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My First Year In Purgatory
Paperback, 219 Pages
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$14.94
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"My First Year In Purgatory" is a teacher memoir with illustrations, about my adventures and insights as a Gen Xer teaching in a crumbling urban school district. In it, I lead two semi-functional lives: embattled educator by day –whose students make Damien from the “Omen” look like a lightweight, and urban adventurer by night. I witness teachers driven out of classrooms by students they can’t control, bullies given free reign to torment the weak, chaos that makes learning nearly impossible, and administrators who sweep discipline under the rug. Weekends, I scour art openings, cafes, bars and the Internet for romance, meaning, and escape.
As I struggle through my first year, I begin to suspect that that all those movies and books about the “dedicated teacher who won over those tough kids” are a myth; and that there is a crisis in discipline that can’t be solved by lone heroes.
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May 10, 2014I bought this book a few years ago. I retired from teaching middle schoo and high school Spanish 2 years ago. Whenever I lament retiring early and miss teaching, all I have to do is read a chapter of Matt's book to remember what it was REALLY like! His book may seem like an exaggeration to non-teachers, but I assure you it is the reality of being a teacher today, especially in grades 7 through 9th. All I can say to prospective teachers is 'good luck' and hope you have a very thick skin. This is an excellent and funny book (but also a sad commentary on the state of affairs in our schools). It's not only about the students. It's also about the incompetency of administration as well as the pathetic parents that spawn these totally dysfunctional children.
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Jun 23, 2009"a must read for teachers, administrators, and parents" I grew up in a country where children are taught to show respect to their teachers and I'd taken that for granted until I read this book. It tells us those untold stories about teaching in a public school in US. Though telling a quite disturbing experience, the author's writing is witty and full of insights. It's a must read for us who care about the education for our next generation. TES, Britain’s leading publication covering the world of primary, secondary and further education, also posted a review on their website. You should find it helpful.
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Feb 4, 2009
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Product Details
- ISBN
- 9781430311980
- Copyright
- Standard Copyright License
- Publisher
- M. Clabeaux
- Published
- January 30, 2008
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 219
- Binding
- Perfect-bound Paperback
- Interior Ink
- Black & white
- Weight
- 0.85 lbs.
- Dimensions (inches)
- 6 wide x 9 tall
- Product ID
- 1487783
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