"Listen, goddamnit! We can do this or we can read a f@#$ing textbook. If you want to sit around being jerks and jackasses I'll get the textbooks and we'll write a goddamn book report." -Tal Birdsey
I love teaching. I love books about teaching, I enjoy talking to and learning from competent and caring, intelligent and thoughtful teachers. I value students and education and the idea of always working towards a stronger ideal of what education should and could be.
I loathe Tal Birdsey.
It isn't that I'm confused about what makes the North Branch School that he opened up (after teaching for ten years at a $20,000 a year private school outside of Atlanta) special or innovative. The idea was that students would sort of create their own school and that feelings and community would matter. What I'm confused about is why he, or countless reviewers think, he was really that integral in the process? This book is built on the pretentious assumption that without Birdsey's endless wisdom, biting (and cruel) wit, and teaching skill, this school or concept would have been a complete failure. The truth is that anyone who really cares about children and really wants the best for them could have been in charge of this school if they had any real ambition, desire, or financial backing. In fact, it wouldn't even have to be someone who was willing to intelligently confront social issues because his common response is sarcasm and swearing - and the few times he seems like a relatable human being are short and become inappropriate soon thereafter.
I respect the idea of what Tal wanted to do - create a place where students felt safe and free to be themselves. I do not respect the fact that he wasn't willing to live up to his own expectations. Tal Birdsey is like the ornery grandfather who cares about you but treats you like an imbecile all the while. I don't believe that is necessary. I believe it's possible to guide someone without trying to make them feel inferior - and I don't believe anyone who uses mockery as a joke understands what a good joke is. There were also countless situations where he mocked the interests of students as if his stereotypical fancy pants list of hobbies and favorites (Coltrane, The Old Man and the Sea, Yeats, Wallace Stevens) were somehow superior and not formed directly from some out of touch best of the century list compiled by a pretentious arthouse fanboy.
I met with a counselor in high school who had a similar personality as Tal - he would joke around, swear, act like a know it all, and say it was all for our greater good - we were learning from him. And you know what? I didn't respect him at all. Sure, I laughed at his jokes but I always just figured that deep down he wasn't really 100% kidding about his feelings towards us - I mean if you really care about someone why would you call them a cretin, even joking, as Tal does on one of the first days of school?
I spend my days working with students that I really respect. I spend my days trying to make sure that I let them know that I respect them. And I do respect the fact that Tal created situations that helped these students grow as human beings - I just hope that whoever ends up reading this book doesn't form the mistaken impression that he created anything other than situations that they chose to grow in.
POST SCRIPT (added Monday, February 22, 2010) -
I have recently read Ender's Game, and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card. The latter being the sequel (that takes place at the same time) to the book that Tal refused to read when a student recommended it. I can only reiterate my disgust with Tal's ignorance. This book makes The Old Man and the Sea look even worse that I previously thought. I would recommend the Ender books to anyone with an imagination and a lack of pretense.
