Terrific Women Teachers

by Helen Wolfe

Overview

The most memorable teachers are often our role models, who taught by example. Terrific Women Teachers, the seventeenth installment in Second Story Press’ Women’s Hall of Fame Series, captures the lives of ten inspirational women who will energize educators and students alike. These women fought for better educational systems and believed everyone, regardless of gender or physical ability, deserved an equal opportunity to improve themselves. Each of them made a difference in the lives of their students and gave them the joy of learning. Two of the women profiled are Maria Montessori and Annie Sullivan. At the turn of the last century Montessori became the first female doctor in Italy, and after working with disabled children she founded the Montessori method of self-directed learning. Montessori schools are still popular all over the world, with more than 3,000 in the United States alone. Annie Sullivan, the “miracle worker,” is paired in her chapter with her pupil Helen Keller. Annie found the bridge for Helen and other deaf and blind individuals to communicate with the world. Other teachers profiled in this inspiring collection are Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher who lost her life in the space shuttle Challenger disaster; Onesime Dorval, a Native Metis educator; Denise Fruchter, a special education teacher with tourettes syndrome; Malalai Joya, who campaigned for girls’ education in Afghanistan; Raden Ayu Kartini, who campaigned for the education of women in Indonesia; Erin Gurswell, founder of Freedom Writers; Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, who taught art in the Terezin Ghetto during WWII; and Marva Collins, an African American teacher dedicated to improving schools in US cities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781927583340
Publisher:	Second Story Press
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Series:	The Women's Hall of Fame Series , #17
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	126
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

Helen Wolfe has been a teacher for more than thirty years. Her students have ranged from kindergarten to grade twelve. In her career, she has focused on teaching English, ESL, Special Education, and History. For more than twenty years she has been working with adults, many of whom speak English as a second language. Helen lives with her family in Toronto.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Onesime Dorval 5

Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan Macy 13

Maria Montessori 27

Raden Ayu Kartini 37

Friedl Dicker-Brandeis 47

Marva Collins 59

Christa McAuliffe 71

Denise Fruchter 81

Erin Gruwell 91

Malalai Joya 99

Sources and Resources 109

Acknowledgments 115

Photo Credits 117

Editorial Reviews

"Wolfe has written a wonderful collection of stories which capture many aspects of the teaching profession...Also provides a well-rounded look at the teaching profession through the ages in many parts of the global community...Readers will be fascinated by Wolfe's stories of courage, perseverance and dedication to the cause of education."

Resource Links

"Well-written and compelling...This is a great series that should continue to find a place in every school collection."

Canadian Children's Book News

Terrific Women Teachers is an educational book about various women teachers from all walks of life and from different eras of history. The book is inspirational, especially for young women who aspire to become educators themselves. Author Wolfe chose to write about the lives of ten women who became educators and greatly impacted the educational system and society at large. Names like Maria Montessori and Anne Sullivan will most likely be known to some who read this book. However, even seasoned educators may not have heard about other teachers mentioned in this book. The array of influence from women educators around the world is a part of what makes this book special. The blend of information and the vocabulary make this a perfect read for middle elementary and middle school students. The material presented can easily keep the attention of the reader as they read for pleasure or for research. The book contains information about the women's background, country of origin and influences from family and society that inspired each to become a teacher. More resources for further reading and research are included as well as a sign language chart. Reviewer: Laura Pastuszek

Children's Literature - Laura Pastuszek

Gr 6–8—This collection of biographical sketches includes well-known educators like Annie Sullivan Macy, Maria Montessori, and Christa McAuliffe, as well as lesser-known but equally fascinating women like Indonesia's Raden Ayu Kartini and Afghanistan's Malalai Joya. Their stories are interesting and often inspiring. Unfortunately, the writing is marred by slightly awkward language ("many students with physical disabilities can enjoy whatever activities they would like"), some inaccuracies (the life span of Kartini, from 1879 to 1904, is listed as being "more than 150 years ago" and the Holocaust is defined as the "time in history when Hitler and the Nazis were trying to conquer the world"), and confusing comparisons ("You certainly wouldn't have found any cell phones" in Marva Collins's orderly Westside Prep in the 1970s). Nevertheless, this is a fun collection of portraits of women who generally don't receive as much biographical attention as they should. Each chapter contains at least one black-and-white photograph of its subject and several sidebars explaining details like ADHD and Tourette's syndrome, or Nazi deporation.—Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM

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