My Teacher

by James E. Ransome

A book about the celebration of the many ways teachers can inspire students

Genres: Picture Books, Realistic Fiction, School, Childrens, Teachers, Music, Writing

32 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2012

About the author

James E. Ransome has illustrated more than fifty books for children and has won the Coretta Scott King Award for The Creation (by James Weldon Johnson). His work has also earned him a Coretta Scott King Honor, IBBY Honour, ALA Notable, NAACP Image Award, Bank Street best Book of the Year, and Rip Van Winkle Award. He lives in upstate New York with his wife, author Lesa Cline-Ransome, and their family.

Reviews

[Donalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book might not win awards, it is guaranteed to be a teacher gift for many years to come. Messagy. Emotionally manipulative. I don't care. I cried, anyway.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator, a young girl, tells about her wonderful teacher who taught her mother and grandmother years before. The teacher still connected with students because of her passion for teaching. A heartwarming read!

[Kim Pietrobono · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awards: N/A

Grades: 1st-2nd grade

Summary: This book serves as homage to elementary school teachers as it acknowledges the hard work that teachers put in to help children achieve their dreams. The narrator of the story attends school in an urban setting and explains how great her teacher is, even though she could be teaching in a better school. The teacher reveals that she was once in the same position and wants to give the kids the best opportunity possible to succeed, just like she once received.

Review: This book made me very happy as it acknowledges the hard work, time, effort, and good intentions that teachers have for their students. I feel like oftentimes these facts are overlooked and teachers are underappreciated. It was nice to take a look into what schools in different places like inner city schools might be like.

In class use: This book could be used as a read aloud for students to see what a different school might look like and compare and contrast the school in the book to their own. Another use could be during a writing activity where students write a thank you card to a teacher of their choice.

[Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awards: n/a

Appropriate grade level(s): k-2nd

Summary: The narrator tells the story of their school teacher. This teacher not only helps her students learn, but seems to inspire all her students and encourages them to help their community. Although she could be in a nicer school, she cherishes all the children that pass through the same classroom she did and aspires to help them reach their dreams.

Review: I adore this book. I love how it depicts what it should truly mean to be a teacher. I think it is so inspiration how much this teacher cares about her students. My favorite thing about this book is that is that is shows that teaching should be more than about teaching academics, it's about helping students grow in all aspects of life.

In-class uses:
-What is teacher unit
-Class read aloud
-Career day

[Alysse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! My teacher is the story of the reasons a student thinks an old teacher still teaches. The students think "why hasn't she retired yet? she could have a long time ago." The student talks about all the things the teacher does for the kids and how she encourages them everyday. Such as calling them her writing bees and telling them they are good storytellers, how she teaches them to love reading, how she connects with them on personal levels and makes everyone feel comfortable at school. So many things mentioned in this book that are so true! At the end the student asks why. The teacher replies with "I teach because of every one of you. I just love teaching and being a part of your lives. I love helping to make your dreams come true."

[Laura Giessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching book that dives deep into the motivations for being a teacher. Moving, but not too syrupy sweet (until the last page). "My teacher loves for us to use our talents. Maybe that's why she keeps teaching." "My teacher loves to read and she makes us love it too. Maybe that's why she keeps teaching." "My teacher likes to talk about things that are important to us. Maybe that's why she keeps teaching." Beautiful portrayal of the lessons that a teacher teaches by who she is and by creating the type of classroom environment that she does. I loved it.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so touching. A little girl loves her teacher and tells about how she changed the lives of all of her students. Older teachers are so sweet because you can tell they really do care about their students since they have been doing it forever. I hope that one day when I become a teacher that my students think this much of me. I really want to change lives. So sweet!

[Sydney M · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Teacher
This book is about a student and her favorite teacher. This teacher had taught two generation before her. The teacher had taught her mother and her grandmother. This teacher went above and beyond to help students succeed. She was wondering why her teacher was still teaching and why she was not retired. She asked the teacher if she was still teaching because she had to or if that is what she wanted to do. Her teacher stated that she enjoyed teaching and wanted her students to grow up and follow their dreams.

[Beau’s Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unexpected mention of divorce. While I agree it is important to describe/normalize different family structures, I was unprepared to give a thoughtful explanation of divorce to my three year old. Not what I was anticipating based on the title and theme of this book.

[Joy Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is so sweet! It’s about a student talking about the impact her teacher had on her. The teacher was also a former student in that exact classroom and she dreamed of being a teacher and to make an impact in children’s lives.

[Angie Helgeson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rubes listened patiently through it, and this was long enough that she accepted it as good enough for bedtime. Working for the foodbank I was interested to see something like our food 4 kids program mentioned. This teacher has taught 3 generations, why dont they have a library?

[Danni Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sweet, heartwarming story about a beloved teacher and elder, the community she works in, and the lives her work touches!

[Sarah Bigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. Celebrates teachers, diversity, community, kindness, and more.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story about how much teachers care for their students!

[Tony Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story that illustrates why some teachers teach…and continue teaching and inspiring!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

How the heck can people vote for ppl who don't value education?! Parents, citizens, all should read this book!

[Melba Deoleo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tell us the story of a little girl who wonders why her teachers, who is of older age, is still teaching and hasn't retired yet. She could teach on the side of town where the sun always shines, but instead chooses to stay there, the little girl thinks she might know why she still teaches. Says her teacher calls them her "writing bees" and encourages her to write and told her she will make a great writer some day, she loves for her students to use her talents and maybe that is why she still teaches. Her teacher loves to read and it is something that she tries to pass on to her students. She makes her students feel comfortable, like having them draw the members of their family to make on her students feel better about her parents getting a divorce. She teaches them that it is important to help people in need and she likes to show everyone in the school how much her students know and maybe that's why she keeps teaching. She even told them a story of how a little girl use to sit in the corner of the class and dream about being a teacher and how that little girl was her. When the little girl finally asked her why she keeps teaching she replies, "I teach because of every single one of you,
I just love teaching and being a part of your life's, i love helping to make your dreams come true". This was a book that I am glad I found because it would be great to read to my students because it lets them know just how much teachers care and love their students. I would use this book during a read aloud and then have my students become writing bees and create a story about what they think is something that they would love to do when they are older.

[Pamela Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My Teacher" by James Ransome brought tears to my eyes. That's because I am a teacher. And I hope that I'm the kind of teacher portrayed in this lovely picture book. Like the teacher in the story, I work in a school where kids don't come from wealthy families and don't take fancy vacations; and their families may not always have a mom and a dad.

The story is simple, but the writing is not. There's poetry in the pages of this story. Why does the teacher keep working in their school, when "She could teach across town, where the sun always shines."

The teacher brings in a library for the kids. She encourages them to love music, reading and writing. She helps them talk about their families and how each family can be different.

And even though it is obvious from the story that the school is one where the students come from needy homes, they collect food before Thanksgiving to give to those who need it. When the young narrator realizes that a friend is one of the recipients of the largesse, she says, "I'm glad we could help Nola's family with our donation."

It is almost guaranteed that any teacher with a heart will have a tear in his or her eye by the end of the book.

Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/review/my-tea...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having taught in the public schools of New Orleans for 24+ years and been forced to explain why exactly I chose to continue to work in schools that were so challenging, I am a sucker for this picture book that would be a perfect teacher gift. The narrator ponders her teacher's longevity and wonders why she "keeps teaching here" (unpaginated), and then begins listing the possible reasons for her decision. This is a teacher who creates her own classroom library, inspires the students to write, fosters the love for reading, creates community, and integrates art and music within the classroom. As every effective teacher knows, the students are a large part of why teachers keep teaching. One of the best parts of this book is that there is no mention of high-stakes testing. While the story is idealized, it will certainly be one I'll share with my preservice teachers in the fall. I loved the illustrations that show the students so eager to learn and their teacher wearing a teacher vest complete with apple patterns. Every teacher has days when a little encouragement is needed, and this book provides a reminder that teachers DO make a difference in the lives of those around them.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

•Brief summary
This book is about a great teacher who has been teaching for many many years. It goes along saying why maybe she still teaches, and all the great things so does for her students.

•Audience
Kindergarten or 1st

•Appeal
Many children look up to a teacher and so reading about a great teacher helps them think how great their own teacher is. It has a great story line also.

•Implementation
I think I would use this book at the end of a school year to help the students prepare for a new teacher, because there is a reason why people keep teaching so all teachers can be great and not to worry about your teacher next year you will love her just as much as you love me.

Ransome, J. (2012). My teacher. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

[Shamilah Gillani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet book for teachers. I would love to incorporate this into my classroom for students to see how hard teachers work and how they influence us in our lives. The narrator, an urban classroom student, teaches students that a great teacher is the best gift ever. His teacher could have been in a better district, but she chose to be in this school because she was in the same classroom and was inspired by her teacher and she would like to do the same for future students. Students would be able to learn about emotions and could focus on finding the main message of the story. I could have the students work on writing about how a teacher has affected them in their schooling experience so far.

[Maddypictures · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Maybe that's why she keeps teaching"

Old enough to retire, and having taught 3 generations of students at the school, a little girl's teacher tirelessly continues to charm, delight, inform and inspire her students. Keep an eye out for the Folkmanis bee puppet which makes an appearance on the 3rd page! The story is long, and a bit on the overly-sentimental side, but I'd bet there are plenty of educators who won't be able to read this without getting a little verklempt. The illustrations appear to be watercolor and pencil, and portray a diverse, friendly urban neighborhood.

[Yoo Kyung Sung · Rating 3 out of 5]

IT could be didactic but I am still attracted to layer of themes in this story.. dedicating teacher who was the teacher to "mama and grandma", taking action for donations, students' life as writer, researcher, and presenter etc. Power of sharing is embedded here too.

" I teach because of every one of you. I just love teaching and being a part of your lives. I love helping to make your dreams come true."

I hope my preservice teachers feel that way too-- they work hard following their dream rather than being gifted-complainers.

[Mimi]

This book is definitely dedicated to teachers. It tells about a student who wonders why her new teacher is still teaching after many years, and why she's still teaching at their mediocre school. The teacher is simply wonderful and describes her different students from over the years as she continues to inspire her new students. This would be a great book to talk about feelings and to find the message in a story.

[Kate McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet tribute to teachers. I loved the community feel that was in this story. The teacher taught the narrators mother and grandmother. Other students she taught are professionals in the neighborhood. The Teacher helps the kids learn how to help each other out and how their differences and similarities can be lessons to grow in kindness.

[Chanae Wills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a teacher who has been teaching for a very long time; she even tells her students that she taught some of their parents when they were their age. The teacher talks about why she loves teaching and why she is still teaching.
I could use this book to teach my students about dialogue. I could have my students write a piece where they use dialogue in their paper.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Minus a star for the over-the-top "omgz lurrrrrve you teacher" manipulativeness of the book. Pretty true observations, but I don't know that kids would actually pick this out. Maybe they would, the ones who give their teachers flowers and stuff like on the cover.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This teacher is excellent. The book talks about the many reasons why she is still teaching. In the end we learn that she is still teaching because it was her dream and she wants to help everyone achieve their dream.

[pati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book from the dedication page to the very last period in the book. This teacher shows her students their past, present and future everyday of the school year. Every child should be so lucky to have a teacher like "My teacher"!

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this. It was a great book for the night before the first day of kindergarten at our house.

I saw the city schools I went to in parts of the book. It had racial and economic diversity, something that can be tough to find in kid's books.