The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself helps educators to take an introspective look at their growth and development. This topic is timely due partly to the national teacher shortage and the rampant levels of burnout being reported nationally, including by the National Educators Association. The intent of this book is to help teachers reclaim their "why" and to provide prospective teachers with a view into their professional future. As we continue to reimagine the value of a teacher, we must provide a guide for those in the profession to help them to remain unfinished. Written as a self-help and teacher-focused leadership book, this book does not follow the typical form of an instructional or pedagogical guidebook. This is not a lesson planning book, though the book addresses the need for individual personal, professional, and interpersonal development. Our focus is on helping you create the next version of yourself.
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Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associations to inspire the next generation of educational leaders.
A sought-after speaker, he has presented across the United States and internationally on topics including leadership, student voice, global service learning, and innovative educational practices. Dr. Lubelfeld has co-authored several influential books, including The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow's Schools (2017), Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable (2018), The Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development (2021), and The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself (2024). His latest work, Leading for Tomorrow's Schools Today, is currently in publication and will be released this year.
Dr. Lubelfeld's leadership has been recognized with multiple awards, including 2025 Rotary Service Above Self Award, the 2021 Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education, and the 2017 Lake County Superintendent of the Year Award. In addition, he was recently accepted into the 2025 ISTE-ASCD Generation AI Fellowship, and he was selected for the 2025-2026 Google-GSV Fellowship. In 2025, he was also named as one of the top 100 Influencers in education, and he received the Delta Award for innovation from the Illinois Educational Technology Leaders (IETL).
Mike and his wife, Stephanie, have two children and live in suburban Chicago, where he continues to champion educational excellence and leadership development.