As a teacher, I can always relate to books about teaching! This made me laugh in parts, I related to much of it and I really enjoyed it. Like a busman’s holiday, once a teacher always a teacher!

I have read a lot of books about teaching over the years. The comedic ones, the emotional ones - and this sits somewhere in the middle.
I liked reading this - but i found that it didn't keep my attention the more it went on.
I felt like Pointon was just jumping on the bandwagon of other teacher memoirs without a lot to write about.

it was OK - but there are better books out there on this topic!

George Pointon is toying the idea of becoming a teacher so he gets a position as a TA (teaching assistant) with a class of five year olds. The book follows his progress through the school year. He writes with honesty & humour & does a great job of exposing just how difficult the lockdowns during Covid were on both staff & pupils. ( I retired in 2019 after many yeas of primary teaching & was very grateful to have missed that!) I loved the way he connected with the pupils & showed us a world most of us have forgotten. I had never heard of George Pointon before I read this but I do hope he did go into primary teaching. It is an area that badly need empathetic men as role models for the many children who have no males to look up to. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I loved it!

Hey, I do not follow Pointon anywhere and picked this book up solely based on its blurb.
A primary school TA writing about their time as a TA in a school in London, during the high points of the pandemic (honestly, was there even a calmer point?), the challenges of the children and being a teacher and his life during this time - sounds good? It IS good! I came to this book with full neutrality and expectations and was pleasantly surprised at Pointon’s humour and observations. He delivers these with an entry for each day in his year as a TA (299 + a separate chapter on the summer holidays).

The opening is potent and funny and sets the tone and mood so well.
Pointon’s choice of using …. (I’ll let this be a suprise for you) as aliases is hilarious.
The pupils are my favourite characters (it is a non-fiction memoir) in this book, followed by Pointon and the class teacher sharing the second place.

Some entries are more engaging, insightful or funnier than the others. Pointon also offers honest and meaningful commentary on education, teachers, politics, life etc. His approach is raw, witty and modest. I think had this book been more even in its narrative and mostly about the school life, I would have found it perfect. It is still close enough to perfection and I hope it will gain the appreciation and recognition it deserves. When Pointon talked about the school, his ‘insecurities’ and the pupils, I was in a state of flow - laughing out loud, letting out ‘aw’s and sending virtual hugs to the pupils and their educators.

I hope you keep writing, Mr Pointon. You’ve got this.

Thank you #netgalley for the eARC in exchange of my unbiased review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I have followed Pointon on X / Twitter for years so was pleased my request for this ARC was granted. This was an enjoyable read which I blitzed through in one sitting. I enjoy this genre of book, although very few seem to be being released compared to a few years ago. The book was insightful and entertaining, with heartfelt moments. Although the COVID timeline seemed off in parts, it was an interesting look at primary education against the backdrop of the pandemic.

I was interested in reading this book as a i would in education and in my opinion it’s an honest reflection of school life.
i liked the humour and the honesty and it still amazes me how a child’s mind works and some of the things they come out with.
An easy read

Thank you to NetGalley and 4th Estate and William Collins for this ARC.

George Pointon is or at least was in this book a young primary teacher for Year 1. This is probably why he explains everything clearly, including the British school system, which I, as a non-native, was grateful for. Year 1 is five to six year olds ("it's important to remember that some of them are six").

Here he talks about his first year as a Teaching Assistant (TA) at a run-down primary school in London. What makes this doubly interesting is that it was the lockdown year 2020-21, and the kids had to be taught remotely for a while, which was a challenge as not all the children had access to online learning tools and the government did nothing much to help.

I've been following George Pointon on Twitter for quite a while now. I love his pupils. He asks them questions and they give the most adorable answers which he has shared on Twitter together with his good-natured commentary. I would have liked more of that in the book actually.

When Ravi was first mentioned I cheered - he's my absolute favourite, a ray of sunshine and kindness and "a charismatic superstar". Obviously there are also the more challenging children, the ones with a home life that's not up to scratch or are underprivileged in many ways, but even they are described with love.

I don't know whether the kids' names are real but he has given his colleagues drinks aliases, so we get a Mrs Tea, a Mrs Milk and a Mrs Smoothie, with a late addition of a Mrs Chardonnay. He is always full of praise for his mostly female colleagues.

"Mrs Smoothie would make an excellent politician if she didn’t have empathy."

It shines through how much he loves working with children and always treats them with respect and the individuality they deserve. He is so engaging and never says a bad word about his pupils, even the challenging ones. He finds kids fun and wise - "these imaginative, fun and joyful young people."

I am sure he would be a great Dad too and it was sad to read about his heartbreak (trigger warning for some who only expect funny bonmots from school life).

He keeps his ire for politicians like "the ham-faced mop of hair that we called a prime minister".

We need more teachers like him but he is honest about the challenges teachers face from underfunding and overwork, and that many teachers go to look for less stressful and better paid jobs after a while.

My own family is full of teachers (both my parents were) but I don't think I could have ever done it myself, and I am full of admiration for those who can.

This is a fantastic and mostly funny read celebrating young children and their minds. Heartily recommended and might be a nice present for any teacher in your life.

We should all follow him on Twitter. At the moment he's doing "one challenge a day for 29 days" against child poverty, obviously chosen by his pupils: @GeorgePointon_

What a great read, I have followed George Pointon on twitter and he has lightened dark days and kept me amused, and so too did his book. He has such a positive view of life and his perception and understanding of the minds of small children is unique. Above all, he is very witty, like a modern day Joyce Grenfell . Please send a copy to Bridget Phillipson, the new education minister. This is a perfect Christmas present for anyone who has been through school and can remember that very special teacher.