Anamnesis
Active Member
The third in Frank McCourt's series of memoirs, Teacher Man details his experiences teaching in five different NYC schools. I found this to be an absorbing and charming book. McCourt vividly describes not just the difficulties and rewards of teaching, but of the various daily rituals and behaviors of his students. These passages are witty and thanks to McCourt's prose, these down-to-earth situations achieve a somewhat magical feel. I can't say this book made me want to become a teacher, but it did make me think about all the great teachers I had over the years.
I do have a few minor complaints about Teacher Man. In the beginning chapters McCourt talks about certain moments in his past that aren't related to the book's main purpose. Having read his previous works I found myself hoping that McCourt would return to commenting on his job or the students in his classes. Also, there was one event that had me questioning its truthfulness. One day he takes his students on a field-trip to see the film Cold Turkey. He makes no mention of asking the principal permission to do this. I just found it strange how McCourt whisked his students off to a movie theater and not receiving any form of punishment.
I do have a few minor complaints about Teacher Man. In the beginning chapters McCourt talks about certain moments in his past that aren't related to the book's main purpose. Having read his previous works I found myself hoping that McCourt would return to commenting on his job or the students in his classes. Also, there was one event that had me questioning its truthfulness. One day he takes his students on a field-trip to see the film Cold Turkey. He makes no mention of asking the principal permission to do this. I just found it strange how McCourt whisked his students off to a movie theater and not receiving any form of punishment.
