Provides trenchant commentary on, and anecdotes about, the trials and triumphs of teaching in a rural community, reflecting on the challenges of the teaching profession and the ability of a teacher to make a difference
Garret Keizer is the author of eight books, the most recent of which are Getting Schooled and Privacy. A contributing editor of Harper's Magazine and a Guggenheim Fellow, he has written for Lapham's Quarterly, the Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Village Voice, and Virginia Quarterly Review, among other publications.
You can learn more about Keizer's work and also contact him at his website:
No Place But Here by Garret Keizer is a memoir about a teacher's time teaching in rural America. He recounts some personal stories and talks about how teenagers work and how teachers should teach.
This book is great for future teachers. It's really interesting and Keizer makes great points. The book starts off by addressing how rural teenagers are unique, but really the points in the memoir can be applied to all teenagers. Keizer encourages teachers to believe in their students and expect more of them, and he provides great stories that she help and encourage pre-service teachers. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm interested to talk about it in my education class that I had to read it for. Get this book if you're going to be a teacher!
It's no surprise that Garret Keizer abandoned his teaching "vocation" as soon as the world started paying him to write. What English teacher wouldn't, if given half a chance? Still, the literature of teaching was fortunate that he did spend a few years in the classroom early in his professional life. He has some thought-provoking things to say on the subject, and he says them very prettily. And I can attest to the fact that the rural Vermont he wrote about 30 years ago remains very much the same to this day, despite the fact that the rest of the world doesn't know (or care) that it exists.
It's rare that I don't finish a book, but I could never find myself wanting to read more. Not the most modern version of the northeast kingdom. While the author's intention was to compliment the lifestyle, I found it sometimes condescending.
A series of essays from an English teacher/minister in northern Vermont reflecting on teaching, students, and his philosophy. It's approach and his stance were not especially my "cup of tea."