Review of Teacher
Posted: 19 Apr 2023, 12:43
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Teacher" by Robert Mitchell.]
Imagine a world without teachers or without a structured institution where teachers guide young people as they learn how to live. It would have been a challenging task, to say the least. Why do governments, parents, and other societal groups typically give the teaching profession little attention given how vital it is? Robert Mitchell has tried to provide solutions to the current challenges teachers face, drawing on his vast 27-year experience in teaching. In his book, Teacher, he looks into the teaching profession through the lens of a teacher and shows how teachers can connect emphatically, psychologically, emotionally, and intellectually with the children they teach all year round. He is able to point out the current fundamental issues wrong with the educational system and explain how education should actually take place to produce holistic results in the children who are being educated and raised.
Mitchell begins his teaching journey without any prior teaching experience at a private school in Cuernavaca. However, he doesn't just teach as part of the teachers in a school system; he works on developing himself and answering essential questions regarding the profession. Although the author focuses on the American education system and its deteriorating state, his submissions can be applied to some other education systems that follow the same pattern (in some countries in Africa, for example). What, then, is the role of the teacher? What is the purpose of education? Find out when you read this informative piece.
The book's title exudes such a sense of intimacy. I hurried to pick up the book because I was very interested in learning how it applied to me as a teacher. At this point, I should commend the author for not being a slack instructor who solely relied on the curriculum and textbook. He was prepared to put in the time and effort necessary to rearrange, supplement, and update outdated curricular material. I was pleased with the way he finally responded to a tough question presented by a student in his World History (Grade 10) class. It felt like a small win to me. I appreciate the Lessons Learned section of Chapter 1 as well. It served as a compass used by the reader to get to the summary of one point and move on to the next.
The succinct reflections that conclude each chapter are also quite helpful. After the reader has finished each chapter, the author poses some thought-provoking questions. The book does well to clear up the disillusionment some people have had recently about the current educational system in different parts of the world. Mitchell is able to distinguish between what is and what should be. Additionally, he is able to relate or apply the works of (educational) psychologists like Erik Erikson and Erich Neumann to current issues confronting the educational system today as well as societal failures.
Since the book was professionally edited, I found only 3 errors while reading. However, a couple of things disturbed my reading experience. I am not sure about the e-copy of the book I read, but I had some trouble reading it. There were too many limitations; I was unable to copy, paste, or highlight important points. This reduced my enjoyment of the book. Later in the book, when the author dove into topics like psychic projection and how he aids young people in discovering their archetypes, the book grew a little complex. To better appreciate the author's views, I went back and read some sections again. I also came across words like 'hegemony' and 'libidinal' which sent me to the dictionary and broke my reading flow. Apart from these, I could understand the general basis of most of the author's propositions, one of which is that teaching is a calling—something I believe so strongly and have always said.
I shall rate this book 4 out of 5 stars simply because it was a little bit challenging to read. Teachers must read this book. Students in the university studying to become teachers, educational policymakers, parents, heads of schools, and school owners must also read this book. The author has written quite candidly and deeply indeed.
******
Teacher
View: on Bookshelves
Imagine a world without teachers or without a structured institution where teachers guide young people as they learn how to live. It would have been a challenging task, to say the least. Why do governments, parents, and other societal groups typically give the teaching profession little attention given how vital it is? Robert Mitchell has tried to provide solutions to the current challenges teachers face, drawing on his vast 27-year experience in teaching. In his book, Teacher, he looks into the teaching profession through the lens of a teacher and shows how teachers can connect emphatically, psychologically, emotionally, and intellectually with the children they teach all year round. He is able to point out the current fundamental issues wrong with the educational system and explain how education should actually take place to produce holistic results in the children who are being educated and raised.
Mitchell begins his teaching journey without any prior teaching experience at a private school in Cuernavaca. However, he doesn't just teach as part of the teachers in a school system; he works on developing himself and answering essential questions regarding the profession. Although the author focuses on the American education system and its deteriorating state, his submissions can be applied to some other education systems that follow the same pattern (in some countries in Africa, for example). What, then, is the role of the teacher? What is the purpose of education? Find out when you read this informative piece.
The book's title exudes such a sense of intimacy. I hurried to pick up the book because I was very interested in learning how it applied to me as a teacher. At this point, I should commend the author for not being a slack instructor who solely relied on the curriculum and textbook. He was prepared to put in the time and effort necessary to rearrange, supplement, and update outdated curricular material. I was pleased with the way he finally responded to a tough question presented by a student in his World History (Grade 10) class. It felt like a small win to me. I appreciate the Lessons Learned section of Chapter 1 as well. It served as a compass used by the reader to get to the summary of one point and move on to the next.
The succinct reflections that conclude each chapter are also quite helpful. After the reader has finished each chapter, the author poses some thought-provoking questions. The book does well to clear up the disillusionment some people have had recently about the current educational system in different parts of the world. Mitchell is able to distinguish between what is and what should be. Additionally, he is able to relate or apply the works of (educational) psychologists like Erik Erikson and Erich Neumann to current issues confronting the educational system today as well as societal failures.
Since the book was professionally edited, I found only 3 errors while reading. However, a couple of things disturbed my reading experience. I am not sure about the e-copy of the book I read, but I had some trouble reading it. There were too many limitations; I was unable to copy, paste, or highlight important points. This reduced my enjoyment of the book. Later in the book, when the author dove into topics like psychic projection and how he aids young people in discovering their archetypes, the book grew a little complex. To better appreciate the author's views, I went back and read some sections again. I also came across words like 'hegemony' and 'libidinal' which sent me to the dictionary and broke my reading flow. Apart from these, I could understand the general basis of most of the author's propositions, one of which is that teaching is a calling—something I believe so strongly and have always said.
I shall rate this book 4 out of 5 stars simply because it was a little bit challenging to read. Teachers must read this book. Students in the university studying to become teachers, educational policymakers, parents, heads of schools, and school owners must also read this book. The author has written quite candidly and deeply indeed.
******
Teacher
View: on Bookshelves