- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Short Books Ltd; New edition edition (28 April 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1904977022
- ISBN-13: 978-1904977025
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 260,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"A fantastic book, a cheeringly horrifying and right on the nail description of the sheer terror of being deep ended into teaching."
--The Independent
--The Independent
Philip Pullman
"...frank and vivid... swift and lively... Clearly Francis Gilbert is a gifted and charismatic teacher..."
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am a schoolteacher in exactly the same position as Mr Gilbert. Reading this book was like holding a mirror up to myself. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry that so many other teachers are in the same position as me. This book is honest, true and heartfelt. It gave me a boost just when I needed it the most - and everyone else in the staffroom. Great hilarity ensued as passages were read out and guffawed over at lunchtime. Shrieks of "Oh that's so true, he's hit the nail right on the head" echoed down the crisp packet strewn, cheesy feet smelling halls of school X in the dark heart of a poverty stricken area. A must for all inner city school teachers, for country, grammar and public school teachers (so they can heave sighs of relief and see how the other half live) and parents who want to know information about schools that statistics fixing league tables, politicians and Ofsted would never tell you in a million years. Read it and weep!
39 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I will admit to not buying this book. I managed to finish it in the bookshop in a day... it was that riveting!
This teaching biography should be required reading for all trainee teachers contemplating whether or not to teach in the more challenging schools.
Francis Gilbert tells it like it is and this book will either inspire you or turn you off the idea of teaching in the more challenging inner city schools.
I did note a sense of ambiguity at the end of the book, as to whether or not making the move from inner city School X to an outer London school was actually the right move.
It was notable that Mr Gilbert's teaching at School X made significant positive strides once he had handed in his resignation. The sense of relief probably led to a more human, relaxed mode of teaching... and to more effective teaching. Had he adopted such an approach from the beginning, one wonders if he would have felt compelled to leave School X.
If there is one key theme running through this book it is class and behaviour management. I would suggest that this valuable biography be read prior to Sue Cowley's excellent "Getting the buggers to behave".
Francis Gilbert has written an excellent first book, and I look forward to a sequel covering his experiences at his second school, where he will (hopefully) compare and contrast both sets of experiences.
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is very entertaining and a very easy enjoyable read. I read it in one evening because I couldn't put it down. It's only 200 pages long which is probably about right.
Yes as another reviewer has said it lacks analysis of the problems, but it's not that sort of book and if it had been it would be five times longer and very dull. It's based on the authors experiences and how he coped with the difficult teachers and pupils. Having just trained to be a teacher I found it spot on with many of the experiences I have had over the past year.
It is very funny and I highly recommend this book to anyone.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Absolutely Brilliant!
We all have classroom tales to tell! This book tells the ones we've all experienced. A good read for the experienced teacher. Moral support for those of you just starting out. Read more
Published 9 months ago by R K Osborne
Ok but 'It's Your Time Your Wasting' is far better.
This book is decent, and amusing in parts, more so if you work in education. However unlike Chalk, Gilbert never really goes into details, all you seem to know from this book is he... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. C. Wood
Light weight
This book was quite interesting and entertaining to read but felt very light weight. It was a very short read being under 200 pages of largish print and big spacing with 'chapters'... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by Sulkyblue
Good but somehow akward to relate.
This book was well written filled with memorable stories and antics. I was very interested to read a perspective i had not been exposed to, Gilbert's views on multi-cultural... Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2007 by the_dungeoneer
Pretty accurate and funny
I'm currently planning a career in teaching primary pupils, so I thought I'd read this book by a secondary school teacher to confirm I'm making the right decision, which I'm sure I... Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2007 by SilentSinger
Funny and realistic
The theme of this book is not new - a teacher who has enjoyed a privileged education himself is on a mission to benefit those less fortunate than himself by working in a variety of... Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2006 by Reptile
Down and Out In School and Celebrity
Having worked for over ten years in one of the school's described in Mr Gilbert's book I cam only compare his experience to Eric Blair's in Paris and London. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2006
Demoralising crap
Well, thanks very much, Mr Gilbert. I'm a teacher and I love it. I had heard so many positive reviews of your 'hilarious' books, I wasted half my Christmas present... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2006 by "wendyc276"
Funny old world(2)...
Possibly alone among the reviewers I am not, nor have I have ever been a teacher. I read this book largely out of curiosity as I was in the same A-level history class as the... Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2005 by "bayman15"
Excellent, well worth reading.
I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the book but unfortuneatelyfound it a little too short to be properly enjoyed. Read more
Published on 23 April 2004
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