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Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy? by Frank Stepnowski
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Frank Stepnowski Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2009-10-15 ISBN: 1432748297 Number of pages: 380 Publisher: Outskirts Press
Book Reviews of Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy?Book Review: Finally a book that tells the story...the REAL story. Summary: 5 Stars
I recieved this book as a gift from a friend who read it and loved it, and because I myself teach Secondary Special Education. I've been in both suburban and urban settings, and I do not pretend to be an expert in education, but I certainly know more than most when it comes to teaching children with behavioral disabilities. Having taught in an Alternative School and two public high schools, I could not turn the pages of this book fast enough...finally SOMEBODY ELSE has felt my pain; SOMEBODY ELSE has grabbed on to the tiny moral victories that refuels the engine. In Alternative Education, there are no filters, there are no referees, there are no freebees, each class period is a grind, and sometimes a single "Thank you" or "Have a nice day, Mister" makes the last 7 hours of work, 3 cups of coffee, a sweaty undershirt, and sore feet all worth it.
Most people do not know what it means to dedicate your life and livelihood to a field that is constantly the brunt of attack and political ridicule. Education has become society's scapegoat to our economic struggles. How easy it has become to criticize teachers when the critic hasn't seen a classroom since their high school graduation. Frank Step captured the daily grind; he brought to life what it means to not just sign in to work, write an assignment on the board and deliver some content instruction, but to actually be a "teacher," one who commits him/herself to making a difference every day, no matter how big or small. This holiday season, much like every family party, I have heard so many of my own family members asserting their opinions on what education needs to 'fix' itself. And I, being a teacher, am forced to defend our Union's decisions, explain random news stories about teachers on the front page of a newspaper for misconduct, and of course I must apologize for being overpaid in a recession. For all who have been on either side of this argument, do yourself a favor, BUY A BOOK!!
Mr. Stepnowski lays it all out for you. Everyday, my fellow teachers are cursed at, lied to, laughed at, unfairly scrutinized by parents and administrators who know nothing about their class or teaching style, and it gets a bit tiresome to continue the uphill battle. Why Are All The Good Teachers Crazy finally delivered not only the therapy that every teacher needs, but it had me gut-busting with laughter! Is there profanity? Yes...(but not nearly as much as my 2nd period class.) Are there errors in the book? Yes. And if you are one of the VERY FEW who have gotten caught up with the grammatical errors and misspellings, then you have CLEARLY missed the point and I hope you have a good second half of the year teaching at your Private School in Princeton. For those who actually appreciate the TRUTH in education, grab a cup of coffee, a comfortable seat, and get ready to laugh, cry, and become a teacher who actually makes a difference!!
Summary of Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy?
This book belongs on the desk of every teacher in America!
A refreshingly honest look inside the teaching profession, Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy? is a captivating collection of hilarious stories and unreserved observations from one man's odyssey in the classroom. With equal parts humanity, insanity, and profanity, Frank Stepnowski, a twenty year veteran of the academic wars, offers unique insight into a world everybody knows about but very few understand. "Step" as he was re-christened by his students, pulls no punches in the classroom, and takes no prisoners in his writing debut. The title, which comes from a line that the author heard many times throughout his career, is both a confession and a confirmation. "I wanted a book," he explains, "that would make people laugh out loud but also open their eyes to just how insane the teaching profession can get. With that in mind, the book is a riotous success, providing searing insight into the classroom and giving an iconoclastic voice to a profession that often goes unheard. Why Are All the Good teachers Crazy? is a wake up call for some, a rallying cry for others, and an invitation to laugh and learn for everyone.
Based on actual events, the vivid imagery, colorful characters, and incendiary dialogue of this nuclear powered novel will take readers on a roller coaster ride that they will be talking about long after the ride is over.
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