Let That Be a Lesson
'A frank, funny and long overdue ode to teachers and teaching' Adam Kay
Published on 19. August 2021
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-78474-401-4 (ISBN)
Description
'A frank, funny and long overdue ode to teachers and teaching' Adam Kay
'Hilarious, inspiring and so terrifyingly true' Lucy Kellaway
The malodorous horrors of Sports Day.
Bracing yourself for Parents' Evening.
Refereeing teenage relationship dramas.
This is not what you see in the adverts.
From the age of eight, Ryan Wilson dreamt of being a teacher. This is the inside story of his time at the chalkface, from fresh-faced trainee with grand ideals to exhausted assistant head battling ever-changing government demands. It is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. From Sean, the wannabe gangster with a soft heart, to David, the king of innuendo, and terrifyingly clever Amelia. And, above all, it's about the lessons they taught him: how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
'A delightfully frank and funny book -- with a very serious message' Jacqueline Wilson
'Not just funny and constantly surprising -- but touching, poignant and personal too' Jeremy Vine
'A hilarious love letter to teaching - and to teenagers. It throws open the doors to the staff room and our ears to the gossip inside' Christie Watson
'A genuinely joyful book and a celebration of teaching' Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders
'Hilarious, inspiring and so terrifyingly true' Lucy Kellaway
The malodorous horrors of Sports Day.
Bracing yourself for Parents' Evening.
Refereeing teenage relationship dramas.
This is not what you see in the adverts.
From the age of eight, Ryan Wilson dreamt of being a teacher. This is the inside story of his time at the chalkface, from fresh-faced trainee with grand ideals to exhausted assistant head battling ever-changing government demands. It is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. From Sean, the wannabe gangster with a soft heart, to David, the king of innuendo, and terrifyingly clever Amelia. And, above all, it's about the lessons they taught him: how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.
'A delightfully frank and funny book -- with a very serious message' Jacqueline Wilson
'Not just funny and constantly surprising -- but touching, poignant and personal too' Jeremy Vine
'A hilarious love letter to teaching - and to teenagers. It throws open the doors to the staff room and our ears to the gossip inside' Christie Watson
'A genuinely joyful book and a celebration of teaching' Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders
Reviews / Votes
Not just funny and constantly surprising - but touching, poignant and personal too -- Jeremy Vine A book spoken from the heart, the heart of a born teacher. In turns, honest, self-deprecating, enlightening, moving, and funny... This is a powerful and important book. -- Michael Morpurgo Brilliant... It's funny, it's profound and it's a cautionary tale -- Alastair Stewart Very funny * Independent * Laugh out loud funny - every teacher who reads it will cringe with empathy -- Laura McInerney This entertaining memoir of 10 eventful years at the chalkface further illuminates the debt of gratitude we owe teachers * The Bookseller * A genuinely joyful book and a celebration of teaching -- Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School & College Leaders A frank, funny and long overdue ode to teachers and teaching -- Adam Kay A delightfully frank and funny book - with a very serious message -- Jacqueline Wilson An ode to teaching: hilarious, inspiring and so terrifyingly true -- Lucy Kellaway Funny, sensitive and clever -- Victoria Derbyshire A hilarious love letter to teaching - and to teenagers. It throws open the doors to the staff room and our ears to the gossip inside. As someone who was a nightmare as a teen, it made me think of the teachers who championed me, regardless, and the influence they had on my adult life. A timely celebration of the importance of teachers -- Christie Watson If you want to know what the world of schools and classrooms is really like, this is your book. An unputdownable account of Ryan Wilson's teaching years that describes the absolute reality of teaching in UK schools including the good parts, the bad and all that is ugly. I was captivated by Wilson's honesty and vulnerability and loved reading and exploring every minute of this familiar world -- Andria Zafirakou, 2018 Global Teacher Prize winner Ryan Wilson passes with flying colours and earns an A-grade for his debut book... If anyone has read Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt... Ryan's terrific tome strikes a similar funny, feel-good and frank tone -- Thomas Stichbury * attitude * A pleasant and heartfelt account of one man's brief journey into and out of education... unquestionably funny... poignant and very personal -- Emma Williams * Schools Week *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
407 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78474-401-4 (9781784744014)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Ryan Wilson was born and grew up in Northern Ireland where knew from an early age that he wanted to be a teacher. Straight out of university, he did a PGCE at the age of twenty-one and, after his training, spent five years teaching in a comprehensive school in Essex before leaving for a Head of Department job in London. He loved every aspect of teaching - the planning, the kids, the colleagues, the material, even the marking - but after a decade of budget cuts, hyper-accountability and unsupportive governments Ryan eventually left teaching to go back to university and now works as a radio producer and reporter. He has written about education for the Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement, including taking on the mantle of the Guardian's Secret Teacher.