I wanted to like this book but couldn't get through it. It just seemed too scattered -- maybe because he was a sub and didn't have enough insight into the structure of a school? I am giving it a four star rating because it's possible that it got better later in the book, and I feel bad that I didn't finish it.

A frank, examination of the realities of school discipline, the realities that shaped these realities, and a deep examination of the cultural underpinnings that help perpetuate the existing system.

I currently work at a Charter School and I fear that should anyone see this feedback that I could risk my job and other blackballing in education.

In general, I fear your book may fall through the same polarized cracks of education politics. If education was in the right place it would always do right by kids. However, that is not the case, sadly. It is driving many out of education (myself, soon, included).

I will tell you that much of what you say about students now bullying teachers, the need for impulse control and administration ignoring said issues are all true. When teachers attempt to bring these true issue to light, it is immediately the teacher that is blamed. This coming from an educator whose biggest pet peeve is educators that blame the children.

However, while there will be exhausted educators that will flock to your book like moths to a flame. There will be few to zero willing to rally around it, make it a book study or a Twitter chat. For the same reasons I fear putting this honest review online, they will fear retribution if they publically support many ideologies expressed.

Lastly, the title of the book further incites alarmist. Even if I didn't feel concerned career wise with supporting this book publically, the first thing I would have to point out would to not judge it by the title. Many that would even buy it and support it even privately, will be put off by the title, initially.

I hope this helps and that you understand why I don't feel comfortable posting the review online. Please feel free to email me any questions you might have crosbysusana@gmail.com.

Best,
Susan

PS the star review is in reality... Sales wise.. I just don't see it doing well in the current educational atmosphere.

This is a part-memoir story of Cinque Henderson, an African American male who spent a year as a substitute teacher in a pretty rough public school. We get a glimpse of what student dialect and conversation looks like between adult supervisors and their peers. It's jaw-dropping in some instances.

Speaking as a public high school teacher, I didn't feel like I learned as much as I wanted to from this. In all honesty, this book is much more of an eye-opening story as to what's really going on in the public education system these days. Henderson accurately describes and depicts a realistic classroom setting that I believe most citizens turn a blind eye to. This was more of a touching story about what these students go through on a day-to-day basis rather than tips on how to manage a classroom. The classroom management part is what we learn in the college classroom setting (so for me, nothing new). I recommend this book to those who are new to the public school system or really want a taste of what a day in the life of a substitute teacher looks like. I really expected more tips for combating behavior as a teacher.

3.5/5 Stars