there's a pig on the playground
Welcome to my official website. I’m Dr. Deanna Gilmore, and I’m excited to share the heartwarming, humorous, and unforgettable world behind my memoir There’s a Pig on the Playground. My book is filled with real classroom stories, childhood memories, small-town adventures, and the moments that shaped my forty-plus years in education.
If you enjoy teacher memoirs, inspirational nonfiction, true stories, or nostalgic journeys through school days, you are in the right place. My experiences stretch from rural Washington to remote Alaska Native villages, from Catholic school halls to university lecture rooms, and each chapter reflects the joy, challenges, and deep purpose behind a life spent teaching.
I invite you to explore my story, learn more about my journey, and celebrate the unsung heroes who guide, protect, and inspire children every day.
Dr. Deanna Gilmore
book trailer
about me
My name is Dr. Deanna Gilmore, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve lived inside the world of teaching. I grew up in the tiny farming town of Plaza, Washington, a place filled with strong community values and stories that shaped the way I see the world. My love for learning began early, and that passion carried me through a wide range of roles throughout my career.
I spent decades as an elementary teacher, a Title I reading specialist, a teacher in remote Alaska Native villages, an elementary principal in Montana, a special education teacher in Ireland, and later a university professor guiding future educators. Earning my Ph.D. in Literacy allowed me to deepen my understanding of how children learn and how teachers can support them through ever-changing educational challenges.
During my career, I witnessed firsthand how teachers are affected by the growing teacher shortage crisis, increasing responsibilities, and the emotional demands of the classroom. These experiences inspired me to write my memoir so I could share the joys, struggles, and powerful moments that shaped my life. My hope is to uplift, inspire, and remind the world why teachers matter more today than ever before.
About the Book
There’s a Pig on the Playground
There’s a Pig on the Playground is my story, told through decades of real moments that begin in my childhood and extend through my entire career as an educator. In this memoir, I take you with me to my small farming community, into one-room classrooms, onto school buses, through Catholic school hallways, into remote Alaskan villages, and finally into university classrooms where I worked with aspiring teachers.
Every chapter reflects a different stage of my life, filled with humor, challenges, faith, family, and unforgettable students who changed me as much as I changed them. The book includes memories of growing up in rural America, the cultural lessons I learned in Alaska, the resilience required in the face of educational challenges, and the joys that remind every teacher why we stay in this profession.
If you’re someone who loves real school stories, classroom experiences, inspirational teaching books, nostalgic memoirs, or uplifting nonfiction, you’ll find yourself laughing, reflecting, and remembering your own journey along the way.
Why My Story Matters
I wrote this book because our education system is facing challenges we can’t afford to ignore. With teacher shortages, burnout, and post-pandemic pressures affecting classrooms nationwide, I wanted to remind people of the heart behind teaching. My story reflects the realities teachers face, but it also highlights the hope, courage, and compassion that continue to fuel our schools.
Readers often tell me that my experiences feel familiar, comforting, and inspiring. Many come searching for teacher life stories, nostalgia, real classroom experiences, rural America memoirs, Alaska adventures, and heartwarming nonfiction that reminds them of home. My goal is to offer all of that while giving educators and families a reason to smile and believe again in the power of teaching.
I invite you to begin this journey with me. Order There’s a Pig on the Playground and step into a world of heartfelt lessons, humorous adventures, and unforgettable school memories.
Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a student, a memoir lover, or someone who simply appreciates inspiring true stories, I believe you’ll find something meaningful within these pages.
Thank you for being here. I can’t wait to share my story with you.
--Dr. Deanna Gilmore