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Best in Class: Essential Wisdom from Real Student Writing
Funny and strange moments from 25 years of student writing captured in 200 pieces of essential wisdom.
A hilarious book for anyone who has muddled through a school writing assignment : From the very first week of Tim Clancy's 25-year career as a high school English teacher, he began to notice and collect funny and strange moments he discovered in his students' writing. For example, his students wrote, "The word 'witch' has become a household word, like 'spatula,'" and "Wherever excitement is, there will always be romance. Trust me." He would occasionally share them with his classes, who enjoyed them as much as he did, and Best in Class was born. Best in Class is a book that will be enjoyed every time it is opened for the entertaining, philosophical, and completely absurd bits of wisdom it contains.
A hilarious book for anyone who has muddled through a school writing assignment : From the very first week of Tim Clancy's 25-year career as a high school English teacher, he began to notice and collect funny and strange moments he discovered in his students' writing. For example, his students wrote, "The word 'witch' has become a household word, like 'spatula,'" and "Wherever excitement is, there will always be romance. Trust me." He would occasionally share them with his classes, who enjoyed them as much as he did, and Best in Class was born. Best in Class is a book that will be enjoyed every time it is opened for the entertaining, philosophical, and completely absurd bits of wisdom it contains.
- GenresHumorNonfiction
136 pages, Hardcover
Published April 16, 2019
30 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 19, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via a Librarything giveaway.
If you teach, it is that time of the year. The time when questions such as, “I know I didn’t do any of the work, but can I still pass the class” get asked. It is the time when you read essays that are done at the last minute so students write things like “I think that it is the title of the movie” or “two other sources that I didn’t right done”.
It is why teachers always ask for booze.
Clancy’s collection of strange writings from students is a balm to the soul. You, dear teacher, are not alone. You haven’t failed at teaching; the students just have not been paying attention.
Clancy’s collection of student writings includes intelligent sayings like, “Music is the aspirin of the soul” (43) as well as head banging sentences such as “Contrary to popular belief, Canadian women are no more hairy than their American counterpoints” (41).
The book is loosely divided into sections that include misspellings, made up words, historical musing and comments about literature. The accompanying illustrations by Johnny Sampson are clever.
While this is an ideal present for any teacher, it would also be a good aid in teaching, not only in terms of the importance of proofreading, but also because of the Sampson illustrations that showcase what the sentences means as opposed to what it intends.
If you teach, it is that time of the year. The time when questions such as, “I know I didn’t do any of the work, but can I still pass the class” get asked. It is the time when you read essays that are done at the last minute so students write things like “I think that it is the title of the movie” or “two other sources that I didn’t right done”.
It is why teachers always ask for booze.
Clancy’s collection of strange writings from students is a balm to the soul. You, dear teacher, are not alone. You haven’t failed at teaching; the students just have not been paying attention.
Clancy’s collection of student writings includes intelligent sayings like, “Music is the aspirin of the soul” (43) as well as head banging sentences such as “Contrary to popular belief, Canadian women are no more hairy than their American counterpoints” (41).
The book is loosely divided into sections that include misspellings, made up words, historical musing and comments about literature. The accompanying illustrations by Johnny Sampson are clever.
While this is an ideal present for any teacher, it would also be a good aid in teaching, not only in terms of the importance of proofreading, but also because of the Sampson illustrations that showcase what the sentences means as opposed to what it intends.
April 4, 2019
**I received this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.**
This book was cute and funny. I wish I had a list of some of the stuff my classmates and I wrote in high school.
This book was cute and funny. I wish I had a list of some of the stuff my classmates and I wrote in high school.
July 16, 2019
It's hard to go wrong with humor collections like this. Unintentionally absurd to weirdly profound quotes from student essays are featured in BEST IN CLASS. Goofy, retro-style illustrations add to the amusement.
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July 1, 2022Tessa and I read this in a shop and I need more books for my reading challenge
May 30, 2019
A collection of funny and strange quotes from high school students writing assignments.
This is a fun little book. I don’t normally go into the physical quality of a text book but in this case the physicality of the book is part of the fun of it.
It’s a small size, roughly 6” X 11” and the quality is excellent. My copy is hard cover which is sturdy, and the texture reminds me of some of the text books from my childhood. It’s in a bright, cheerful, Ticonderoga yellow, the spine looks like a #2 pencil, eraser and all and the font is a metallic green. It’s just cheerful to look at and feels good in your hands.
There are about two quotes per page, with a few illustrations scattered throughout the book and it is separated into themes, book reports, romance, is that a word and so on.
There is no context given for the origin of each quote, which I did sometimes find frustrating as I really, really wanted to know what inspired many of them, though their brevity and out of context nature is part of what makes them all work so well as a collection. Not really a sit down and read cover to cover book, but it is fun to skim through and share some of the best with friends and co-workers.
This is a fun little book. I don’t normally go into the physical quality of a text book but in this case the physicality of the book is part of the fun of it.
It’s a small size, roughly 6” X 11” and the quality is excellent. My copy is hard cover which is sturdy, and the texture reminds me of some of the text books from my childhood. It’s in a bright, cheerful, Ticonderoga yellow, the spine looks like a #2 pencil, eraser and all and the font is a metallic green. It’s just cheerful to look at and feels good in your hands.
There are about two quotes per page, with a few illustrations scattered throughout the book and it is separated into themes, book reports, romance, is that a word and so on.
There is no context given for the origin of each quote, which I did sometimes find frustrating as I really, really wanted to know what inspired many of them, though their brevity and out of context nature is part of what makes them all work so well as a collection. Not really a sit down and read cover to cover book, but it is fun to skim through and share some of the best with friends and co-workers.
April 18, 2024
Pretty funny and wise at times, here’s the best:
“I felt as lonely as the letter I in the middle of a long, rambling sentence”
“Music is the aspirin to the soul”
“Green food is either moldy or it's a vegetable, and I don't like either one”
“Prom is the ultimate example of lust, gluttony, and narcissism”
“The author of this essay assumes that her readers will actually read the piece without falling asleep in the middle of it”
“I would like to be a naked photographer. I feel that it is a job that would be worth showing up on time for”
“You should take time to get to know people before you hate them”
“I felt as lonely as the letter I in the middle of a long, rambling sentence”
“Music is the aspirin to the soul”
“Green food is either moldy or it's a vegetable, and I don't like either one”
“Prom is the ultimate example of lust, gluttony, and narcissism”
“The author of this essay assumes that her readers will actually read the piece without falling asleep in the middle of it”
“I would like to be a naked photographer. I feel that it is a job that would be worth showing up on time for”
“You should take time to get to know people before you hate them”
April 3, 2019
Best in Class is a teacher's simple collection of the funniest things his students have written in their essays over the years. This is a tiny little book with sparse text and a spattering of cute illustrations. It's like a pocket-sized version of the S*** My Students Write tumblr (which I love, by the way). Some of the quotes cracked me up and others were more meh. I finished the whole thing in less than 15 minutes, but it was an enjoyable 15 minutes.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
May 28, 2019
OMG! This book was not what I expected, but it was far, far better than anything I could have imagined. The author, a veteran English teacher, compiled some of his students' "best" work and put it in this book. I sat on my couch with a cup of tea laughing out loud at some of the truly amazing words of wisdom from his students. My favorite - "My grandma died last July. She was never the same after that." How can anyone not love a book with this in it? In this age of negativity, this book was a welcome release. I loved it!
April 23, 2019
I recieved this book for free from a goodreads giveaway.
It's a brief and mildly entertaining collection of sentences from high school student essays. Not something you sit down and read but more of something you might find in the waiting room at a doctor's office and browse through to pass the time.
It's a brief and mildly entertaining collection of sentences from high school student essays. Not something you sit down and read but more of something you might find in the waiting room at a doctor's office and browse through to pass the time.
April 4, 2019
I received a copy of Best in Class as a giveaway. This book is full of fun anecdotes from students. Each one makes me laugh out loud. I recommend it for anyone who has spent time in a classroom as a teacher or student.
June 16, 2019
A cute flip thru book filled with phrases from high school kids writing. Tim saved phrases from his students writings that made him chuckle such as “my grandma died last July. She was never the same after that.” And then he put them into a book.
January 13, 2024
The worst book ever written
The book has no wisdom or humor. A 15 minute read. I highly recommend passing on this book. The only lesson I learned was to read the samples before buying.
The book has no wisdom or humor. A 15 minute read. I highly recommend passing on this book. The only lesson I learned was to read the samples before buying.
April 10, 2019
I thought this book would be a little more interesting, but I still liked it. There were so many funny quotes that I cannot wait to share with my friends!
July 25, 2019
Can't believe they published that. Skip it.
July 29, 2019
Haha, some pieces of gold from students' writings over Clancy's years as a teacher. Really fun to page through.
August 17, 2019
In the same vein as Anguished English and other such "students write the darndest things" books, this is a collection of very funny excerpts from high school student essays. Very enjoyable.
August 4, 2020
I didn't understand all of this but it was cute and quick. Idk what just happened honestly. But nice I guess
October 30, 2020
Won this book on goodreads. Very short easy to read. As someone who worked in education, I can remember alot of these sayings kids would write.
February 14, 2022
This book has some hilarious snippets of student writing, and is a good argument for why students need some feedback on their writing. :D
February 18, 2023
Laugh out loud funny!
February 28, 2023
Funny and entertaining. Totally worth the read. And it won't even take you long. Not even an hour.
May 14, 2023
This book is part of why I could never be a teacher. I'd not be able to contain my laughter and incredulity. What a wonderful compendium!
December 9, 2023
Funny, odd, and perplexing quotes from students. Had me laughing with tears or pondering often.
December 15, 2023
Interesting and humorous statements extracted from student writings.
December 27, 2022
I feel bad. This is really a two-and-a-half star book for me, which I don't think is fair. It's a cute, quirky little book and deserves mass distribution. Some of the quips contained within are truly witty. I typically really enjoy little books like these. I don't know why I didn't enjoy this one more. It won't stop me from recommending it to people, however. I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways on Wednesday, April 3, 2019.
Want to read
May 12, 2019a very cleaver read...thank you
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews