Michelle Rhee has become a sort a mentor through my reading of her adventure within the DCPS, her tough minded spirit and unbroken commitment to 'students first' is something that I will take with me on my education journey.
This is the first book that I have completed in 2016 and it feels great! As many of you know I am taking a big plunge into the education field. This true life, in-depth report on school reform in Washington, DC peaked my interest from page v to page 270. Michelle Rhee come from an ivy league world, Teach for America work ethic and a Korean American up bringing, her story to becoming one of the most controversial educators is a most interesting one. To me, It's funny to think that Rhee was serving as chancellor of education while I was also living in DC, at the time of course I had probably never even heard her name. For a short time in 2010, I resided in DC and was lost in the world of environmental activism, doing an internship at Greenpeace's US headquarters in Chinatown. I had absolutely no idea that I would eventually take a turn in the road and start chasing the dream of being an educator. But now knowing that this was all happening parallel to another passion I was exploring, in the same city, is exciting and seems somewhat like foreshadowing.
Luckily for me, Half Price Books was having their 20% off last week while I was getting Dunn Bros and I was lured in to the endless stacks of reading material. I alway peruse the Education section and 'The Bee Eater' ended up in my haul and was then the first book I attacked with my decoding skills. Three days and I was done with 270 pages of inside scoop about what really happened in the DC Public School systems while Michelle Rhee was chancellor and every word was delicious. I learned about date systems, curriculum, more about tenure and teachers unions. I learned more about the kind of teacher I want to be, a kind with SNAP! And more than anything I really dove into a modern epic about how our public education systems work and don't work. The battle behind school reform is a long and detailed story that needs to continuously be explored and progress with new chapters hopefully chronicling more success. I am early in my career but this book will forever be cherished as one of the first piece of literature that I choose to read outside of class in order to better myself as I plan towards becoming an active part of this field.
I forgive the author's bias and I give this book a 4 out of 5, the reporting is great and I understand the constraints that were being worked under but I think Whitmire could have painted with a little finer detail in regards to Michelle Rhee the human. Whitmire also gets my kudos for teaching me some new words!!
Luckily for me, Half Price Books was having their 20% off last week while I was getting Dunn Bros and I was lured in to the endless stacks of reading material. I alway peruse the Education section and 'The Bee Eater' ended up in my haul and was then the first book I attacked with my decoding skills. Three days and I was done with 270 pages of inside scoop about what really happened in the DC Public School systems while Michelle Rhee was chancellor and every word was delicious. I learned about date systems, curriculum, more about tenure and teachers unions. I learned more about the kind of teacher I want to be, a kind with SNAP! And more than anything I really dove into a modern epic about how our public education systems work and don't work. The battle behind school reform is a long and detailed story that needs to continuously be explored and progress with new chapters hopefully chronicling more success. I am early in my career but this book will forever be cherished as one of the first piece of literature that I choose to read outside of class in order to better myself as I plan towards becoming an active part of this field.
I forgive the author's bias and I give this book a 4 out of 5, the reporting is great and I understand the constraints that were being worked under but I think Whitmire could have painted with a little finer detail in regards to Michelle Rhee the human. Whitmire also gets my kudos for teaching me some new words!!
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The seemingly quick rise of Rhee up the ladder to being appointed Chancellor of DCPS is told in a detailed manner that weave the details into a understandable, enjoyable and enlightening read by Richard Whitmore. Rhee is made into a sort of mystical, reform-minded, school enchantress, ORRR if you prefer, a dictator of education who has a big fists, a big mouth and no ears. Either way she is a tough, take no prisoners general navigating a sea of interests that are trying to overshadow LEARNING. Check out Rhee's newest project, Student's First to see how she continues to work towards educational progress. I can't wait to do some follow up research to see how the DC Public School System is doing today, as the book was published in 2011, FIVE WHOLE YEARS AGO NOW. Woof. Time flies when you are trying to accomplish goals, learn lots and grow into the butterfly that is inside all of us.
GO READ A BOOK.
xoxo, KP
GO READ A BOOK.
xoxo, KP
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