The Journey of One Determined Educator by Dr. Michael Copeland
This review first appeared on Reader Views. Read the Reader Views version here.
Dr. Michael Copeland has an incredible story. From struggling his way through high school all the while feeling inadequate compared to his siblings and parents, he ends up being a mentor to not just youth, but to future mentors of youth. The Journey of One Determined Educator shares this intellectual journey with readers as well as Dr. Copeland’s deepening understanding of the educational system and philosophy itself.
As someone who initially also struggled in school and had an impressively smart sibling, I found Dr. Copeland’s journey immensely relatable. However, it should be emphasized that Dr. Copeland deftly identifies additional struggles he and those he worked with encountered such as lack of creativity in curricula, poverty, and racism (especially racism inherent in the typical curricula). He delves into these issues through his own story as well as those of students he worked with.
The Journey of One Determined Educator is crafted to be fast-paced and conversational in nature. It feels as though one is having a dialogue with Dr. Copeland who is imparting the wisdom he gained through his journey from student to camp counselor to more formal educator. This allows readers to gain skillful insight into how the education system currently works and how it could be improved upon. While some moments of further exploration into the stories Dr. Copeland was sharing would have been welcome, the pace allows readers to move smoothly through the narrative.
Dr. Copeland also celebrates what educators gain from students, while most narratives would focus on the opposite. This is refreshing to read and quickly endears Dr. Copeland even more to readers. This is not to say that he does not explore what he passed along to those he mentored, only that he provided a welcome balance.
Throughout The Journey of One Determined Educator, there are images used to enhance the ideas that Dr. Copeland is presenting or grappling with. However, the book could have benefited from these being a bit more integrated into the text so as not to stop the flow of the narrative. Additionally, while the cover is quite striking, it does not inherently suggest that the book covers an inspiring look into education.
While moving at a quick clip, Dr. Copeland manages to impart a great deal of intellectual, creative, and educational wisdom. Although some imagery could be improved upon, The Journey of One Determined Educator is a stimulating read.
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