Customer Reviews

Fires in the Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from High School Students

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This book was awesome! If I had read this before my first year of teaching, I would have been a much better teacher. I'm really glad I came across it in a bookstore and bought it on a whim as I entered my second year of teaching. It's a book that I know I will read again after a bad day to connected to my students' point of view. It's also a book that I plan to share with many of my colleagues. It really hepled me see things from a kids' perspective. I think it will change my teaching for the better.

This text has a lot to offer in terms of the nuances of how kids act and think, and about how they perceive education. What is particularly troubling about this text is an introduction about how the author worked with a group of children to get a colleague fired. I suppose this is okay because she is a journalist and not a teacher? But is this really a good model of writing/documenting - if not of teaching or of educational research? Surely there is some compromise between neglecting student voices and inappropriately colluding with students to fire inexperienced or overwhelmed colleagues. (Are the fires really in the bathroom?)

This rather large issue aside, the text is quite repetitive without offering elaboration. The suggestion to have students revise their work comes up again and again without much suggestion how. Lots of teachers use revision, and there are myriad ways to approach this. This is perhaps why it's a shame the journalist author left teachers out of the equation.

Some of the excerpts from kids are so brief and unclear that it seems to also ghettoize the dialect and casual statements of what seems like a usually articulate group of children. Cushman throws around the cultural capital of New York City public schools without a lot of basis. Out of 18 children interviewed, only five are from New York - and some of these attend "small" and possibly private schools. What this book perhaps more aptly addresses is a journalist's view of suburban teaching in Rhode Island and California, where most of her interviewees are students.

Overall a somewhat disappointing read - educators: please consider a wealth of texts from actual teachers and those within legitimately urban environments like yourselves.

I was in the bookstore browsing and found this book. I've been teaching college students for over ten years, but only began teaching community college four years ago, and thus feel a bit at sea sometimes with the "high school mentality." This book contains some things that are obvious to those who have been teaching for a long time, but it's almost certain that at least one or two of the views of the kids will be helpful and will translate directly into classroom practice in a way that few books on teaching do.
The insights this book provides into what highschools are like, especially for kids in large city schools, are invaluable. I was surprised to find myself already following a piece of advice I read in the book in the classroom the next day. Definetely worth reading.

I initially read this book as a study group member. I subsequently bought 5 more copies to share with teachers. The words of wisdom from these students would benefit any first time teacher from Elementary School to High School, and would benefit any teacher who needs a reminder of what to do or not do in order to have a productive mutually respected school year!

This book ROCKS. I wish that all of my teachers would read it. High school kids are sick of being treated like second class citizens or caged animals and finally here we get some respect. Thank you Kathleen Cushman for listening to intelligent teenagers and getting their words into print.

When Mayor Bloomberg announced the cell phone ban in the schools, teachers like me were angry about it. I thought it was the stupidest idea; a sign of terrible management. If you're a good administrator, you can tell your students and/or subordinates not to use them on the grounds. Having the police department search the kids for cell phones is in my opinion, bullying.

However, cell phones are disruptive, and the "record-the-fight-and-load-it-onto-youtube" phenomena is getting out of hand. Exactly where do we draw lines?

It's unrealistic to expect teens to sit in their seats all day without a break. It's not fair to let kids go all day without fresh air. It won't ruin the child if he doesn't change for gym class or shower afterwards. But there are some exceptions that can't be made. Especially if they're not suitable for school.

The problem with "Fires in the Bathroom" is that Kushman examines the students' complaints from only one side. She only includes interviews that back up her point of view, and there's no info on the teachers and parents. What do the teachers have to say? Why do they think there can't be a student lounge? Why don't they want to treat the kids like adults? What do the parents expect to get?

Kushman interviews high school students who say they want a "student lounge" or they want to be treated like adults, but are the kids right? It's okay to want these things, but you have to step back and ask yourself if these things are appropriate for school. Why would kids need a lounge? If they're not in class, eating lunch, or having recess, then when would they sit in a "student lounge"? I've seen British schools with a "common room" for the older students, and it's always a mistake. The school day should be class, lunch, recess, and study, but not lounging around in a room and doing nothing (that's where fights usually start).

Years ago, our Principal made a huge error. She decided to have 12 kids meet with us during a professional development period and tell us what to do to improve the "relationship" between teachers and students. Here's what they said:

"Let me have headphones in my ears during class, because that helps me to learn because I'm doing something that I like." This came from a boy who refused to work regardless.

"Teachers don't want us chewing gum, but I think we should be allowed to...maybe not popping, but just having it in our mouths." This was a kid whose parents refused to speak to the teachers and NEVER showed up on parent-teacher night.

"Don't let your students come late, don't let them have headphones in their ears, and don't let them get away with stuff." This came from a student who lived in a homeless shelter, came to school on time and sober every day, and had no sympathy for kids who whined.

So why can't teachers treat kids like adults? First off, they're not adults. Secondly, teenagers don't often know how to handle freedom, which is why college students often fail. In high school you're told when to go to class, when to eat lunch, etc. But in college there's nobody telling you when to study, eat, do your homework, etc.

Maybe it's time to give kids more freedom, to prepare them for college, work, army service, etc. But will too much freedom lead to a safety problem? If we let the kids walk in and out of the building at their leisure, will drug dealers and perverts walk in and out too? if we get rid of the metal detectors (which I hate), will students bring knives and threaten each other?

Kushman could've written a great book that could've helped teachers understand the kids better. But she writes for sensationalism, not quality.

It came in great condition. The service was great. I would order again. I will tell my friends about the service.

This is a pretty insightful book. Some of the opinions of the students were a little surprising. I think it's a good book for future teachers to read, it reminds you to see things from a student's perspective.

There is some good information in this book about what kids want to know and don't want to know.

This is a great view into the adolescent mind from adolescents. A wonderful set of voices to use when reviewing your school year or preparing for the new year. A recommendation to anyone who wants to reach students through relationships as well as rigor and relevance.