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rrrebekahmay's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not ready to review this book yet because I'm still processing my thoughts. I'd say overall it's a good introduction to the British state education system and some of the problems in it, but this book is littered with Kate Clanchy's internal bigotry and biases. She's constantly making bizarre comments and comparing her middle class life to the working class kids she teaches in strange ways. She goes on a tangent about how working class people are fat and her working class students can't think long term so will have a biscuit instead of being thin??? And they can't think of the long term goal of being thin like they can't think about the long term goal of university??? Then there's a wildly confusing section where she's talking about a pretty girl being trouble because boys won't respect her boundaries and has to change to stop getting attention but never addresses that this is a serious problem? I'm still a little mad about it all.
I might come back and review this when I simmer down but for now, I'd say it's an ok memoir but it feels a little exploitative. Also don't be fooled by the Orwell Prize win, this book isn't very political at all.
I might come back and review this when I simmer down but for now, I'd say it's an ok memoir but it feels a little exploitative. Also don't be fooled by the Orwell Prize win, this book isn't very political at all.
octavosaurus's review against another edition
1.0
Congratulations Kate Clanchy, this is a book so riddled with stereotypes and racial generalisations that I couldn’t even get past the first chapter. Every single student not from the author’s middle class white background is treated as other, mocked mercilessly and used as cannon fodder to prove some kind of point. Ironically, the Kindle edition has a glowing review by Pullman on the front - the other book I gave one star to this year, only at least I could finish that.
bethhalfpenny's review against another edition
5.0
I had high expectations for this book and it still managed to exceed them all. This will absolutely be in my list of favourites at the end of the year.
inkdrinkerreads7's review against another edition
4.0
In a series of short anecdotal essays, Kate Clancy (poet-teacher, teacher-poet) recounts experiences she had teaching English, predominantly in large multi-cultural comps in the UK. Whilst the essays reflect on educational issues such as the presence of religion, class divisions, the right way to group classes and the ethics of exams, the real focus of this collection is on the power of writing, specifically poetry, as a tool for empowerment. Clanchy’s achievements with her student poets are remarkable and I wish exam boards and curriculum-setters would look and listen so that we could all adopt a more creative approach to the subject.
The book simultaneously made me miss teaching in the UK whilst also reminding me how lucky I am to not be anymore. It reminded me that though the challenges there are much higher, the rewards too are likewise. Clanchy discusses students who desperately needed her instruction, intervention and support, a world removed from the expectation and entitlement often at the heart of international education.
However, I couldn’t help but wonder about all the kids that she inevitably didn’t reach, inspire or transform. It felt, at times, like Clanchy was being a little smug and self-congratulatory about the work that she has done and, though she has every right to be, I was expecting a little more self-doubt and anguish and self-deprecating charm (which to me seem to be common traits amongst many of my teacher friends). The fact that I saw this book being regularly compared to ‘This Is Going to Hurt’, which I read last year, led me towards that expectation so it’s more a criticism of the marketing than of Clanchy herself. That book was a hilarious, sometimes poignant look at the front-line of the NHS, with the author regularly journaling the feeling he has of being woefully out of his depth. Clanchy is far more self-assured and confident in her approach and though there are funny moments, the tone is a little more sincere and academic than that and so the comparisons are a bit misleading.
Taken with its intentions in mind then, Clanchy’s book is a compassionate and thoughtful exploration of our education system, those it fails, and the ways in which dedicated, expert teachers can make a difference. It is also a beautiful celebration of multi-cultural Britain and a reminder of the humanity at the centre of any discussion about immigration. It’s just a massive shame that the people who most need to read it never will. But then that could be said for most books, couldn’t it?
The book simultaneously made me miss teaching in the UK whilst also reminding me how lucky I am to not be anymore. It reminded me that though the challenges there are much higher, the rewards too are likewise. Clanchy discusses students who desperately needed her instruction, intervention and support, a world removed from the expectation and entitlement often at the heart of international education.
However, I couldn’t help but wonder about all the kids that she inevitably didn’t reach, inspire or transform. It felt, at times, like Clanchy was being a little smug and self-congratulatory about the work that she has done and, though she has every right to be, I was expecting a little more self-doubt and anguish and self-deprecating charm (which to me seem to be common traits amongst many of my teacher friends). The fact that I saw this book being regularly compared to ‘This Is Going to Hurt’, which I read last year, led me towards that expectation so it’s more a criticism of the marketing than of Clanchy herself. That book was a hilarious, sometimes poignant look at the front-line of the NHS, with the author regularly journaling the feeling he has of being woefully out of his depth. Clanchy is far more self-assured and confident in her approach and though there are funny moments, the tone is a little more sincere and academic than that and so the comparisons are a bit misleading.
Taken with its intentions in mind then, Clanchy’s book is a compassionate and thoughtful exploration of our education system, those it fails, and the ways in which dedicated, expert teachers can make a difference. It is also a beautiful celebration of multi-cultural Britain and a reminder of the humanity at the centre of any discussion about immigration. It’s just a massive shame that the people who most need to read it never will. But then that could be said for most books, couldn’t it?
hollielou's review against another edition
5.0
What a great little book! Great insights into what it is to be a teacher and the power of words. Divided into thematic sections, so it is easy to dip into. Full of stories from the writer’s 30 year career which capture why teaching is such an important profession and why there is nothing quite like being in the classroom. Recommend to educators and non-educators alike.
#kateclanchy #english #englishteacher #somekidsitaughtandwhattheytaughtme #nonfiction #education #teacher #proudteacher #book #justread #orwellprize #recommendedreads #teacher #school #essex #poetry #reading #bookstagram #teenagers #educating
#kateclanchy #english #englishteacher #somekidsitaughtandwhattheytaughtme #nonfiction #education #teacher #proudteacher #book #justread #orwellprize #recommendedreads #teacher #school #essex #poetry #reading #bookstagram #teenagers #educating
hkeogh13's review against another edition
3.0
I found some of this thought-provoking but other parts quite diminuitive.
eleanorfranzen's review
Edited 5/8/21 to add:
I'm aware that there's now a conversation about the racism and ableism of Clanchy's descriptions of some of her students. Alarmed, I went back and reread some of the offending passages, which were appended to discussions on Twitter. Yeah--there are problems here. I didn't see them the first time I read this book, and that's on me, but I can see them now. I don't want to delete my original review, because that reflects my original assessment of the book and I no longer have my own copy to go back and reread the whole thing, but I've cleared my rating (I haven't given it fewer stars, it's just now an unrated book in my records.) Be aware that red flags have been raised about the text, and if you choose to read it, you can make up your own mind.
Original mini-review:
A memoir of teaching at Oxford Spires Academy, where Clanchy runs a phenomenally successful Poetry Group (they’ve won numerous Foyle’s Young Poet awards). She also writes about her time at schools in post-industrial Essex and Scotland, and multicultural London. Clanchy demonstrates how infuriating and patronizing are government decisions re. teaching, a profession of which most of our legislators know nothing, and she’s magnificent on how creative response to literature can ignite a student’s mind–but is tragically ignored now in most schools because it cannot be quantified in a WALT (We Are Learning To…)
I'm aware that there's now a conversation about the racism and ableism of Clanchy's descriptions of some of her students. Alarmed, I went back and reread some of the offending passages, which were appended to discussions on Twitter. Yeah--there are problems here. I didn't see them the first time I read this book, and that's on me, but I can see them now. I don't want to delete my original review, because that reflects my original assessment of the book and I no longer have my own copy to go back and reread the whole thing, but I've cleared my rating (I haven't given it fewer stars, it's just now an unrated book in my records.) Be aware that red flags have been raised about the text, and if you choose to read it, you can make up your own mind.
Original mini-review:
A memoir of teaching at Oxford Spires Academy, where Clanchy runs a phenomenally successful Poetry Group (they’ve won numerous Foyle’s Young Poet awards). She also writes about her time at schools in post-industrial Essex and Scotland, and multicultural London. Clanchy demonstrates how infuriating and patronizing are government decisions re. teaching, a profession of which most of our legislators know nothing, and she’s magnificent on how creative response to literature can ignite a student’s mind–but is tragically ignored now in most schools because it cannot be quantified in a WALT (We Are Learning To…)
jonnybrick's review
4.0
Ignore the culture-war backlash, please. This book is full of empathy, poetry and heart, with plenty of social commentary and art. I hope Kate follows it up.
alwayslivedinthecastle's review
1.0
Purely rating one star because of childish author reaction. Tut tut!
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EDIT to update - phewww the appalling stereotyping and descriptors used! How did this make it to publication?
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EDIT to update - phewww the appalling stereotyping and descriptors used! How did this make it to publication?