Throwing Chalk: diary of a trainee teacher

So there was a time when I wote very long reviews on this blog. But now it's time for txt msg length reviews. I've read many (okay, I've skimmed a few - but yeah, read, read, read - that's me, I'm a reader).

First up: Creative Writing - I'm a sucker for the old creative writing guides. Just to steal ideas. 

So this one: The Right To Write by Julia Cameron. Well, I did make some notes. She has some good old fashioned starting off exercises. Fairly general but nice. But not exactly essential reading. It's kinda hippyish. It's find your inner arty Buddha beauty - writing down the bones kinda deal. Mawwh. I give it a 2/5. (It's tres popular on Amazon).

Chris Kyriacou's Essential Teaching Skills

This is a fairly unpretentious guide. Well worth a read at only 146 pages-ish. Lots of 'common sense'. I liked it though I'm not going crazy. But notes were taken. I'm a bit of an obsessive about 'what the heck am I supposed to do in the classroom, though?' I want more actual stories though, like Sue Cowley offers and, I suppose, Frank McCourt offered in Teacher Man. So very theoretical but not many pages, which is a good thing. And not too much of this 'learning theory' nonsense. Ahem.. I give it 3/5.

Another Sue Cowley: 'Getting The Buggers to Think'.

O. Really disappointing really. After 'Behave' I had high hopes, but I think it's just not for me. It's much more aimed at younger pupils. I skimmed it, I'm afraid. Too many books, not enough interest and I felt I'd read the best bits before. Not that I'm in anyway dissing Ms Cowley - I would not dare! Just not the right book for my needs. 1/5. 

Next....

The Complete Guide to Becoming An English Teacher by Stephen Clarke

So, I had to love the title of this one. It offers so much. The book I dream off with all the answers. Err. Well, picked it and ordered it from the library sight unseen. I just liked the title. And in truth it does contain a lot of good stuff. Not entirely all relevant and lots of exercises for trainee teachers to do - that I am never going to go near - but admirable in the main. A rubbish review but I think I've forgotten everything about it so it can't be that memorable. I liked the section on media - as that's my current problem/obsession. 3/5.

No more books for a while. I'm still working my way through Geoff Petty's Teaching Today which I've been 'reading' for the past year. It's good, but I find it tough going. In one ear, and asleep two minutes later... Ho hum...

Posted by Stipey Sullivan at 21:08 Comments