching grammar, punctuation, and usage - Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Annual Convention , March 2015 - Tampa, FLA
Narrative landscapes as a new form of data for the professional development of teachers - National Council for the Teaching of English Annual Convention (NCTE), November 2014 - Washington D. C.

"John has been in the trenches of secondary and higher education for many years; and throughout this time he has held tight to a student-centered approach that emphasizes equal measures of caring, thought, reflection, humility, and action.

The ideas shared in this book are relevant and important for any teacher who considers themselves a lifelong learner and an advocate for students."

Bill Barrett,

Head of School

Landmark School

"The Use of Force" is a must read for educators. We are at a critical time in this field and arguably, the only way to move forward is through a radical re-thinking about the role of the educator. Brown's approach provides insight into what this future could - and should - look like."

Dr. Danielle Ricci,

Principal

Amesbury High School

"Brown takes us on a journey with which both veteran educators and new teachers will identify. Both confessional and filled with purpose, he reveals the places where our system is dysfunctional, as well as where and how to start mending it."

Patrick Larkin,

Dean of Students

Lexington High School

Patrick Larkin,

Dean of Students

Lexington High School

Publications

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