Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy?

by Frank Stepnowski

This book belongs on the desk of every teacher in America! A refreshingly honest look inside the teaching profession, Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy? is a captivating collection of hilarious stories and unreserved observations from one man's odyssey in the classroom. With equal parts humanity, insanity, and profanity, Frank Stepnowski, a twenty year veteran of the academic wars, offers unique insight into a world everybody knows about but very few understand. "Step" as he was re-christened by his students, pulls no punches in the classroom, and takes no prisoners in his writing debut. The title, which comes from a line that the author heard many times throughout his career, is both a confession and a confirmation. "I wanted a book," he explains, "that would make people laugh out loud but also open their eyes to just how insane the teaching profession can get. With that in mind, the book is a riotous success, providing searing insight into the classroom and giving an iconoclastic voice to a profession that often goes unheard. Why Are All the Good teachers Crazy? is a wake up call for some, a rallying cry for others, and an invitation to laugh and learn for everyone. Based on actual events, the vivid imagery, colorful characters, and incendiary dialogue of this nuclear powered novel will take readers on a roller coaster ride that they will be talking about long after the ride is over.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, School

380 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2009

Reviews

[Jill Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Throughout this book, I wanted to get out my own red pen to correct all the spelling and grammatical errors I stumbled upon throughout the ENTIRE book! You teach ENGLISH and published a book with that many errors?!?!

I found pages 1-300 obnoxious. "Step" (as he refers to himself) is extremely arrogant. His tactics with handling kids would get any teacher fired (physical altercations, racial slurs, encouraging students to "discipline" each other, etc.). The fact that he buddied up to the principal is the only way he survived. He CLAIMS his students were academically successful, but he didn't tell stories about how he got them there. Just stories of poop, bullies, etc.

Pages 301-End, I thought "Step" redeemed and humbled himself a bit. He gave advice with the same humor, but without having to toot his own horn every 2 seconds as he did in the first 300 pages. If the entire book had been written this way, I would have found it much less obnoxious, and may have scored it more than 3/5 stars.

[Maryann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had great potential, but it's not living up to it. How's that for a teacher attitude? Seriously, I enjoyed some of the stories, but I was constantly distracted by the grammatical errors of an English teacher who frequently confuses you're and your. And don't get me started on the typos, which include people "waking" down a hall. If this book had been properly edited, I wouldn't have had to put it down so frequently for the same reason as I tend to only read 2 student papers in a row. The ideas are there, but the execution isn't. It's exhausting to want to correct all of the errors.

[Ed · Rating 1 out of 5]

My wife bought this for me as a gift at the end of my 25th year of teaching. I read as much as I could of this. The author is a disgrace to education. He is proud of physically attacking his students. He is proud of psychologically attacking his students. He is proud of making fun of his students’ physical and mental shortcomings. And, he is guilty of recycling old jokes in the form of “anecdotes”. This man is a disgrace to the profession. His novel is a call for help. And, it highlights the educational system in his Commonwealth that allows him to continue teaching.

Do not waste your time with this novel, unless you want to learn how not to teach.

Don’t get me started on the horrible editing of this book as well along with misspelled words, poor grammar, ...

[Rebecca Strange · Rating 2 out of 5]

You’d think a proud English teacher would at least hire a copywriter to look over his self-published manuscript, but based on the homonym errors and general grammatical mistakes, Step couldn’t be bothered to even read over his own work.

Between the self-aggrandizement, the swagger, and the sloppy writing, this book was completely insufferable. It’s also hard to tell who the intended audience was. There weren’t a lot of actionable tips for young teachers. There were, however, weird footnotes about alliteration and asyndeton that made me roll my eyes and say “Yeah, I also went to 8th grade.”

In all, a mildly amusing disappointments a book.

[Catie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for an education-based book club, and this was not my first pick after reading the reviews. But, honestly, it was not that bad. There were lots of funny stories, and I think the author's students loved him.
There were many things I did not agree with, but I am not a high school English teacher at an alternative school in the 90s onward, I am a pre-teacher who plans on teaching kindergarten in the 2020s.
I would recommend it to a friend who enjoys funny books (with an element go teacher advice).

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom taught special ed in eastern PA for many years, but this book is the complete opposite of the stories she would bring home. Stepnowski, or 'Step', as his students, colleagues, and readers know him as, teaches a bit unconventionally, but his students are themselves unconventional. Rather than teaching to the test, as my mom's school forced the teachers to, Step teaches whatever he feels can engage the current crop of teenage students in his class, shying away from very few topics (the exclusions being anything that insults the memory of his deceased son and anything that belittles the mentally retarded). Otherwise, it's fair game, so there are anecdotes of the day Step's class colored diagrams of the female genital anatomy, various race/gang related incidents, and the classroom session where Step, who wasn't trained as a special ed teacher, had the class engage in a group discussion about exactly what the diagnoses/afflictions in each kid's permanent record mean. That discussion both educated Step in terms of what he was dealing with, from the mouths of the people living with these conditions, and got it out in the open so that the students couldn't pick on each other because of that, since they all had 'something' that got them placed at the school. Plus, Step picked out a couple that sounded like him, such as OCD to keep his classroom spotless, even though he was not formally told he had any of them, which allowed the students to feel more comfortable that he was simply an adult who had things that make him different too.
Step is an English teacher, which makes his writing flow well and he includes many examples of the grammar lessons he teaches but finds that adults tend to forget as soon as school is over. The writing is also very informal, full of the colorful language that is commonplace in an urban classroom of delinquent youth, but not something worth getting worked up over, considering all of the other issues Step has to deal with. While Step calls the book a work of fiction, it is clear that 100% of the book was drawn from his experiences teaching special ed, and he fictionalized just enough to conceal the true identities of the people involved.
Overall, a book I enjoyed very much, and in an era of No Child Left Behind and Common Core, I can't help but wonder if there were more teachers like Step out there how many of the underachievers would suddenly have the motivation needed to live up to their potential. My mom is the one who recommended this book to me, perhaps based on a wish to be able to bring Step's methods into her classroom, but being stifled by the administration at her school.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So let me start off by saying that I'm not one of the biggest reading fanatics like I know that a lot of people are. Going through high school, that's the last thing you want to do right? Hearing in the halls that one of the English teacher's (Mr. Frank Stepnowski) was publishing a book, I had to see if this was true. Finding out that it was, I waited and anticipated it coming out. I borrowed my friend's copy since she had gotten it before I did and let me just say I couldn't put it down no matter how hard I truly tried. It was one of the best books I had ever written. Well written, kept the attention of the reader, made me laugh, and so many other emotions and I loved every page. This was the type of book I had been waiting for. It isn't just a book, it's a life story from the author himself. He takes you into his world and the more you read, the more you feel as if you're by his side every step he takes. The book is all around enjoyable and definitely one book that will remain in my top 5 to read continuously. So if you're looking for a book that doesn't involve supernatural creatures, done reading all the books by Stephen King, or just need a good laugh? Then this book is DEFINITELY for you.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work with the author, but let me tell you...this book is funny as hell. Yes, he printed it quickly, so it has its fair share of typos. Yes, it is not for the timid - plenty of foul language. However, as my boyfriend said when he borrowed my copy, "You'll piss your pants on every page." It is rare for me to laugh out loud at a book, but this one had me rolling! Step is hilarious - but underneath it, it is clear how much he cares about his students. Step makes it clear that, if you are lucky enough to be in his class, you WILL learn something, and you WILL get an education. I can't recommend this book enough!

[Isabel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sure the guy was a great teacher, but I can't feel respect toward an English teacher who doesn't know the difference between "you're" and "your." Even if you are on a rush, you just can't publish a book with such mistakes. I feel that it was a little bit disorganized. It is also difficult to relate to as a teacher if you don't work with the same demographic of students as he did. Other than that, it had some funny stories.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it, so I lack the objectivity to give this literary disasterpiece a proper review; however, THOUSANDS of readers have told me they loved it (over three years in the top 10 under "teachers" on Amazon.com) so I'll take their words for it!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having worked with some challenging students in the same city as Step, I can totally relate and even felt better about my own experiences. They weren't that bad after all. Get over the typos and ENJOU!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably should have read the description more carefully. This guy taught in an alternative school. It was interesting, but I couldn't relate. The residential program I taught at was calm and well-managed.

[Ashley Grumblatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable look inside the mind of a teacher, a teacher who spent much of his career teaching teens with special needs. Many of his stories are hilarious and will have you laughing out loud, almost all of them will make you want to call all of your former teachers and give them a hearty thanks.

[Peggy Best · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don.t buy

This book which is supposed to be funny. Isn't unless you have a warped sense of humor ., I don't allow the language used in the book in my home so why would I want to read it .

[Midwaythrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly have not read the book yet, but wanted to tell people that Step was one of my teachers. He is an awesome man and great teacher.

when i read it i will review it.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing account of what it is like to teach students with emotional disabilities. Unfortunately, it is riddled with typos.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious. I loved it.

[Megan aka Meggs Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud the entire time I was reading this book. It's a great read if you are a teacher or want to have simpathy for a teacher.

[Kathy Normandeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an honest look at what teaching in today's classrooms with today's students is really like. It's a reality check for most people! I recommend it to everyone!

[Mallory · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars