Review
Susan Ohanian (a veteran teacher and author AKA Ms. Class) has very few sacred cows. Her book, which is a collection of Dear Abby-style questions and answers about education, takes potshots at teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, publishers, and just about anyone with a connection to education. Consequently, readers will agree with her some of the time and disagree with her at others. Yet, readers also will know where Ms. Class stands on each issue and why she has chosen that position. More importantly, Ms. Class' deep concern for students is evident throughout the book, which makes it easier to digest the fault-finding about your own sacred cows. -- Middle Ground, Winter 1996
About the Author
Ms. Class is the voice of Susan Ohanian, whose comments about education have been published in 10 previous books and some 300 articles. Ask Ms. Class grew out of Susan's experiences in twenty-plus years of teaching, a career that gave her a matchless view of the fads, bandwagons, inspiration, and achievement that pass through our classrooms. In her writing she has consistently come down on the side of teachers. Responding to a question from Brenda Power in the introduction to Ask Ms. Class, Susan says, "Ms. Class and I hope readers will take from this book a renewed recognition that teaching is a craft surrounded by ambiguity, not certainty. Too many people comment on education as if they knew how we should proceed. Ms. Class and I believe we must take teaching one day at a time. And pray for luck."
