Official Review: Letters to a Young Classroom Teacher

[MsH2k]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Letters to a Young Classroom Teacher" by Gerald Rising.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Letters to a Young Classroom Teacher is a collection of twenty-six letters that are written to beginning teachers to instruct, warn, and encourage them in areas that their classroom education rarely addresses. This is the information that the author, Gerald Rising, wishes someone had told him when he began his teaching career. The topics of his letters include tips for preparing for your first day and organizing your classroom. Letters also address dealing with discrimination, discipline, and technology. Other letters discuss your relationship with students, colleagues, and parents. One letter that I thought was especially important addressed dealing with disappointment. This does not mean that a teacher plans to fail, but dealing with disappointment is an important part of growth.

The author has enjoyed a long and impressive career. He is a World War II veteran who finished his undergraduate degree after completing his military service. He taught high school math for thirteen years, after which he held several administrative positions, earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate in mathematics, and also taught college-level math in New York and Connecticut. After retiring formally in 1992, he now writes books and teaches occasionally.

Given the length of Mr. Rising’s career, I wondered how current the information in this book would be. I quickly discovered that his career experiences are extremely relevant. This author has compiled an amazing collection of information that would benefit any teacher. In addition to using his own stories, he includes those he has collected from colleagues and mentors over the years.

What I liked most about this book was how the author wrote with the authority that comes not only from experience in the classroom but also his clear definition of what is right and wrong. He encourages flexibility when necessary, but he does not waiver in his integrity. An example is the following quote. “If you break the second rule (get involved with a student), you are no longer a teacher; you are a felon who should be rejected from the teaching profession.” He has a genuine respect for everyone he encounters—students, parents, colleagues, and bosses.

What I disliked most about this book was the lack of comma usage. It was usually only a mild annoyance, but there were a few sentences that I needed to read two or three times to understand them correctly. I would recommend a focus on this issue in another round of editing.

This book would appeal to those with a teacher in their lives. My mother was an elementary school teacher for thirty years, and I could relate to many of the topics covered in these pages. For instance, the author stresses the impact of a teacher’s work throughout the community, particularly in small, rural areas. When I was in a neighborhood store in my hometown one day, a man told me, “I know how to read today because your mother never gave up on me when I was in her classroom.” My mother passed away over fifteen years ago, yet her legacy lives on.

I rate Letters to a Young Classroom Teacher 3 out of 4 stars. This book contains no profanity and no erotic scenes. I deducted one star because of the aforementioned comma usage and other grammatical errors. I recommend this book to those beginning their teaching career and students—both high school and college—who plan to become teachers. Some aspects of this book would also be helpful to homeschool instructors.

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Letters to a Young Classroom Teacher
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[AvidBibliophile]

This is a topic that would apply to so many, and addressing those inevitable periods of eventual "disappointment" is a truly essential reality we should all be prepared for, regardless of particular career field. Thanks so much for sharing your helpful impressions of this one!

[MsH2k]

This is a topic that would apply to so many, and addressing those inevitable periods of eventual "disappointment" is a truly essential reality we should all be prepared for, regardless of particular career field. Thanks so much for sharing your helpful impressions of this one!

You are right—it is indeed a reality. How we face disappointments can have a long-term effect on our lives. Thank you for stopping by!