ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the character of Bruce Bechdel, a high school English teacher whose inability to reconcile his sexual identity has consequences for his daughter, his family and his students. It explores how Frank’s mentorship of Rita is an education for both of them, one that is not without its issues but one that encourages the audience to consider the shaping influences of class, gender and power. The book argues that the coach is indeed a teacher and turns a critical eye on the educational implications of coaches’ interactions with their athletes-cum-students. It explores conflicts of identity, calling and purpose among teachers in a Catholic school. The book considers the human-ness of teachers who find themselves caught up by concerns that reach beyond the classroom, as they question their pedagogical beliefs, their communal interactions and their educative purposes.
