About the Author

Master Teacher Bruce Hansen has been a public school teacher for 36 years and taught every grade level from first to eighth. Some of those schools were in inner-city high-poverty neighborhoods, some in suburban wealthy areas and many in mixed neighborhoods.   For 10 years he’s been a college supervisor of candidates learning teaching skills. He’s been in hundreds of classrooms and taught scores of educators. He’s presented at conferences all over the country, taught classes or seminars for the University of Oregon and Pacific University, and provided staff development for districts. Bruce says he’s still learning.

Some of the awards he’s received include: An Award of Excellence from the National Teachers Hall of Fame, a Sustained Superior Performance Award and two Golden Apple Awards from his school districts for excellence in teaching. Bruce was an advisor to Oregon’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Susan Castillo as a member of her “Brain Trust”. 

Bruce says that probably the most precious award he’s ever gotten was from 9 year old James who started the school year by saying he hated school, and it was jail. At year’s end, James gave Bruce a Get Out of Jail Free card and a hug telling Bruce he loved him and his class.