inspirational readings

Right at the beginning of my career, and I have read my share of inspirational volumes on why great teaching matters. Shall I be brave and admit that the first reform minded education writing I stumbled upon, in the beginning of high school, when I was browsing through nonfiction at the local library, was Savage Inequalities, THE Jonathan Kozol book to end all Jonathan Kozol books?

I wonder about my reaction then, since now that I look back upon it, I find that text quite depressing. Kozol is a moving storyteller, and the stories of the schools and students that he profiles are tragic ones; it was written in no way that a teenager might suppose would call a society to action.

Right.

But, maybe what is beautiful is that it moves individuals to care, even just a little bit more than they used to, about what is happening to public schools in the United States. It certainly have that effect on me. Enough to motivate me to go to college planning to study education reform...

More to come.