I've got two book recommendations for you, but you might think I'm crazy -- they're both about teaching. Perhaps you think that reading a book about teaching is the last thing that will relax you over summer break. But these aren't your everyday books about teaching.
(Disclaimer: Both of these books have been around for awhile. I read them years ago. But that doesn't make them any less good, does it?)
And now, without further ado, the titles. Educating Esme by Esme Raji Codell and Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (yes, the Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt). Yup. These aren't books espousing a bunch of educational theories or pedagogy (though, if you know me, you know I love those books, too!). They are, rather, memoirs (Codell's is actually written in the form of a diary) and both chronicle the beginning of their respective teaching careers, Esme's as a fifth grade teacher in Chicago and Teacher Man's as a high school teacher at a vocational school in New York, NY.
I can't really say, based on these books, that Codell and McCourt are good teachers (or bad teachers, for that matter). But I can say that they are honest teachers. There are lots of ups and downs portrayed in these pages. Many I can relate to, and I'm sure you can, too. Many I can't. I've never taught in the types of schools Codell and McCourt taught in. So, I guess what I like about each is that I gain an appreciation for the struggles of teaching in urban/inner city schools; I like the authors' candor; I like when the books make me laugh or nod along when I can relate; I even kind of like when they make me cringe if I disagree; I like how they remind me of what it felt like to be a beginning teacher.
Happy reading this summer! Feel free to share any titles you recommend (they can be dorky books about teaching, or, if you're cooler than me, not!).
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