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broe028's review against another edition
2.0
While I appreciate that someone attempted to write about the truth in classrooms, I wasn’t overly impressed. I personally have had a good experience as an educator and some of the stories were not all that funny to me, especially as a special education teacher. I was looking for something relatable and just didn’t quite find it in this.
faeonyx's review
5.0
This should honestly be required reading for everyone, not just teachers. I found it to be a very accurate, very honest representation of teaching in current years. It points out the good and the bad and discusses the flaws in policy on not only a school-by-school level, but nationally, as well. Don't worry. There's encouragement and some heartwarming stuff, too, but it definitely presents the absolute honest truth about what to expect in a school setting.
kvreadsandrecs's review against another edition
5.0
Hilarious, snarky, and tragic view into the trenches of my everyday life.
I'm curious at the people who rated it low. Did they not read the part where you can only make fun of your experiences in order to survive? I'm also curious if they're teachers. As an English teacher, I sincerely appreciated it and suggested my library order a digital copy :)
I'm curious at the people who rated it low. Did they not read the part where you can only make fun of your experiences in order to survive? I'm also curious if they're teachers. As an English teacher, I sincerely appreciated it and suggested my library order a digital copy :)
telemanusjellybeanco's review against another edition
3.0
A fast paced book that chronicles a teachers experience with students, parents and administration. While some of the stories are humorous, others are depressing. This book made me laugh, but it also made me thankful that I did not decide to become a teacher. While I enjoyed the book overall, there were a few things that bothered me:
1. The format of the emails. Some of them felt completely fantasized or exaggerated.
2. The chapter near the end that touches on standardized testing. It didn't seem to fit with the voice that the author was using prior in the book.
A few things I loved:
1. The authors use of profanity. I can't imagine being a teacher and not being able to tell some punk to fuck off. I'm glad the author was able to get it out in this book.
2. The made up names of the students and parents had me rolling on the floor with laughter.
Overall, this was a solid read that I enjoyed, but I don't think I will ever reread or recommend it to anyone.
1. The format of the emails. Some of them felt completely fantasized or exaggerated.
2. The chapter near the end that touches on standardized testing. It didn't seem to fit with the voice that the author was using prior in the book.
A few things I loved:
1. The authors use of profanity. I can't imagine being a teacher and not being able to tell some punk to fuck off. I'm glad the author was able to get it out in this book.
2. The made up names of the students and parents had me rolling on the floor with laughter.
Overall, this was a solid read that I enjoyed, but I don't think I will ever reread or recommend it to anyone.
wrathofglasses's review against another edition
3.0
While seemingly exaggerated to the non-teacher, the experiences Jane Morris speaks of are all too true. There is a good message here, but an imbalance of bleakness. While I am a huge fan of Teacher Misery on social media, I do not think the book holds the same sort of sassy irreverence. While I may not be as much of a fan of the book itself, Morris deserves an award for sticking to her beliefs and upholding the dignity of the profession. I just wish the dignity translated into the book more. Ultimately, I am most disappointed in the lack of support from administration. Some teenagers have a special penchant for being immature and entitled, and when administrators enable that behavior, we do not prepare students for the roles they must fill as members of the next generation.
literarylover37's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks Netgalley for this book!
Lord help. I've been following Teacher Misery on FB and had heard of this book. I'd even looked and not found it at any of my local libraries so I contented myself with waiting until the holidays to order it when lo and behold it arrived on Netgalley.
Needless to say, I read the whole thing in a day. Ms. "Morris" and the teachers, students and admins (whose names are hilariously changed ex: Harry Pitts, Jack Haas, A. Nell Retentive etc, in order to protect the guilty) included go a long ways towards showing why 50% of teachers leave the field within the first 5 years and 20% for each year thereafter. And this book is mostly comprised of just examples from ONE teacher! Also, as she notes at the beginning, it's not as though she was teaching in a "bad" school. This really is how this field is now! New teachers should have this assigned as required reading.
The stories were at turns hilarious and heartbreaking and I cannot believe this woman in on year 10+ of teaching. You're a stronger person than I am! As one of those 50%-ers I will gladly say, thank God for good admins and Pre-K forever! After making the transition from middle school to early childhood, I can definitely say that early childhood has less of the nonsense described in this book. However....there are some crazy things just apply to all levels of education today. That's why your teacher friends will always have the best stories ;) . So thanks to Ms. Morris for triggering my PTSD, raising my blood pressure, making me laugh, and making me thank God to have my current job. We will all continue to pray and fight the good fight for the state of education we are now in.
Lord help. I've been following Teacher Misery on FB and had heard of this book. I'd even looked and not found it at any of my local libraries so I contented myself with waiting until the holidays to order it when lo and behold it arrived on Netgalley.
Needless to say, I read the whole thing in a day. Ms. "Morris" and the teachers, students and admins (whose names are hilariously changed ex: Harry Pitts, Jack Haas, A. Nell Retentive etc, in order to protect the guilty) included go a long ways towards showing why 50% of teachers leave the field within the first 5 years and 20% for each year thereafter. And this book is mostly comprised of just examples from ONE teacher! Also, as she notes at the beginning, it's not as though she was teaching in a "bad" school. This really is how this field is now! New teachers should have this assigned as required reading.
The stories were at turns hilarious and heartbreaking and I cannot believe this woman in on year 10+ of teaching. You're a stronger person than I am! As one of those 50%-ers I will gladly say, thank God for good admins and Pre-K forever! After making the transition from middle school to early childhood, I can definitely say that early childhood has less of the nonsense described in this book. However....there are some crazy things just apply to all levels of education today. That's why your teacher friends will always have the best stories ;) . So thanks to Ms. Morris for triggering my PTSD, raising my blood pressure, making me laugh, and making me thank God to have my current job. We will all continue to pray and fight the good fight for the state of education we are now in.
libreroaming's review against another edition
2.0
A collection of bizarre and sometimes infuriating stories from teachers on the front line. While I believe the instances are true, especially the ones that beggar belief, I felt that the author's negativity could not let them exist in their own ridiculousness, or let the unfairness of the situation speak for itself. Often times it would shade the interaction in such a mean spirited tone that left me more uncomfortable than amused or sympathetic. It's a hard needle to thread when you are presenting situations that could have lingering trauma or resentment attached to them, but the finished product resembles a venting screed rather than a product you would want to articulate the difficulties of your job to a new audience.
The last part of "Teacher Misery" focuses on a takedown of the ridiculous bureaucratic constraints teachers are forced to accommodate, especially how testing concerns have more to do with the Pearson profit margin than an accurate way to helping children. Devoid of childish pseudonyms, well sourced, and keeping an even tone of academia, it is a 180° turn that feels like it's written by a completely different person. The context of Morris's frustration would have better helped give context for the aggravating stories presented earlier, to show instances where weird issues occur in classrooms that don't have to be attributed to psychotic teenagers, overbearing parents, uncaring administration against one put upon teacher. Teachers absolutely have very difficult jobs and I have heard and experienced stories that would fit well in this book, but I think "Teacher Misery" forgets that misery doesn't have to be shared to be cathartic.
The last part of "Teacher Misery" focuses on a takedown of the ridiculous bureaucratic constraints teachers are forced to accommodate, especially how testing concerns have more to do with the Pearson profit margin than an accurate way to helping children. Devoid of childish pseudonyms, well sourced, and keeping an even tone of academia, it is a 180° turn that feels like it's written by a completely different person. The context of Morris's frustration would have better helped give context for the aggravating stories presented earlier, to show instances where weird issues occur in classrooms that don't have to be attributed to psychotic teenagers, overbearing parents, uncaring administration against one put upon teacher. Teachers absolutely have very difficult jobs and I have heard and experienced stories that would fit well in this book, but I think "Teacher Misery" forgets that misery doesn't have to be shared to be cathartic.
briannethebookworm's review
5.0
Jane Morris, an English teacher writing under a pen name to protect her job and privacy, writes this collection of stories from mostly her own teaching career, but also compiles stories from some of her peers as well. She tells anecdotes of dealings with parents, interesting students she has had in her classes, and of her guidance and lack thereof with administrators. She provides examples of real student work that has been turned in to her and of emails that have been sent to her from students, parents, admin, and other staff she works with. She discusses other topics like standardized testing and grading policies as well.
While I was super excited to read this book as a teacher myself, I wasn't sure if it would be amazing or whiny and pessimistic. I absolutely loved it and think anyone who works in a school or coaches kids should read it. I related to everything that she said, and I didn't feel at all that she was using the book as an outlet to complain about how horrible the teaching profession is or deter people from becoming a teacher. Though she does highlight many of the frustrating aspects of being a teacher, she also makes it clear that she enjoys the madness and doesn't regret the profession she chose. The book was wildly entertaining and fun to read, but it also put my own school and students into perspective. I look forward to reading her second book. Follow her instagram account @teachermisery if you don't already!
While I was super excited to read this book as a teacher myself, I wasn't sure if it would be amazing or whiny and pessimistic. I absolutely loved it and think anyone who works in a school or coaches kids should read it. I related to everything that she said, and I didn't feel at all that she was using the book as an outlet to complain about how horrible the teaching profession is or deter people from becoming a teacher. Though she does highlight many of the frustrating aspects of being a teacher, she also makes it clear that she enjoys the madness and doesn't regret the profession she chose. The book was wildly entertaining and fun to read, but it also put my own school and students into perspective. I look forward to reading her second book. Follow her instagram account @teachermisery if you don't already!