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| Source: skyhorsepublishing.com |
Why Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens?, by Ilana Garon
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date: 2013
Category: Memoir
Source: I requested a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I don't know where to start. After seeing Ilana Garon's book, Why Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens?, reviewed on some fellow bloggers' sites (Love at First Book & Words for Worms), I knew I had to read it. Garon teaches high school English in an inner city school and I teach in what we grew up calling a "hick town." So I assumed we wouldn't have too much in common, but I am always up for real life teacher stories. Within pages I found that, although the environment in which I teach is drastically different from Garon's, there are numerous parallels to students and experiences I've had. It's crazy really to think that the same experiences exist in drastically different environments. (You know what they say about "assuming," don't you?)
Garon mentions that her story is one of reality, not of the "hero teacher" type seen in movies such as Freedom Writers and the Ron Clark Story, which although true stories, are so far from the norm. Garon states the purpose of her book best when she says, "It's a story about...learning to distinguish between mitigated failure and qualified success. This is a book about the trial by fire all teachers must undergo, about making mistakes, and about learning from one's own students. It's a book about trying to work within a broken system, while at the same time being bolstered by the very same kids you came in wanting to save" (xvi). I couldn't agree more with the truth in this statement.
Garon's teaching environment is definitely more dangerous and frightening than mine, but as I said before, I related to so many of her experiences. The types of students she describes caused faces and names of my own students to pop into my head from as far back as ten years ago. From the student who told me I looked like a dyke lesbian in front of an entire class my first year, to the student who lied insistently even though he knew you saw everything, to the student I helped clothe and naively attempted to broaden his world only to lose him to suicide the next year. I can even somewhat relate to Garon's realization that she will never be a "permanent resident" of the environment in which she teaches. While her students accept her for the most part, she is "already far too displaced from it all to do anything but empathize" (223). Even teaching in a town identical to the one I grew up in, I have found myself an interloper when faced with students whose lives are nothing I can seem to fathom.
Garon nails the experience. The high and low emotions, the self questioning and doubt, the mistakes, the risks and chances taken, the commitment, the rewards, the satisfaction, the love...and by the end of the book I teared up as she described the decision to quit teaching for graduate school (she did go back after graduating). As tedious as the education system can be, I don't find myself dreading a new school year every August and my thoughts often trail to my students in the off hours of any given day. I wouldn't rather be in any other profession and Garon gives a good example why.
Give a shout out to your great teachers! They deserve it!
I keep hearing good things about this book. I am going to have to read it.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I ended up reading it. It was good.
DeleteAs a former HS teacher I really enjoy behind-the-scenes books about teaching and education--and I hadn't heard about this one before. I've just put myself on the wait list for it at my library--thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteMe too - I love to hear people's experiences in a world I'm so familiar with. This one was honest and relatable I thought. Hope you enjoy it...would love to hear your thoughts afterward.
DeleteMy teaching experience ranges from rural to inner city to inside a correctional facility and, like you, I found Garon's situations familiar in each of those settings. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteShannon, you should write a book too! I bet you have some stories about the correctional facility work!
DeleteThis sounds like such an interesting book, and it's great to read a review from a teacher's perspective. I wouldn't be able to relate on the same level, but it seems like an intriguing read!
ReplyDeleteYea I didn't really think about it that way - the difference of perspective between teacher and nonteacher readers. Lol, I'm just going along merrily reading away, assuming again everyone sees what I see. I have a hard time taking the teacher lens off, so to speak.
DeleteEverone talks wonderful things about this one! I can't wait to read it! :)
ReplyDeleteIf anything it's a good insider look at the many factors that hinder teachers from doing their jobs as effectively as possible. There are just so many things teachers cannot do much about.
DeleteJennine, this is a fabulous review of the book! I appreciate your honesty, too, with sharing some of your personal experiences!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think Garon's on to something with the honesty piece. Why aren't we all just honest about experiences that can help people understand or work in like environments? Instead we often play it cool and like we've always had it together.
DeleteI've been seeing this gem all over the place lately :D I think I need to get myself a copy!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's what happened to me. The title alone is eye catching...while reading it I had people asking about the title.
DeleteHi guys! Ilana (the author) here. It's really gratifying to see that people are getting excited about this book. In answer to some of these questions, while the book is written from the point of view of a teacher (mine), I've tried to write it with the idea that people who aren't teachers, and don't work in schools, could still get any idea from it about what it's like to be a student or teacher in an inner-city school. Hope this is helpful. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me; there's a little envelope icon on my website (which is http://ilanagaron.com)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Ilana! And thank you for the opportunity to review your book. I think you do a great job of giving people outside of education a look into your world. I've read many comments and reviews around blogs and sites that confirm this.
DeleteOh Ilana! I sent out an email recommending your book to co workers I know are avid readers. The one woman's kids I've actually had in class and as of last year, they are all graduated. Turns out her oldest is getting her grad degree and working her second year in the Bronx public school system. I had no idea. My coworker said she's going to read your book this week. She started telling me her daughter's stories and it was like you were standing there reading your book to me. Amazing!
DeleteSo I also thank you for opening my eyes to a side of teaching - atmosphere and environment - that I wouldn't know otherwise.
The title alone makes me want to read it and I do have tremendous respect for teachers. I loved how your review was professional and personal made me even more interested in reading this!
ReplyDeleteI think it is definitely worth the read. At the very least, to be aware of the work teachers are doing in various places and the challenges they are presented with and asked to work in spite of.
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