Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Discussion Forums - Teachers' Corner Teachers' Corner

Topic: Teacher's Memoirs

Club rule - Please, if you cannot be courteous and respectful, do not post in this forum.
  Unlock Forum posting with Annual Membership.
Generic Profile avatar
Subject: Teacher's Memoirs
Date Posted: 2/3/2008 12:07 AM ET
Member Since: 1/13/2008
Posts: 2
Back To Top

Does anyone have any memoirs by teachers that they would recommend?  Thanks, Carmen

Generic Profile avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 2/3/2008 10:05 AM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
Posts: 4,598
Back To Top

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt is excellent.

surfgirl avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 2/3/2008 5:25 PM ET
Member Since: 1/11/2007
Posts: 1,534
Back To Top

"My Posse Don't Do Homework" by Louanne Johnson.  The movie "Dangerous Minds" is based on her book.

OpalLady avatar
Date Posted: 2/3/2008 9:08 PM ET
Member Since: 10/9/2006
Posts: 88
Back To Top

Thread That Runs So True by Jesse Stuart:  he shares about his first class in a one room rural schoolhouse to leading a school district as a superintendent in Tennessee back inthe days with $100 per year was great pay.  It is an inspirational book to read and I give a copy to young teachers whenever I can get my hands on a copy.

Adrianne

twomanybooks64 avatar
Standard Member medal
Date Posted: 2/7/2008 7:51 PM ET
Member Since: 11/21/2007
Posts: 9,796
Back To Top

32 Third Graders And One Class Bunny by Philip Doane - A very funny book about a teacher's experiences teaching third grade over a single school year.

Death At An Early Age by Jonathan Kozol - his experiences teaching in Boston public schools in mid 1960s. I was surprised at the amout of racism.

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 4/21/2008 10:12 PM ET
Member Since: 1/27/2008
Posts: 6
Back To Top

I just got through reading Chalk Dust by David Ellison.  It was a series of short essays about this teaching experiences.  It was one of the better memoirs of teachers that I've read.

I have to respectfully disagree with the person who suggested Teacher Man by Frank McCourt.  I was so put off by his foul language that I couldn't get past the 2nd chapter.  I have not delegated it to NTBR pile.

Anyway, I just posted my copy of Chalk Dust today if you are interested.

TexasEm

Generic Profile avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 4/22/2008 7:23 PM ET
Member Since: 3/4/2007
Posts: 4,598
Back To Top

Foul language in Teacher Man?  What, the few times he quoted things students and parents said to him or that he overheard in the halls and in his classroom in his inner city New York school?  You make it sound like the book is rife with expletives and general obscenities.  Apparently we had completely different experiences reading this book.

Another good teacher memoir is Pat Conroy's The Water Is Wide.  It was made into a movie entitled Conrack many years ago and I have seen newer copies of the book with that title over the original one.  There is also some questionable language in this one, completely appropriate to the time, place and experiences discussed. 

dazeerae avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 4/22/2008 9:32 PM ET
Member Since: 10/21/2007
Posts: 3,430
Back To Top

I have a book called Lord, Don't Let it Rain at Recess.  It is a very interesting book by a seasoned teacher about her first year of teaching and the bonds that she forms with her students.   Her experiences are things that all teachers can relate to.

MsScarlett avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 4/23/2008 12:01 AM ET
Member Since: 2/6/2006
Posts: 376
Back To Top

I loved 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny!  It made me literally laugh out loud at some parts.  I also like Torey Hayden's books. 

surfgirl avatar
Friend of PBS-Silver medal
Date Posted: 4/23/2008 2:11 PM ET
Member Since: 1/11/2007
Posts: 1,534
Back To Top

"The Freedom Writer's Diary" by Erin Gruwell

I agree with Sandy.  "Teacher Man"  and "The Water is Wide" are excellent.

"Christy" by Catherine Marshall is also good.  Depends on what time period you're interested in.

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 4/23/2008 2:24 PM ET
Member Since: 11/6/2005
Posts: 642
Back To Top

Educating Esme

An old one, but very good - Up the Down Staircase

 

Generic Profile avatar
Subject: Tuesdays With Morrie?
Date Posted: 5/4/2008 7:22 PM ET
Member Since: 9/16/2007
Posts: 63
Back To Top

I am not sure if this qualifies as a real teacher memoir, but it is about what a man learns from his mentor--quite inspiring.

Generic Profile avatar
Subject: Educating Esme!
Date Posted: 7/11/2008 1:44 AM ET
Member Since: 7/9/2008
Posts: 4
Back To Top

Educating Esme is an excellent book! very inspiring! Its a memoire about teacher named Esme who wrote about her first year as a teacher! I loved it! I have to find it from my pile of books!