Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year

Rating:
Summary: boy is she conceeded
Review: This book is mildly entertaining, but Esme is so conceeded throughout the book that I couldn't take anything she wrote seriously.

Rating:
Summary: Call Me Madame
Review: This book was not what I expected. Based on the title, "Educating Esme," I anticipated reading about a teacher's learning and growing experiences, triumphs and failures, her first year on the job. It is a light, amusing read overall, but I was disappointed that this book was not more reflective and personal. Are we supposed to believe that this was her actual diary or is the format just for effect? It read more like a litany of "Madame Esme's" activities and achievements. One feels that she is pitching for a job more than baring her soul. Perhaps the title "Educated Esme" or "Esme's Way" would have been more apt.


Esme is smart, empathetic, creative, and has a backbone. I think her students got a lot of love and encouragement from her. They also got a mini-skirted, rock onstage with the hip-hop band role model (In one student's words, "Madame Esme's got it going on."). Esme was antagonistic to nearly everyone else involved in her students' lives - the parents, administrators and other teachers. Having been raised in the innercity and attended public school there, I could easily identify with her portrayals of some of the the self-serving tenured professionals in the school system. But I was sorry to find so little humility in these pages and scant respect for the parent's critical role in a child's education.

I did benefit from Esme's mention of some of the books she read aloud to her class. There were a couple of titles I took note of and hope to read to my children.

If you're looking for a modern, rather flimsy account of innercity public education with a "To Sir With Love" flair, you'll get a taste of that here. If you can keep your expectations low enough, you may be pleasantly surprised.


Rating:
Summary: Fast Funny Read, but Left Me With Questions
Review: I read this book in just a couple of hours, as it goes down as quick and easy as popcorn. Esme Codell is a dedicated and imaginative teacher and I loved a lot of the ideas she used in her classroom. I bet she will be well-remembered by her students. My favorite parts of the books, and the anecdotes I shared with my friends the day I was reading the book, had to do with interactions with her students and some of the things they'd say, or Esme's creative ideas for discipline.

The administration in the school sounds downright bizarre, though, and here's where my complaints come in. I agree with some of the other reviewers that Esme comes off at times as pretty self-centered and I wondered how on earth the principal and vice-principal could be THAT incompetent and offensive and get away with it, which made me question their portrayal. My biggest problem though, was the same thing that gave the book a lot of its charm and readability--the diary format and anecdotal narrative made for an easy breezy read, but again and again I found myself frustrated by occasions where I felt that I was only hearing a small part of the story, particularly when it came to the politics of the school administration and the overall school system. Things would get mentioned with no explanation of their significance, and then would never be seen again (like the Michael Jordan foundation grant money issues for example). Still, it was a memorable read--the best parts of Esme's teaching were in conveying her deep love for books and reading, and I think that her current role as author and reading advocate will convey that without the drawbacks of teaching. I look forward to reading her book about getting kids to love books and reading.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!
Review: this was a wonderful book that really educated me on what it is to be a first year teacher, and as a girl that is fearful of entering the teaching field, this book gave a hilarious alternative and really allowed me to laugh at the things that were making me worried about teaching. this book gave me confidence in challenging administration if i need to, becuase i know someone else has been there, and in knowing that i can be a child's confidant, the one that pushes them to do and be better, and the one that helps students realize and reach their goals. i can't wait for that in teaching!!!

Rating:
Summary: Super First Year Teacher
Review: I am going into my first year of teaching (after another career) so I thought it would be good to read this story of another first year teacher's experience. The story was very humbling. This teacher struck me as a "super" teacher. She has lots of creative ideas and a seemingly endless pool of energy. The story of political friction between her and her administrators was not too surprising - every job has some amount of politics. I hope that I can be half the teacher Esme is.

Rating:
Summary: I guess there's a market for anything
Review: The fact that Esme has very creative ideas for the classroom is just great. However, the majority of pages in this book are devoted to her whining about the administrators, ranting about her colleagues and being alternately scared/disgusted/moved by her students. This is a journal by a young woman who, while very bright, seems to be incredibly vulgar and self-absorbed. She writes as if she is the only teacher on the face of the earth who ever had a creative thought. Since this is a journal and not a "how-to" book, it provides a glimpse into the thinking behind her actions. Not a pretty sight.

Rating:
Summary: Educating Esme
Review: I read this book by the recommendation of my boyfriend and then it was used in two college courses for elementary education. It is fantastic!! I want to teach on the south side of Chicago and this book was an amazing insight into what one may or may not expect during their first year. Esme is amazing and talented and I already know that I will walk into my first classroom with a great deal of knowledge and a massive amount of ideas just from reading this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone heading into the teaching field or anyone how wants to read something enjoyable!

Rating:
Summary: Educating Esme is perfect
Review: Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year is one of the best books I have ever read. When I came to the end, I cried because it was over. Esme Codell is a defiant, tell-it-like-it-is, awe-inspiring, creative and brilliant first year teacher in an inner-city classroom of Chicago and gives her first-hand account of the ups and downs of her fifth grade class. The book is heartwarming and heartbreaking, laugh out loud funny and bring tears to your eyes sad, and above all else - inspiring. From someone who is currently applying for her first teaching position, I loved every word Esme put into her diary. I highly recommend this book to anyone!