I Choose to Stay: A Black Teacher Refuses to Desert the Inner City

Rating:
Summary: Choose to Stay: A Black Teacher Refuses to Desert the Inner
Review: Arnold Schwarzenegger is right this is a courageuous and well written book and shows the true nature of determination and fortitude that is seldom shown in this selfish society that we live in. Highly Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Positive Role Model
Review: Salome Thomas-El's book, I CHOOSE TO STAY is both a memoir and inspirational tale of his unrelenting dedication to inner city schools. Born one of eight kids, he began his life in the projects of Philadelphia. Even as a child, he showed dedication to his community and a thirst for knowledge. Most of his fondest memories are of teachers who supported, encouraged, and helped to mold him into the man he is today.

After high school, Thomas-El attended East Stroudsburg University, a predominantly white institution where he had to fight hard against prejudices and racism. Upon graduation, he pursued a career in broadcasting, but soon he was called on to teach. After teaching in several suburban schools, Thomas-El realized that he could give back more to his community by teaching in inner city schools. Once he had the opportunity, he began transforming the students and the schools by establishing a chess club, Saturday schools, and several tutorial programs. Students have gone on to attend colleges and win national chess championships under his guidance. Although he has been offered several lucrative contracts from suburban schools, he declines to take them, knowing that helping these children is much more rewarding than anything that money can buy.

I CHOOSE TO STAY is a must read for anyone in the education system. It shows how one man's vision, dedication, and perseverance helped transform a school system, and encourage students who were otherwise lost. Salome Thomas-El exemplifies what it means to be a teacher and many can learn from hearing his story.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Moving Memoir!
Review: Salome Thomas-EL's I Choose to Stay: A Black Teacher Refuses to Desert the Inner-City is a testament of selfless dedication and commitment to Philadelphia's inner-city community. He opens by recapping his childhood and ever-present internal drive to succeed despite the obstacles in his path. Born into a large family with little money and an absentee father, Mr. Thomas-EL excelled academically and stayed out of trouble as a youth. His record of accomplishment earned him respect from instructors who encouraged him to live up to his potential despite peer pressure to do otherwise. He credits his mother and teachers as having the greatest influence on his life and has made it his mission to reciprocate all the many blessings he has received.

He shares that early in his life he felt he was destined to teach and cites a few early adult experiences that seemed to confirm the inevitable. His innovative academic programs, strong rapport with students, and love of teaching led him to become an effective and influential educator and role model. Mr. Thomas-EL meticulously chronicles the resurgence and accomplishments of the Vaux Chess Team and the strategies that he used to encourage and develop the students' skills for the game and life's hard lessons. As stated in the foreword written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, there is no doubt that Salome Thomas-EL is to be commended for his tireless efforts and devotion to the children of Vaux Middle School. Written in the same vein of Joe Clark's Lean On Me, Thomas-EL's I Choose To Stay is proof that inner-city public schools can succeed and produce great students.

Although Thomas-EL's story is truly inspirational, it is the construct of the book or memoir that distracts from the story. There are some passages and concepts that are repeated and the story's flow stalled in a few areas. However, if the reader is looking for a positive, feel good, encouraging story, then this novel delivers.

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club

Rating:
Summary: A COMMITTED EDUCATOR
Review: Would you give up a salary increase of $20,000 to stay as a teacher in an inner-city school?If your answer is no, then you are one of the "normal" teachers who want to move on for bigger and better things. If your answer is yes, join in the ranks with one of the most outstanding and committed educator, Salome Thomas-EL. He gave up the chance of a higher salary out of a commitment to his community and the children of his school.

I Choose To Stay is Mr. EL's life story and firm conviction to educate the students in the Philadelphia inner-city school system. Salome EL was a product of that system and faced emotional and financial challenges to make it through school, college and finally as a teacher in the public school system. As readers we're taken into the deep love and devotion that this man has for his kids and community. He does this through his focus on excellence for his students at Vaux Middle School and the revival of their chess club that serves as an alternative to traditional sports.

Mr. EL is full of excitement and enthusiasm for his kids and you get swept up in the same feeling for them. Through his creativity, role modeling and being supportive of these young people who live in challenging circumstances we see a remarkable change in their attitudes. Truly these young people are winners not only in chess but in life.

Salome Thomas-EL is the new generation of African-American male teachers who want to make a difference in his community. His tenacity and love for his kids shows that there is more to life than making the all mighty dollar. From reading about his life and the impact he had on his schools, you can see that inner-city schools have more to offer. With men like EL at the helm change can come for the better. He is an inspiration for anyone who wants to teach those children that our society gives up on. A role model such as EL breaks all stereotypes about teachers and the performance of inner-city school children.