Mount Pleasant: My Journey from Creating a Billion-Dollar Company to Teaching at a Struggling Public High School

by Steve Poizner

A Silicon Valley entrepreneur takes on the challenge of a teaching in one of California's toughest high schools.

Entrepreneur Steve Poizner has run a billion dollar company, but the greatest challenge of his life was the year he spent teaching twelfth graders at San Jose's Mt. Pleasant High School. On many days, like the one when a student's boyfriend was arrested for bank robbery, his managerial and entrepreneurial skills seemed irrelevant. But on others, they helped him demonstrate how exciting it is to learn. Playing Jeopardy with the class and inviting speakers into the classroom, Poizner motivated his students by expanding their horizons far beyond their high school's walls.

Poizner writes, "Often I came to ask myself one What exactly are you doing here? As it turns out, I was receiving one hell of an education." Mt Pleasant is ultimately a success story, as Poizner wins Rookie Teacher of the Year honors and, more important, ensures that all his students graduate.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Memoir

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book superficially hits the right notes, but it lacks a lot of soul. Poizner's writing just doesn't convey what he's trying to communicate about what he learned from his experience and how it shaped him. I can't quite put my finger on it, but where the heart of this book should be, there's nothing.

[Eugenio Negro · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those books where when you click the button "I'm finished!" on Goodreads it's not because you read the book cover to cover, but you're finished putting yourself through this, and, like Daniel Day Lewis after splitting Paul Dano's skull, you can only say "I'm finished!"
An almost unreadably arrogant addition to the Stanfordian tech-to-school shit factory, Poizner's book, besides being addressed only to his rich friends, terrifies in that it has the oblivious ear of so many school administrators groping for an angelic voice with which to both silence union teachers' testimony and get ideas for other hopelessly stupid endeavors that will both ignore students' needs and make them look like educational innovators. Why is education a badge of tech of innovation now? What do Poizner and Gates get out of this? Are shitty books like this the new Carnegie Library gesture?
A book that all young teachers and those interested in teaching should read, so they know what idiotic arrogance they're up against.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It rises above your typical "celebrity" memoir/campaign book. Poizner was a Silicon Valley start-up multi-millionaire who spent a year in a tough public school in East San Jose. He tried to apply his entrepreneurial spirit to the classroom, with some success. He is not afraid to bash the system, but in a constructive way. California's educational bureaucracy is unbelievable. Local teachers and principals get very little say in what they must do.

Poizner is also a big charter school supporter. He believes that charters have a place alongside typical schools, instead of their taking the place of typical schools. The last chapter was on this topic, and it's kind of out of place with the rest of the book. However, Poizner was running for the California GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2010, which could explain it (Meg Whitman eventually snagged the nomination).

Poizner managed to connect with students and teachers without developing a messiah complex as a rich white guy riding in on his big horse to save the day. However, he has lots of good ideas that ought to be heeded.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Steve Poizner decided to teach in a high school in an underprivileged area, he was obviously learning as he went along. For me, the point is that he did get one semester of actual experience as a teacher under his belt before he went into politics. It would be great if more politicians got a look at the reality many people are dealing with.
I found it astounding that he initially spent a day talking about "vc" with the assumption that these children of immigrant parents, some not proficient in English, would know that the term "vc" meant venture capital. I would have had to ask what he was referring to, but teenagers often are too afraid of embarrassing themselves to let it be known they don't understand. He did make it a point to learn, so I give him chops for that.
The problem of improving education is not easy to solve and I think more of us need to become involved, even in a small way.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about Silicon valley billionaire/engineer/entrepreneur who is passionate about the California education system and local politics. Steve volunteers at one of California's worst schools, co teaching a Government class. He has some great ideas to introduce concepts to the class and donates a lot of time, money and resources to getting the kids the best education he can. His main focus is their writing skills or lack thereof, and their inability to craft and build convincing arguments and present their ideas. He struggles with pushing the kids too hard but finally breaks through to most of them. A great read for any teacher or educator.

[Suzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do respect what the entrepreneur Pointer did to the kids in mount pleasant. however, I wonder how ordinary people can have access to those resources as what he offered to those minority kids. yes, we admit the fact that students' potentials can be ignited after innovative and meaningful teaching;however, there is no denying that educational budgets and resources did count. how do both teachers and students survive under the circumstances of poor educational resources, heavy workload, and high expectations from parents and society? I am not sure if I get enough positive message from this book about that? is it merely a special anecdote of a special person who is born with gifts and ideals?

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected this book to be more about Steve's journey from becoming a billionaire to teaching at the struggling California school, especially since the first pages quickly combed his business side. I thought he would talk about the kids a little more and maybe even what ended up happening with them, but I guess its too soon to know. I did feel like Poizner had a good grasp on the California educational system and that his ideas could be applied all over the country. In that respect the book was good. Interesting read, but a little slow for me.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. It's a good story of someone learning and giving back to the community in the school system, but it's particularly useful for California voters to read before the primary election next month. I really appreciated the opportunity to get to know Steve Poizner, his background, his character, and his opinions and intentions.

Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/mount-pleasant...

[David Mccracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really two books. Part of it is the good-hearted Steve Poizner who wants to give back and wants to learn about his students, his ability to teach, and public education. This part is fun, well written, and engaging.

The second part is by the "entrepreneur" Steve Poizner who wants to comment on his experience teaching and draw lessons from it. This part is completely out of touch. I'm not sure who he is trying to impress, but it doesn't work.

[Cathy Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few years back Steve Poizner came to my door during one of his early political campaigns. We had a conversation and I found him quite interesting. Recently, while I was in the library I saw a best seller that Steve has authored. Great non fiction book about his experience teaching at an East San Jose High School. Extremely interesting and funny. Full of insights.

[John Jannuzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good viewpoint into the needs of our education system from one who made the effort to sacrifice and get personally involved to make it better. A big take away is that teachers and our education system can do a lot, but can't make up for the handicaps caused by broken homes and lack of parental support.

[Brian Kirby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Poizner spent quite a bit of time talking about who his was and how "shell shocked" he was when he started teaching in a underprivileged school.

I felt the story was more about him and less about his relationship with the kids.

[Ratforce]

As a fan of both biographies and books about politics and government, you may enjoy this memoir of one businessman/politician’s experience teaching high school seniors.