29 pages • 58 minutes read
Esmé Raji CodellEducating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1999A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Educating Esmé, by Esmé Raji Codell, details her first year teaching fifth grade at an inner-city Chicago public school, where she faces significant challenges, including students' abusive homes, language barriers, and behavioral issues. Despite conflicts with administration and difficult parent-teacher conferences, Esmé fosters a love of learning and books, achieving notable academic progress. The book discusses student experiences with violence and neglect.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Educating Esmé by Esmé Raji Codell is praised for its heartfelt and candid portrayal of a novice teacher's first year in an urban Chicago classroom. Enthusiasts commend its humor, inspiration, and realistic insights into educational challenges. However, critics point to its perceived naivety and occasional lack of objectivity. Overall, it's an engaging and honest memoir.
Who Should Read Educating Esmé?
Readers who would enjoy Educating Esmé by Esmé Raji Codell are passionate about teaching and education reform. They appreciate firsthand accounts of classroom experiences and challenges faced by new teachers. Fans of Teacher Man by Frank McCourt or Freedom Writers by Erin Gruwell will find this memoir equally inspiring and insightful.