The book, while someone's personal diary, is an interesting commentary on the everyday neglect of classroom teachers in the large scheme of things coupled with their unwavering commitment to their students, often at their own personal expense. The reader is exposed to the thankless nature of the classroom teacher, along with problems with parents and the intimidation of being a new teacher surrounded by veteran faculty and an intimidating administration.
It was a fun read, and while Esme clearly has an incredible sense of humor, the book also sort of bummed me out by reiterating that these kinds of realities exist and that there is all sorts of red tape and hoops through which to jump that is just part of the territory if you genuinely want to be successful as a teacher, as she was forced ultimately to pick her battles and sacrifice a bit of her autonomy to benefit her class.
I agree with Nick, this book really did reinstate that their is "red tape" and realities such as crappy principals and truly ill-equipped parents.
It was an easy an enjoyable read; I read it all in (almost) one sitting. As future high school teachers, I think the greatest lessons we can take from Esme's first-year journal are consistency within discipline, and that the first year will always be difficult. Esme was a courageous, stubborn, and outspoken teacher who I think we can all strive to be a little more like.
In some ways too, I think we can learn from her stubbornness. I think we can learn to focus our energy into our students, and not so much in personal vendettas with a bad boss.
I also thought that a lot of her teaching methods, although creative, effective, and inspiring--would they even fly within the strict rules of GA schools??
I absolutely LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down and as soon as I was done reading it, I wanted to read it again.
What i loved most was her ideas about discipline, and how strict she was with it and how stubborn she was. but i agree with Christine, this book really does open your eyes to the realities of education like crappy principals and (to be blunt) stupid parents.
but here is my answer to #2
a. What I loved the most about this book, was Madame Esme’s ideas about education and what she could do in order to improve it for her children. To be honest, I think a lot of teachers should focus more on being like how she teaches. For example, one of the things I loved the most, was when she approached her kids as they had a substitute teacher. The kids were mistreating the teacher and disrespecting her, asking if they listened what would they receive in return (stickers? Free time?). and instead, Esme tells them “you receive an education, which is more than you deserve!” I cannot agree more with this statement. It seems that as education goes on, students are “Rewarded” with material items in exchange for doing work. I myself have done this. I used to give candy to my students if they would write me a poem. But eventually they came to expect it and would just half-try writing a poem instead of putting their heart into it. Instead, Esme tells them straight up what they will get, and when the kids complain, she makes the work tougher. But by the end of the day, the kids respect her again and forget about the hard work. They are happy with what they have learned.
My biggest question, how comfortable would you be with someone calling you "madame" instead of "Ms." And how comfortable would you be with students using your first name? I have students call me "Ms. D" and i love it. How do others feel?
I really loved how this book was actually a set of journal entries documenting Esme's teaching experiences. It was inspiring to me not only through the plethora of ideas she incorporated into her classroom but also the way in which she did take time to record those memories of her first experiences teaching. I would love to do something similar. To me what is so truly different from how education is usually done is how determined, outgoing, creative, etc. Esme was in her class with her students. She wasn’t afraid to try new things -- something that I feel a lot of new teachers (and even old ones) may be prone to shy away from because of the “red tape” that is so much enforced in the school systems today. Although I have not experienced it firsthand, I have heard that there is not an extremely large amount of room to just “take off” and teach any way you would like -- for instance, testing is such an important aspect now that instead of teaching with a sort of joy that makes it fun for the kids, subjects are taught with an unpleasant urgency that if the facts and figures are not memorized by the students, test scores will suffer and not be as they should be. Esme is willing to step out and take chances for the benefit of her students rather than solely complying to strict regulations and suggestions.
I enjoyed seeing how much time Esme put in to doing activities that brought the subjects she taught in class to life outside of the classroom -- for example the Fairy Tale Festival. The effort and extra lengths that Esme went to and the results that they had with the kids was an inspiration to me – it’s okay and REWARDING to go the extra mile.
Esme’s unconventional and innovative ideas about teaching children were eye-opening and sometimes a little intimidating, not only because they broke the rules but for their sheer scope. Katherine Patterson’s Foreword perfectly encapsulates my response to Esme’s innovative teaching style: “At the time I considered myself a rather daring young teacher, but what was there to fear? The principal…never caught us with the desks shoved against the walls doing broad jumps the length of the room or reading Macbeth instead of the language arts text…compared to Esme, I was a staid traditionalist. I never roller-skated down the halls, never swapped places for a day with my most troublesome student. It never occurred to me to teach math by means of the cha-cha or give delightful new names to tired old [subjects]…I never asked anyone, much less the principal, to call me “Madam”. Her drive, most clearly manifest in ceaseless motion, created a curriculum that covered a wider range of subjects and projects than I thought possible. Her passion was incredible. Her insistence on the accountability of her students and the involvement of fellow teachers was eye-opening as was her ability to relate to her students psychologically. If I could create a school of my own (reminds me of Esme’s question to the new teachers she spoke to when she asked them to imagine their perfect classroom) I would implement Esme’s plans for teaching subjects required by the school board but also include subjects the students were interested in or answer questions that were related but not in the “approved” curriculum like she did with the Sex Ed. class and with her math cha-cha. I would also consider renaming difficult subjects like math and chemistry to shake off the students’ pre-conceived ideas of failure and foster self-esteem and academic achievement.
Question: Do you think Madame Esme could have done things differently when relating to her coworkers and the administration, if so, what? Would she have accomplished more if she were more or less assertive?
In response to Danielle's question: I would not mind if my students called me "Madame"; I would not insist on it but then I do not identify myself with that title. If they persisted I would probably refer to them as "Monsieur ou Mademoiselle" in return.
I think I love this book because Esme is everything I'm not. I could never have said things to any administrator that she said to hers. She is so fearless.
She probably could have accomplished more if she played by the rules more, but it would have made for a much less humorous book.
That's is one of the things that worries me the most about being a teacher (and I know it's just part of the job and sometimes you just aren't going to be a great fit with the school and it ebbs and flows), but I can never see myself toeing the line the way Esme does, the way Conroy and Schein, and Mr. Keating does. I understand the necessity for going to bat ofr your kids, but in her case, and in the cases of some of the aforementioned people, they went in as new teachers in a place where the status quo reigned supreme and challenged it, for better or worse. I personally couldn't imagine myself stepping up in that way just starting out. I'm sure everyone has a comfort level and it gets larger with experience, but I worry that given the nature of the job outlook for young teachers entering the profession, I'm probably, at least starting out, going to be a by-the-books sycophant until I reach my stride. Probably not so much of a good thing, but like you said, I also cannot envision myself coming out and challenging my boss right out of the gate as the new kid in town.
I know teachers who have toed the line and I also know office staff who have spoken to their principals in the manner that Esme did hers. And at times, I'm sorry, but I think it's necessary. It's like Esme said, her job is to come and teach the children. I have always bene told, in any job, you are there to do your job, you do not have to take any sort of attitude or any type of "put down" that superiors will give you without a good reason. So I loved how she stood up to that motto and stood up for herself, someone who stands up for themselves, I think is a much better role model. But that's just me.
This book had me rooting straight up and down for Esme. I admired the way she took control of her classroom straight away after she had said she was nervous about her first day. I admired her free spirit and the way she approached almost everything with the students' interest in mind, like the Connie Porter assembly. I laughed and cried with her, and felt her disappointment when her days were terrible. Also, I find it interesting that this all took place in a brand new school, showing that just because a school is new, a fresh start is not what solves education problems.
In a school of my own creation, I would like to have meetings where teachers introduce their original ideas for activities. I believe that everything has the ability to work if done correctly, like her schoolwide Fairy Tale Festival. I liked her idea, and I felt her frustration when the group at the meeting decided her proposal was no good.
Although Mr. Turner was extremely unprofessional, I agree that Esmé could have gotten further if she had played by the rules, or at least acted like she was following the rules. Sometimes we have to fight the good fight silently.
I posted my answer for the 1st reading question below. Most teachers are not as daring and imaginative as Esmé. I’ve never had a teacher that dressed up, built a time machine, or directed a classroom play. I believe most teachers, especially ones just starting out, tend to stick closely to the rules and regulations. The teachers I’ve had wouldn’t dare defy administrative authority as Mme. Esme did with Mr. Turner, in order to run their classroom their way. I know a lot of teachers work hard and many try to be creative, but Esmé seemed to be exceptionally creative. She is a good example of a teacher who really gives 120 percent in order to make learning fun for her students. Esmé’s patience is astounding. I have seen many teachers lose their tempers and speak to students almost as rudely as they sometimes speak to their teachers. I understand that it is not easy to stay calm, but the respect and kindness that Esmé shows her students is very inspiring.
The book, while someone's personal diary, is an interesting commentary on the everyday neglect of classroom teachers in the large scheme of things coupled with their unwavering commitment to their students, often at their own personal expense. The reader is exposed to the thankless nature of the classroom teacher, along with problems with parents and the intimidation of being a new teacher surrounded by veteran faculty and an intimidating administration.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun read, and while Esme clearly has an incredible sense of humor, the book also sort of bummed me out by reiterating that these kinds of realities exist and that there is all sorts of red tape and hoops through which to jump that is just part of the territory if you genuinely want to be successful as a teacher, as she was forced ultimately to pick her battles and sacrifice a bit of her autonomy to benefit her class.
I agree with Nick, this book really did reinstate that their is "red tape" and realities such as crappy principals and truly ill-equipped parents.
ReplyDeleteIt was an easy an enjoyable read; I read it all in (almost) one sitting. As future high school teachers, I think the greatest lessons we can take from Esme's first-year journal are consistency within discipline, and that the first year will always be difficult. Esme was a courageous, stubborn, and outspoken teacher who I think we can all strive to be a little more like.
In some ways too, I think we can learn from her stubbornness. I think we can learn to focus our energy into our students, and not so much in personal vendettas with a bad boss.
I also thought that a lot of her teaching methods, although creative, effective, and inspiring--would they even fly within the strict rules of GA schools??
I absolutely LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down and as soon as I was done reading it, I wanted to read it again.
ReplyDeleteWhat i loved most was her ideas about discipline, and how strict she was with it and how stubborn she was. but i agree with Christine, this book really does open your eyes to the realities of education like crappy principals and (to be blunt) stupid parents.
but here is my answer to #2
a. What I loved the most about this book, was Madame Esme’s ideas about education and what she could do in order to improve it for her children. To be honest, I think a lot of teachers should focus more on being like how she teaches. For example, one of the things I loved the most, was when she approached her kids as they had a substitute teacher. The kids were mistreating the teacher and disrespecting her, asking if they listened what would they receive in return (stickers? Free time?). and instead, Esme tells them “you receive an education, which is more than you deserve!” I cannot agree more with this statement. It seems that as education goes on, students are “Rewarded” with material items in exchange for doing work. I myself have done this. I used to give candy to my students if they would write me a poem. But eventually they came to expect it and would just half-try writing a poem instead of putting their heart into it. Instead, Esme tells them straight up what they will get, and when the kids complain, she makes the work tougher. But by the end of the day, the kids respect her again and forget about the hard work. They are happy with what they have learned.
My biggest question, how comfortable would you be with someone calling you "madame" instead of "Ms." And how comfortable would you be with students using your first name? I have students call me "Ms. D" and i love it. How do others feel?
I would be very uncomfortable if my students called me "Madame".
ReplyDeleteI really loved how this book was actually a set of journal entries documenting Esme's teaching experiences. It was inspiring to me not only through the plethora of ideas she incorporated into her classroom but also the way in which she did take time to record those memories of her first experiences teaching. I would love to do something similar. To me what is so truly different from how education is usually done is how determined, outgoing, creative, etc. Esme was in her class with her students. She wasn’t afraid to try new things -- something that I feel a lot of new teachers (and even old ones) may be prone to shy away from because of the “red tape” that is so much enforced in the school systems today. Although I have not experienced it firsthand, I have heard that there is not an extremely large amount of room to just “take off” and teach any way you would like -- for instance, testing is such an important aspect now that instead of teaching with a sort of joy that makes it fun for the kids, subjects are taught with an unpleasant urgency that if the facts and figures are not memorized by the students, test scores will suffer and not be as they should be. Esme is willing to step out and take chances for the benefit of her students rather than solely complying to strict regulations and suggestions.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing how much time Esme put in to doing activities that brought the subjects she taught in class to life outside of the classroom -- for example the Fairy Tale Festival. The effort and extra lengths that Esme went to and the results that they had with the kids was an inspiration to me – it’s okay and REWARDING to go the extra mile.
Esme’s unconventional and innovative ideas about teaching children were eye-opening and sometimes a little intimidating, not only because they broke the rules but for their sheer scope. Katherine Patterson’s Foreword perfectly encapsulates my response to Esme’s innovative teaching style:
ReplyDelete“At the time I considered myself a rather daring young teacher, but what was there to fear? The principal…never caught us with the desks shoved against the walls doing broad jumps the length of the room or reading Macbeth instead of the language arts text…compared to Esme, I was a staid traditionalist. I never roller-skated down the halls, never swapped places for a day with my most troublesome student. It never occurred to me to teach math by means of the cha-cha or give delightful new names to tired old [subjects]…I never asked anyone, much less the principal, to call me “Madam”.
Her drive, most clearly manifest in ceaseless motion, created a curriculum that covered a wider range of subjects and projects than I thought possible. Her passion was incredible. Her insistence on the accountability of her students and the involvement of fellow teachers was eye-opening as was her ability to relate to her students psychologically.
If I could create a school of my own (reminds me of Esme’s question to the new teachers she spoke to when she asked them to imagine their perfect classroom) I would implement Esme’s plans for teaching subjects required by the school board but also include subjects the students were interested in or answer questions that were related but not in the “approved” curriculum like she did with the Sex Ed. class and with her math cha-cha. I would also consider renaming difficult subjects like math and chemistry to shake off the students’ pre-conceived ideas of failure and foster self-esteem and academic achievement.
Question: Do you think Madame Esme could have done things differently when relating to her coworkers and the administration, if so, what? Would she have accomplished more if she were more or less assertive?
In response to Danielle's question: I would not mind if my students called me "Madame"; I would not insist on it but then I do not identify myself with that title. If they persisted I would probably refer to them as "Monsieur ou Mademoiselle" in return.
I think I love this book because Esme is everything I'm not. I could never have said things to any administrator that she said to hers. She is so fearless.
ReplyDeleteShe probably could have accomplished more if she played by the rules more, but it would have made for a much less humorous book.
That's is one of the things that worries me the most about being a teacher (and I know it's just part of the job and sometimes you just aren't going to be a great fit with the school and it ebbs and flows), but I can never see myself toeing the line the way Esme does, the way Conroy and Schein, and Mr. Keating does. I understand the necessity for going to bat ofr your kids, but in her case, and in the cases of some of the aforementioned people, they went in as new teachers in a place where the status quo reigned supreme and challenged it, for better or worse. I personally couldn't imagine myself stepping up in that way just starting out. I'm sure everyone has a comfort level and it gets larger with experience, but I worry that given the nature of the job outlook for young teachers entering the profession, I'm probably, at least starting out, going to be a by-the-books sycophant until I reach my stride. Probably not so much of a good thing, but like you said, I also cannot envision myself coming out and challenging my boss right out of the gate as the new kid in town.
ReplyDeleteI know teachers who have toed the line and I also know office staff who have spoken to their principals in the manner that Esme did hers. And at times, I'm sorry, but I think it's necessary. It's like Esme said, her job is to come and teach the children. I have always bene told, in any job, you are there to do your job, you do not have to take any sort of attitude or any type of "put down" that superiors will give you without a good reason. So I loved how she stood up to that motto and stood up for herself, someone who stands up for themselves, I think is a much better role model. But that's just me.
ReplyDeleteThis book had me rooting straight up and down for Esme. I admired the way she took control of her classroom straight away after she had said she was nervous about her first day. I admired her free spirit and the way she approached almost everything with the students' interest in mind, like the Connie Porter assembly. I laughed and cried with her, and felt her disappointment when her days were terrible. Also, I find it interesting that this all took place in a brand new school, showing that just because a school is new, a fresh start is not what solves education problems.
ReplyDeleteIn a school of my own creation, I would like to have meetings where teachers introduce their original ideas for activities. I believe that everything has the ability to work if done correctly, like her schoolwide Fairy Tale Festival. I liked her idea, and I felt her frustration when the group at the meeting decided her proposal was no good.
Although Mr. Turner was extremely unprofessional, I agree that Esmé could have gotten further if she had played by the rules, or at least acted like she was following the rules. Sometimes we have to fight the good fight silently.
ReplyDeleteI posted my answer for the 1st reading question below.
Most teachers are not as daring and imaginative as Esmé. I’ve never had a teacher that dressed up, built a time machine, or directed a classroom play. I believe most teachers, especially ones just starting out, tend to stick closely to the rules and regulations. The teachers I’ve had wouldn’t dare defy administrative authority as Mme. Esme did with Mr. Turner, in order to run their classroom their way. I know a lot of teachers work hard and many try to be creative, but Esmé seemed to be exceptionally creative. She is a good example of a teacher who really gives 120 percent in order to make learning fun for her students. Esmé’s patience is astounding. I have seen many teachers lose their tempers and speak to students almost as rudely as they sometimes speak to their teachers. I understand that it is not easy to stay calm, but the respect and kindness that Esmé shows her students is very inspiring.