Originally published in 1999, Educating Esmé is technically the diary of Esmé Raji Codell’s first year teaching in a Chicago public school. But this book is so much more than just “today we did this, the next day we did that”. Parents, teachers, anyone interested at all in our country’s educational system, you really need to read this book. Hired at 24 to help open a new schoo and to teach fifth gradel, Madame Esmé (as she preferred to be called) soon finds herself taking phone calls from her boss at all hours of the night, teaching phonics to her class by having them make an alphabet museum “for the kindergarteners”, bringing in her own reading books instead of using official textbooks, roller skates down the hall to pick up her kids from gym during a unit on inventors, teaches her students conflict resolution, makes a student teacher for the day, and has the kids do the Cha-Cha to learn double digit multiplication.

Of all the out-of-the-box things that Madame Esmé describes in the book, my favorite is how she greeted her students at the beginning of each day. I wish every elementary teacher did these three things:

• Say “Good Morning” to each child and have them say it back
• Collect “troubles” in a “Trouble Basket”-a child having any problems not related to school pantomimes dropping their troubles in a basket at the door, which lets them unburden their worries and lets the teacher see what mood each child is in
• Ask each child for a word that they don’t know how to spell, write it down and go over it privately later

I just really like that idea of giving each child that few minutes of personal attention at the beginning of the day.

I mentioned at the beginning that this book was originally published in 1999.  For this special 10th anniversary edition, the book now includes a Foreword by Katherine Paterson, author of “Bridge to Terabithia”, an Afterword by Jim Trelease, author of “The Read-Aloud Handbook”, and a new 53-page section with advice for aspiring and current elementary teachers.  Each of her 25 tips are multiple paragraphs of inside information that could have been their own book!  She also includes two new teacher shopping lists- one for supplies to request from parents, and one of supplies that will most likely be needed in the classroom.

My Mom taught elementary school for 30 years. She was that teacher that all the kids hoped to get. Her classrooms were always bright and fun and she doled out plenty of praise and affection along with her lessons. She was lucky to get jobs in buildings where the Principal recognized her talent and didn’t try to stifle her methods.  For someone who is creative, determined, and patient, teaching elementary school can bring lifelong rewards.  If you know someone who’s contemplating becoming a teacher, I highly recommend you get them this book. Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year, Expanded Edition is available on Amazon.com for a very reasonable price.