From Both Sides of the Desk is the memoir of Tom Melchior's journey which begins in first grade and ends on his last day of teaching. The book is filled with stories by the author's students as well as Melchior's anecdotes which explore such questions as Why should we tell our stories? Do teachers make a difference? What's worth knowing? and What is teacher training? The author's stories begin with his spelling and finger painting experiences in first grade and continue with his adventures in junior high, high school, college and his thirty -four-year teaching career. From Both Sides of the Desk is a book about being a student and a teacher. Melchior's teacher training includes surviving ice fishing, cleaning chicken houses, coping with an F in physics, and mourning the death of a high school friend. From Both Sides of the Desk is a book about mentors and minotaurs, doing the right and wrong things, and dancing the dance of teaching. It's a book about struggling to find bliss.