The Quixotics

Download or read book The Quixotic Teacher written by Gary Chattman and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With my stars to guide me, with the fear of God inside me, I took off for the uncharted wilds of the wild country called the Bronx, inhabited by the underprivileged, unwelcomed, and uncivilized (at least that is what I thought) with fine knowledge that I, as a new teacher, would triumph. Many in the past had failed. But I would not fail. No. Larry Rothstein didn't want to be a teacher, but when it became a valid way to escape the draft, he made it his mission to be enrolled. Unwilling to join the army because of the Vietnam War, he learned that teachers were able to get a deferment, and he was excited to start on his new quest. Once Larry was hired, he realized that becoming a teacher was what he was meant to be. Larry dedicated his life to making a difference in the life of his students. Field trips, drama groups, and making learning fun were the focus of his life for over thirty years. But despite his dedication, the school administration tried to bring him down one notch at a time. Student deaths, students skipping classes, and the callous attitudes of some of the administrators who could not see his vision became everyday battles, but Larry was determined to conquer his windmills. Finally, an illness brought on by the school's new construction threatened to knock Larry off his Dulcinea for good. Following the life of one man through the '70s, '80s, and '90s,The Quixotic Teacheris a quest for an exemplary teacher in the public school system.