Teacher Man by Frank McCourt.
“Professors of education at New York University never lectured on how to handle flaying-sandwich situations. They talked about the theories and philosophies of education, about moral and ethical imperatives…” so observed Frank McCourt, teacher and Pulitzer Prize winning author, who taught at Stuyvesant High School and the McKee Vocational and Technical High School in New York and was named teacher of the year in 1976. McCourt grew up in Ireland and links his teaching style and academic wherewithal to his childhood (See Angela’s Ashes and Tis also by McCourt) .McCourt died in July, 2009 in New York.
By now as we approach half way point in the school year you have realized that a great deal of the theoretical knowledge you learned in college is not very useful in the classroom. High school students are so preoccupied with being teen agers that getting an education lacks importance and timeliness. Your education professors probably did not dwell on issues such as breaking up fights, dealing with teen romances, homeless students, complaints about home work and the like.
With both wit and wisdom, McCourt weaves an autobiographical tale of his triumphs and setbacks that comes along with 30 years of teaching. If you are in need of some diversions as you work your way through the winter doldrums or need to take a break from grading mid-term exams, Teacher Man is a most hilarious escape.
Every day in the classroom is an adventure, often filled with unexpected surprises. Although you may have the most detailed and exemplary lesson plans ever written, there some events that you can’t plan for- a fire drill, snow storm, a student unexpectedly moving to another city, a family tragedy.
Teacher Man, by Frank McCourt (c.2005. Scribner Publishers) is available in paperback from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, as well as other booksellers
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