Tag Archives: Book Review

Speak, A Review

I’m a bit of a snob. Not the condescending obnoxious kind that thinks everything I like is better than everyone else’s, or the uppity bourgeoisie kind that marries importance of brands to my self-worth, but more like the kind that likes high quality items and doesn’t like to waste time with mediocre, mainstream garbage. Life is too short to waste on junk food, music, films or books. I can appreciate the occasional sitcom, romantic comedy or Beyonce single, but I would rather get lost in quality shows like The Wire, or a complex indie film. As for music? Well look for yourself.

While I occasionally dip into the top 40 or watch some terrible blockbusters for mind numbing satisfaction, I have a much more difficult time reading trash. I respect the relationship between text and soul too much to allow myself to waste a few weeks reading a trashy novel. I like books with depth. I want them well written and insightful. I want my books to change the way I see the world and make me think and feel and well….you get it.

Needless to say, I seldom, if ever, read young adult fiction. As a middle school English teacher this is problematic. I know. I have made a ridiculous stand against titles like Harry Potter, Twilight, and ahhhh….ohhhhh those are the only two series I know. You see? I got issues.

A few months ago someone on Twitter suggested I read Speak– a 1999 novel by Laurie Halse Anderson about a girl named Melinda Sordino who is an outcast as a high school freshman due to reasons later revealed in the book…Read more here.

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won’t talk to her, and people she doesn’t even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that’s not safe. Because there’s something she’s trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

As always, I was reluctant, but decided to end by supercilious embargo and read something that could prove not to be “quality” literature. Man! Was I pleasantly surprised. Speak is fantastic. Is it a classic to be studied for generations to come and placed in the canon next to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy? Probably not. It is a well written, easily accessible novel that will grip young readers because it is about issues they deal with- sexuality, acceptance, gender roles, alienation, depression, friendship and more. Yes! With clear and simple symbols and themes, enough figurative language to keep teenagers engaged, and a real world accessibility- Speak is the perfect book for any ninth grade English class novel study.

While the main event of the book, a rape, can seem controversial to some districts, it is important to remember that 1 in 6 American women will be the victim of an attempted or completed rape. In the U.S. a rape is reported every five-minutes. Nearly half of all rapes and sexual assault victims are girls under the age of 18. If a girl is old enough to be raped, or if a boy is old enough to attack, than they are both old enough to talk about why in a classroom. It should be our duty as teachers to help young people navigate these issues.

But this book is not only about rape. It is about the alienation so many young people feel while in school. It is about the disconnect between the dreams promised- study hard, be popular, succeed, be happy and the reality- we are all broken in some way, trying to find a way to make the world make sense. School is not all cheerleaders and prom queens, for most of us, high school was/is a terrifying four years of uncomfortable understanding of who we are and what is expected of us from our friends, family, teachers, and society. Speak does a great job of showing the world through the eyes of a broken young woman who finds a way to heal herself.

The cynic in means has to say that parts of the book do read like an after school special, but for the most part it was a pleasure to read. The cold sardonic tone and imagery held my attention, and I didn’t want it to end. I would have loved a book like this when I was fourteen. Sure, we can continue to try and connect to students by pushing the greatness of Mice and Men, but perhaps we should start where kids are. Let them relate to characters that are dealing with issues they face, then move into Salinas county and the rabbits. I would love to teach this book with say Catcher and the Rye and a film study of Elephant.

I would also love to hear from those of you who have already taught this book. What resources can you share? How did students react? Parents? Did you face any obstacle or problems? Final note, I would love to dive deep into more quality young adult fiction. Friends are always recommending great series, but I always lose track. Could you please share your favorites in the comments below. Don’t worry about mentioning The Hunger Games. I have already placed an order.

Teaching Unmasked- A Review

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I first met John Spencer through his blog, Spencer’s Scratch Pad and through Twitter. I can’t remember which came first. I was immediately struck by his raw, passionate and humble voice. He seldom seemed to have any definite answers, and he rarely preached the trite Ed-Tech gospel, instead he wrote…I guess I should switch this to the present tense… he writes from the heart about his love of learning. His posts and his tweets strike a chord with me as they are honest snapshots into his classroom, his pedagogy, and his heart. I have been inspired by his short post style and often find myself needing to leave a quick comment. He is a prolific writer who has the skill to always keep his topics fresh and relevant.

It was with great pleasure that I ordered his book Teaching Unmasked- Why I Am More of a Teacher When I Am Less of a Teacher. The book is available in a number of formats, you can read it for free online here, but I chose to buy a copy from Amazon. I am a sucker for books and have yet to make the shift to E-reading. If someone takes the time to write a book, I am doing it now and I know how difficult it can be, then I feel I owe it to them to hold their words in my hand and give them the respect they deserve.

The book is an easy read that leaves you thinking and questioning your practice. It is easy, not in the sense that it is simple, although it is, but that it is well written and filled with the depth of wisdom. Not the kind of wisdom arrived by knowing the answers, but from the kind of wisdom that comes from a childlike passion for questioning and of curiosity. This is not an Ed-Tech book that will revolutionize your classroom with a litany of fancy gadgets and tools. It is a candid reflection of a teacher doing his best. Filled with all the doubts and insecurities that accompany honest risk taking teaching, this is a book that reveals a teacher who is dedicated to his students, their learning, and what their shared understanding means to the greater good of humanity.

I sometimes feel like a groupie, and I hope I do not embarrass John by my constant attention and by how often I retweet his posts or for the amount of comments I leave, but I honestly see him as a kindred spirit. One rarely finds a voice who so closely resembles one’s own. My copy of his book is littered with highlighted passages, and I will take my copy and place it on my desk at school for the occasional reminder to question my practice ad how I interact with students. Some nuggets of wisdom may even make it up on the wall.

If you are teacher interested in the art and science of true reflective student centered learning this book is for you. I will stop gushing now, because I know that this is not the kind of attention John is after, but trust me read this book it will do your soul some good.

A Whole not so New Mind

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Several people over the last few years have insisted that I read A Whole New Mind-Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel H. Pink. While I am usually wary about reading books by business gurus sitting atop best-sellers list, I gave in, much like I did with The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman, (a man I cannot stand) and read Pinks book. I was disappointed in both books and much for the same reasons.

I did not hate it as much as Gary Stager, but I was not overly impressed. As a language Arts teacher I saw nothing new in this book that would help me with the way I teach kids. The ideas and “skills” he is trying to help the reader hone are what English teachers do out of habit and necessity. I don’t need a book to tell me that I need to be playful, empathetic, and creative. These are the very reasons I became an English teacher, perhaps some in a more “left-brained” field needs to be reminded that smiling and laughing are good, but I could do without the pedantic sermon.

The book made some interesting observations, but I was never invested enough to make strong statements either way. This is a typical airport bookstore book, intended to tell people what they already know and make them feel better about this knowledge.

I will say that I really did like his chapter on Design and the importance that good design can and should have on our lives, but the rest of the book reads like a simple self-help book for people who are not aware they can be creative.

Perhaps some corporate square who has wasted his life pursuing material happiness, finds comfort in learning that he too can draw, but this epiphany was not new to me. You can read the book for yourself if you want to, but let me summarize the gist:

Be empathetic, love others, be playful, and synthesis instead of analyze. As a self-proclaimed right-brainer this book was too obvious and repetitive for me.

I did, however, take away this one quote:

When facts become so widely available and instantly accessible, each one becomes less valuable. What begins to matter more is the ability to place these facts in context and to deliver them with emotional impact.