Chapter 17/18 Response

I really liked McCourt's analogy to the airlines and the oxygen masks. Save yourself first even if your instinct is to save the child. By the way, this is advice he gives to the young substitute teacher. I think it's not only practical but also a great illustration to anyone who's ever been on an airplane or, like myself, is a frequent flyer.

Chapter 15

This chapter was about McCourt's experiences with Parent-Teacher meetings. During the meetings he got a sense of what it must be like for his students at home outside of his class. He came to appreciate that each student comes from a different home life and that this is sometimes what is reflected in that student's personality and from this he learned better to teach each individual.

How would you deal with a Parent who appears to have substance abuse problems at a Parent-Teacher Night?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 17/18 Response

I thought the last two chapters closed the book rather nicely. In particular, I really liked the advice McCourt gave to the young substitute teacher:

“I know I’m exaggerating but [being a teacher] is like being a boxer going into the ring or a bullfighter into the arena. You can be knocked out or gored and that’s the end of your teaching career. But if you hang on you learn the tricks. It’s hard but you have to make yourself comfortable in the classroom. You have to be selfish. The airlines tell you if oxygen fails you are to put on your mask first, even if your instinct is to save the child.”

As a young teacher, I think this will be the hardest thing for me to do. I am very much a people pleaser, and I have to remember that I need to take care of myself first. If I don't help myself, I won’t be able to help my students either.

Finally, the story of Guy Lind was another heartwarming story. McCourt reminds us one last time to count our blessings and to be thankful for all that we have. Life isn’t easy, but we are alive, and we should appreciate the little things – like the time the students sprinkled confetti on our heads and thanked us with their smiles for the time they spent in our classrooms.

Teacher Man -- Chapter 16

Chapter Summary

In Chapter 16, McCourt shows a little moodiness. He loves his students, but he also resents them for their all-too-fortunate lives. He cannot connect with their problems, and he wishes his life could have been so easy. Fortunately, McCourt is later reminded that everyone—no matter what their class happens to be—has problems. Phyllis’ story about having to choose between witnessing the moon landing and witnessing her father’s death is a powerful reminder of that.

Next McCourt informs his students that everyone is a writer. People write in their heads all the time. When they see a friend, an enemy, or a secret crush, they are writing in their heads. They write about their plans, their wishes, their dreams—it’s all in there. It’s just not down on paper, and the students need to start getting some of that down on paper. This discussion then turns into an assignment where the students are asked to listen to their grandparents’ stories and to write them down.

The chapter closes with a discussion on grades. The students ask McCourt how they will be graded for the course, and he encourages them to grade themselves. They know how hard they worked during the semester, and they know what they did or did not learn. The more important question, according to McCourt, is whether or not the class freed their minds in any way.

Chapter Response

I thought Chapter 16 was an interesting chapter. I liked McCourt’s belief that everyone is a writer in their own minds, that we all have good stories to tell, and that it’s important to share those stories with others before we die. I also thought the assignment with the grandparents was great. I want to include meaningful and thoughtful assignments like these in my own class one day, and I don’t believe that teachers and families should consider one another to be the enemy (as some of the grandparents did).

Personally, I did not like the whole letting the students grade themselves assignment. I had to do this for a class I took at Montclair once, and people didn’t really take it seriously. They didn’t search their consciences for the truth like McCourt was hoping his students would. Most people I knew treated the idea as a joke and wrote down the grade they wanted even if it wasn’t the grade they deserved.

Thought Questions

1. Do you think it’s important to include your students’ life stories in your classroom? Why or why not?

2. How do you feel about McCourt’s decision to let the students grade themselves? Is this something you would do in your classroom? Why or why not?

3. McCourt talks about the lives of writers from the Beat Generation, and this gets him in trouble with a parent. What topics are considered to be controversial in your discipline? Do you think it is appropriate to include these topics in your lessons, or do you think these are topics better left for when your students are more mature and in college?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 12

Chapter Summary

With chapter twelve, McCourt gets a new lease on life. He’s offered a position at one of the most prestigious high schools in New York, and the apple of his eye, daughter Maggie, is born not long after. Professionally and personally, life is looking up for McCourt.

At Stuyvesant High School, McCourt makes friends with his supervisor. They have drinks together, and McCourt is trusted to teach whatever grade and whatever topics he wants. Never before has McCourt been given this much freedom in the classroom, and he enjoys every minute of it.

Unfortunately, at age forty-nine, McCourt experiences another major setback. His wife divorces him, and he is forced to live in less than ideal conditions. Along the way, however, he connects with an artist who looks at the world a little differently.

Chapter Response

Personally, I thought it was really nice to see McCourt happy for once in his life. People always say that having kids changes your perspective on things, and I think McCourt would agree with that. The love he holds for his daughter is unmistakable.

I also thought it was nice to see McCourt coming out as a “real teacher” for the first time. Having the freedom to choose who and what he teaches really seems to be making him into the teacher he always wanted to be. He’s teaching literature, and he’s getting kids thinking. He’s no longer just telling stories to keep the kids entertained.

Finally, McCourt’s depiction of how students perceive their teachers is really funny. It’s true though. Kids never really want to see their teachers as being anything but teachers. They don’t want to think about their teachers being involved in relationships or doing things that would be deemed “unteacherly”. They want to believe that their learning is the only priority their teachers have. After all, the lives of students are already complicated enough as it is. They normally don’t want their teachers’ troubles thrown into the mix.

Thought Questions

1. Do you think McCourt made the right choice in ignoring Janice’s home troubles? While grading her paper, he considers letting the guidance counselor know what he’s read, but ultimately decides against it. Do you think he did this because he wanted more evidence of sexual abuse or because he thinks it’s a bad idea to get too involved in students’ personal lives? What’s your stance on reporting sexual abuse?

2. Do you think McCourt is a “sell out” for taking the job at Stuyvesant High School? These kids are the best and the brightest that New York has to offer, and they actually want to learn and become successful. Some might say that teaching them isn’t really a challenge. Do you agree with this point of view or do you think that teachers have to overcome difficult problems and issues no matter who they’re teaching?

3. Do you think it’s inappropriate for the teacher to bring his or her own life into the classroom? McCourt goes through a difficult divorce and is forced to live in less than ideal conditions. Do you think he made the right decision in not telling his students about all this?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 11

Chapter Summary

McCourt begins chapter eleven by characterizing the “good teacher”. Good teachers have control, power, and authority. Good teachers never allow their students to talk out of turn, to swear, or to go to the bathroom for more than five minutes. Good teachers, in short, follow the rules and know how to please the administrators.

From there, McCourt seems to fall into a trance. He’s not the “good teacher”. In fact, he’s never been really good at anything his whole life. He just walks aimlessly from one job to another. He has no goals. He has no ambitions. He really doesn’t know what to do with himself. All he has are his silly little fantasies and his what-could-have beens.

Later, McCourt somehow manages to land a dream spot at Trinity College in Dublin. One of his fantasies has finally come true, and he strolls around the campus feeling proud. He’s a doctoral candidate, and surely that’s something. He’ll get the degree, he’ll earn the money, and he’ll finally get the respect he’s been striving for his whole life. Unfortunately, that’s where the dream ends. McCourt isn’t able to focus on his dissertation, and he spends his time drinking, sleeping around, and researching random tidbits on the Irish in America.

At this point, McCourt realizes that the Irish heritage he’s so proud of is actually the one that’s struggling for acceptance in America. He returns to America a failed doctoral candidate, and sadly, things only get worse from there. McCourt loses his teaching job and now earns money being Mrs. Katz or Mr. Gordon or whatever teacher happens to be absent on that particular day he’s called in to sub. McCourt is definitely on a downward spiral. Will he be able to “pull it together”?

Chapter Response

This chapter was a lot longer than most of the other chapters we’ve read so far. McCourt’s conversation with Andrew was particularly interesting because it sounds as though McCourt might be the kid’s illegitimate father. I also thought it was interesting that McCourt made a note of Boom Boom Brandt’s advice on life. Whenever you think too much of yourself, go home and clean the toilet. That will remind you of how unworthy you really are. Anyway, I saw no other reason for McCourt to include this bit of advice other than to use it as a comment for his own life. McCourt thought too much of himself when he headed into Dublin wearing his American uniform, and he was punished for it when he could only attract the attention of Mary—a heavily obese Irish woman. McCourt also thought too much of himself when he was accepted to Trinity College. He eventually wound up failing to get his degree and had to return to America empty-handed. Maybe McCourt feels he should have cleaned the toilet a little more often. Finally, the time he spent with the psychiatrist was also rather funny. McCourt’s almost forty years old and yet, he’s still so concerned with impressing people. As a result, he spends more time trying to win the shrink’s approval than trying to get to the root of his own problems.

Thought Questions

1. How did you respond to Andrew? Did you dislike him or feel sorry for him? He spent everyday in class challenging McCourt just so that the other students would remember him.

2. How do feel about Boom Boom Brandt? He had the smarts to graduate from high school but ultimately chose to fail. Do you agree with his view on life – that you should remember your place and not get too cocky?

3. Do you agree with McCourt’s definition of what makes a “good teacher”? Is there anything you would add to or delete from this definition?

Chapter 7

Reaction:

In this chapter Frank tells us three stories that involve the "teacher-student" relationship. He begins the chapter with a shocker. McCourt was forced to contact the mother of a disruptive student, Augie, to inform her of her son's behavior. The next day, the boy's gargantuan father busts into the classroom, and beats his child against the wall. He concluded by warning the students about being disruptive to the teacher. I found this to be both shocking and funny. Shocking, in the sense that I would probably never have expected it to happen. I found it funny because this is just another outrageous incident that's happened to this poor teacher.

Frank's next story involves the issue of race. Sal, an Italian boy, is jumped by an Irish kid one day in Prospect Park after school. He is struck in the head with a two-by-four. This experience immediately alienates Sal from his girlfriend, Louise (an Irish girl), and McCourt. Sal goes on a racial outburst and storms out of the class. He requests a transfer to another teacher, a non-Irish teacher. What bothered me most about this was McCourt's reaction, which is nothing. He doesn't bother trying to talk to either of the two, because he knows he'll "fumble and stammer."

The final story is about a "royal pain in the ass" troublemaker-type student. Frank, as the schools greenest teacher, automatically gets stuck with this kid. The school administration hopes that Frank, as an Irishman will be able to find some connection with this boy, an Irish student. If that fails, the administration will do nothing but sit back and hope that the kid drops out and joins the army.

This is a student that identifies with nothing, an "impossible case." He interrupts the class with irreverent commentary. His mother can't do a thing with him. McCourt sees him as a "bright boy with a lively imagination, which doesn't seem to make much of a difference outside of the classroom.

So how does McCourt connect with this student? He assigns him busy work. McCourt gives Kevin housekeeping responsibilities such as washing the board, cleaning the erasers, etc. The kid gets the biggest kick out of cleaning old paint jars, taking dozens home with him at the end of the year. The kid gets assigned to another school, drifts out, and gets drafted to go to Vietnam.


Discussion:

1) McCourt was given a public display of the state of Augie's household. Had McCourt known of the consequences of reporting Augie's disciplinary issues, would he still have made that phone call? Would you?

2) Teachers are often called upon to wear many hats. This being said, McCourt seems to don but a few. When called upon for guidance, he refuses. How would you have handled the Sal and Louise issue? Was McCourt wrong for just letting it go?

3) Finally, in regards to Kevin Dunne, how do you feel about McCourt's decision to give Kevin "more responsibilities?" Was McCourt simply giving up and assigning busy work? Or do you think that what he did for Kevin was beneficial?

Teacher Man......Chapter 6

Reaction:

In chapter 6, Frank tells us a spur of the moment lesson having to do with excuse notes. When a child brings him a note that the student clearly wrote himself, Frank turns this into a real life lesson for his class.

This chapter of Teacher Man was probably my favorite. I see a lot of my own teaching abilities in Frank. I think a person, teacher or otherwise, should never stop learning. That learning can come from so many different sources. It could even come from your students.

I am the director of Pompton Lakes High School marching band. I use this technique all the time. When I am trying to think of something to add to the show, I will use my students suggestions and try them out. If they work, good, and ff they don’t, no worries. Listen to your students and they can most certainly teach you a thing or two.

Don’t be afraid to take some risks. I know that we as rookies in the field would rather get tenure and then stick our necks out. However, we are taking a risk trying a career we have never done, teaching materials we just learned, and talking to students we don’t know. What one more risk? Go with what you think is right.

Discussion:

Frank McCourt decides to sue an unusual lesson in his class one day. What are your feelings on his choice? Does his lesson have real world value? What kind of real world lessons can you bring to your classroom using your subject?

Teacher Man....Chapter 5

Reaction:

In this chapter, Frank reveals his frustrations in dealing with parents of vocational students as well as one of his big breaks in his personal education philosophy. The chapter opens with Frank telling us of the number of lessons, schools, students, and statistics of he has encounter in his years as a teacher. Through high retelling of his first two Back to School Night experiences, we can see the frustration and confusion of the parents and Frank due to his story telling. We can also see the lack of support from the parents of these vocational students.

Unfortunately in America, we cannot do as many European countries can as far as education is concerned. When they figured out what they want to do with their lives, they begin studying that field and only that career. We in America, see that children should learn some basics before choosing a career path to study for and follow. I do understand the concerns of the parents in Frank’s class when it comes to the importance of his subject. If my son is going to be a plumber, why does he need to know these twenty dollar words? In Frank’s situation, this challenge of making his subject matter to not only his students, but there parents as well is an everyday struggle.

Towards the end of the chapter, Frank begins to realize that he can make his students understand things like grammar by teaching them when they are not sure that they are being taught. Through his stories and story telling, these kids can learn.

Discussion:

We future educators come from many different backgrounds and are studying many different things. How does the subject you are going to be teaching matter in the lives of your future students? Does it at all? Will your student’s life be different if they had not had your class? What does society feel about your subject matter?

Teacher Man....Chapter 4

Reaction:

In this chapter, one of Frank’s students ask him why he doesn’t do “real work” instead of being a teacher. Frank starts off answering this question with retelling his past work experiences on the docks in Hoboken.

What did I just read? This book makes me laugh because I never know who is talking, what they are talking about, and who they are talking to. I know that Frank started talking to his class about his work on the docks, but then was the rest of the flash back conveyed to his students as well? I am not sure, but if it was, that is bold.

My reaction to this chapter is the same reaction I had to one of James’ discussion questions. I feel it is important for your students to know that you are human and have a life outside of teaching. Now, this is a very fine line. There are, of course, many things that are inappropriate to talk about in the class and many other things that you should keep for yourself. But, I don’t see a problem with discussing certain aspects of your personal life with your kids keeping in mind what is deemed appropriate. Remember, in loco parentis.

Discussion:

There is a thin line between inappropriate and ok for school. What is that line? What do you think should be left out of a discussion between you and your students? What if a student came to you with a problem that you have had experience in? Do you share your thoughts and lessons learned? What if this topic is not suitable for the classroom?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 10

Hey Everyone,

I’m trying to get my chapter posts done early because next week will be rough. (The final unit plans are due after all!) Anyway, please expect my posts to pop up before Friday if not before Wednesday.

Chapter Summary:

In Chapter 10, Mr. McCourt is forced to teach in (what he calls) a “melting-pot” school. At this school, a number of kids were raised speaking different languages and learning different cultural practices. As a result, much of what Mr. McCourt tries to teach is too language-dense for the students to understand or too much in opposition of what the students stand for. In an effort to connect with them, he indulges their off-the-wall, point-blank questions; he takes them to see movies and plays; and he tells them stories about how he used to teach English to tough, Puerto Rican cooks.

Chapter Response:

As a future ESL teacher, I really connected with this chapter. In particular, I thought the characterization of Mr. McCourt's ESL students was dead on. (ESL students really do ask you offensive questions without even knowing that they're being offensive!) I also liked that Mr. McCourt gave us personal details about his students. He always manages to make you feel for these "little terrors" by illuminating their troubling circumstances. The story of Serena, at least to me, was especially endearing this chapter. She was a smart girl (with a smart mouth, no doubt), but because of the color of her skin and the time in which she was born, nobody ever bothered to tell her that. Now, we've all experienced times when we were ignored or not acknowledged (at least in a positive way) for being us, but can we really say that we have ever experienced it to that level? I mean, I cannot even begin to imagine what that's like, and it's disturbing to me to think that certain groups of people have had to live with and are continuing to live with that amount of prejudice even today.

Thought Questions:

1. Do you agree with how Mr. McCourt chose to handle his students’ point-blank questions and challenges? For example, was Mr. McCourt correct to indulge Nancy’s off-putting questions? ("Why are you so uptight? Could you tell me how to be an English teacher who won’t be uptight?") Was Mr. McCourt correct to change the topic and to ignore Serena’s challenges? ("What am I telling you all this for? You’re just a teacher. You’re just a white man.") Why or why not?

2. Have you ever felt like you were an outsider based on the color of your skin, the language that you spoke, or the place that you were raised? If not, how else might you connect with students who feel like a minority?

3. Would you, like Mr. McCourt, allow the students to use their native languages in your classroom? Why or why not?

4. How does it feel to know that the success of these students largely depends on how much extra time and attention you are willing to devote to them? Is it fair to ask you to do extra work for these students or should these students be kept out of mainstream classrooms (i.e., in classrooms designed to specifically meet their additional needs)?

5. How did you view Mr. McCourt’s trips to see Cold Turkey and Hamlet? Was it an effective teaching strategy or just a way to “buy” the students’ favor? If you thought the trips were effective, was there anything that you would have done differently?

Teacher Man-- Chapter 3

In this chapter, Frank McCourt does a great job of describing through his own personal experiences the many road blocks and barriers that are put in our paths on our ways to becoming teachers. He talks of June, who he had a crush on, was easily led on by, and then had his heart broken by. That provided him with emotional stress and lessened his will to move foward in the education process. He then tells stories of his teacher's interviews where the interviewers made him feel worthless because of his responses instead of helping him through the interview and making it less nervewracking. And when he gets the certification, he tells of how hard it is to find a job because of the discrimination against his Irish Brogue. This leads me to my discussion questions on Chapter 3...

What, if any, roadblocks have any of you faced along the path to your teaching degrees? Only post what you feel comfortable posting.

What did each of you do to overcome those roadblocks and continue on in your education, remaining focused on the "light at the end of the tunnel" so to speak?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 2

I found chapter two of Teacher Man to be drastically different from chapter 1. In chapter one there was an overwhelming sense of humor. In chapter 2, Frank McCourt presents a picture of sadness of sorts. He tells of how schoolmates always picked on him and caused him to get into fights. He always came home with bloody shirts. He tells of his days learning about Catholicism and his being reprimanded for being a "very bad boy". Also, he puts great emphasis on the struggles he and his family were faced with. He explained how rough his mother had it raising her children. She seemingly had to fight for everything she got for the family. She had to bargain through the street shops of Limerick in order to prepare her son, McCourt, for his trip to Ireland. And chapter 2 wraps up with Mr. McCourt back in the classroom fielding questions from the students on why Shakespeare's writing's are difficult to follow. By not being able to answer the question for his students, McCourt shows us again, what struggles we will be faced with when we are teachers ourselves. Overall, I feel this chapter did well in tugging on one's heart strings, even if that wasn't it's intent.

Discussion Questions For The Group on Chapter 2:

Think about some questions your students might ask you in your teaching field. What happens if you don't know the answer? How do you respond to your students? And how do you prepare for the criticism that might arise from not knowing the answer to their questions as the teacher?

Teacher Man -- Chapter 1

In reading chapter one I found myself laughing more and more with every turn of the page. The stories Mr. McCourt encountered were priceless to say the least. There was the sandwich incident in which Mr. McCourt, in an effort to show the class who was boss, ate on student's sandwich that was thrown at a classmate and landed on the floor. That resulted in Mr. McCourt being questioned by the principle as to why he was consuming a sandwich at 9 Am in the morning instead of teaching. Then there were stalling questions the class presented to Mr. McCourt in an attempt to avoid work. They asked him everything from what he studied in Ireland to whether or not Irishmen dated girls in Ireland. His response to the dating question landed him in trouble yet again with the principle. This was due to the fact that he jokingly and sarcastically told the students that men in Ireland dated sheep not girls. Overall this chapter was a barrell of laughs and leads me to my discussion questions:

What do you think you would do differently if you were in Mr. McCourt's position and the children acted out?

How would you respond to children's absurd questions if you were in Mr. McCourt's classroom.

How would you deal with the principle of your school if you were called into question about your teaching methods? How would you justify your responses to him/her?

Postings..

I will post on chapters 1-3 by Friday November 9th. Responses to the posting should be done before our class on Wednesday November 14th.

Hey Guys!!

This is the blog I have created for the Teacher Man book club.