Ed Boland

I was hoping this book would be more student-centered, but Boland focuses primarily on himself. While I suppose most memoirs are, after all, for that purpose, I still think he could have done so much more with the stories of the kids.

His tone was very whiny, and it seemed he went into this one year of teaching solely to try and land a book deal. He had a savior complex (teachers with this complex will never likely do much good for their students), and while he admits it, he also never seemed to change it! It seems he quit after a year of teaching to go back to his job working with inner-city kids who are "easier" to "save." (He helps "exceptional" kids from the inner-city get into Ivy League schools. And yet, perhaps if he had stayed, he would have learned a thing or two about teaching and could have made an actual difference in the lives of all his students, not just the ones who are exceptionally brilliant or who have dramatically better home lives.

I feel it's worth mentioning that Boland only seems to recognize one path to success - those Ivy League schools he loves so much. As another reviewer has already pointed out, graduating from a trade school, attending a less-prestigious college, or even "just" getting and keeping a job can all be ways of achieving success.

In addition, the book was written very unprofessionally. There is a ton of profanity and vulgar, sexual language in this book - and no, it's not all from the students in his class!

I normally like to include a quote or two in my reviews, but there is literally nothing worth quoting here.… (mais)

The Battle for Room 314 is a must-read for anyone contemplating a career in teaching high school or junior high students--particularly those with a romantic notion of saving inner-city kids and changing the world with their passion. As Ed Boland realized early on in an attempted career switch, it's not as easy as it seems. Boland relates his experience teaching history in the New York school system honestly, allowing the reader to see his frustration, pain and doubts. Not that the book is an entirely negative view of the profession. It's not. In fact, by the end of the book, I felt that the author had made the only sane decision he could, by deciding to return to his previous career in fundraising. He grew personally from his difficult experience battling for students' attention and efforts, and not surprisingly, their respect. And Boland did make connections and influence some students. Each reader needs to ask him or herself, however, at what price did those successes come? As a trained secondary school teacher, who student taught in an inner city school and has a few years of subbing under her belt, I commend Ed Boland for writing a brutally honest look at teaching. The questions included at the end of the book are thought provoking and necessary--they will surely be helpful to those who consider them before launching themselves into the arena of public education. Interesting and emotionally touching, The Battle for Room 314 will be a satisfying read for just about anyone, even those who are familiar with the business of teaching or those who are quite content doing something else.… (mais)