Picture of author.
5 Works 1,277 Members 41 Reviews

Works by Rafe Esquith

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Members

Reviews

Rafe Esquith is a brilliant teacher and an incredibly hard-working public servant, but despite all that, he comes off as a total (excuse my language) asshole. The vitriol! The narcissism! The disdainful, self-righteous mockery of anyone who doesn't share his talents and beliefs!

This is not what I expected from Mr. Esquith. And, to be fair, in the book he acknowledges that he's not perfect and still strives to be kind to others. I'd like to think that this, his first book, was a kind of exorcism of his frustrations, and that he has since let go of some of his anger and spite. I hope he's made a lot of money and isn't struggling so much financially, because I'm well aware of how financial struggle can wear away your peace of mind and make you feel like the world is against you. Esquith certainly seems to believe that even some of the people who believe in him are only interested in wasting his time or getting in his way.

But I'm not telling you skip this book. In reading it, try to do something I think Rafe Esquith didn't do in writing it: give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that, even though his attitude can be appalling, he still has good ideas and is worth listening to.
… (more)
 
Flagged
LibrarianDest | 6 other reviews | Jan 3, 2024 |
I found this book really inspirational when I was in a slump while earning my teacher certification. Esquith is living proof that kids in at-risk environments don't have to suffer in their education--it just requires sweat and dedication. It would be hard to believe his accomplishments over the years if I didn't, well, believe him. If I can be half as successful in the classroom as he is, I will be a very fortunate teacher. Watch The Hobart Shakespeareans for a nice complement to this book.… (more)
 
Flagged
LibroLindsay | 6 other reviews | Jun 18, 2021 |
This was pretty much a There Are No Shortcuts Part II...which I certainly welcomed, and Esquith goes into more detail about his unique and exhausting teaching methods. My only hesitation after reading the two books and watching The Hobart Shakespeareans is that he, at times, makes petty comments about his colleagues who fail where he succeeds. He seems to want to give his students this "I'm the only person who will care about you" mentality. Maybe it's just me (I'm often prone to conspiracy theory interpretations)--I can see where this may come from, but it seems like he could be a bit more diplomatic, rise above it a little better than the people he appears to put down. Looking past this, Esquith's efforts nevertheless prove as an example of how creative the classroom can be if we, as teachers, are willing to take it there.… (more)
 
Flagged
LibroLindsay | 24 other reviews | Jun 18, 2021 |
Thanks for the good work you have done for the kids, Rafe. And thanks for sharing how you have done that. What works and what doesn't. This is not just the must read for all the teachers, I would suggest the must read for parents as well.
 
Flagged
viethungnguyen | 24 other reviews | Dec 7, 2020 |

Lists

Awards

You May Also Like

Statistics

Works
5
Members
1,277
Popularity
#20,088
Rating
3.9
Reviews
41
ISBNs
26

Charts & Graphs