Reintroducing Tips for Teaching in America: The Poetry Collection Behind Dead Deer High

At Unsolicited Press, some books arrive quietly, and others return at exactly the right moment. Joshua Roark’s poetry collection, now titled Tips for Teaching in America, began its life under a different name: Put One Hand Up, Lean Back. Readers who followed Josh’s earlier work may recognize that title, drawn from one of the collection’s most memorable poems. As Josh’s creative world expanded, something unexpected happened. The poems found new life on screen.

When Josh and filmmaker Jo Rochelle developed the feature film Dead Deer High, the classroom experiences and poetic voice that shaped this collection became part of the film’s DNA. The book even appears within the film itself, bridging the world of teaching, poetry, and storytelling in a way that felt too meaningful to ignore.

As the film prepares for its SXSW premiere, Josh and Unsolicited Press made a shared decision. The book deserved a new title that reflected its broader cultural moment and the emotional landscape it explores. Tips for Teaching in America captures the humor, exhaustion, resilience, and complicated beauty of life inside a classroom. These themes resonate deeply with educators, writers, and anyone navigating systems that demand both empathy and endurance.

This Special SXSW Edition is not just a reprint. It is a reframing and an invitation to encounter these poems alongside the film that grew from the same creative roots. At its heart, Tips for Teaching in America is about witnessing. The students who linger in memory, the quiet rituals that shape a school day, and the language we use to make sense of injustice and joy all live here in sharp, compassionate lines.

As we approach the March 12, 2026 publication date, we are proud to celebrate this next chapter for Joshua Roark and for a collection that continues to evolve alongside his work as a poet, teacher, and filmmaker.

Whether you are discovering these poems for the first time or returning to them under their new name, we hope they meet you exactly where you are and remind you of the power of stories born from real classrooms.

Tips for Teaching in America by Joshua Roark publishes March 12, 2026 from Unsolicited Press and is distributed by Asterism Books.