"Educating Esme"- Esme Raji Codell

Pg. 38 October 5, my birthday

Somebody stole the Columbus comic book.  So after school I took the whole library down and shoved it in the closet and locked it.

"I told you if you stole from me, I'd take it all back. I'm not a liar"

"Thats not fair," one girl complained. "We didn't all steal the book!"

      As a teacher you set aside materials that cost money for the students because you want them to succeed and love learning as much as you do. However, there usually comes a point when the line is crossed and something is destroyed or stolen. This is always shocking even though you've been warned your whole life about other people.

    But you can teach the kids a lesson still about society, people, and how to be good. Some people think this book is very fictional and dramatic. Either way I do not care! There is so much truth in this story about teaching and gives great insight to those who call teachers paid babysitters.

    People need to know what it's like. Now everyone is different but Esme really did her best to rattle the chains and get things done. I know teachers like this who rattle the cage that detains fun education from students. She said she was dead worn out from the kids at the end of the year and school and I bet it is.

     To think that Esme is some rare breed of teacher is wrong! There are so many people out there pushing the limits and reaching past the sky to educate children. The problem is that they don't get recognized for their efforts and the bad is always more magnified than the good. So keep that in mind next time at your parent teacher conference for your kids.

     Read this because you will laugh, cry, and shout for joy all at the same time. You love the kids even though you don't know them in real life. I love the journal format because you feel like you are along for the ride the whole time and sets the perfect stage for her thoughts and what happened in the day.

      Read it. Love it. Remember her lessons. :)


                                                           By: J Feistner