Author:  Jacquie McTaggart
ISBN: 1-59113-408-0

The following review was contributed by: Jim  Curtiss. To view more of Jim's reviews click here


Being in the classroom for over forty years can teach you things. Thus,
when Jacquie McTaggart brings this much experience to her book titled
From the Teacher's Desk, one is well-advised to listen. (Or be sent to
the Principal's office. The choice is yours.)

Fundamentally the personal and professional memoirs of a retired
first-grade teacher, From the Teacher's Desk addresses a variety of
educational issues with a strong will and sensibility that the reader
can well picture McTaggart having exhibited during her primary school
teaching career in Iowa.

Direct, authoritative and easy to read, From the Teacher's Desk takes
the reader from the beginning gaffes of a rookie teacher to a veteran
teacher's painful decision to retire, and beyond. Along the course of
her narrative, McTaggart adds opinions and tips for parents that strike
the reader as extremely useful while at the same time being very simple
to implement. For example, there's her advice about going through,
together with the child, a primary student's school bag every night.
This small ritual, she says, will provide the parent with more
information than the child is ever likely to about progress in school,
behavior issues, eating habits, etc.

On page 5, McTaggart writes about her career: "During that time the
curriculum changed. Theories evolved. Innovations were introduced that
were guaranteed to enhance the learning process. May were subsequently
discarded. Old terminology was eliminated. New "buzzwords" were formed.
Some old challenges disappeared, and new ones surfaced. Classes became
smaller. Respect for the teacher diminished. School spending increased.
Women joined the workforce in droves. Men took on moonlighting jobs.
Divorce rates mushroomed. Single parenting became common. Immigration
burgeoned. Programs were introduced to combat drugs, alcohol and
violence. Technological advancements irrevocably changed the course of
education."

All of these issues affected or continue to affect education, and one of
the most interesting aspects about From the Teacher's Desk is how it
shows the reader how these fundamental changes impact the American
school system.

Nonetheless, an occasional dissonant chord is struck, such as when, on
page 117, McTaggart claims that, "American students have a knowledge
base that is broader and deeper than students from other countries, but
they do not have as much detailed knowledge of specific academic
subjects." At best, this assertion is untestable, and at worst it
reflects a sense of elevated pride that detracts from its credibility.
In fact, the above quote appears in one of the few chapters where the
reader feels McTaggart didn't do all of her homework. Fortunately, the
majority of the book's facts support the opinions that the author
presents, and because of that the reader is apt to forgive the
relatively few missteps.

Overall, From the Teacher's Desk is an enjoyable read, one filled with a
great deal of practical wisdom gathered together to help today's parents
help their children navigate the rocky shoals of learning.

Thus, even in retirement, McTaggart continues to honor the inscription
she placed in the reviewer's book: "Education," she wrote, "is a
treasure that cannot be lost."