Harriet’s Thoughts: Read the stories of three teachers as they go through a year’s worth of tteaching and living. It is hard to hear how they are treated by many parents, administrators and yes, even other teachers, but still manage to support and love their students. In an era of disrespect for this most important profession, this is a necessary read.
Alexandra Robbins goes behind the scenes to tell the true, sometimes shocking, always inspirational stories of three teachers as they navigate a year in the classroom. She follows Penny, a southern middle school math teacher who grappled with a toxic staff clique at the big school in a small town; Miguel, a special ed teacher in the western United States who fought for his students both as an educator and as an activist; and Rebecca, an East Coast elementary school teacher who struggled to schedule and define a life outside of school.
Interspersed among the teachers’ stories–a seeming scandal, a fourth-grade whodunit, and teacher confessions–are hard-hitting essays featuring cutting-edge reporting on the biggest issues facing teachers today, such as school violence; outrageous parent behavior; inadequate support, staffing, and resources coupled with unrealistic mounting demands; the “myth” of teacher burnout; the COVID-19 pandemic; and ways all of us can help the professionals who are central both to the lives of our children and the heart of our communities.
