Monday, October 26, 2009

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt

This is an autobiographical book about his career as a teacher.

Written in a quick story-telling style, the book recounts various vignettes from the classroom, and a few from outside of it. Each story is meant to point out something the author learned from a student, or group of students about how to reach, relate to and uplift them. Sometimes funny, many times glib, and often glorified, the stories seem to preach a very touchy-feely style of teaching. Personally, I have a hard time picturing myself in a class like his. I can't say for sure, but I think I would not have responded well. I had a French teacher who was somewhat like him. It was sure fun, but I need and needed more structure to prop up my poor organization/motivation skills. Freedom is great for kids with a desire to be creative, but I wanted to know what to do. My creativity is in how I solve problems, not in choosing what problems to solve. He acknowledges, in a passing way, that different teachers have different ways of beeing a "good" teacher, but I couldn't help but feel like he didn't really believe it.

2.5/5 There's nothing really wrong with this book, but I found that I didn't like the author at the end of it.

3 comments:

Amanda said...

Did you read Angela's Ashes? If so, did you like it? My understanding of his later books is that they are not nearly as good because he is "preaching to the choir" rather than converting new readers. I haven't read the two sequels yet. I've been meaning to pick them up, but feel no rush as I've heard that they are not amazing.

John said...

I haven't read any of his other books. I felt like I got a very quick flyby, in that I think it's about his childhood in Ireland, and his experiences with the education system there. He references it a few times.

I picked up this book, because I had heard many good things about Angela's ashes, and it was about teachers, so I thought that Melinda would like it. I wouldn't pick up Teacher Man unless you really loved his other books and just can't get enough.

Amanda said...

Read Angela's Ashes. It is one of the only extremely sad books that I have ever read that has a large dose of humor. I can send it to you if you want... or bring it next time I'm in UT.