Books: Educating Esme and Teach with Your Heart

Subtitle: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year

by: Esme Rojil Codell

One of these days I will learn how to put the accents over the letters in my posts. I’m sure one can do it, but I don’t know how.

I started this book yesterday, read about 3 pages, and then finished it this morning when I woke up in about 2 hours or so, maybe less. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s voice and the story she told. I loved her sassy approach to the administration in her school, and her perseverance in the face of so little support. I’m so grateful to Tami for suggesting this book. Thanks, Tami!

I haven’t posted about it, but since reading The Freedom Writer’s Diary, I also read Teach with Your Heart: Lessons I Learned from the Freedom Writers by Erin Gruwell, and it blew me away. Another reason I enjoyed Educating Esme was that it took me back to the world of a teacher who cares so much about her students, doing everything she can to inspire them to love learning as much as she does.

The same way Erin’s students made such incredible changes in their lives with the help of Erin as a solid stable force to support them, I learned in Teach with Your Heart that Erin had her dad to fill the same role for her. Cheering her on, giving her pep talks, being there to listen when things got hard. It’s incredible to me what the support of even one person can do for another. Because of her dad’s support, Erin was able to let that ripple of love flow through her and be magnified as it spread out to encompass her students, and I am sure her students have gone on to make a difference in many people’s lives on top of all people they touched with their book, me included.

Another thing reading Educating Esme did for me was help clear up a little mystery that happened for me this past week. It’s a completely separate story, so I’ll wait until tomorrow to tell it. Meanwhile, check out Educating Esme and Teach with Your Heart. Both are completely worthwhile books and quick reads.