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Let That Be a Lesson: A Teacher’s Life in the Classroom
Brought to you by Penguin.
The malodorous horrors of Sports Day.
Bracing yourself for Parents' Evening.
Refereeing teenage relationship dramas.
This is not what you see in the adverts.
From the age of eight, Ryan Wilson dreamt of being a teacher. This is the inside story of his time at the chalkface, from fresh-faced trainee with grand ideals to exhausted assistant head battling ever-changing government demands. It is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. From Sean, the wannabe gangster with a soft heart, to David, the king of innuendo, and terrifyingly clever Amelia. And, above all, it's about the lessons they taught how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
The malodorous horrors of Sports Day.
Bracing yourself for Parents' Evening.
Refereeing teenage relationship dramas.
This is not what you see in the adverts.
From the age of eight, Ryan Wilson dreamt of being a teacher. This is the inside story of his time at the chalkface, from fresh-faced trainee with grand ideals to exhausted assistant head battling ever-changing government demands. It is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. From Sean, the wannabe gangster with a soft heart, to David, the king of innuendo, and terrifyingly clever Amelia. And, above all, it's about the lessons they taught how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
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First published August 19, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
August 2, 2021
Ryan Wilson provides an insightful and entertaining glimpse into the teaching profession, from his beginnings as a naive trainee English teacher in 2005 at a Cambridgeshire Fens school, a baptism of fire, getting his first probationary teaching position in a leafy market town, right up to the time he makes the decision as a burned out and frustrated assistant head at a challenging inner London school to leave teaching. Organised into short bite-sized anecdotes that make for easy reading, this will resonate deeply with former and current teachers, the joy and trials of the classes he teachs, and the constant, often ill judged, political diktats coming from the likes of Michael Gove as Education Secretary, the pressures of Ofsted inspections, and the savage funding cuts.
Wilson covers a range of aspects of schooling, the parents that can on occasion be so trying with their complaints and sexism, the stellar mentoring of probationary teachers by the extraordinary Liz, his close friendship with fellow teacher, Zoe, the strong supportive teaching community, and the wide array of students he encounters. There are numerous hilarious incidents, from the bizarre 'chat up' methods, to the many errors that Wilson makes which he makes no efforts to conceal, and which lends an authenticity and humanity to his account. There are the incredible students he encounters, such as Amelia and Chloe, and the many who come from struggling, deprived and/or problematic family backgrounds, and favourites of his, such as the wonderful Kieron.
Wilson gives us a glimpse into the difficulties of coming to terms with his sexual orientation, and his delight when he sees student Zofia unashamedly and confidently talking of her sexuality in a inspiring talk she delivers. There is the heartbreak of Liz and Zoe's cancer diagnoses and their courageous handling of their illness. This is a wonderful read that will captivate many readers and prove to be a particularly helpful and enlightening book for those thinking of becoming teachers and for trainee teachers. It is such a shame and a damning indictment of the state of British education that Wilson, who had never wanted to be anything but a teacher in his life, should be leaving the teaching profession. He concludes by offering advice on what it would take to help schools and education. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Wilson covers a range of aspects of schooling, the parents that can on occasion be so trying with their complaints and sexism, the stellar mentoring of probationary teachers by the extraordinary Liz, his close friendship with fellow teacher, Zoe, the strong supportive teaching community, and the wide array of students he encounters. There are numerous hilarious incidents, from the bizarre 'chat up' methods, to the many errors that Wilson makes which he makes no efforts to conceal, and which lends an authenticity and humanity to his account. There are the incredible students he encounters, such as Amelia and Chloe, and the many who come from struggling, deprived and/or problematic family backgrounds, and favourites of his, such as the wonderful Kieron.
Wilson gives us a glimpse into the difficulties of coming to terms with his sexual orientation, and his delight when he sees student Zofia unashamedly and confidently talking of her sexuality in a inspiring talk she delivers. There is the heartbreak of Liz and Zoe's cancer diagnoses and their courageous handling of their illness. This is a wonderful read that will captivate many readers and prove to be a particularly helpful and enlightening book for those thinking of becoming teachers and for trainee teachers. It is such a shame and a damning indictment of the state of British education that Wilson, who had never wanted to be anything but a teacher in his life, should be leaving the teaching profession. He concludes by offering advice on what it would take to help schools and education. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
July 13, 2021
In this ode to teaching so much here resonates to a former teacher like myself. I think this should be required reading for Secretaries of State for Education, Ofsted and anyone who thinks teachers knock off at 3.30! I suspect though, that Covid homeschooling may have dispelled that illusion. Like Ryan, teaching is all I ever wanted to do, like him and probably countless others, I had a Mrs Webb who made the Scottish Play one that has always lived vividly in my head and I can still recount chunks of it. Like him I’ve spent long hours marking, planning, fretting and all the rest of it! Philosophically, he and I are completely on the same page and so I lap his memoir up! The excitement, the fear, the grind, the building experience of tricks in your armoury to deal with those tricky customers, the highs, the lows and the laughs, yes, plenty of laughs. I think being in Ryan’s classroom must have been an amazing experience because his love of literature and his empathy with his students positively shines like a beacon through the pages. Every school has a Kieron or three and we always remember them! I laugh out loud at some of his recollections, cry at others and applaud his move to an inner city London school with all the challenges that presents. I love his wry comments (and true!) about the bonkers need for a primary child from the age of seven to know what a fronted adverbial is, which especially hits home as I attempt to embrace the rigours of the primary literacy curriculum during lockdown home schooling. Gah!!!! How to switch a child off education, eh??!! The success of students like Chloe makes all the hard work worth while and that’s why teachers work themselves into the ground.
Overall, a very readable, varied and interesting memoir of s wonderful profession. Some chapters are a bit short, it’s a maybe bit disjointed in the telling but that’s a small criticism as it gives an excellent oversight of the reality of the job.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage, Chatto and Windus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Please don’t ask me to explain a fronted adverbial because I still haven’t a scooby-doo. However, I like millions of others have managed to successfully navigate through life without knowing!!! 😂🥴
Overall, a very readable, varied and interesting memoir of s wonderful profession. Some chapters are a bit short, it’s a maybe bit disjointed in the telling but that’s a small criticism as it gives an excellent oversight of the reality of the job.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage, Chatto and Windus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Please don’t ask me to explain a fronted adverbial because I still haven’t a scooby-doo. However, I like millions of others have managed to successfully navigate through life without knowing!!! 😂🥴
April 18, 2021
If you've read This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, then you'll know how fascinating it is to get insight into such an unappreciated and criminally underfunded profession.
Ryan Wilson sets up his tale in the same fashion, as short, diary style entries ranging from the heartrending to the hilarious. He shows us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, revealing precisely what it's like working within an education system that government incompetence seems determined to destroy. Just like Adam Kay, Ryan Wilson has created a call to arms. Despite how hard teachers are working, they, and the children in their care, are being let down by U-turns on policy, lack of funding, and misinformation fed to the media. It's a book which is often funny, but its message is more important than the laughs.
One for everyone to read.
ARC via Netgalley
Ryan Wilson sets up his tale in the same fashion, as short, diary style entries ranging from the heartrending to the hilarious. He shows us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, revealing precisely what it's like working within an education system that government incompetence seems determined to destroy. Just like Adam Kay, Ryan Wilson has created a call to arms. Despite how hard teachers are working, they, and the children in their care, are being let down by U-turns on policy, lack of funding, and misinformation fed to the media. It's a book which is often funny, but its message is more important than the laughs.
One for everyone to read.
ARC via Netgalley
September 22, 2021
This is the book I’ve been waiting so long to read. A few years ago I read and fell in love with Adam Kay’s ‘This is Going to Hurt’; it was moving, hilarious and heart breaking in equal measure. I found myself hoping that someone would write a similar book recounting my own profession - teaching. Ryan Wilson does this perfectly.
It recounts Wilson’s experiences throughout his teaching career, right from the beginning, with the perfect mixture of hilarious anecdotes and insights into how schools operate. He made the stories accessible and enlightening without being too bogged down in the many acronyms we use in teaching (something that all other educational memoirs I’ve read failed to do). He really captured the best and worst parts about the job in these pages, including the fears, embarrassments and frustrations teachers face on a daily basis. The ending was particularly poignant and emotional, and just completely hits the nail on the head.
One of my most highly recommended memoirs of this year. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC!
It recounts Wilson’s experiences throughout his teaching career, right from the beginning, with the perfect mixture of hilarious anecdotes and insights into how schools operate. He made the stories accessible and enlightening without being too bogged down in the many acronyms we use in teaching (something that all other educational memoirs I’ve read failed to do). He really captured the best and worst parts about the job in these pages, including the fears, embarrassments and frustrations teachers face on a daily basis. The ending was particularly poignant and emotional, and just completely hits the nail on the head.
One of my most highly recommended memoirs of this year. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC!
July 8, 2023
Obsessed with reading about the education system. Think it's withdrawal symptoms...and incredible memoir though. Heart breaking, heart warming and everything in between!
April 15, 2021
There’s certainly no ‘could do better’ about this book!! I would like to give it 6 out of 5 stars please. Respect. So much respect for people in the teaching profession. I truly bow down to all those who make a career in this amazing field and with this book, provides a truly amazing insight into what it’s like to teach.
I absolutely LOVED reading about Ryan’s experiences and interactions within the teaching world. It was written so well. It was hilariously funny at times and also so on point, delicate and respectful (definitely not making a mockery out of the profession) but a true written account of what teaching can be like within a secondary school system as well as through training and rising through the ranks.
Ah this had me laughing out loud in so many parts and it’s really worth a read. The authors sense of humour is just perfect. From troublesome students, working in difficult schools, teacher training and the daily toils and troubles of life in the classroom.
It was such a brilliant insight into the policies and systems teachers have to follow too, often walking a tightrope of correctness and making sure everything is perfectly PC and non offensive to both student and parent along with guidelines and insane targets to hit which I can only imagine to be met with incredible difficulty. I could definitely sense the frustration and incredulity of some of the newer policies that have to be implemented, budget cuts and ridiculously unfair working environments to name a few. This book was such an amazingly written insight.
I couldn’t recommend reading this enough. Hats off to all the teacher heroes and well done Ryan Wilson on writing such a fab book.
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy with thanks to the author and publishers via NetGalley in return for my honest thought and review.
I absolutely LOVED reading about Ryan’s experiences and interactions within the teaching world. It was written so well. It was hilariously funny at times and also so on point, delicate and respectful (definitely not making a mockery out of the profession) but a true written account of what teaching can be like within a secondary school system as well as through training and rising through the ranks.
Ah this had me laughing out loud in so many parts and it’s really worth a read. The authors sense of humour is just perfect. From troublesome students, working in difficult schools, teacher training and the daily toils and troubles of life in the classroom.
It was such a brilliant insight into the policies and systems teachers have to follow too, often walking a tightrope of correctness and making sure everything is perfectly PC and non offensive to both student and parent along with guidelines and insane targets to hit which I can only imagine to be met with incredible difficulty. I could definitely sense the frustration and incredulity of some of the newer policies that have to be implemented, budget cuts and ridiculously unfair working environments to name a few. This book was such an amazingly written insight.
I couldn’t recommend reading this enough. Hats off to all the teacher heroes and well done Ryan Wilson on writing such a fab book.
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy with thanks to the author and publishers via NetGalley in return for my honest thought and review.
December 14, 2021
I'm sorry but MY GOD this was so boring!
If you're after a book that's full of unfinished anecdotes , stories that either make no sense or dont link together than crack on!
It's like reading the memoir of your bumbling uncle that everyone pretends to understand and laugh at.
If you're after a book that's full of unfinished anecdotes , stories that either make no sense or dont link together than crack on!
It's like reading the memoir of your bumbling uncle that everyone pretends to understand and laugh at.
August 11, 2021
Equal parts hilarious and touching, this is a superb insight into the life of a teacher and the highs and lows within.
Very well written and a joy to read.
Very well written and a joy to read.
May 2, 2022
I've always imagined that if I'd been born 20-30 years earlier - a time when opportunities for women in business were very limited - I might well have become a teacher. 40-50 years earlier, maybe a governess to a ridiculously wealthy family in India (I always had the travel bug). What I realise now is that I really wouldn't have made a wise decision. I don't much like children and I have a massive sense of rejection towards stupid pointless rules and procedures - and schools have them in buckets.
Ryan Wilson ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher. He got a blackboard and some chalks at 8 years old and taught his toys. Seriously? I guess it happens. Some people have a major drive to become doctors or nurses. I guess that's not so different.
Ryan takes us through his career as a teacher in several schools. We get a no holds barred account of just how horrible children can be, as well as how they can make you feel like it was all worth while with just a throwaway comment about a book they loved.
What I liked? - a lot of the anecdotes are really quite brief. He doesn't over-egg his stories.
What I didn't like? - he spends a lot of time trying to decide whether to come out as gay and when he eventually does, it appears to be more theoretical than actual. And true as his stories may be, the friends and co-workers getting cancer stories go well against national averages. It's nice to play tribute to people you loved and cared about, but I bristle at the idea that anybody with advanced cancer decides the place to spend their precious remaining time is in front of a class of gobby teenagers.
Ryan Wilson ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher. He got a blackboard and some chalks at 8 years old and taught his toys. Seriously? I guess it happens. Some people have a major drive to become doctors or nurses. I guess that's not so different.
Ryan takes us through his career as a teacher in several schools. We get a no holds barred account of just how horrible children can be, as well as how they can make you feel like it was all worth while with just a throwaway comment about a book they loved.
What I liked? - a lot of the anecdotes are really quite brief. He doesn't over-egg his stories.
What I didn't like? - he spends a lot of time trying to decide whether to come out as gay and when he eventually does, it appears to be more theoretical than actual. And true as his stories may be, the friends and co-workers getting cancer stories go well against national averages. It's nice to play tribute to people you loved and cared about, but I bristle at the idea that anybody with advanced cancer decides the place to spend their precious remaining time is in front of a class of gobby teenagers.
June 19, 2022
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This is a series of witty and moving anecdotes about teacher training and life as a qualified teacher.
The book provides great insight into the career and into the current state of the education system in the UK. As you might expect, the stories about the children and about Ryan Wilson’s colleagues are lovely, funny and entertaining, whereas the bigger picture of targets, assessments and related bureaucracy is more disheartening.
Yes, this is another memoir from a key worker who passionately loves their job, but gradually slides into burnout due to corporate and/or governmental policies that make it unworkable on the front line.
Honest, emotional and sadness/anger-inducing beneath the humour, this account of teaching highlights how passionate teachers are about educating our children, and how hard the system makes it for them to do this effectively.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
This is a series of witty and moving anecdotes about teacher training and life as a qualified teacher.
The book provides great insight into the career and into the current state of the education system in the UK. As you might expect, the stories about the children and about Ryan Wilson’s colleagues are lovely, funny and entertaining, whereas the bigger picture of targets, assessments and related bureaucracy is more disheartening.
Yes, this is another memoir from a key worker who passionately loves their job, but gradually slides into burnout due to corporate and/or governmental policies that make it unworkable on the front line.
Honest, emotional and sadness/anger-inducing beneath the humour, this account of teaching highlights how passionate teachers are about educating our children, and how hard the system makes it for them to do this effectively.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
July 18, 2021
Initially the diary style of this book took some getting used to but a short way in I was totally with the author and feeling his pain and frustration at the education system and the way government
ministers keep changing the goalposts leaving teachers struggling to comply with box ticking and lessening the education experience for our children.
Having worked in education finance for many years, I am fully aware of the seemingly ever rising tide of budget restrictions leading to staff shortages meaning not enough adults in place to support the pupils, but this book added clarity to the "chalk-face" issues that brings on a day to day basis, and then (of course) the human issues we all have to face which either get in the way of our working life, or we haven't the capacity to give the attention they are due.
We need more teachers like Ryan to stand up for schools, teachers and pupils. He is far better placed than any government minister to decide what is best for the future of our education system!
ministers keep changing the goalposts leaving teachers struggling to comply with box ticking and lessening the education experience for our children.
Having worked in education finance for many years, I am fully aware of the seemingly ever rising tide of budget restrictions leading to staff shortages meaning not enough adults in place to support the pupils, but this book added clarity to the "chalk-face" issues that brings on a day to day basis, and then (of course) the human issues we all have to face which either get in the way of our working life, or we haven't the capacity to give the attention they are due.
We need more teachers like Ryan to stand up for schools, teachers and pupils. He is far better placed than any government minister to decide what is best for the future of our education system!
July 13, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
This is a teachers first hand account of life in the classroom. The author shares brilliant and comedic stories from the classroom, and he mixes that with real emotion from his personal life and the wider school life, including budget cuts, and how to keep Ofsted and the Government happy. He discusses changes fed from higher up that put immense pressure on schools and teaching staff. The past year has shown us that teachers are unsung heroes, and deserve a lot more than this country currently gives.
The writing was excellent, and wrote as if you were having a long conversation with the author. It made me giggle in places, and made me well up in others. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride. And reading his encounters were a real eye opener. When you drop your little angels off at the gates in the morning and ask the teacher for a quick word that that’s another thing to add to their every growing to do list. The book shows how much extra work teachers put in from their own free time to make education the best it can be. A great, easy, humorous read!!
This is a teachers first hand account of life in the classroom. The author shares brilliant and comedic stories from the classroom, and he mixes that with real emotion from his personal life and the wider school life, including budget cuts, and how to keep Ofsted and the Government happy. He discusses changes fed from higher up that put immense pressure on schools and teaching staff. The past year has shown us that teachers are unsung heroes, and deserve a lot more than this country currently gives.
The writing was excellent, and wrote as if you were having a long conversation with the author. It made me giggle in places, and made me well up in others. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride. And reading his encounters were a real eye opener. When you drop your little angels off at the gates in the morning and ask the teacher for a quick word that that’s another thing to add to their every growing to do list. The book shows how much extra work teachers put in from their own free time to make education the best it can be. A great, easy, humorous read!!
October 10, 2021
DNFed a quarter of the way through.
This is no doubt slid into the growing genre of 'the Adam Kay book for X profession instead of doctors', but the problem with reading this having read This Is Going To Hurt first is that This Is Going To Hurt is much better.
This is a series of anecdotes - some as short as half a page long - written by someone who doesn't know how to actually finish a story. If these were told at a party, people would most likely be saying 'Okay but what happened next? What was the response??' But if you want to be emotionally edged 100 times then yeah, this is the book for you.
This is no doubt slid into the growing genre of 'the Adam Kay book for X profession instead of doctors', but the problem with reading this having read This Is Going To Hurt first is that This Is Going To Hurt is much better.
This is a series of anecdotes - some as short as half a page long - written by someone who doesn't know how to actually finish a story. If these were told at a party, people would most likely be saying 'Okay but what happened next? What was the response??' But if you want to be emotionally edged 100 times then yeah, this is the book for you.
June 16, 2022
Quite the Adam Kay of the teaching world. Very accessible with short chapters and a few laugh out loud moments. I was taught at school by the author’s dad so it particularly resonates.
August 9, 2021
When I first got hold of this I had high hopes, then I got a bit worried in case it turned into a 'ooh, look at me, aren't I a good teacher?' exercise. In the end I had needn't've worried because it's a great memoir. I found myself agreeing with many of his gripes and tittering along with the funny moments.
August 18, 2021
This book is an absolute joy to read, with several laugh-out-loud moments, but the underlying message is, that teaching is so much more than 9-5 days with long, relaxing holidays, it requires real stamina, endurance, a grip of chaotic Governmental rules, inspections, Department of Education interference, exams, students and even worse, the parents!! The dreaded parent’s evening where you have to remember one child out of the 120 you teach and are personally responsible for, that’s enough to make a teetotaller drunk!!
I taught in an Institute of Higher and Further Education back in the 1980’s and really, the word Institute should have warned me!! Like Ryan, it was humorous, so stressful, but those moments when a student had that breakthrough moment of clarity and understanding, made it worthwhile for a least 5mins, before the next battles began.
The word battle is appropriate, there were always funding issues, teachers off sick, so you had to teach subjects you knew nothing about, you just prayed you had enough confidence to throw the students off the scent, and got out of that class alive! I also had visits in work settings, in my case it was looking after NNEB students in nurseries, schools, private homes and hospitals, that included doing practical demonstrations, pastoral care, safeguarding issues, and many new guidelines introduced at that time.
My daughter is now a teacher of English in a failing school in S. Yorkshire, and she loves it. She has been hospitalised twice, knife wound and an airborne chair, but still adores her charges. I keep asking her, why not teach in a private school, better discipline and resources, but she argues that children from poorer environments need good teachers as much, if not more, than the better schools. I do agree, but think her levels of stress and burn out would be greatly reduced.
This book should be compulsory for the many Education Secretaries that teachers are forced to tangle with, to show them exactly what life is like in classrooms today. Teachers should be shown the greatest respect and admiration. I believe that the social lockdown policies that came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made us all appreciate how difficult it is to teach children, especially if they belong to you. Teachers deserve their holidays, I spent many Christmas holidays writing lesson plans, marking assignments and the dreaded coursework folders, they haunt me still.
Well done Ryan for telling it like it is! I’m sure many will agree, but will still continue to brave the classroom on a daily basis.
My thanks to Random House UK and Vintage publishers and Netgalley for my advance copy, in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I give this a five star rating, and will leave reviews to Goodreads and other outlets. I feel that my daughter will get a copy of this for the staff room at her school.
I taught in an Institute of Higher and Further Education back in the 1980’s and really, the word Institute should have warned me!! Like Ryan, it was humorous, so stressful, but those moments when a student had that breakthrough moment of clarity and understanding, made it worthwhile for a least 5mins, before the next battles began.
The word battle is appropriate, there were always funding issues, teachers off sick, so you had to teach subjects you knew nothing about, you just prayed you had enough confidence to throw the students off the scent, and got out of that class alive! I also had visits in work settings, in my case it was looking after NNEB students in nurseries, schools, private homes and hospitals, that included doing practical demonstrations, pastoral care, safeguarding issues, and many new guidelines introduced at that time.
My daughter is now a teacher of English in a failing school in S. Yorkshire, and she loves it. She has been hospitalised twice, knife wound and an airborne chair, but still adores her charges. I keep asking her, why not teach in a private school, better discipline and resources, but she argues that children from poorer environments need good teachers as much, if not more, than the better schools. I do agree, but think her levels of stress and burn out would be greatly reduced.
This book should be compulsory for the many Education Secretaries that teachers are forced to tangle with, to show them exactly what life is like in classrooms today. Teachers should be shown the greatest respect and admiration. I believe that the social lockdown policies that came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made us all appreciate how difficult it is to teach children, especially if they belong to you. Teachers deserve their holidays, I spent many Christmas holidays writing lesson plans, marking assignments and the dreaded coursework folders, they haunt me still.
Well done Ryan for telling it like it is! I’m sure many will agree, but will still continue to brave the classroom on a daily basis.
My thanks to Random House UK and Vintage publishers and Netgalley for my advance copy, in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. I give this a five star rating, and will leave reviews to Goodreads and other outlets. I feel that my daughter will get a copy of this for the staff room at her school.
September 8, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this memoir, Ryan Wilson writes about his time as a teacher. He starts with his experiences as a trainee and goes on to write about memorable moments and stories over the years. The book is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. Above all, it's about the lessons they taught him: how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
I was so excited for this review copy because I was approved two weeks before my first practical training in a school during my bachelor‘s degree. So this was honestly perfect timing. 😁
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I really enjoyed all the short stories. It‘s such an engaging memoir and it was so easy to read. And I love how humorous and honest Wilson‘s short stories are. The stories are a good mix of funny and more serious stories and advice. 😊
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Wilson does not hold back on his views on the education system in England, and I agree with his criticism. Since I‘m German, a lot of things about the English education system were new for me because it‘s different in Germany. And I also think that the teaching profession is a more respected job here. I never get any negative reactions when I tell people I want to become a teacher. Not even cool people at parties who smoke weed, are heavily drunk and love partying all night react negatively to it. Most people are either impressed or at least don’t say anything negative. So in that sense, I couldn’t really relate to Wilson. 😅
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But his short stories made me excited to go to school and teach students in the future. 🤩 I never lost interest in the book and I loved picking it back up. Overall I highly recommend this to teachers, teachers-to-be and everyone who is interested in learning more about the education system in England. 😊
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My favourite quote: ✨“Your greatest tool is not your books, not your fancy projector, not your cleverly thought-out starter activity. The absolute number one thing is your relationship with the students in front of you, and even more important, how they perceive you think of them.” ✨
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CW: loved ones diagnosed with cancer, repeated mention of cancer, death
In this memoir, Ryan Wilson writes about his time as a teacher. He starts with his experiences as a trainee and goes on to write about memorable moments and stories over the years. The book is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. Above all, it's about the lessons they taught him: how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
I was so excited for this review copy because I was approved two weeks before my first practical training in a school during my bachelor‘s degree. So this was honestly perfect timing. 😁
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I really enjoyed all the short stories. It‘s such an engaging memoir and it was so easy to read. And I love how humorous and honest Wilson‘s short stories are. The stories are a good mix of funny and more serious stories and advice. 😊
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Wilson does not hold back on his views on the education system in England, and I agree with his criticism. Since I‘m German, a lot of things about the English education system were new for me because it‘s different in Germany. And I also think that the teaching profession is a more respected job here. I never get any negative reactions when I tell people I want to become a teacher. Not even cool people at parties who smoke weed, are heavily drunk and love partying all night react negatively to it. Most people are either impressed or at least don’t say anything negative. So in that sense, I couldn’t really relate to Wilson. 😅
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But his short stories made me excited to go to school and teach students in the future. 🤩 I never lost interest in the book and I loved picking it back up. Overall I highly recommend this to teachers, teachers-to-be and everyone who is interested in learning more about the education system in England. 😊
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My favourite quote: ✨“Your greatest tool is not your books, not your fancy projector, not your cleverly thought-out starter activity. The absolute number one thing is your relationship with the students in front of you, and even more important, how they perceive you think of them.” ✨
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CW: loved ones diagnosed with cancer, repeated mention of cancer, death
August 8, 2021
Schooldays. Some of the best days of your life or some of your worst? Ryan Wilson’s insightful memoir of his days teaching in two state secondary schools will open your eyes to the type of individuals willing to take on the role of educating future generations and the more memorable students who either brighten or darken their days! From trainee to his very first day standing at the head of a classroom and his progression through the ranks into senior management Ryan Wilson is candid about a profession that attracts a lot of negative publicity.
Like Ryan, I too as a child loved to play at being an imaginary teacher, writing on my blackboard, talking to non existent pupils sat in front of me but never did I harbour a desire to turn that childhood game into a career. My sister on the other hand, despite being warned by those in the profession not to travel down that route ( and this would be the late 1980’s!) did just that, teaching in a primary school setting before opting to educate preschoolers. So I’ve witnessed first hand the dedication, the long hours, the total commitment to a job from which she never switches off, planning, preparing, answering endless emails whilst family life has to take a backseat. I admire anyone in a similar position to the likes of Ryan Wilson and my sister, never understanding why sections of the public believe teaching is a cushy 9-3 job with endless holidays, nor the attitude that “those that can do and those that can’t teach”.
Written in an anecdotal, self deprecating humorous style Ryan Wilson regales the reader with tales from the coalface, his obvious love for teaching, his fellow colleagues and his students and his dedication and enthusiasm shining through every single memory that’s made its way onto these pages. Feeling like a fly on the wall I laughed along at his initial naivety, impressed by how quickly he adapts and learns, muddling his way through all the while keeping his fingers crossed he doesn’t make too many faux pas! It truly is a baptism of fire and I felt grateful not to be in his position because this job is not for the faint hearted. I know he’s cherry picked the most entertaining, amusing anecdotes to engage his audience but even then a day in his life sounds exhausting and draining. Clearly Ryan Wilson was an inspirational teacher, at pains to impart his love for English literature to all his students regardless of their ability. To spark interest and enthusiasm amongst students whose disadvantaged backgrounds can often hinder progress through the educational system must be highly rewarding so it’s heartwarming to read of some of the success stories (Chloe) rather than the failures ( the year everyone’s grades were lower than expected). Obviously it helps that Ryan Wilson was surrounded by equally inspiring colleagues, the more experienced passing on their nuggets of wisdom which left me feeling how lucky these students were to be taught by Mr Wilson and co. I couldn’t help but reflect upon my own school days when a great primary education gave way to a mediocre two years in a large state secondary before transferring to the local grammar school and eventually university. BUT never did my teachers resemble anything like that of Ryan Wilson. At best they were mildly supporting and encouraging but at worst they filled me with fear and dread, doing absolutely nothing for my self confidence. I blame one particular maths teacher entirely for my life long hatred of the subject and I even dropped out of my English ‘A’ Level class thanks to the sarcastic, condescending and belittling nature of the teacher in question. This all just goes to show how important a role teachers play in shaping childrens lives. A* to Mr Wilson and C minus to the lot who had the pleasure of marking my work!
Not only is this memoir funny and enlightening but is moving and poignant too. My favourite anecdotes centre around Ryan’s relationship with mentor Liz and his fellow rookie teacher Zoé whom he shares many a laugh with over the years, helping each other through the highs and lows not only in their professional lives but in their personal ones too. You get a glimpse on the man he is outside of the school gates rather than just this saintly, idealistic advocate for the teaching profession as a whole.
Inevitably it’s with a sinking feeling you learn that the higher up the ladder Ryan Wilson climbs, the less involved he is with what really matters, data crunching, ticking boxes and endless paperwork taking priority. Enthusiasm and his inherent love for the job dwindles as the level of frustration at how many hoops he is expected to jump through on a daily basis increases, understandably taking its toll. Is it any surprise to read the statistics about the numbers leaving the profession? Absolutely not! Any memoir regarding the teaching profession is going to include a political commentary on the current state of the education system and whilst Ryan’s reflections are impassioned I don’t think there’s anything new in what this ex teacher has to say. The dreaded Ofsted inspections, the budget cuts, the ever changing goalposts as Secretaries of states come and go ,changes to the grading of exams leading to confusion and yet more mountains of paperwork are all problems we are familiar with, teachers and parents alike. How do you go about changing a system that in my opinion is designed to be one size fits all, with so many students slipping through the net or lost in a vast system which doesn’t always recognise their individual strengths as opposed to their weaknesses? You won’t find the answers here, although the suggestions Wilson makes are pragmatic, requiring the involvement of society as a whole. Regardless of the politics I’d like to think the school environment is a more nurturing, inclusive and supportive place to be rather than the one I remember, populated with more teachers akin to Ryan Wilson than those who clearly detested their job and their students!
Overall this is a well written ( why wouldn’t it be!!) enjoyable read, opening the door on classroom life and the struggles the profession faces. Last year I read Fran Hill’s “Miss What does Incomprehensible Mean?” and to be honest this memoir is very similar, in terms of writing style and content. Although easy to read, the briefer anecdotes especially lend an abrupt stop start feel to the reading experience which does mean you can pick it up and put it down without losing the thread. For anyone thinking of embarking on teacher training it might possibly leave you heading in the opposite direction! But as Zoé would say, I have utmost REPSECT for those who have given their all, and those who continue to do so in their role of educating, guiding and nurturing our offspring into adulthood.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
Like Ryan, I too as a child loved to play at being an imaginary teacher, writing on my blackboard, talking to non existent pupils sat in front of me but never did I harbour a desire to turn that childhood game into a career. My sister on the other hand, despite being warned by those in the profession not to travel down that route ( and this would be the late 1980’s!) did just that, teaching in a primary school setting before opting to educate preschoolers. So I’ve witnessed first hand the dedication, the long hours, the total commitment to a job from which she never switches off, planning, preparing, answering endless emails whilst family life has to take a backseat. I admire anyone in a similar position to the likes of Ryan Wilson and my sister, never understanding why sections of the public believe teaching is a cushy 9-3 job with endless holidays, nor the attitude that “those that can do and those that can’t teach”.
Written in an anecdotal, self deprecating humorous style Ryan Wilson regales the reader with tales from the coalface, his obvious love for teaching, his fellow colleagues and his students and his dedication and enthusiasm shining through every single memory that’s made its way onto these pages. Feeling like a fly on the wall I laughed along at his initial naivety, impressed by how quickly he adapts and learns, muddling his way through all the while keeping his fingers crossed he doesn’t make too many faux pas! It truly is a baptism of fire and I felt grateful not to be in his position because this job is not for the faint hearted. I know he’s cherry picked the most entertaining, amusing anecdotes to engage his audience but even then a day in his life sounds exhausting and draining. Clearly Ryan Wilson was an inspirational teacher, at pains to impart his love for English literature to all his students regardless of their ability. To spark interest and enthusiasm amongst students whose disadvantaged backgrounds can often hinder progress through the educational system must be highly rewarding so it’s heartwarming to read of some of the success stories (Chloe) rather than the failures ( the year everyone’s grades were lower than expected). Obviously it helps that Ryan Wilson was surrounded by equally inspiring colleagues, the more experienced passing on their nuggets of wisdom which left me feeling how lucky these students were to be taught by Mr Wilson and co. I couldn’t help but reflect upon my own school days when a great primary education gave way to a mediocre two years in a large state secondary before transferring to the local grammar school and eventually university. BUT never did my teachers resemble anything like that of Ryan Wilson. At best they were mildly supporting and encouraging but at worst they filled me with fear and dread, doing absolutely nothing for my self confidence. I blame one particular maths teacher entirely for my life long hatred of the subject and I even dropped out of my English ‘A’ Level class thanks to the sarcastic, condescending and belittling nature of the teacher in question. This all just goes to show how important a role teachers play in shaping childrens lives. A* to Mr Wilson and C minus to the lot who had the pleasure of marking my work!
Not only is this memoir funny and enlightening but is moving and poignant too. My favourite anecdotes centre around Ryan’s relationship with mentor Liz and his fellow rookie teacher Zoé whom he shares many a laugh with over the years, helping each other through the highs and lows not only in their professional lives but in their personal ones too. You get a glimpse on the man he is outside of the school gates rather than just this saintly, idealistic advocate for the teaching profession as a whole.
Inevitably it’s with a sinking feeling you learn that the higher up the ladder Ryan Wilson climbs, the less involved he is with what really matters, data crunching, ticking boxes and endless paperwork taking priority. Enthusiasm and his inherent love for the job dwindles as the level of frustration at how many hoops he is expected to jump through on a daily basis increases, understandably taking its toll. Is it any surprise to read the statistics about the numbers leaving the profession? Absolutely not! Any memoir regarding the teaching profession is going to include a political commentary on the current state of the education system and whilst Ryan’s reflections are impassioned I don’t think there’s anything new in what this ex teacher has to say. The dreaded Ofsted inspections, the budget cuts, the ever changing goalposts as Secretaries of states come and go ,changes to the grading of exams leading to confusion and yet more mountains of paperwork are all problems we are familiar with, teachers and parents alike. How do you go about changing a system that in my opinion is designed to be one size fits all, with so many students slipping through the net or lost in a vast system which doesn’t always recognise their individual strengths as opposed to their weaknesses? You won’t find the answers here, although the suggestions Wilson makes are pragmatic, requiring the involvement of society as a whole. Regardless of the politics I’d like to think the school environment is a more nurturing, inclusive and supportive place to be rather than the one I remember, populated with more teachers akin to Ryan Wilson than those who clearly detested their job and their students!
Overall this is a well written ( why wouldn’t it be!!) enjoyable read, opening the door on classroom life and the struggles the profession faces. Last year I read Fran Hill’s “Miss What does Incomprehensible Mean?” and to be honest this memoir is very similar, in terms of writing style and content. Although easy to read, the briefer anecdotes especially lend an abrupt stop start feel to the reading experience which does mean you can pick it up and put it down without losing the thread. For anyone thinking of embarking on teacher training it might possibly leave you heading in the opposite direction! But as Zoé would say, I have utmost REPSECT for those who have given their all, and those who continue to do so in their role of educating, guiding and nurturing our offspring into adulthood.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2021
I felt seen with this book. It's funny, it's honest, and it's a love letter to the teachers that, I think any year, but specially this one, are stretched beyond belief.
I loved the book. I laughed out loud frequently, and shared some of the funny stories with colleagues. I think we all have similar experiences (mine are with graduate students, so quite different, but still, very very similar in occasion -- I might not have told anyone that their son "liked a bit of incest", but I tend to put my foot in my mouth quite often, and I'm sure I can come up with something similar). I drew lots of parallelisms between Wilson's experience as a primary and high school teacher (and those of the educators around him) and the experiences of academic staff in universities in the UK, where instead of Ofsted there's TEF and REF, and NSS, and just as many metrics to measure performance and student satisfaction. The mini-chapter on "how to cheat Ofstead" resonated with my experience attending many of our departmental meetings.
In summary: I think everyone who's a parent with a child in school should read this book to give them a view of what it's like to be on the other side, and everyone who's an educator might also enjoy it, at least because you'll feel less lonely.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
I loved the book. I laughed out loud frequently, and shared some of the funny stories with colleagues. I think we all have similar experiences (mine are with graduate students, so quite different, but still, very very similar in occasion -- I might not have told anyone that their son "liked a bit of incest", but I tend to put my foot in my mouth quite often, and I'm sure I can come up with something similar). I drew lots of parallelisms between Wilson's experience as a primary and high school teacher (and those of the educators around him) and the experiences of academic staff in universities in the UK, where instead of Ofsted there's TEF and REF, and NSS, and just as many metrics to measure performance and student satisfaction. The mini-chapter on "how to cheat Ofstead" resonated with my experience attending many of our departmental meetings.
In summary: I think everyone who's a parent with a child in school should read this book to give them a view of what it's like to be on the other side, and everyone who's an educator might also enjoy it, at least because you'll feel less lonely.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
February 26, 2024
Ryan Wilson, the author, is a good egg, and his book is a delight to read. Full of warm and often hilarious descriptions of life in the classroom. He is obviously a very good teacher . He starts off his training in a highly rated school in Cambridge, but ends up choosing to teach at an inner city comprehensive in a deprived area of London. The enjoyment he gets from teaching flows out of every page.
As his career blossoms - I think he ends up as deputy head teacher - his disillusion with the government and the heavy hand of Ofsted grows. I have taken my usual notes (see the spoiler), and nearly all of these concern his dissatisfaction with government funding and interventions.
I read the book as a bedtime read and it was the perfect way to end the day. Highly recommended.
As his career blossoms - I think he ends up as deputy head teacher - his disillusion with the government and the heavy hand of Ofsted grows. I have taken my usual notes (see the spoiler), and nearly all of these concern his dissatisfaction with government funding and interventions.
I read the book as a bedtime read and it was the perfect way to end the day. Highly recommended.
August 28, 2021
Ryan Wilson started teaching, starry eyed and convinced he would make a difference to children's lives. This book charts his story, how he coped with those early days, how he was left to struggle as a trainee, how he managed to learn the skills to encourage and help children, even the unwilling ones, to appreciate English literature. And ultimately, how Ofsted and the increasing importance of statistics and cost-cutting caused him to review his chosen career choice.
Its an entertaining read - snippets of tales, some funny, a few sad, and a glimpse into a life of a man who was determined to teach his beloved subject. Wish more teachers were like Wilson. And more politicians and Education ministers understood the importance of what he says.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage and Chatto & Windusand for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Its an entertaining read - snippets of tales, some funny, a few sad, and a glimpse into a life of a man who was determined to teach his beloved subject. Wish more teachers were like Wilson. And more politicians and Education ministers understood the importance of what he says.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage and Chatto & Windusand for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2021
I spent ten years teaching in secondary schools in and around London, and one of the most common comments I heard during that time was, “I bet you could write a book about all the stuff the kids say and do”. Ryan Wilson had the good sense to actually write that book.
Let That Be a Lesson is a funny, heartfelt, honest and reflective account of teaching, from nervy PGCE training days all the way through to embattled departmental head.
I frequently found myself laughing out loud in the reading of this book. Standout moments included: the occasion on which Mr Wilson, a fresh-faced trainee, accidentally went into a senior teacher’s classroom to silence the children; the incest comment; the boy with the torn trousers and exposed testicle; Thatcher confusion; and the girl who took a novel approach to drawing conclusions. Ryan’s skill as a writer is to bring these characters and scenarios so vividly to life that you can feel yourself there with him. He clearly has a deep and abiding fondness for the various children he taught, and they’re portrayed in such a way that we laugh with them, rather than at them.
The book is divided into short, anecdotal chapters that, taken as a whole, cover a breadth of many years, charting the author’s growth both professional and personal. Amongst the humour, there’s also a dissection of the teaching profession, and with this, a dissection of the government’s role in education. We’re left with the impression that unqualified, egotistical government ministers, more interested in their own careers than in the development of children, have corroded the very fabric of the education system. In this sense, the book offers a depressing assessment of contemporary UK schooling, and one which those very government ministers would do well to read.
Let That Be a Lesson is a fabulous book. It’s very compulsive, very funny and, ultimately, bittersweet.
Let That Be a Lesson is a funny, heartfelt, honest and reflective account of teaching, from nervy PGCE training days all the way through to embattled departmental head.
I frequently found myself laughing out loud in the reading of this book. Standout moments included: the occasion on which Mr Wilson, a fresh-faced trainee, accidentally went into a senior teacher’s classroom to silence the children; the incest comment; the boy with the torn trousers and exposed testicle; Thatcher confusion; and the girl who took a novel approach to drawing conclusions. Ryan’s skill as a writer is to bring these characters and scenarios so vividly to life that you can feel yourself there with him. He clearly has a deep and abiding fondness for the various children he taught, and they’re portrayed in such a way that we laugh with them, rather than at them.
The book is divided into short, anecdotal chapters that, taken as a whole, cover a breadth of many years, charting the author’s growth both professional and personal. Amongst the humour, there’s also a dissection of the teaching profession, and with this, a dissection of the government’s role in education. We’re left with the impression that unqualified, egotistical government ministers, more interested in their own careers than in the development of children, have corroded the very fabric of the education system. In this sense, the book offers a depressing assessment of contemporary UK schooling, and one which those very government ministers would do well to read.
Let That Be a Lesson is a fabulous book. It’s very compulsive, very funny and, ultimately, bittersweet.
January 29, 2022
Well I haven’t laughed that hard at a book in ages! I quite often struggle to get into non-fiction of any kind, taking weeks instead of days to read them, but I blitzed through this in a day because it was so utterly hilarious, heartfelt and well paced. Which I guess you’d expect from a teacher 🤣
Split into very short chapters, each its own story but sometimes linked to a previous one, this is the story of Wilson’s time working as a teacher, first in Essex and then in a tougher London school. Not only do we get to hear some brilliant and almost unbelievable stories about the children’s (and teacher’s) behaviour, but we also get an understanding of the many challenges which teachers today face with funding cuts and constant changes to exams, grading etc. It was a real eye-opener to be honest, as I had no idea how hard it is to simply teach these days with all the admin and politics involved.
What comes across really clearly is the author’s passion for teaching - and by that I mean actually being in the room with the students and watching them learn and grow. I can only imagine based on the emotion and wisdom that comes across in this memoir that Mr. Wilson would’ve been a much loved teacher, and it’s such a shame that the politics of it all drove someone brilliant who really cares about their students away. And I have no doubt that his isn’t the only case like it.
The only downside of this being a memoir is knowing that the incredibly heartbreaking and emotional moments were all real - be prepared to shed some tears as we lose a few incredible people throughout the book. This is an absolutely beautiful ode to them in many ways.
I couldn’t put this down - from the very first chapter I was roaring with laughter and it carried on throughout, mixed in with some tears occasionally too. This is so well written, warm, open, and surprisingly educational (or maybe not surprisingly?!). But mostly folks, I’ll just never get over the pube cloud. 💨
Split into very short chapters, each its own story but sometimes linked to a previous one, this is the story of Wilson’s time working as a teacher, first in Essex and then in a tougher London school. Not only do we get to hear some brilliant and almost unbelievable stories about the children’s (and teacher’s) behaviour, but we also get an understanding of the many challenges which teachers today face with funding cuts and constant changes to exams, grading etc. It was a real eye-opener to be honest, as I had no idea how hard it is to simply teach these days with all the admin and politics involved.
What comes across really clearly is the author’s passion for teaching - and by that I mean actually being in the room with the students and watching them learn and grow. I can only imagine based on the emotion and wisdom that comes across in this memoir that Mr. Wilson would’ve been a much loved teacher, and it’s such a shame that the politics of it all drove someone brilliant who really cares about their students away. And I have no doubt that his isn’t the only case like it.
The only downside of this being a memoir is knowing that the incredibly heartbreaking and emotional moments were all real - be prepared to shed some tears as we lose a few incredible people throughout the book. This is an absolutely beautiful ode to them in many ways.
I couldn’t put this down - from the very first chapter I was roaring with laughter and it carried on throughout, mixed in with some tears occasionally too. This is so well written, warm, open, and surprisingly educational (or maybe not surprisingly?!). But mostly folks, I’ll just never get over the pube cloud. 💨
August 19, 2021
Ryan Wilson the author of this book wants to be a teacher from the age of 8 and he fulfils his ambition starting off in a Cambridgeshire school and then moving to an inner city one. He writes about his first school and some of the dramas they happen and then the story of an overworked teacher gives an insight to how difficult life becomes. I have friends who are teachers and they have become less enamoured with the teaching profession for all the faults etc that Ryan Wilson mentions. He is very scathing about Michael Gove and the way the Government changes the school rules and finance depending on who is in power at the time. As is usually the case the changes made by one bureaucrat usually makes the difference when he or she has left office. The book also talks about his personal life, the people he has met whilst teaching especially Liz who was the mentor of the new teachers and Zoe who was a new teacher with him. There stories are written with great fondness. He also talks about some of his students and I felt from the book that these students really faced up to their struggles by having a teacher like Ryan who put his heart and soul into teaching. One particular story is about a student called Zofia who talks about her sexual orientation with an issue which Ryan finds stimulating as he himself has suffered with his own feelings. This is a book every politician should read as well as the people who think that teachers finish at 3 and have 13 weeks holiday a year so why do they complain. I think if politicians and Ofsted read this amazing book they would learn that there is more to life that stats and the students welfare could be far more important. Ryan has now left teaching and I think this is a great shame although he did what he could and did it well.
August 5, 2021
Oh my gosh what a fantastic book this is. Let That Be A Lesson was everything I expected it to be. It was full of funny stories from the author's time in teaching, from him being a student Teacher right up until he leaves the profession many years later. It also provided a fascinating insight into what teaching actually involves including the incredibly frustrating red tape and policies that determine how they do their jobs.
My absolute favourite take away from this book is the hilarious mental image of Ryan standing in front of a class of teenagers whilst a sex scene is projected onto his face! Ha ha ha ha.......
I loved how this book was written in bite sized anecdotes, it made for easy and fast reading. I wasn't left waiting long for the funny moment or the ending of the story. This format also meant that I wanted to keep reading to discover the next story and I just couldn't put the book down.
Obviously the book can't be pure comedy as we all know there are some down sides to teaching, such as dealing with difficult and disrespectful pupils, knife crime in schools, pupils facing poverty etc And then added to those Ryan talks about the Teacher friends he made and unfortunately their deaths. So there are some sad moments that bring the difficulties of life in a school to the attention of the reader.
I'm not someone who has ever thought that teaching is an easy job and even I was surprised to learn about a few of the difficulties. They just hadn't even crossed my mind, especially the times when the school were dealing with Government policy changes and issues with Ofsted.
Overall an excellent well written, easy read book that I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
My absolute favourite take away from this book is the hilarious mental image of Ryan standing in front of a class of teenagers whilst a sex scene is projected onto his face! Ha ha ha ha.......
I loved how this book was written in bite sized anecdotes, it made for easy and fast reading. I wasn't left waiting long for the funny moment or the ending of the story. This format also meant that I wanted to keep reading to discover the next story and I just couldn't put the book down.
Obviously the book can't be pure comedy as we all know there are some down sides to teaching, such as dealing with difficult and disrespectful pupils, knife crime in schools, pupils facing poverty etc And then added to those Ryan talks about the Teacher friends he made and unfortunately their deaths. So there are some sad moments that bring the difficulties of life in a school to the attention of the reader.
I'm not someone who has ever thought that teaching is an easy job and even I was surprised to learn about a few of the difficulties. They just hadn't even crossed my mind, especially the times when the school were dealing with Government policy changes and issues with Ofsted.
Overall an excellent well written, easy read book that I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
October 7, 2021
While I enjoyed Put a Wet Paper Towel On It, by far my favorite of the two books has Let That Be a Lesson by Ryan Wilson. This memoir-style book by a former secondary school English teacher follows his career in chronological order starting with his time as a teaching trainee at university, continuing to his first year teaching in an inner-city secondary school, then moving through his various promotions to Head of Department and eventually his decision to leave teaching altogether.
As this is more of a memoir than a collection of individual themed sections, it is far more personal and follows the author’s own story – although many of the incidents he recounts will likely be familiar to many teachers. The book is also an emotional rollercoaster that at times had me genuinely laughing out loud, cringing from second-hand embarrassment, and almost brought me to tears on several occasions. There were also some stomach-churning moments such as a false allegation of sexual assault against the author that reminded me how every day as a teacher is filled with the unexpected and that far from knowing their subjects, possibly the biggest requirement for the job is being able to face these endlessly bizarre, frustrating, and occasionally terrifying moments without faltering.
Despite being more a narrative of a personal journey than a true look behind the scenes of a secondary school, I absolutely loved Let That Be a Lesson and ended up rating it a full 5/5. Not only was it a thoroughly interesting and engaging story, but it also reminded me that all the teachers my son is about to meet during his own journey through secondary school are real people facing their own challenges and to cut them as much slack as possible in the times that frustrations will inevitably bubble up.
As this is more of a memoir than a collection of individual themed sections, it is far more personal and follows the author’s own story – although many of the incidents he recounts will likely be familiar to many teachers. The book is also an emotional rollercoaster that at times had me genuinely laughing out loud, cringing from second-hand embarrassment, and almost brought me to tears on several occasions. There were also some stomach-churning moments such as a false allegation of sexual assault against the author that reminded me how every day as a teacher is filled with the unexpected and that far from knowing their subjects, possibly the biggest requirement for the job is being able to face these endlessly bizarre, frustrating, and occasionally terrifying moments without faltering.
Despite being more a narrative of a personal journey than a true look behind the scenes of a secondary school, I absolutely loved Let That Be a Lesson and ended up rating it a full 5/5. Not only was it a thoroughly interesting and engaging story, but it also reminded me that all the teachers my son is about to meet during his own journey through secondary school are real people facing their own challenges and to cut them as much slack as possible in the times that frustrations will inevitably bubble up.
July 20, 2021
Ryan Wilson has always wanted to be a teacher. Teaching isn't his second career choice because he 'could not do' or because 'Teach First' came knocking. Wilson is very clear that teaching has always been what he has been aiming for. This book is full of anecdotes and reflections on his ten years teaching secondary school pupils before he decided that he couldn't take it anymore.
Nobody who knows anything about teaching in the UK will be surprised by the troubles Wilson writes about. The statistics, moving targets and report writing that seem to pervade every moment not spent in a classroom. However, Wilson seems to be able to choose exactly the correct stories from his tenure to illustrate his troubles and leave me thinking about them long after I finished his book. His pithy observations and stories make this a very readable book that is perfect for the odd moments in your day when your first instinct is to check Twitter.
Although I enjoyed this book as an insight into the teaching profession I didn't think there was a lot of information in it that was very new to me. I couldn't help comparing it with Kate Clanchy's book 'Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me' which was very divisive when being reviewed but contained more actionable information and insight into how education and society mix. Wilson has written a very palatable book by comparison, but he is helplessly beating against the waves of the system and by the end of the book it's his overwhelming sense of frustration, rather than passion and ideas for change, that I am left with.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC copy.
Nobody who knows anything about teaching in the UK will be surprised by the troubles Wilson writes about. The statistics, moving targets and report writing that seem to pervade every moment not spent in a classroom. However, Wilson seems to be able to choose exactly the correct stories from his tenure to illustrate his troubles and leave me thinking about them long after I finished his book. His pithy observations and stories make this a very readable book that is perfect for the odd moments in your day when your first instinct is to check Twitter.
Although I enjoyed this book as an insight into the teaching profession I didn't think there was a lot of information in it that was very new to me. I couldn't help comparing it with Kate Clanchy's book 'Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me' which was very divisive when being reviewed but contained more actionable information and insight into how education and society mix. Wilson has written a very palatable book by comparison, but he is helplessly beating against the waves of the system and by the end of the book it's his overwhelming sense of frustration, rather than passion and ideas for change, that I am left with.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC copy.
August 24, 2021
If you’ve ever wondered what the life of a teacher is like, then this is the perfect book for you. In this warts and all account, Wilson traces his journey from PGCE student and enthusiastic, nervous newbie taking his first class, to his transformation into the respected, mature, competent and experienced member of the teaching profession he becomes.
Parts of the book are laugh out loud hilarious, while others are tender and sensitive, and will reduce you to tears. Especially as he relates the loss of two greatly esteemed colleagues he was privileged to work with. There’s no doubt about it, teaching is tough and not for the fainthearted, as parents will have discovered while trying to homeschool their children for the first time during the pandemic.
School life throws up several conundrums and challenges to solve, turning teachers into counsellors and pastoral carers as well as educators, especially for pupils who have difficult home circumstances or are slow learners. Most of us wouldn’t envy them their job, despite the long holidays they have, which are actually anything but because of the enormous amount of preparation work they have to undertake at home.
Sadly, the author is forced to leave the profession he loves because of the intractable bureaucratic knots it’s tied up in. Teachers are at the mercy of ever-changing governmental diktats, which push them to breaking point as they try to implement the changes being asked of them, over and over again. I loved this humorous, engaging, anecdotal glimpse into teaching because it has opened my eyes to the daily challenges teachers contend with. It’s also a really great read I highly recommend.
Parts of the book are laugh out loud hilarious, while others are tender and sensitive, and will reduce you to tears. Especially as he relates the loss of two greatly esteemed colleagues he was privileged to work with. There’s no doubt about it, teaching is tough and not for the fainthearted, as parents will have discovered while trying to homeschool their children for the first time during the pandemic.
School life throws up several conundrums and challenges to solve, turning teachers into counsellors and pastoral carers as well as educators, especially for pupils who have difficult home circumstances or are slow learners. Most of us wouldn’t envy them their job, despite the long holidays they have, which are actually anything but because of the enormous amount of preparation work they have to undertake at home.
Sadly, the author is forced to leave the profession he loves because of the intractable bureaucratic knots it’s tied up in. Teachers are at the mercy of ever-changing governmental diktats, which push them to breaking point as they try to implement the changes being asked of them, over and over again. I loved this humorous, engaging, anecdotal glimpse into teaching because it has opened my eyes to the daily challenges teachers contend with. It’s also a really great read I highly recommend.
August 9, 2021
Everyone who knows, knew or lives with a teacher or who has children who are in the education system - especially at Secondary school level should read this book! What a fabulous insight into the life of a teacher and the pressure put upon teaching staff by governmental policies, procedures and red tape when the real focus should be on the children and the common sense approach to teaching that most teachers would much prefer. Ryan writes extremely well and doesn't hold back from admitting his own failings - some often extremely funny as he journeys through his first years as a secondary school teacher. Although there are many laugh-out-loud moments there are also tender and poignant issues involving much loved colleagues who suffered tragedy in their own lives. It is clear from his writing that Ryan was a dedicated teacher who loved his students and was well respected by them so it is such a shame that he, and many other teachers like him, are leaving the profession because of the impossible pressures put upon them to comply with daft 'fads' and box ticking exercises that clearly are not in the students' interests. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have a family member who teaches in a secondary school so am used to hearing about the highs and lows of the profession. My congratulations to Ryan who has a talent for making his readers laugh, cry and sympathise with all in his profession - and for teaching us all a lesson that we may not have been fully aware of. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a pre-release copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
August 14, 2021
Let That Be a Lesson is a frank, funny and extremely honest memoir about teaching in the English state school system.
Ryan Wilson always wanted to be a teacher and the book follows his journey from wide eyed graduate in his first job to Assistant Head in his last. He is an engaging writer and some of his stories of pupils and events are laugh out loud funny. It is also a very moving book as colleagues face serious illness.
The most fascinating, and horrifying, part of the book for me was its frighteningly honest look at the state system today, how Education Secretaries can make enormous changes, almost at will, which can cause huge damage, often long after they have left the post. Ryan is particularly damning in his assessment of Michael Gove. There is also much on the hideous workload and expectations of every teacher, it was very eye opening. Frankly, by the end of this I just wanted to go out and give every teacher a big hug and say thank you! I hope this book is pool side reading for every member of our current parliament this summer and gives them serious pause before they look at education funding again.
Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhouse for allowing me to review this ARC
Ryan Wilson always wanted to be a teacher and the book follows his journey from wide eyed graduate in his first job to Assistant Head in his last. He is an engaging writer and some of his stories of pupils and events are laugh out loud funny. It is also a very moving book as colleagues face serious illness.
The most fascinating, and horrifying, part of the book for me was its frighteningly honest look at the state system today, how Education Secretaries can make enormous changes, almost at will, which can cause huge damage, often long after they have left the post. Ryan is particularly damning in his assessment of Michael Gove. There is also much on the hideous workload and expectations of every teacher, it was very eye opening. Frankly, by the end of this I just wanted to go out and give every teacher a big hug and say thank you! I hope this book is pool side reading for every member of our current parliament this summer and gives them serious pause before they look at education funding again.
Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhouse for allowing me to review this ARC
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