176 Days: A Teacher's Diary of an Unexpected Year

In August 2022, veteran Chicago teacher Greg Michie set out to document the daily joys, frustrations, banalities, and occasional triumphs of an entire year in his classroom. But it wasn’t going to be just any year. During the summer, Michie’s principal informed him that his assignment had changed. Instead of teaching 7th and 8th graders—as he had done for years—he would become what is known in Chicago as a “prep” teacher, responsible for teaching all 425 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Despite over thirty years of experience as an educator, he felt thoroughly unprepared.176 Days tells the story of that school year via Michie’s daily dispatches from Room 201, as well as additional retrospective commentary from the author. It is not an airbrushed, carefully curated view of a teacher’s work. Rather, it’s an in-the-moment, candid, and—thanks to the frequent voices of children—often humorous account of life in one classroom as it happens. Praise for 176 “Greg Michie is a beautiful storyteller who invites readers into 176 honest, unpredictable, fulfilling, joyful days of teaching. I laughed, cried, and felt seen...We need these very moments to laugh, cry, heal, and wonder--to remind us of who we are and who we serve.” GHOLDY MUHAMMAD, Author of Cultivating Genius and Unearthing Joy“This is exactly what teachers need right now...Greg shares captivating stories that enable us to experience the beauty and essence of listening to and learning from children.”YOLANDA SEALEY-RUIZ, Professor of English Education, Columbia University“The vignette form of 176 Days makes it ideal for all levels of teacher preparation, and for educators seeking a pick-me-up in these difficult times. I loved it.”SOPHIA SARIGIANIDES, Author of Letting Go of Literary Whiteness“Michie’s honest and vulnerable portrayal of classroom life captures the highs and crushing lows a teacher can experience with realness and an authentic blend of student and teacher voice.”MAYRA ALMARAZ, Co-Founder/Co-Director of Critical Learning Collaborative