Product Description

After three years of teaching at Truss, and inner-city sink school, Francis Gilbert has been offered a job in the English department at his old school, a nice suburban comprehensive. Like a prisoner out of Colditz, he feels like he's just landed a job in toytown. But, with Mr Morgan, the deaf old English teacher, still cackling, the staff room politics in tatters, alarming complaints from the parents and, worst of all, the memories of his own disturbed childhood suddenly rushing back at him, how long can Gilbert's dreamland last?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #239403 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 264 pages

Customer Reviews

Welcome to the zoo!
I really enjoyed this book. Having spent several years running the library of a state comprehensive, I can really empathise with Gilbert's feelings as he describes the difficulties teachers encounter every day. Well written and a most entertaining read.
If you liked this book, try Pets in Prospect by Malcolm D. Welshman. Not dissimilar in tone, it's set in a veterinary surgery and describes the difficulties vets encounter every day.
They're not a million miles apart!

Gilbert rides again!
This sequel to I'm a Teacher Get Me Out of Here carries straight on from where the last book left off. Francis Gilbert relates his experiences at two suburban comprehensives. After surviving Tower Hamlets he assumes he has nothing to fear. He is wrong.

Although not a teacher I am a contemporary of the author and can understand exactly where he is coming from. The world of work isn't really that different in offices - the kids are just grown up. I could recognise a lot of parallels with my own experiences, particularly in the "action plan" and "excellence" culture of the second school in the book. How those words have been misused over the last 15 years... A couple of times I found myself laughing out loud - very rare with a book (or TV or film to that matter).

It is true that Gilbert sometimes comes across as being rather full of himself (particularly in part one where things generally go well), but his genuine liking for the kids, openness about his failings, and the anti-establishment tone to his writing win the day. He doesn't give into cynicism.

Gilbert writes in a very readable journalistic style. The reason for this does become obvious towards the end of the book! However, there are a lot of typographical errors and minor grammatical mistakes which really should have been spotted by the editor, particularly in part one. This cost the book a star. Overall, though, I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoyed his first book and/or is interested in education - not just teachers.

Excellent
As a teacher, I could completely relate to Gilbert's trials and tribulations in the classroom--I thought these things only happened to me!!! Funny for teachers and probably eye-opening for parents.