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The Things That Matter Most
A powerful and moving debut novel about a school community in crisis from the bestselling author of Teacher.
The staff of St Margaret's Primary School are hanging by a thread. There's serious litigation pending, the school is due for registration, and a powerful parent named Janet Bellevue has a lot to say about everything. As teachers they're trying to remain professional, as people they're fast unravelling.
There's Tyson, first year out of uni and nervous as hell, Derek the Assistant Principal who's dropped the ball on administration, Bev from the office who's confronting a serious diagnosis, and Sally-Ann who's desperate for a child of her own.
Thank goodness for kids like Lionel Merrick. Lionel is the student who steals your heart and makes the whole teaching gig he's cheerful, likeable and helpful - and devoted to his little sister Lacey. But Lionel has a secret of his own. As his future slides from vulnerable to dangerous, will someone from St Margaret's realise before it's too late?
As secrets threaten to be exposed and working demands increase, each staff member begins to lose sight of the things that matter most.
A moving and compelling novel about teachers and their students by the acclaimed author of the bestselling books Teacher and Dear Parents.
The staff of St Margaret's Primary School are hanging by a thread. There's serious litigation pending, the school is due for registration, and a powerful parent named Janet Bellevue has a lot to say about everything. As teachers they're trying to remain professional, as people they're fast unravelling.
There's Tyson, first year out of uni and nervous as hell, Derek the Assistant Principal who's dropped the ball on administration, Bev from the office who's confronting a serious diagnosis, and Sally-Ann who's desperate for a child of her own.
Thank goodness for kids like Lionel Merrick. Lionel is the student who steals your heart and makes the whole teaching gig he's cheerful, likeable and helpful - and devoted to his little sister Lacey. But Lionel has a secret of his own. As his future slides from vulnerable to dangerous, will someone from St Margaret's realise before it's too late?
As secrets threaten to be exposed and working demands increase, each staff member begins to lose sight of the things that matter most.
A moving and compelling novel about teachers and their students by the acclaimed author of the bestselling books Teacher and Dear Parents.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2023
179 people are currently reading
3398 people want to read
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August 7, 2023
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
“You will fall in love. That was another thing they should teach. You will fall in love in ways you didn’t even know.
And you will fail. They should teach you that too. Somewhere very early on in the course. They should prepare you for it, make you do an assignment about it or write an essay.
You will fail as a teacher. It is inevitable.
Describe five ways you will deal with your certain and ongoing failure. Cite references. Three thousand words.”
It is a cherished treasure that when a book you randomly pick up on a whim like The Things That Matter Most is the one that reminds you of the things that truly matter in life. It is not about one individual or an idea - it is about us, as a whole and a community and what we, as individuals have to learn to give back to society and not play the blame game.
In her debut novel for adults, Gabbie Stroud uses her life lessons and experiences as a teacher to write a story that will move the heart and speak to the soul and have us question what we do about the things that matter and how we treat those special individuals who really do matter.
“It’s really hard work,’ she said. ‘People think teaching is easy and they’re wrong.”
Each character at St.Margaret's, a Catholic school situated in Boltford at central New South Wales, had a strong, distinctive voice - each character had their own unique background - their own personal struggles that they had to set aside when they came to school - be it a first-time teacher who feared he would be viewed differently simply because he was gay, a close-to retiring teacher who never paid heed to guidelines because teaching was all he cared for, a beautiful teacher who cares for the children as if they were her own and still aches for a chance to have her own, and a defiant-headstrong efficient administrative officer, who never shies from speaking her mind, no matter her ailing condition.
The transitions between each of their stories was seamless - the way, they all came together - heart-wrenching. It is a hard task to stay professional when you see one of your students suffering - and the love they all had for one such kind-hearted student, is the shared grief that reminds them that what they do as teachers is important - even if no one sees it, as such. 😟
“He was beginning to learn that professional conduct for a teacher meant suppressing your honest response and reading from the pre-written, hoop-jumping script.”
Teaching is an art - it is an art that we do not appreciate enough the ones who do it - how they not only come to school to educate children's minds, but also here to make a heartfelt connection with them over the course of time. How can one person overview the connection shared between teachers and students in a span of a few weeks, when they are not the ones who have to teach them over the span of a whole school year? It is not fair to place such a burden on any one person? 💔 It reminded me that even when I was in high school, I would still go and meet my elementary school teachers - my Nursery teacher! How could I forget the nurturing and guidance each of them have given me in the course of my life?
I loved that in each of the little details we were privy to of each of their characters' daily lives, it reminded us that teachers are human, too. They cannot be held accountable for everything, simply because you have the authority to do so. I wanted to kick that lady where it hurts - even if she was a parent, how dare she be the one to see the fault in their methods? Students are not just statistics - they are living beings with hearts and needs for comfort and caring, often times only a teacher can provide. 😢
“The pressure began to ease, and he forced himself to answer Nova—to apologise. He felt the round, smooth coolness of the apple in his hand.
It was so hard to know what was important.”
I had a war of emotions raging in my heart - from empathy to sympathy - from anger to kindness - to rage to frustration - to sadness to tears - because you try and you try and you simply see the signs, and you think that even the littlest of help can be enough, and then when it isn't, people are so quick to point fingers, simply to remove the guilt from their own hearts and attack an easy target, simply because they can. 💔💔
When, perhaps, these very people could have tried much earlier, but society's laws and administrative rules and regulations make it so very difficult for teachers to blur the line between caring too much or not caring enough. And that, just broke my heart - I teared up for Tyson - oh, that sweet loving boy, Tyson; he had a heart of gold and a love like the sun. And, in the end, no matter how much they were witness to Tyson's plight , it was too late for them to do something right. 🥺🥺
“We need to answer back. We need to advocate for ourselves,’ Nova said.”
Whether you are a teacher or a parent or even a student, this book will speak to you on so many levels. It is a challenging task to tell a story told from multiple points of view and have each of them get their due credit and attention. It is an even daunting challenge to make the reader empathize with each of their stories. And it is an even more impressive one when you end with the feeling that the story is not quite over; because the lesson may be learned the hard way, but it is up to us to act upon it and make the effort for change - for the better. And here, in this little book, I can safely say, each of these points were fulfilled in a poignant and deeply moving manner. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
“You will fall in love. That was another thing they should teach. You will fall in love in ways you didn’t even know.
And you will fail. They should teach you that too. Somewhere very early on in the course. They should prepare you for it, make you do an assignment about it or write an essay.
You will fail as a teacher. It is inevitable.
Describe five ways you will deal with your certain and ongoing failure. Cite references. Three thousand words.”
It is a cherished treasure that when a book you randomly pick up on a whim like The Things That Matter Most is the one that reminds you of the things that truly matter in life. It is not about one individual or an idea - it is about us, as a whole and a community and what we, as individuals have to learn to give back to society and not play the blame game.
In her debut novel for adults, Gabbie Stroud uses her life lessons and experiences as a teacher to write a story that will move the heart and speak to the soul and have us question what we do about the things that matter and how we treat those special individuals who really do matter.
“It’s really hard work,’ she said. ‘People think teaching is easy and they’re wrong.”
Each character at St.Margaret's, a Catholic school situated in Boltford at central New South Wales, had a strong, distinctive voice - each character had their own unique background - their own personal struggles that they had to set aside when they came to school - be it a first-time teacher who feared he would be viewed differently simply because he was gay, a close-to retiring teacher who never paid heed to guidelines because teaching was all he cared for, a beautiful teacher who cares for the children as if they were her own and still aches for a chance to have her own, and a defiant-headstrong efficient administrative officer, who never shies from speaking her mind, no matter her ailing condition.
The transitions between each of their stories was seamless - the way, they all came together - heart-wrenching. It is a hard task to stay professional when you see one of your students suffering - and the love they all had for one such kind-hearted student, is the shared grief that reminds them that what they do as teachers is important - even if no one sees it, as such. 😟
“He was beginning to learn that professional conduct for a teacher meant suppressing your honest response and reading from the pre-written, hoop-jumping script.”
Teaching is an art - it is an art that we do not appreciate enough the ones who do it - how they not only come to school to educate children's minds, but also here to make a heartfelt connection with them over the course of time. How can one person overview the connection shared between teachers and students in a span of a few weeks, when they are not the ones who have to teach them over the span of a whole school year? It is not fair to place such a burden on any one person? 💔 It reminded me that even when I was in high school, I would still go and meet my elementary school teachers - my Nursery teacher! How could I forget the nurturing and guidance each of them have given me in the course of my life?
I loved that in each of the little details we were privy to of each of their characters' daily lives, it reminded us that teachers are human, too. They cannot be held accountable for everything, simply because you have the authority to do so. I wanted to kick that lady where it hurts - even if she was a parent, how dare she be the one to see the fault in their methods? Students are not just statistics - they are living beings with hearts and needs for comfort and caring, often times only a teacher can provide. 😢
“The pressure began to ease, and he forced himself to answer Nova—to apologise. He felt the round, smooth coolness of the apple in his hand.
It was so hard to know what was important.”
I had a war of emotions raging in my heart - from empathy to sympathy - from anger to kindness - to rage to frustration - to sadness to tears - because you try and you try and you simply see the signs, and you think that even the littlest of help can be enough, and then when it isn't, people are so quick to point fingers, simply to remove the guilt from their own hearts and attack an easy target, simply because they can. 💔💔
When, perhaps, these very people could have tried much earlier, but society's laws and administrative rules and regulations make it so very difficult for teachers to blur the line between caring too much or not caring enough. And that, just broke my heart - I teared up for Tyson - oh, that sweet loving boy, Tyson; he had a heart of gold and a love like the sun. And, in the end, no matter how much they were witness to Tyson's plight , it was too late for them to do something right. 🥺🥺
“We need to answer back. We need to advocate for ourselves,’ Nova said.”
Whether you are a teacher or a parent or even a student, this book will speak to you on so many levels. It is a challenging task to tell a story told from multiple points of view and have each of them get their due credit and attention. It is an even daunting challenge to make the reader empathize with each of their stories. And it is an even more impressive one when you end with the feeling that the story is not quite over; because the lesson may be learned the hard way, but it is up to us to act upon it and make the effort for change - for the better. And here, in this little book, I can safely say, each of these points were fulfilled in a poignant and deeply moving manner. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
September 13, 2023
The Things That Matter Most is the first adult novel by former teacher and Australian author, Gabbie Stroud. As the students, teachers and admin staff arrive at St Margaret’s Catholic Primary School for the start of another year, most have only the vaguest idea of the challenges they will face.
Young Tyson Cole, fresh from Uni, is filled with enthusiasm and ideas for his kindergarten class. Boltford in central NSW is a long way from the break-up with his boyfriend, but he’ll soon be too busy to think about it.
After eight years at St Margaret’s, Sally-Ann Lin still loves teaching, but would welcome a break in the form of a baby, if only a pregnancy would stick.
Assistant Principal Derek Benson loves teaching, loves seeing his students absorb knowledge, but he hates the paperwork, the admin. In fact, his neglect of that dreaded task may well come back to bite him.
Nova Castell is back as Principal for the new year, but still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer. But she and Derek have plenty to keep them occupied over the next few months: not only is the school due for registration, meaning an intensive external audit of the last four years, but the parents of a former student are suing the school for breach of contract. “Educational outcomes had not been met.”
On that first day, they are unaware that a tabloid journalist (the demanding, needy, micro-managing mother of one of their students) will be invading their classrooms to observe the teachers in action for an article she plans to write.
School receptionist, Bev Donald’s cranky manner belies the love she has for this place that her pragmatism, productivity and proficiency have kept efficiently running for forty years. But an adverse diagnosis has her wondering for how much longer…
And Lionel Merrick, about to start Year Six, is excited to bring his cherished little sister, Lacey for her first day at the school he loves. With dad away driving trucks, and mum working two jobs to make ends meet, he has to shoulder quite a bit at home, but he’d never complain.
The tragedy that gradually unfolds over the next few months is the product of many unfortunate sets of circumstances: a small country town in denial about their social divide; a desperate young mother in whom fear, shame and pride lead to poor choices; and the personal problems on top of an unreasonable workload that distract devoted teachers from their usual vigilance and care.
Stroud gives the reader characters with depth and appeal, and a wholly credible plot that clearly demonstrates the challenges faced by these dedicated men and women who are charged with teaching our children: their enormous workload; the lack of support they receive from the bureaucracy; the complaint and criticism they face from students, parents and the general public; and all for a meagre wage.
Stroud’s own background puts the stamp of authenticity onto every aspect of this story., and the frustration born of the frequently onerous requirement to document actions, often at the expense of actually doing them well, will resonate with those in many professions. As Nova Castell says: “‘Our professional responsibility to these vulnerable children is being crowded out by an agenda set by politicians and parents and the media.”
This superbly-written novel should be required reading for every new teacher, every parent and every education bureaucrat. Do have the tissues ready, though: only those with the hardest of hearts won’t exercise their tear ducts. Stroud does manage to include some good doses of humour, and a certain punch will have most readers cheering. Topical, moving and thought-provoking.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Allen & Unwin.
Young Tyson Cole, fresh from Uni, is filled with enthusiasm and ideas for his kindergarten class. Boltford in central NSW is a long way from the break-up with his boyfriend, but he’ll soon be too busy to think about it.
After eight years at St Margaret’s, Sally-Ann Lin still loves teaching, but would welcome a break in the form of a baby, if only a pregnancy would stick.
Assistant Principal Derek Benson loves teaching, loves seeing his students absorb knowledge, but he hates the paperwork, the admin. In fact, his neglect of that dreaded task may well come back to bite him.
Nova Castell is back as Principal for the new year, but still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer. But she and Derek have plenty to keep them occupied over the next few months: not only is the school due for registration, meaning an intensive external audit of the last four years, but the parents of a former student are suing the school for breach of contract. “Educational outcomes had not been met.”
On that first day, they are unaware that a tabloid journalist (the demanding, needy, micro-managing mother of one of their students) will be invading their classrooms to observe the teachers in action for an article she plans to write.
School receptionist, Bev Donald’s cranky manner belies the love she has for this place that her pragmatism, productivity and proficiency have kept efficiently running for forty years. But an adverse diagnosis has her wondering for how much longer…
And Lionel Merrick, about to start Year Six, is excited to bring his cherished little sister, Lacey for her first day at the school he loves. With dad away driving trucks, and mum working two jobs to make ends meet, he has to shoulder quite a bit at home, but he’d never complain.
The tragedy that gradually unfolds over the next few months is the product of many unfortunate sets of circumstances: a small country town in denial about their social divide; a desperate young mother in whom fear, shame and pride lead to poor choices; and the personal problems on top of an unreasonable workload that distract devoted teachers from their usual vigilance and care.
Stroud gives the reader characters with depth and appeal, and a wholly credible plot that clearly demonstrates the challenges faced by these dedicated men and women who are charged with teaching our children: their enormous workload; the lack of support they receive from the bureaucracy; the complaint and criticism they face from students, parents and the general public; and all for a meagre wage.
Stroud’s own background puts the stamp of authenticity onto every aspect of this story., and the frustration born of the frequently onerous requirement to document actions, often at the expense of actually doing them well, will resonate with those in many professions. As Nova Castell says: “‘Our professional responsibility to these vulnerable children is being crowded out by an agenda set by politicians and parents and the media.”
This superbly-written novel should be required reading for every new teacher, every parent and every education bureaucrat. Do have the tissues ready, though: only those with the hardest of hearts won’t exercise their tear ducts. Stroud does manage to include some good doses of humour, and a certain punch will have most readers cheering. Topical, moving and thought-provoking.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Allen & Unwin.
January 24, 2024
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The Things That Matter Most by Gabbie Stroud. (2023).
The staff of St Margaret's Primary School are hanging by a thread with a litigation pending, the school due for registration, and a powerful journalist parent getting involved. The teachers are trying to be professional but they are unravelling personally. Tyson is fresh out of uni and nervous. Derek the Assistant Principal has dropped the ball on admin. Bev in the office has a health issue. Teacher Sally-Ann is desperate to get pregnant. Thank goodness for kids like Lionel who make teaching worthwhile. He's cheerful, likeable, helpful and devoted to his little sister. But he has a secret and as his future slides from vulnerable to dangerous, will someone realise before it's too late? As secrets threaten to be exposed and working demands increase, each staff member struggles to recall the things that matter most.
Every now and then you come across a story that deeply affects you while you read, a story that you know you won't forget and you won't hesitate to recommend. This is that book. I had this one on my to-be-read list for a few months before getting the opportunity to read it. My only regret is not picking it up sooner. The storyline really showcases the immense pressures that society places on teachers and school staff, the expectation that not only should they be providing an education but also closely watching out for children and families who might need help, all while planning lessons, completing paperwork, undertaking assessments etc... and you know, having their own personal lives and issues. This novel points out that in fact some children do fall through the cracks and that can potentially have horrific consequences, but school is only a part of the bigger picture in these cases. I thought this book was immensely powerful and thought-provoking. The writing is excellent and I genuinely cried at a particular point.
Overall: a wonderful and competing heart-wrenching read, absolutely loved it.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Things That Matter Most by Gabbie Stroud. (2023).
The staff of St Margaret's Primary School are hanging by a thread with a litigation pending, the school due for registration, and a powerful journalist parent getting involved. The teachers are trying to be professional but they are unravelling personally. Tyson is fresh out of uni and nervous. Derek the Assistant Principal has dropped the ball on admin. Bev in the office has a health issue. Teacher Sally-Ann is desperate to get pregnant. Thank goodness for kids like Lionel who make teaching worthwhile. He's cheerful, likeable, helpful and devoted to his little sister. But he has a secret and as his future slides from vulnerable to dangerous, will someone realise before it's too late? As secrets threaten to be exposed and working demands increase, each staff member struggles to recall the things that matter most.
Every now and then you come across a story that deeply affects you while you read, a story that you know you won't forget and you won't hesitate to recommend. This is that book. I had this one on my to-be-read list for a few months before getting the opportunity to read it. My only regret is not picking it up sooner. The storyline really showcases the immense pressures that society places on teachers and school staff, the expectation that not only should they be providing an education but also closely watching out for children and families who might need help, all while planning lessons, completing paperwork, undertaking assessments etc... and you know, having their own personal lives and issues. This novel points out that in fact some children do fall through the cracks and that can potentially have horrific consequences, but school is only a part of the bigger picture in these cases. I thought this book was immensely powerful and thought-provoking. The writing is excellent and I genuinely cried at a particular point.
Overall: a wonderful and competing heart-wrenching read, absolutely loved it.
July 31, 2023
4.5*
Being a teacher and, might I add a teacher at the end of her career, I have read and been impressed with everything Gabbie has written thus far about the teaching profession. Her books, Teacher and Dear Parents, were must reads. Gabbie has now extended her repertoire to a fiction novel and gosh! It is everything you could wish for and makes for compelling reading that will break your heart.
‘You will fall in love in ways you didn’t even know … And you will fail. They should teach you that too. Somewhere very early on in the course. They should prepare you for it, make you do an assignment about it or write an essay. You will fail as a teacher. It is inevitable. Describe five ways you will deal with your certain and ongoing failure. Cite references. Three thousand words.’
Gabbie takes all her knowledge and experience from writing the previous two books and steps into the arena of molding it into a fictional tale that ticks all the boxes. This is a book for teachers, for parents, for the media and for society in general. This is a book with a plot that captures all the love and the loss, all the stress and the success - everything that encapsulates this profession.
‘Forget the theorists and the child development. They should make it known that teaching is an emotionally exhausting way to make money. You should live with others so you can talk about your day and take it in turns to cook. That should be the very first thing at the very first lecture on the very first PowerPoint slide that they show you.’
Gabbie continues to pursue her advocacy for this wondrous profession and although the circumstance may be extreme and difficult to presume in reality, it's this hard stance and strong words and actions that have made Gabbie into the fighting voice she is for this embattled profession. All the topics and themes covered in her previous two books are here, wrapped around a fictional tale that shines a new and heartbreaking consequence of the strains on this current system.
‘He’d been teaching for forty years, but suddenly now he had to prove he was accredited - accountable. He had to produce evidence to show he was doing his job, had to have data to justify his choices.’
There are a few debut fictional novel flaws. The main school stereotypical characters are there - graduate teacher, experienced teacher, empathetic teacher, the annoying parent …. even the grumpy office lady. Yet on top of that she endowed each of them with further personal issues which, for me, was just that one step too far. I would have preferred to concentrate on the many, many issues schools face on a daily basis without the marriage or health issues which pulled away from the main message. Yes, they are connected but I did not want to lose focus from the main school based message.
‘He also hated the change of plans. It happened all the freaking time. The one constant thing about teaching was change, he decided. Constant change. It messed with his head.’
Is this book perfect? No. Does she push the limits of what could really happen? Most certainly. But gosh it is a great effort and I hope Gabbie continues to pen further fictional tales along similar themes as it will take some time for her message to get across. Keep fighting the good fight Gabbie!
‘Teaching and caring are one and the same thing. People don’t realise that. They’re squeezing out the time we need for caring. It’s all documenting and accounting and data. It makes the job something else, takes away from the caring.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
Being a teacher and, might I add a teacher at the end of her career, I have read and been impressed with everything Gabbie has written thus far about the teaching profession. Her books, Teacher and Dear Parents, were must reads. Gabbie has now extended her repertoire to a fiction novel and gosh! It is everything you could wish for and makes for compelling reading that will break your heart.
‘You will fall in love in ways you didn’t even know … And you will fail. They should teach you that too. Somewhere very early on in the course. They should prepare you for it, make you do an assignment about it or write an essay. You will fail as a teacher. It is inevitable. Describe five ways you will deal with your certain and ongoing failure. Cite references. Three thousand words.’
Gabbie takes all her knowledge and experience from writing the previous two books and steps into the arena of molding it into a fictional tale that ticks all the boxes. This is a book for teachers, for parents, for the media and for society in general. This is a book with a plot that captures all the love and the loss, all the stress and the success - everything that encapsulates this profession.
‘Forget the theorists and the child development. They should make it known that teaching is an emotionally exhausting way to make money. You should live with others so you can talk about your day and take it in turns to cook. That should be the very first thing at the very first lecture on the very first PowerPoint slide that they show you.’
Gabbie continues to pursue her advocacy for this wondrous profession and although the circumstance may be extreme and difficult to presume in reality, it's this hard stance and strong words and actions that have made Gabbie into the fighting voice she is for this embattled profession. All the topics and themes covered in her previous two books are here, wrapped around a fictional tale that shines a new and heartbreaking consequence of the strains on this current system.
‘He’d been teaching for forty years, but suddenly now he had to prove he was accredited - accountable. He had to produce evidence to show he was doing his job, had to have data to justify his choices.’
There are a few debut fictional novel flaws. The main school stereotypical characters are there - graduate teacher, experienced teacher, empathetic teacher, the annoying parent …. even the grumpy office lady. Yet on top of that she endowed each of them with further personal issues which, for me, was just that one step too far. I would have preferred to concentrate on the many, many issues schools face on a daily basis without the marriage or health issues which pulled away from the main message. Yes, they are connected but I did not want to lose focus from the main school based message.
‘He also hated the change of plans. It happened all the freaking time. The one constant thing about teaching was change, he decided. Constant change. It messed with his head.’
Is this book perfect? No. Does she push the limits of what could really happen? Most certainly. But gosh it is a great effort and I hope Gabbie continues to pen further fictional tales along similar themes as it will take some time for her message to get across. Keep fighting the good fight Gabbie!
‘Teaching and caring are one and the same thing. People don’t realise that. They’re squeezing out the time we need for caring. It’s all documenting and accounting and data. It makes the job something else, takes away from the caring.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
July 31, 2023
‘Caring is hard work. But for me, teaching is both. Teaching and caring are one and the same thing. People don’t realise that. They’re squeezing out the time we need for caring. It’s all documenting and accounting and data. It makes the job something else, takes away from the caring. But then,’ Derek raised his hands, a sign of exasperation, ‘when the caring doesn’t happen as it should, everyone’s up in arms.’
I’ve worked in education since 2010, specifically in schools for ten of those years. As a result, I have a lot of friends who are teachers. I’ve taught, in the role of facilitator of career education. I love working in the education sector, although at the beginning of 2021 I took a break and have subsequently moved from the public system to the private and my role is now not based in schools and is staff related rather than student. There’s no way I’d ever be a teacher, the reasons why so perfectly encapsulated within this brilliant, yet utterly heartbreaking novel.
This review could easily become an essay on why I think the education system is broken, failing both students and staff, over and over. So, I’ll rein it in and simply say, this book says it all. We alternate between three teachers and the school secretary, with inserts of class writing by grade six student Lionel. Altogether, this gives the reader a view on how utterly strapped staff working in schools are, the absolute rubbish they have to put up with from bureaucracy and parents without boundaries, and the many, many ways, society has evolved into this beast that is both self-absorbed whilst micromanaging the stuff that is none of their business via social media.
I was both enraged and heartbroken over this novel, the shock twist sadly less of a shock than it should have been, upon reflection. Bravo to Gabby Stroud, who has already written groundbreaking non-fiction on this topic. This is a brilliant novel that I recommend to every single person. Five stars.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
I’ve worked in education since 2010, specifically in schools for ten of those years. As a result, I have a lot of friends who are teachers. I’ve taught, in the role of facilitator of career education. I love working in the education sector, although at the beginning of 2021 I took a break and have subsequently moved from the public system to the private and my role is now not based in schools and is staff related rather than student. There’s no way I’d ever be a teacher, the reasons why so perfectly encapsulated within this brilliant, yet utterly heartbreaking novel.
This review could easily become an essay on why I think the education system is broken, failing both students and staff, over and over. So, I’ll rein it in and simply say, this book says it all. We alternate between three teachers and the school secretary, with inserts of class writing by grade six student Lionel. Altogether, this gives the reader a view on how utterly strapped staff working in schools are, the absolute rubbish they have to put up with from bureaucracy and parents without boundaries, and the many, many ways, society has evolved into this beast that is both self-absorbed whilst micromanaging the stuff that is none of their business via social media.
I was both enraged and heartbroken over this novel, the shock twist sadly less of a shock than it should have been, upon reflection. Bravo to Gabby Stroud, who has already written groundbreaking non-fiction on this topic. This is a brilliant novel that I recommend to every single person. Five stars.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
August 29, 2023
I haven’t yet properly processed what I’ve just read but I wish everyone in the whole world would read this book. I had a lump in my throat the whole time and I could see myself in every single character. Teaching is such a complex profession and Gabbie Stroud has always managed to write about it so beautifully and eloquently.
August 29, 2023
“Teaching and caring are one and the same thing. People don’t realise that.“
From Gabbie Stroud, the author of Teacher and Dear Parent, nonfiction titles that address the current challenges of teaching within schools, comes her fiction debut, The Things That Matter Most.
A moving and thought provoking novel, The Things That Matter Most is set in a small primary school in country NSW. It’s a new school year for the staff of St Margaret's Primary, and there are professional and personal challenges ahead. With morale waning under the increased burdens of an administrative registration review, pending litigation from a disgruntled parent over fees, and a sensationalist media exposé, all while managing issues in their private lives, the staff begin to question their roles.
The Things That Matter Most illustrates the issues in the education field that Stroud raises in her nonfiction books including, teachers overwhelmed by administrative paperwork, the ‘consumer’ expectations of parents, the reductive notion of statistics, and the commodification of caring. These valid concerns, among others, are shown in context, as the staff of St Margaret’s struggle to reconcile the demands made on them. Though my time teaching within the Education Department was brief and some time ago, I have had at least one child in public school continuously for the last 23 years (my eldest graduated in 2013 while my youngest graduates this year) so I’ve been witness to the increasing pressure teachers have come under, and empathise.
The story unfolds from the perspectives of Assistant Principal and teacher Derek; Tyson, a new graduate teacher; Year One teacher Sally-Ann; and Bev, the indispensable, if irascible, ‘office lady’. Fairly typical representatives of the profession- passionate, dedicated, overworked and undervalued; they are believable, well-rounded characters whom I had compassion for. I felt the extent of their personal drama’s were perhaps unnecessary additions to the plot though, pulling focus from the main theme.
The key character in The Things That Matter Most is a student, Lionel, an eager, charming 12 year old boy with a secret who reminds us what matters most.
Insightful, poignant and instructive, The Things That Matter Most is an important and powerful read.
From Gabbie Stroud, the author of Teacher and Dear Parent, nonfiction titles that address the current challenges of teaching within schools, comes her fiction debut, The Things That Matter Most.
A moving and thought provoking novel, The Things That Matter Most is set in a small primary school in country NSW. It’s a new school year for the staff of St Margaret's Primary, and there are professional and personal challenges ahead. With morale waning under the increased burdens of an administrative registration review, pending litigation from a disgruntled parent over fees, and a sensationalist media exposé, all while managing issues in their private lives, the staff begin to question their roles.
The Things That Matter Most illustrates the issues in the education field that Stroud raises in her nonfiction books including, teachers overwhelmed by administrative paperwork, the ‘consumer’ expectations of parents, the reductive notion of statistics, and the commodification of caring. These valid concerns, among others, are shown in context, as the staff of St Margaret’s struggle to reconcile the demands made on them. Though my time teaching within the Education Department was brief and some time ago, I have had at least one child in public school continuously for the last 23 years (my eldest graduated in 2013 while my youngest graduates this year) so I’ve been witness to the increasing pressure teachers have come under, and empathise.
The story unfolds from the perspectives of Assistant Principal and teacher Derek; Tyson, a new graduate teacher; Year One teacher Sally-Ann; and Bev, the indispensable, if irascible, ‘office lady’. Fairly typical representatives of the profession- passionate, dedicated, overworked and undervalued; they are believable, well-rounded characters whom I had compassion for. I felt the extent of their personal drama’s were perhaps unnecessary additions to the plot though, pulling focus from the main theme.
The key character in The Things That Matter Most is a student, Lionel, an eager, charming 12 year old boy with a secret who reminds us what matters most.
Insightful, poignant and instructive, The Things That Matter Most is an important and powerful read.
September 26, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 STARS
Recovering primary school teacher and freelance writer Gabbie Stroud is a strong advocate for Australia’s flawed education system. Since the release of her popular memoir Dear Teacher, Gabbie Stroud generated plenty of worthy discussion around education today. The Things That Matter Most is Stroud’s fiction debut, charting the challenges faced by staff and their students as they navigate the day-to-day routines of school life.
St Margaret’s Primary School is the case study for this latest Gabbie Stroud composition. When the story begins, we learn that the staff at this small country school are struggling like many other schools around the state and nation to stay afloat. With the general demands of teaching, the school is also preparing for its registration process and an influential parent is targeting St Margaret’s creating more undue stress. This impossible situation impacts the staff in different ways. There is Tyson, a new teacher who has so much to learn but is eager to please. Then there is Derek, a veteran teacher of forty years who knows the pressures of both teaching and the demands of administrative duties following his stint as an Assistant Principal. Sally-Ann is a passionate year one teacher but her home struggles have encroached on her professional life. Finally Bev the office administration figurehead now faces a very tough personal health battle. While the staff at St Margaret’s grapple with the demands of the job and their various personal life issues, there is a special student and his sister who will soon need as many helping hands as the school can muster in the wake of a personal tragedy. Will the St Margaret’s teaching community be able to save this family while juggling the demands of a broken education system?
As an educator of nearly two decades in the primary school teaching system here in Western Australia I wasn’t sure how I felt about reading this book. I did delay reading The Things That Matter Most until I had a clear head and was on a break from school. To be honest Stroud’s book was utterly on point, heartbreaking and powerful at many, many points of the novel’s duration. However, I will say as a teacher I found it very close to home and it send some triggers my way. So if you currently work, have previously worked in the system, or you are studying education you may find this book quite hard hitting.
I liked how Stroud was able to give us a well-rounded view of all the key players who make up a school environment. In The Things That Matter Most we have a good cross section of staff covered from to a graduate teacher, to an established teacher, a senior administrative staff member and Bev an essential office pillar for the school. Added into the mix is a bright student and his sister who contribute significantly to the novel and the complication that arises for this already stressed school. I appreciated the representation of the cast in this story, to me they felt very credible and accurate. Stroud balances the general issues of a broken education system with the personal conflicts of each respective main protagonist in this story. Each core cast member is grappling with some sort of personal life issue ranging from ill health, disillusionment, doubt, sexuality, relationships, infertility and guilt. The inability to balance home and work life seemed eminently clear in this novel. This is just one of many downfalls of the education system of late, as parents, along with bureaucracy press down on their demands placed on school staff. It really is a hopeless situation that grows by the day, which is witnessed by the droves of staff who are leaving the profession.
The little light in this novel goes to Lionel Merrick. This student character is bright, intuitive and enthusiastic about learning. Throughout the book we read various pieces of writing from this special year six student, which was a nice additional touch from Stroud. We also get to know Lionel’s sister Lacey, who he will do anything for. It is through these children that we see just how strained, overworked and damaged our schools are around the nation. St Margaret’s is a true representation of the troubles faced by many schools, which is a sad fact. Unfortunately in the face of such administrative push-down and increasing demands on staff, other issues in regards to general wellbeing of both students and staff can be ignored. Sadly, as this book raises so clearly, the best of us goes into school work and then our personal lives take a dip. This is what I gleaned from Gabbie Stroud’s fiction debut.
Be prepared, this one will hurt your heart, especially if you are close to the education system. For general fiction readers The Things That Matter Most is a compelling and robust tale with plenty to say about the current education model.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
4.5 STARS
Recovering primary school teacher and freelance writer Gabbie Stroud is a strong advocate for Australia’s flawed education system. Since the release of her popular memoir Dear Teacher, Gabbie Stroud generated plenty of worthy discussion around education today. The Things That Matter Most is Stroud’s fiction debut, charting the challenges faced by staff and their students as they navigate the day-to-day routines of school life.
St Margaret’s Primary School is the case study for this latest Gabbie Stroud composition. When the story begins, we learn that the staff at this small country school are struggling like many other schools around the state and nation to stay afloat. With the general demands of teaching, the school is also preparing for its registration process and an influential parent is targeting St Margaret’s creating more undue stress. This impossible situation impacts the staff in different ways. There is Tyson, a new teacher who has so much to learn but is eager to please. Then there is Derek, a veteran teacher of forty years who knows the pressures of both teaching and the demands of administrative duties following his stint as an Assistant Principal. Sally-Ann is a passionate year one teacher but her home struggles have encroached on her professional life. Finally Bev the office administration figurehead now faces a very tough personal health battle. While the staff at St Margaret’s grapple with the demands of the job and their various personal life issues, there is a special student and his sister who will soon need as many helping hands as the school can muster in the wake of a personal tragedy. Will the St Margaret’s teaching community be able to save this family while juggling the demands of a broken education system?
As an educator of nearly two decades in the primary school teaching system here in Western Australia I wasn’t sure how I felt about reading this book. I did delay reading The Things That Matter Most until I had a clear head and was on a break from school. To be honest Stroud’s book was utterly on point, heartbreaking and powerful at many, many points of the novel’s duration. However, I will say as a teacher I found it very close to home and it send some triggers my way. So if you currently work, have previously worked in the system, or you are studying education you may find this book quite hard hitting.
I liked how Stroud was able to give us a well-rounded view of all the key players who make up a school environment. In The Things That Matter Most we have a good cross section of staff covered from to a graduate teacher, to an established teacher, a senior administrative staff member and Bev an essential office pillar for the school. Added into the mix is a bright student and his sister who contribute significantly to the novel and the complication that arises for this already stressed school. I appreciated the representation of the cast in this story, to me they felt very credible and accurate. Stroud balances the general issues of a broken education system with the personal conflicts of each respective main protagonist in this story. Each core cast member is grappling with some sort of personal life issue ranging from ill health, disillusionment, doubt, sexuality, relationships, infertility and guilt. The inability to balance home and work life seemed eminently clear in this novel. This is just one of many downfalls of the education system of late, as parents, along with bureaucracy press down on their demands placed on school staff. It really is a hopeless situation that grows by the day, which is witnessed by the droves of staff who are leaving the profession.
The little light in this novel goes to Lionel Merrick. This student character is bright, intuitive and enthusiastic about learning. Throughout the book we read various pieces of writing from this special year six student, which was a nice additional touch from Stroud. We also get to know Lionel’s sister Lacey, who he will do anything for. It is through these children that we see just how strained, overworked and damaged our schools are around the nation. St Margaret’s is a true representation of the troubles faced by many schools, which is a sad fact. Unfortunately in the face of such administrative push-down and increasing demands on staff, other issues in regards to general wellbeing of both students and staff can be ignored. Sadly, as this book raises so clearly, the best of us goes into school work and then our personal lives take a dip. This is what I gleaned from Gabbie Stroud’s fiction debut.
Be prepared, this one will hurt your heart, especially if you are close to the education system. For general fiction readers The Things That Matter Most is a compelling and robust tale with plenty to say about the current education model.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
September 15, 2023
The Things That Matter Most is the first adult novel by former teacher and Australian author, Gabbie Stroud. The audio version is narrated by Jo Van Es. As the students, teachers and admin staff arrive at St Margaret’s Catholic Primary School for the start of another year, most have only the vaguest idea of the challenges they will face.
Young Tyson Cole, fresh from Uni, is filled with enthusiasm and ideas for his kindergarten class. Boltford in central NSW is a long way from the break-up with his boyfriend, but he’ll soon be too busy to think about it.
After eight years at St Margaret’s, Sally-Ann Lin still loves teaching, but would welcome a break in the form of a baby, if only a pregnancy would stick.
Assistant Principal Derek Benson loves teaching, loves seeing his students absorb knowledge, but he hates the paperwork, the admin. In fact, his neglect of that dreaded task may well come back to bite him.
Nova Castell is back as Principal for the new year, but still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer. But she and Derek have plenty to keep them occupied over the next few months: not only is the school due for registration, meaning an intensive external audit of the last four years, but the parents of a former student are suing the school for breach of contract. “Educational outcomes had not been met.”
On that first day, they are unaware that a tabloid journalist (the demanding, needy, micro-managing mother of one of their students) will be invading their classrooms to observe the teachers in action for an article she plans to write.
School receptionist, Bev Donald’s cranky manner belies the love she has for this place that her pragmatism, productivity and proficiency have kept efficiently running for forty years. But an adverse diagnosis has her wondering for how much longer…
And Lionel Merrick, about to start Year Six, is excited to bring his cherished little sister, Lacey for her first day at the school he loves. With dad away driving trucks, and mum working two jobs to make ends meet, he has to shoulder quite a bit at home, but he’d never complain.
The tragedy that gradually unfolds over the next few months is the product of many unfortunate sets of circumstances: a small country town in denial about their social divide; a desperate young mother in whom fear, shame and pride lead to poor choices; and the personal problems on top of an unreasonable workload that distract devoted teachers from their usual vigilance and care.
Stroud gives the reader characters with depth and appeal, and a wholly credible plot that clearly demonstrates the challenges faced by these dedicated men and women who are charged with teaching our children: their enormous workload; the lack of support they receive from the bureaucracy; the complaint and criticism they face from students, parents and the general public; and all for a meagre wage.
Stroud’s own background puts the stamp of authenticity onto every aspect of this story., and the frustration born of the frequently onerous requirement to document actions, often at the expense of actually doing them well, will resonate with those in many professions. As Nova Castell says: “‘Our professional responsibility to these vulnerable children is being crowded out by an agenda set by politicians and parents and the media.”
This superbly-written novel should be required reading for every new teacher, every parent and every education bureaucrat. Do have the tissues ready, though: only those with the hardest of hearts won’t exercise their tear ducts. Stroud does manage to include some good doses of humour, and a certain punch will have most readers cheering. Topical, moving and thought-provoking.
Young Tyson Cole, fresh from Uni, is filled with enthusiasm and ideas for his kindergarten class. Boltford in central NSW is a long way from the break-up with his boyfriend, but he’ll soon be too busy to think about it.
After eight years at St Margaret’s, Sally-Ann Lin still loves teaching, but would welcome a break in the form of a baby, if only a pregnancy would stick.
Assistant Principal Derek Benson loves teaching, loves seeing his students absorb knowledge, but he hates the paperwork, the admin. In fact, his neglect of that dreaded task may well come back to bite him.
Nova Castell is back as Principal for the new year, but still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer. But she and Derek have plenty to keep them occupied over the next few months: not only is the school due for registration, meaning an intensive external audit of the last four years, but the parents of a former student are suing the school for breach of contract. “Educational outcomes had not been met.”
On that first day, they are unaware that a tabloid journalist (the demanding, needy, micro-managing mother of one of their students) will be invading their classrooms to observe the teachers in action for an article she plans to write.
School receptionist, Bev Donald’s cranky manner belies the love she has for this place that her pragmatism, productivity and proficiency have kept efficiently running for forty years. But an adverse diagnosis has her wondering for how much longer…
And Lionel Merrick, about to start Year Six, is excited to bring his cherished little sister, Lacey for her first day at the school he loves. With dad away driving trucks, and mum working two jobs to make ends meet, he has to shoulder quite a bit at home, but he’d never complain.
The tragedy that gradually unfolds over the next few months is the product of many unfortunate sets of circumstances: a small country town in denial about their social divide; a desperate young mother in whom fear, shame and pride lead to poor choices; and the personal problems on top of an unreasonable workload that distract devoted teachers from their usual vigilance and care.
Stroud gives the reader characters with depth and appeal, and a wholly credible plot that clearly demonstrates the challenges faced by these dedicated men and women who are charged with teaching our children: their enormous workload; the lack of support they receive from the bureaucracy; the complaint and criticism they face from students, parents and the general public; and all for a meagre wage.
Stroud’s own background puts the stamp of authenticity onto every aspect of this story., and the frustration born of the frequently onerous requirement to document actions, often at the expense of actually doing them well, will resonate with those in many professions. As Nova Castell says: “‘Our professional responsibility to these vulnerable children is being crowded out by an agenda set by politicians and parents and the media.”
This superbly-written novel should be required reading for every new teacher, every parent and every education bureaucrat. Do have the tissues ready, though: only those with the hardest of hearts won’t exercise their tear ducts. Stroud does manage to include some good doses of humour, and a certain punch will have most readers cheering. Topical, moving and thought-provoking.
November 21, 2023
Mixed feelings on this one. It was viscerally real at times in its portrayal of life in a school, but other times it felt like the story was just being used as a vehicle for the author's opinions.
Still, it could be quite moving as someone who knows the way school staff care for students, especially those they worry about. And I'd definitely recommend giving it to anyone you know who thinks teachers are the reason kids are doing worse at [insert anything here] these days.
Still, it could be quite moving as someone who knows the way school staff care for students, especially those they worry about. And I'd definitely recommend giving it to anyone you know who thinks teachers are the reason kids are doing worse at [insert anything here] these days.
November 3, 2023
The Things That Matter Most by Aussie author Gabbie Stroud is set in a primary school in country New South Wales.
This is a powerful and at times moving story. Keep the tissues handy for this one. Highly recommended.
This is a powerful and at times moving story. Keep the tissues handy for this one. Highly recommended.
August 19, 2023
For anyone working or considering a career in education, The Things That Matter Most should be a mandatory read. A former education support worker myself, this was a realistic account of the day to day happenings in a school setting whilst also highlighting the burden that education staff carry. Simply, there's just not enough hours in a day to get everything done and often, personal time takes a backseat.
The staff at St Margaret's Primary know this sensation well. A new school year brings a whole new set of issues to deal with. In the midst of registration, being sued and a parent causing trouble plus teaching/admin hours, two children have somehow fallen through the cracks.
I believed in and emphasised with all the staff at this primary school. They're overworked, underpaid and despite their best efforts to assist a family in need, they simply can't prepare for or predict what's to come. The Merrick family are destitute and it's unfathomable that a preventative tragedy had occurred for things to change.
A powerful and important read that led me to tears.
BTW, I wish more kids were like young Lionel. He's a superstar.
5 🌟
The staff at St Margaret's Primary know this sensation well. A new school year brings a whole new set of issues to deal with. In the midst of registration, being sued and a parent causing trouble plus teaching/admin hours, two children have somehow fallen through the cracks.
I believed in and emphasised with all the staff at this primary school. They're overworked, underpaid and despite their best efforts to assist a family in need, they simply can't prepare for or predict what's to come. The Merrick family are destitute and it's unfathomable that a preventative tragedy had occurred for things to change.
A powerful and important read that led me to tears.
BTW, I wish more kids were like young Lionel. He's a superstar.
5 🌟
August 9, 2023
Gosh. That was such a good book. It’s written from the perspective of a few different teachers at a primary school in a small town in Central NSW. Obviously being a teacher is incredibly hard, but there was great humour scattered amongst the pages in how they dealt with their days. I found it so easy to read - I just kept going, and finished it in 2 days. However, it did get incredibly sad. At first I thought I’d recommend it to teachers, but now I’m not so sure - it could be a bit too real.
Would recommend it to others though! It was super insightful and heartfelt.
Would recommend it to others though! It was super insightful and heartfelt.
August 6, 2023
This book deserves more stars than I have given it, and those great reviews are articulate and more constructive in contributing to the vital conversations arising. But this teacher feels depressed and overwhelmed after reading it.
Perhaps that speaks to the power of this novel.
Perhaps that speaks to the power of this novel.
August 28, 2023
Hands down my favourite book of 2023.
As an ex teacher this book destroyed me (in a good way).
Recommended to everyone!
As an ex teacher this book destroyed me (in a good way).
Recommended to everyone!
October 8, 2023
Whilst I appreciated the sentiment of both of her earlier books I found Stroud’s non fiction to be a little bit cynical and thus, negative. This fiction, however - hit the spot!
I encourage teachers and non teachers alike to read it. The characters were engaging (and endearing), the voice easy to follow and the story (whilst deep and quite heavy) so compelling! Beware though - I did sob for most of the last third! A very powerful story!
I encourage teachers and non teachers alike to read it. The characters were engaging (and endearing), the voice easy to follow and the story (whilst deep and quite heavy) so compelling! Beware though - I did sob for most of the last third! A very powerful story!
December 11, 2023
I loved this book. It’s one of those books that stays with you forever. I found it particularly relevant because I work in a school. I could think of a past or present colleague who matched each teacher. Likewise with the students. It challenged me to think about my responsibilities within the school system, and whether I’m doing enough, seeing enough, caring enough. God I hope so.
August 17, 2023
I saw Gabbie Stroud speak last night, and she said she wished for a world in which teachers had time to read for pleasure, not just in holidays. (She also has many other wishes for a perfect world that I also agree with!) Being the good teacher I am, I came home and started reading her book. I have just finished it tonight, having read into a new day, and my goodness, I'm a mess! This book! Break my heart, why don't you?! I got to page 270 and audibly gasped. Far out. The emotions - ugly crying! Laughter through the tears! Seething anger! Whoops of joy! A total rollercoaster.
Gabbie also said last night that if people don't get it - that is, if they don't get what it is like to be a teacher in an education system in crisis right now - after reading her non-fiction, and now her first adult fiction novel, then they will never get it. And ain't that the truth. This book, like her others, is based on research and experience, and is the reality of so many teachers in our country, including me. Yes, of course there is some poetic licence because it is after all a piece of fiction BUT there are so many elements of truth sprinkled into the lives of Bev, Sally-Ann, Derek, Tyson, Nova, Lacey, Rupert, Abigail, Kylie, Rory, Angela, and beautiful, gorgeous Lionel that a reader with a heart will be able to understand what Gabbie Stroud is advocating for.
And don't for a moment think people like Janet and My Templeton aren't real. I loathe them. And they are in every school. If you haven't met one yet, you are either very lucky, or you are lying.
I'll be recommending this book to everyone, knowing that my teacher friends will break their hearts when they read it. It will be cathartic. My non-teacher people will have some understanding of the life of a teacher.
Gabbie also said last night that if people don't get it - that is, if they don't get what it is like to be a teacher in an education system in crisis right now - after reading her non-fiction, and now her first adult fiction novel, then they will never get it. And ain't that the truth. This book, like her others, is based on research and experience, and is the reality of so many teachers in our country, including me. Yes, of course there is some poetic licence because it is after all a piece of fiction BUT there are so many elements of truth sprinkled into the lives of Bev, Sally-Ann, Derek, Tyson, Nova, Lacey, Rupert, Abigail, Kylie, Rory, Angela, and beautiful, gorgeous Lionel that a reader with a heart will be able to understand what Gabbie Stroud is advocating for.
And don't for a moment think people like Janet and My Templeton aren't real. I loathe them. And they are in every school. If you haven't met one yet, you are either very lucky, or you are lying.
I'll be recommending this book to everyone, knowing that my teacher friends will break their hearts when they read it. It will be cathartic. My non-teacher people will have some understanding of the life of a teacher.
February 27, 2024
3.5 stars. The string of events narrated in the book could happen within any school community in Australia. The author has done such a good job telling a story that is so recognisable to teachers and other employees connected to schools.
The message she tries to get across is sad. It is easy for a child to fall through the cracks when there is no larger community and systemic effort to prevent them from slipping in the first place- especially in smaller, remote towns.
Sometimes I felt like the characters were a bit too on-the- nose and stereotypical. I also feel like the the message was spelled out explicitly too many times in the last quarter of the book. It was a decently written book- the message would have still come across loud and clear without there ever being a need to specifically recount why what happened was not the teachers’ fault alone.
The message she tries to get across is sad. It is easy for a child to fall through the cracks when there is no larger community and systemic effort to prevent them from slipping in the first place- especially in smaller, remote towns.
Sometimes I felt like the characters were a bit too on-the- nose and stereotypical. I also feel like the the message was spelled out explicitly too many times in the last quarter of the book. It was a decently written book- the message would have still come across loud and clear without there ever being a need to specifically recount why what happened was not the teachers’ fault alone.
August 8, 2023
Beautiful, powerful, heartbreaking, and real. I was reminded of my very genuine love of teaching while feeling anguish and anxiety over the widely varied and unattainable expectations on teachers and schools.
St Margaret’s felt like my school. Lionel felt like one of my students. Gabbie made me audibly laugh and physically weep. A must-read (but just make sure you’re in an ok place!).
St Margaret’s felt like my school. Lionel felt like one of my students. Gabbie made me audibly laugh and physically weep. A must-read (but just make sure you’re in an ok place!).
February 2, 2024
That really fucking hurt (:
November 6, 2024
I'm a teacher and I'm pretty sure the author of this book is too! You have to have had your feet in the trenches to come up with the insights and nuanced understandings of what working in a school is like, to write a novel that is as impressively perceptive as this one. Stroud captures the soul of St Margaret's school (it might be a Catholic school in Australia but it is a proxy for literally any school in the world) by exploring the turmoil occuring in the lives of teachers via the personal and professional difficulties they face. Of course, the book includes the perspective of characters beside teachers which ensures that we laugh, we cringe, we weep and we feel outraged at what goes on with bureaucratic demands, unreasonable parents and unsympathetic media.
The book highlights how much the world needs good teachers and how, perversely, their work life has become so awful that few newbs are signing up to do it, while many of those already in the teaching trenches are quitting. It's hard to identify a single colleague I've worked with who doesn't care deeply about their work, their students and their place in the community yet there is precious little support for the complicated issues that teachers are expected to resolve, while being held to account for academic and eductional outcomes.
It's not just teachers who will love this book, though. Stroud draws the reader in by creating a clutch of interesting and varied characters. There's Derek the Assistant Principal, close to a heart attack and retirement, who just wants to teach, like he did 40 years ago at the start of his teaching career. The polar opposite to him, is the apprehensive first year teacher, Tyson who is unsure about everything. Sally-Ann is the young and caring, but experienced teacher, who loves her job yet would love to give it up to have a child of her own. Lastly, there's Bev, the crochety old-timer admin lady with a heart of gold. Lionel Merrick, a lovely boy from the 'wrong side of the bridge' is used to present the point of view of a student. In all respects - the characters, the themes, the writing - this is a brilliant book!
The book highlights how much the world needs good teachers and how, perversely, their work life has become so awful that few newbs are signing up to do it, while many of those already in the teaching trenches are quitting. It's hard to identify a single colleague I've worked with who doesn't care deeply about their work, their students and their place in the community yet there is precious little support for the complicated issues that teachers are expected to resolve, while being held to account for academic and eductional outcomes.
It's not just teachers who will love this book, though. Stroud draws the reader in by creating a clutch of interesting and varied characters. There's Derek the Assistant Principal, close to a heart attack and retirement, who just wants to teach, like he did 40 years ago at the start of his teaching career. The polar opposite to him, is the apprehensive first year teacher, Tyson who is unsure about everything. Sally-Ann is the young and caring, but experienced teacher, who loves her job yet would love to give it up to have a child of her own. Lastly, there's Bev, the crochety old-timer admin lady with a heart of gold. Lionel Merrick, a lovely boy from the 'wrong side of the bridge' is used to present the point of view of a student. In all respects - the characters, the themes, the writing - this is a brilliant book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2024
This book is superb, beautiful, poignant and important. Three quarters of the way through I was wondering what all the hype was about and then…. Well, let’s just say…this book will hit you hard & fast. It’s what we all know deep in our hearts but sometimes need the incredible talent of someone like Gabbie Stroud to etch it in Black & White. Get this book in your hands, get this book in other people’s hands 📚 It’s as simple as that 💕
October 21, 2024
A beautiful novel about an Australian school community - and so relatable to all of us, not just because I worked in a school for 10 years., but we’d all be able to relate somehow. The intertwining stories revolve around the pressures on teachers, vulnerable children, annoying parents, and a crisis in the community going on under all their noses, and how far do the teachers go, what lines are they willing to cross to protect the most vulnerable. Sad in parts, funny in parts. Very Aussie which is sometimes cringe but not in this book- it made this book what it was. And no surprises - written by a former teacher. Which is why it was so real. Would recommend.
June 5, 2025
“Teaching and caring are one and the same thing. People don’t realise that. They’re squeezing out the time we need for caring. It’s all documenting and accounting and data. It makes the job something else. Takes away from the caring.”
A relatable book for any teacher thinking about who is who within your own school setting. Thoroughly enjoyed this book, a beautiful story on what it means to be a teacher, the colleagues and friends you surround yourself with and the students that touch your heart. A book that makes you laugh and cry all in one.
A relatable book for any teacher thinking about who is who within your own school setting. Thoroughly enjoyed this book, a beautiful story on what it means to be a teacher, the colleagues and friends you surround yourself with and the students that touch your heart. A book that makes you laugh and cry all in one.
February 1, 2025
An extremely important story. A must read for anyone that has anything to do with education, but more importantly, for anyone who does not.
April 8, 2024
My book club chose this book and I had no idea what it was about until I read the blurb. I look forward to our meeting as I am intrigued as to how non-teachers will respond to this text.
I am conflicted about my response to this text, largely regarding my ability to disassociate from my - and almost every current colleagues’ - existing struggle to remain in a profession I love and am highly skilled at, and the desire to nurture a life where there is some vague sense of work life balance and separation of identity as detailed in this novel. The struggle is real. It is true that the profession of teaching is in crisis. The demands Stroud outlines are real and oppressive. I had a visceral response whilst reading akin to PTSD! And yet, I’m not sure this novel will have the impact it intends to.
The text is simplistic and lacks nuance and depth. The characters are cliched, almost caricatures, and I don’t think will do anything to evoke empathy from non-educators - I’ll let you know after book club! The sub-plots and ‘crisis’ that each of these characters face become farcical and paint a picture of flawed and inept educators who ‘can’t cope’ and make irrational decisions, rather than professionals in crisis due to the unrealistic demands of a system that is seriously broken.
The vast majority of teachers I have worked with are high functioning, emotionally mature, incredibly intelligent experts in their field; I fear this novel will do nothing but reinforce the widely held view that educators are a bunch of anxious whiners who get 12 weeks ‘leave’ a year and still can’t cope with teaching a few kids!
The plot is linear and simplistic. The cliches of the setting ignore the complexity of the contexts in which all teachers work. I am not suggesting that a novel can explore every context of teaching, and I am very aware that rural settings add an additional layer of complexity to the role, but again, in choosing this context it dilutes the message.
The ‘message’ is delivered with sledgehammer like effect due to a lack of sophistication in the writing, and is further diluted by the resolution - teachers be keep on keeping on! So what’s the point of the novel?
A super frustrating read which I fear will do more harm than good to a profession which is screaming out for the implementation of realistic working conditions, boundaries and systemic support. It is true that not once in my 20+ years of teaching have I ever sat in a meeting where something has been taken off our plate; nor have my preparation and planning periods ever been increased, not by a single minute, but the hysteria in this novel will not do anything to support our cause.
For now, I guess, we will continue to haemorrhage teachers and our educational outcomes will continue their horrific descent. We need effective advocates, not stereotypes and cliches, in order to be respected and valued for the highly sophisticated, demanding and complex work that we do.
I am conflicted about my response to this text, largely regarding my ability to disassociate from my - and almost every current colleagues’ - existing struggle to remain in a profession I love and am highly skilled at, and the desire to nurture a life where there is some vague sense of work life balance and separation of identity as detailed in this novel. The struggle is real. It is true that the profession of teaching is in crisis. The demands Stroud outlines are real and oppressive. I had a visceral response whilst reading akin to PTSD! And yet, I’m not sure this novel will have the impact it intends to.
The text is simplistic and lacks nuance and depth. The characters are cliched, almost caricatures, and I don’t think will do anything to evoke empathy from non-educators - I’ll let you know after book club! The sub-plots and ‘crisis’ that each of these characters face become farcical and paint a picture of flawed and inept educators who ‘can’t cope’ and make irrational decisions, rather than professionals in crisis due to the unrealistic demands of a system that is seriously broken.
The vast majority of teachers I have worked with are high functioning, emotionally mature, incredibly intelligent experts in their field; I fear this novel will do nothing but reinforce the widely held view that educators are a bunch of anxious whiners who get 12 weeks ‘leave’ a year and still can’t cope with teaching a few kids!
The plot is linear and simplistic. The cliches of the setting ignore the complexity of the contexts in which all teachers work. I am not suggesting that a novel can explore every context of teaching, and I am very aware that rural settings add an additional layer of complexity to the role, but again, in choosing this context it dilutes the message.
The ‘message’ is delivered with sledgehammer like effect due to a lack of sophistication in the writing, and is further diluted by the resolution - teachers be keep on keeping on! So what’s the point of the novel?
A super frustrating read which I fear will do more harm than good to a profession which is screaming out for the implementation of realistic working conditions, boundaries and systemic support. It is true that not once in my 20+ years of teaching have I ever sat in a meeting where something has been taken off our plate; nor have my preparation and planning periods ever been increased, not by a single minute, but the hysteria in this novel will not do anything to support our cause.
For now, I guess, we will continue to haemorrhage teachers and our educational outcomes will continue their horrific descent. We need effective advocates, not stereotypes and cliches, in order to be respected and valued for the highly sophisticated, demanding and complex work that we do.
July 16, 2023
The staff of St Margaret's Primary School are hanging by a thread. There's serious litigation pending, the school is due for registration, and a powerful parent named Janet Bellevue has a lot to say about everything. As teachers they're trying to remain professional, as people they're fast unravelling.
You've got Tyson, the first year teacher, who is nervous as hell. Derek the Assistant Principal who's dropped the ball on administration, Bev from the office who's confronting a serious diagnosis, and Sally-Ann who's desperate for a child of her own.
Then there's Lionel Merrick. Beautiful, sweet Lionel Merrick. The star of the story. He is the student that seemingly makes the challenges of teaching worth it. But Lionel has a secret of his own. Will anyone discover it before it's too late?
Gabbie Stroud is jumping from strength to strength with her writing. She is an formiddable force at this point. This book is absolutely brilliant and I cannot recommend it enough. Be warned though, it'll break your heart.
I had many thoughts while reading. I started by feeling so sympathetic to all the characters. Teaching is hard and Gabbie has explored all the aspects of this, which I love. Finally a story who doesn't glorify teaching and actually works to highlight the multitude of challenges teachers face.
Then I was angry. The school is being sued. So not only are the teachers working to meet registration, teach and manage their various students, some much more challenging than others, plan, live their own lives and make it through a day. They are also dealing with a legal case against them. Begging the question (if you ask me), when do parents start taking responsibility for the actions of their children.
Finally, it broke my heart. And I won't go into it, because I can't spoil it all. It broke my heart for all the teachers involved and the personal and professional challenges that they would have to face as a result of the events in this book.
I cannot recommend this to everyone. If you are a parent, read it. If you are a teacher, read it to feel seen. But most of all, take in the story and the challenges of teaching. I won't go on on this topic, because it is one I am (clearly) very passionate about. But all I can say is - read it.
You've got Tyson, the first year teacher, who is nervous as hell. Derek the Assistant Principal who's dropped the ball on administration, Bev from the office who's confronting a serious diagnosis, and Sally-Ann who's desperate for a child of her own.
Then there's Lionel Merrick. Beautiful, sweet Lionel Merrick. The star of the story. He is the student that seemingly makes the challenges of teaching worth it. But Lionel has a secret of his own. Will anyone discover it before it's too late?
Gabbie Stroud is jumping from strength to strength with her writing. She is an formiddable force at this point. This book is absolutely brilliant and I cannot recommend it enough. Be warned though, it'll break your heart.
I had many thoughts while reading. I started by feeling so sympathetic to all the characters. Teaching is hard and Gabbie has explored all the aspects of this, which I love. Finally a story who doesn't glorify teaching and actually works to highlight the multitude of challenges teachers face.
Then I was angry. The school is being sued. So not only are the teachers working to meet registration, teach and manage their various students, some much more challenging than others, plan, live their own lives and make it through a day. They are also dealing with a legal case against them. Begging the question (if you ask me), when do parents start taking responsibility for the actions of their children.
Finally, it broke my heart. And I won't go into it, because I can't spoil it all. It broke my heart for all the teachers involved and the personal and professional challenges that they would have to face as a result of the events in this book.
I cannot recommend this to everyone. If you are a parent, read it. If you are a teacher, read it to feel seen. But most of all, take in the story and the challenges of teaching. I won't go on on this topic, because it is one I am (clearly) very passionate about. But all I can say is - read it.
August 23, 2023
4.5 stars. I would have loved to have had the frustrations and chaos of the teachers' days explored a little more. As a teacher reading this book, I could imagine the missed details, but am hoping that other non-teaching readers can feel it enough to truly understand. It was the right book read at exactly the right time for me - broke my heart and reminded me why I do this, all at once.
October 14, 2023
What a powerful book. I shed a tear quite a few times over this story.
The writing is just so amazing. The words are telling a story with a calm and measured voice.
This story of teachers on the edge, a system struggling to cope, parents that expect too much and kids that are unaware of how cruel life can be.
All the participants in this story are dealing with something that maybe stops them from seeing or being aware of 'the things that matter most'.
When a child falls through the cracks who gets the blame?
I loved this book. The writing reminded me of Favel Parret or Mark Brandi - quiet and gentle while delivering an incredible story and message. No wasting of words. They all meant something.
Incredible.
The writing is just so amazing. The words are telling a story with a calm and measured voice.
This story of teachers on the edge, a system struggling to cope, parents that expect too much and kids that are unaware of how cruel life can be.
All the participants in this story are dealing with something that maybe stops them from seeing or being aware of 'the things that matter most'.
When a child falls through the cracks who gets the blame?
I loved this book. The writing reminded me of Favel Parret or Mark Brandi - quiet and gentle while delivering an incredible story and message. No wasting of words. They all meant something.
Incredible.
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