Lessons Learned from the Starfish: A Teacher's Journey with Children of Poverty

by Melanie Parrish Anderson

Lessons learned from the Starfish is a teacher’s memoir chronicling twenty-three years teaching kindergarten and second grade at a state public school. Laugh, cry, and learn along with Ms. Melanie as she shares stories of empathy, loss and triumph. A must-read for all parents and educators.

Genres: Social Work

254 pages, Paperback

Published May 9, 2017

Reviews

[Meg K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Anderson gives us an eye opening account of teaching children who live in poverty and dysfuntion. This school is in the city that I live in, so it really made me think about the disparity we are a part of here. Her stories are told from the heart, with care and concern woven throughout. She has a commitment to the children she teaches and really does not give up on them, even when they leave the school and she does not know where they are--I'm sure they carry a bit of Miss Melanie with them; I sure hope they do.

[Anthony Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that talks about a Teacher named Ms. Anderson. She started working as a teacher that had challenges. In the book, she talks about the hard time she had for the student because would go through the things that their parents did. It talks about many short stories about different students that she had in her class and what made them special in their own ways. There was some student that has a hard time but later on, in that short story they would get better because of the support from others and also from her. She did things that many other teachers wouldn't do for their students. The book just really talks about students and what she did to help them of just different emotions she had during the time she worked there. This book is for people that like kids and to see how curious a kid's mind is. I like that it was a Teachers journey and what they have to go through and not having enough credit. The other thing that I like was that I live not too far from where these book stories became a book.

[Andie Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hits home for me, as the author was a teacher as the school I went to. I also did my social work training at the same school and could see the pain, sadness, etc that children in our community go through. Every child deserves love and a place where they can feel safe.

[Megan Furniss · Rating 5 out of 5]

All teachers and educators and lawmakers should read this book! It gives real insight on what teachers and students really have to deal with each day. Now more than ever, teaching is a hard profession. She tells the stories of why it’s so hard and shows us what kids need to succeed.