Rating: 
Summary: A Winner!
Review: EDUCATING ESME is the journal of Esme Codell, a bright funny young woman who is hired in a new school in Chicago to teach fifth graders. She is not your typical teacher: She wears mini skirts, has a wild mane of red hair, insists on being called 'Madame Esme' and hates red tape of any kind. She makes enemies of her principal and vice principal.(The vice principal makes Esme help her move furniture, yet critques how Esme puts her furniture in her room, the principal looks on and doesn't help when Esme's field trip bus gets stoned by a neighborhood gang.) But the students love her and their grades go up. Yet, Esme still has good old fashioned spunk, and all through the book the reader is rooting for her. This book is terrific! Also recommended: THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez
Rating: 
Summary: A self-promoting reflection
Review: Clearly, Esme' is a creative, enthusiastic and dedicated teacher. However, her credibility is questioned as she reviews her first teaching year knowing all the answers to motivating students, managing uncooperative parents, and working with "in-your-face-supervisors". Although many of her teaching experiences are worth sharing, "Madame Esme's" arrogance, not to mention her gratuitous expletives, render this an unprofessional account as to how a teacher ought to conduct herself.
Rating:
Summary: please ban public education
Review: As you can see from the title of my review, I emphatically do not support public education and wish to see it eliminated, or at the very least, radically restructured. As an examination of that topic is beyond the scope of this book, I will say this: Ms Codell (sorry, Madame Esme) inadvertently provides a pretty cogent argument in favor of eliminating public education in this country. In particular, I found her precise and contemptuous portrayal of Mr Turner to be indicative of the bureaucrats that create sclerotic educational environments for our children.Aside fron the obvious humor and passion she brought to her teaching, she is a rather amazing individual who could do something I could never do. That thing, obviously, is to teach in the inner city in a public school. It is a rare person with the empathy and with that this young woman has, and it to those qualities that I commend her. Thought I oppose her apparent support of public education, I can see that she is one of the rare teachers able to inculcate, competently, a love of learning in her students. She is to be commended for that.
Rating:
Summary: Way to go, Esme!
Review: I loved this book. Reading it really gave me hope for the future of education in this country. We NEED more teachers like Esme in the classroom. For those considering the teaching profession, or for those who need to refresh your memory as to why you chose to teach in the first place, this is the book for you.
Again, LOVED IT!
Rating:
Summary: Read This Book!
Review: I am in the process of being credentialed, not yet with a classroom of my own. I chose to read this for a class and could not put it down! Esme is absolutely hilarious. She is inspiring, creative, spunky, and beautifully real. She excites you to enter the classroom but also stirs up doubt, all while challenging you to rise to the occassion. First year teachers should be required to read this book! I would recommend it to anyone who's ever been in a classroom, no matter which side of the teacher's desk. You will laugh and most likely be inspired, I promise!
Rating: 
Summary: Spunky and irreverent
Review: As a rookie substitute teacher, I was interested in perspectives from "new" full-time teachers on what I was getting into. Oh my! Esme is a riot - not only are her ideas hyper-creative (and adaptable, even in more 'stodgy' institutions), her story-telling was easy to read and left you wanting a sequel with more tales of her experiences. Not sure I'd want her working FOR me, but what fun she'd be to work WITH! Great read for anyone interested in the politics and progress possible in teaching.
Rating: 
Summary: possibly the worst book ever
Review: This book is a self-congratulatory collection of stories of questionnable veracity. I wouldn't recommend it to my dog.
Rating:
Summary: Parents Beware
Review: Parents Beware!!! This book is not for those under age 18. It contains vulgar language, profanity and sexual content.
While some of Ms. Cordell's actions are commendable, the vulgar language in the book made it dificult for me to focus on any good. I disliked the book intensely.
Rating:
Summary: Great read for anyone!!!
Review: I love this book. Esme is so down to earth about her experiences as a first year teacher. This book was an inspiration to anyone thinking about becoming a teacher, it gave me the opportunity to glance in and see a little of what I should expect, plus it gave me great tips on how to inspire my students.
Rating:
Summary: She's right about what's wrong in Chicago
Review: I am also a Chicago Public Schools teacher and I couldn't have said it better myself. Madame Esme brings up so many of the problems that our students face, like poverty, broken homes, lack of parental involvement, etc., and how they seep into the classroom. She also writes about her inept administrators. Sadly, I can relate. I really enjoyed the part where she makes her "worst" student the teacher for the day. She in turn takes his place as the trouble-maker. LOVED IT! I have bought this book for other teachers and I re-read my copy all the time, especially after a hard day in the trenches.
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