Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (2894)

Content

Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Mista in Books

Jan 15, 2018

I won a copy of this book on Goodreads. I entered the giveaway because, as a teacher, any book about teaching by a fellow teacher is worth checking out. When I read the description I had only 1 thought go through my head, "This sounds like where some of the kids I have now are going to end up." I myself teach in an "innercity" elementary school. Some of the things John experienced are things I've seen too...thankfully not the pervasive sex & drugs culture, I mean my students are 8 after all. But the blatant disrespect, cursing, lack of motivation, & uncaring attitude toward education are all definitely things I contend with on a daily basis as well. To me, reading this was both encouraging and heartbreaking. Encouraging because it is nice to know that there are teachers out there that truly care about what happens to these "tough kids" & are wiling to put up with a great deal of abuse to see that they get what they need. Heartbreaking because this story is all too common. There are not enough people that care & not enough dedicated teachers that sacrifice so much for the kids.
The book was well written & as far as I'm concerned, spot on. I've never taught high school, let along in the city, but based on my experiences this is where some of my students are headed. I can only hope that they have the benefit of a caring, persistent teacher like John that won't give up on them or let the students give up on themselves.

Kudos

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Prada & Prejudice in Books

Feb 11, 2019

I really enjoyed this book for how much fun it was to simply get inside the head of such a unique and quirky teenager as she is thrown into circumstances that many fans of Jane Austen could only dream of. Her lack of knowledge of the time period seems a bit over the top at times, but I quickly adjusted to Callie's strong emotions and opinions. I found it strange that all of the people around Callie, once she travels to 1815, seem to take everything she does and says in stride, barely taking notice of how much she clashes with the customs and traditions of the time period. Plus, it's just sheer dumb luck that she got to be a "guest" of a Duke, rather than a servant. But I often found myself laughing out loud at her awkwardness, as well as the effect she has on the people around her, such as teaching the "robot" dance to two young men. Her spontaneity and passionate responses are both her charm and her weakness, but her sincerity in wanting to do the right thing make everything come together in the end. Callie is a girl that I would love to meet and hang out with, just to see what she would do or say next. I was able to predict the ending way ahead of time, even though I was not crazy about it ending the way it did. I would have much prefered Callie to remain in 1815, since I can't do it myself!