Class Encounters

by Mark H. Meuser

This book traces the development of a teacher from a wide-eyed rookie to a seasoned veteran, through a series of vignettes about the students who have affected him the most deeply.

250 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[Talia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was written by my Algebra II teacher, which I chose to read in lieu of his retirement this year. While I’m actually too young (!) to have personally known of any of the stories he mentions, (by the time I was in high school, the book was probably mostly finished) I remember him reading bits out loud to the class. The student “jumping” out the window, Pythagoras, the Santa Candle,…all great anecdotes that are a testament to Mr. Meuser’s dry sense of humor and love of teaching. But that’s the problem, many of the stories were very anecdotal and as a result, a little TOO dry. Mr. Meuser amped up those drier stories with the reinforcement of how teaching takes dedication, caring, and humility. A must-read for educators (or former students of Mr. Meuser), but others may put this down before finishing. Long live Excalibur!

[Ryan Work · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is probably biased because I had Meuser as a teacher and he was one of my better high school teachers. I also found this book interesting because I could relate his stories to my experience in his class.