About
One Student at a Time is a memoir of some of the unbelievable experiences I have had during my extraordinary teaching career, including some of my extraordinary "life" experiences. The purpose of this book is to take the reader with me on my forty-seven-year journey into the classroom, from inner-city New York to the Bay Area, California, and from junior high school all the way up to four-year university and everything in between. My adventures in teaching and life are a real-life roller-coaster ride of failures, successes, frustrations, and pure joy. Those who have had experienced the wonders of teaching, will be able to relate to the ups and downs and storytelling that are inherent in being a successful teacher in an inner-city school. The book is filled with compelling and captivating stories including, My first day in front of a classroom which may have you rolling on the floor in laughter and my witnessing of a classroom miracle which changes Michael, a seventh grade student, life forever (have a tissue nearby), and Jacque Dawes, the toughest kid in the school who undergoes a 180 degree transformation only to have a tragic ending. Then there's Dorothy who's own tragic past keeps her from becoming the student she is meant to be. Get ready to laugh out loud while reading the Wheel of Fortune story where I tell a lie in order to get on the TV show and go on to win three consecutive airings. There are also the heartwarming stories about Dirk and Patricia who against all odds, overcame their fears and setbacks. These stories (and others) may actually inspire you to become a teacher.