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Introduction Teaching is often seen through a lens of lesson plans, recess whistles, and colorful bulletin boards. But behind the classroom door lies a reality rarely talked about-especially for male educators in elementary schools. In From ABC's to PTSD (And Covid In-Between), veteran teacher Ken Newton peels back the curtain on nearly three decades of teaching, revealing the personal, emotional, and often unseen challenges that come with the job. With raw honesty and touches of humor, Ken shares his journey as a male educator navigating a career traditionally dominated by women, the emotional toll of shaping young lives, and the personal battles that come from giving your heart to a profession that doesn't always give back. From the simple joys of teaching children their fi rst words to the traumatic weight of lockdowns, school shootings, and the chaos of COVID-19, this memoir is not just about education-it's about endurance, identity, and fi nding purpose amid the noise. This is not your average teacher story. It's a brave, unfi ltered look at what it means to care deeply, serve selfl essly, and survive a system that sometimes forgets teachers are human too.
