The Great Expectations School: A Rookie Year in the New Blackboard Jungle

After Dan Brown graduated from NYU’s film school in 2003, he decided to apply to become New York City Teaching Fellow. The Teaching Fellow program was designed after Teach For America and was started to help cope with the chronic teacher shortage in the toughest schools in the city. After some summer training, Dan was assigned to teach fourth grade at P. S. 85 , which had a sign over it’s door proclaiming it to be “The Great Expectations School.” This school is located in the poorest Congressional district in the United States. Equipped with a quick wit and love of children, Dan went into the job full of hope and enthusiasm. He ended up with lots of frustration because the administration was not supportive and parents were not involved. His classroom was made up of several bright, eager learners, plus students with problems such as:

* failing three times
* couldn’t read their own name
* being raised by grandparents who couldn’t speak English
* being locked in a refrigerator for punishment
* having a twin who had a breakdown because he was molested by their 20 year old brother
* having parents who are drug users
* only attending school 1 or 2 days a week

The beginning of the school year was very difficult and when it began to affect Dan’s health, his parents urged him to quit. He stuck it out even though must of the students came to class unprepared - without needed supplies or homework - and ended up having some of the highest test scores in the school. After his year at P. S. 85, Dan taught at an exclusive prep school located in another part of the city and the contrasts between the two are striking.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Expectations School by Dan Brown. His compassion and enthusiasm are so apparent. He is just the type of teacher everyone hopes their child has. This book gave me a clearer understanding of the problems schools face today and why governmental mandates aren’t working. The stories of some of these children just broke my heart. I also found the school’s politics and the governmental regulations frustrating. This is a book that parents and educators will want to read. ( )