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kschilke's review
4.0
A quantitative and qualitative account of challenges with teaching in America.
If you didn't already respect teachers and their profession and dedication prior to reading this text, it would be hard to imagine you wouldn't after reading. Leaders in positions of power to make decisions that impact education and teachers should definitely read this.
While the research in this book mostly focuses on K-12, and the first-hand accounts on K-5, I would have loved to see information on high school, higher education, and even daycare. Maybe those are other books in the making....
I do need to point out that I listened to this book over audiobook and the narration was really difficult to get through when the narrator chose to perform certain accents/dialect for the different teachers. I'm not sure if she received permission to try and mimic the individual's accent for narration purposes, but I found it hard to listen to. Not because it was hard to understand, but because it came across more like a caricature of sorts to the point where it seemed borderline offensive. Maybe other people listened and didn't find issue with it, but it did start to become distracting.
If you didn't already respect teachers and their profession and dedication prior to reading this text, it would be hard to imagine you wouldn't after reading. Leaders in positions of power to make decisions that impact education and teachers should definitely read this.
While the research in this book mostly focuses on K-12, and the first-hand accounts on K-5, I would have loved to see information on high school, higher education, and even daycare. Maybe those are other books in the making....
I do need to point out that I listened to this book over audiobook and the narration was really difficult to get through when the narrator chose to perform certain accents/dialect for the different teachers. I'm not sure if she received permission to try and mimic the individual's accent for narration purposes, but I found it hard to listen to. Not because it was hard to understand, but because it came across more like a caricature of sorts to the point where it seemed borderline offensive. Maybe other people listened and didn't find issue with it, but it did start to become distracting.
jessicawithabook's review against another edition
5.0
I want to be able to rate this higher… because honestly 5 stars isn’t enough. This is a beautifully researched and well written book. It’s not a bragging book to talk about how great teachers have it. It’s not a “woe is me” book.
It’s raw. It’s real. It’s inspiring. It’s heartbreaking.
Many times, with books written about teachers, it’s a lot of fluff. You don’t feel seen or understood because it’s not reality. This is reality. Teaching is hard. Being a teacher is even harder. I loved this. I loved every freaking second of this! I also loved that from the very beginning, the focus wasn’t on the pandemic. It was even started the system was broken BEFORE 2020.
I want everyone to read this. If you are a teacher, were a teacher, love a teacher, your kids are taught by a teacher, or you have interacted with a teacher GO. READ. IT.
It’s raw. It’s real. It’s inspiring. It’s heartbreaking.
Many times, with books written about teachers, it’s a lot of fluff. You don’t feel seen or understood because it’s not reality. This is reality. Teaching is hard. Being a teacher is even harder. I loved this. I loved every freaking second of this! I also loved that from the very beginning, the focus wasn’t on the pandemic. It was even started the system was broken BEFORE 2020.
I want everyone to read this. If you are a teacher, were a teacher, love a teacher, your kids are taught by a teacher, or you have interacted with a teacher GO. READ. IT.
lilbt2003's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
secretchoochoo's review
4.0
Just as the epilogue states, teachers deserve more. More funding, more pay, more staffing, more trust, and less standardized testing. This book leads the reader through the day-to-day of three teachers and the challenges they face. You can't help but build empathy in hearing the passion they have in the face of great adversity.
diannaobrien's review
I wanted a more escapist novel. Also, I am not in a place where I need more bad news.