"This remarkable book is a testament to teachers who not only respect
and advocate for children on a daily basis but who are the necessary
guardians of the spirit. Every citizen who cares about the future of our
children ought to read this."--Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry
Caterpillar and other classic works for children
"Kozol's love for his students is as joyful and genuine as his
critiques of the system are severe. He doesn't pull punches."--The
Washington Post
In these affectionate letters to Francesca, a first grade teacher at an
inner-city school in Boston, Jonathan Kozol vividly describes his
repeated visits to her classroom while, under Francesca's likably
irreverent questioning, he also reveals his own most personal stories of
the years that he has spent in public schools.
Letters to a Young Teacher reignites a number of the controversial
issues Jonathan has powerfully addressed in his bestselling The Shame
of the Nation and On Being a Teacher the mania of high-stakes testing
that turns many classrooms into test-prep factories where spontaneity
and critical intelligence are no longer valued, the invasion of our
public schools by predatory private corporations, and the inequalities
of urban schools that are once again almost as segregated as they were a
century ago.
But most of all, these letters are rich with the happiness of teaching
children, the curiosity and jubilant excitement children bring into the
classroom at an early age, and their ability to overcome their
insecurities when they are in the hands of an adoring and hard-working
teacher.
