School and Community Fall 2023

The Teachers BY ALEXANDRA ROBBINS REVIEWED BY TODD FULLER, MSTA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS A Maryland administrator to a group of female math teachers: “Long-term subs are really hard to find so I need you to not get really sick or pregnant this year.” So begins chapter one (August) of Alexandra Robbins’ The Teachers. The book spans a year spent following Rebecca Abrams, an elementary school teacher; Penny Davis, a sixth grade math teacher; and Miguel Garcia, a middle school special education teacher. Robbins, an award-winning investigative reporter, organizes her chapters as months following her subjects as they navigate the school year, from August through June. Rebecca struggles to find balance between doing the job she is passionate about and carving out time for herself. Penny finds herself dealing with toxic staff and bullying, while Miguel fights for his students and his profession. Robbins’ focus on what these three teachers experience throughout the year would be an interesting enough topic alone. However, there is an added layer in each chapter which creates a snapshot of what the education profession is really like today. For instance, there are discussions of teacher blaming, teachers bullying other teachers, experiences that specialist teachers endure and other harsh realities that educators navigate. This includes a detailed discussion about the value of librarians and the challenges they have faced during recent years. The author could have easily used COVID as the scapegoat for many of the issues educators have faced since 2020. Instead, Robbins acknowledges what many of us know all too well. “While this book does address COVID-19’s effects on teachers, particularly in chapter four” she wrote. “I have chosen not to focus extensively on COVID because the pandemic did not cause the underlying problems in U.S. school systems – it simply exacerbated them, laying them bare for all to see – and to suggest otherwise would be a disservice to the teaching profession.” Robbins outlines her claims and evidence in the same way a debate case is constructed. She includes extensive research and quotations to reinforce valid arguments that all educators wish those outside education would consider. “Teachers may be heroes, but they shouldn’t be expected to be heroic . . .” She goes on to quote Alan Block, a University of Wisconsin education professor who states that teachers are humans, “rendered superhumanly responsible for the current and future state of the whole country.” With shoes that are unbelievably large to fill, it is no wonder we are struggling to find individuals willing to enter the teaching profession. Robbins is not afraid to tackle challenging topics that many teachers have experienced, but very few are willing to discuss. She uses a quotation from Jo Blasé,

a University of Georgia research professor emerita who calls clique hostilities and bullying among educators in schools, “the terrible, dark, dirty little secret.” Robbins highlights the problem of bullying with a statistic from the Workplace Bullying Institute that said a quarter of the calls they receive come from educators, second only to healthcare professionals. She reinforces this concern by stating, “National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research fellow Srinivas Kond found that staff who experienced at least one workplace bullying event in a school year were five times more likely to say they would probably leave the education field.” I remember seeing members who experienced bullying firsthand. 24 years ago, during my first year as a member service coordinator, most of the issues I dealt with were interpersonal communication and bullying issues between colleagues - including administrators bullying teachers. It was unnecessary and inadvertently affected the students and other teachers in the building. The December chapter resonated with me because it focuses on the importance of school librarians. In fact, the chapter’s title is, “Safe Harbor: The Most Underestimated Teacher in the Building.” Lip service is often given to the value of librarians, but rarely (if ever) has their need been articulated quite the way Robbins does in, The Teachers. She says, “School librarians provide equitable access to literature and technology in a safe, quite space to study, learn and dream both during and outside of designated library class hours.” The trends of eliminating librarian positions in school buildings (and library certification programs in colleges and universities) should be alarming to all of us, not just to those in the education field. The Teachers , is the most honest and, at times, heart wrenching book I have read about the challenges faced in the teaching profession. As is often the case with a book such as this, we may think of several parents, and community members who should read Robbins’ work. Sadly, we know that may never happen. If those outside the profession were to take the time to read, they would learn how to help their teachers, community members and neighbors succeed. They would also learn the importance of empathy when it comes to those working daily with our children. After all, student success and well-being are dependent on teachers’ success and well-being. In The Teachers , Robbins highlights the value of the teacher/ student connection, reinforcing why public schools are vital to the success of our communities and our country.

BOOK REVIEW

For a chance to win a copy of this book, email editor@msta.org with “The Teachers” in the subject line by November 15.

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