Chris Crutcher is my hero!

I am sitting out a coffee shop and just finished Angry Management. The guy that is a complete stranger to me, asked, "You juts finished the book?" I replied, "yes." He comments, "You look completely satisfied."

I am blown away by this book, there is so much that is packed into this book. I am not sure how to articulate what I am feeling about this book, or how the power of this book will change my way of looking at bigotry, hatred, and especially teaching in our society.

I am not sure that I have a favorite story about of the three different accounts of anger. All three of them make my heart throb and make me want to cry out to these characters. The story about Angus and Sarah made me cry. The story about Marcus and Matt made me angry and frustrated. Montana and Trey's story made me question the material that I will have my students read and write in my classes, and the purpose behind these topics. I can't get over how much is packed into this 250 pages. I don't think that I have felt so many different emotions from one book.

I am glad that in all instances, that these students have caring and supportive teachers to help give them support when their lives around them are falling to pieces. This is a good book for teachers to reflect on, because being a teacher is about so much more than assigning work and grading it. Claudia Swisher says that you (teachers) must trust their students to do the right thing. She would also add that it is about the relationships that the teacher forms with the students that is key to success in the classroom.

An idea that I got from reading this book is to pair this book with a classical text, such as To Kill A Mocking Bird, or Farinheit 451. Something that I noticed, was that this book and The Absoutely True Diary of the Part- Time Indian happen in the same area of the United States. The characters are similar and go through similar phases. I wonder what Chris Crutcher would say about Junior and I. wonder what Sherman Alexi would say about Angus, Sarah, Montana, Trey, Matt, or Marcus. Also, what would Ray Bradbury say about Montana and Trey's story about censorship? Ahhh...so much goodness!!!! I might introduce a unit on any number of issues or themes using these smaller stories to grab my students attention. I get so excited thinking about the types of conversations that my students and I could have about these issues. I want to know what their initial reactions are, especially since this book was written 2009.

I am going to e-mail Chris Crutcher and tell him that I am amazed at his talent!

Here are some of the items that I underlined for one reason or another.

"I didn't write it for a grade. I can get an A anytime. I wrote it to be published" (Montana, 86). I want my students to have this passion for writing.

"Maxwell West has never figured out that the best, fastest way to create his worst nightmare is to identify it" (106). Most parents don't get this.

"You have to wonder how some people get their license to educate"( Mr. S, 177).

"He was a believer in No Child Left Behind, and I was a believe that no child was being left behind because no one was going anywhere. We were testing kids into comas. Higher-level education was out the window in favor of teaching to the test" (Mr. S, 178). YES!! I am glad that someone has said this in a public fashion! Way to go Chris!!

"Whew! This Christian has some nuts" (Mr. S, 183). Haha!

"Some people just don't get it about Jesus...Everybody's equal in the eyes of God. End of story" (Matt Miller, 197. Soooo true!

"It's my destiny. The first black Rhodes scholar to swim the English Channel. I am going to be so famous " (Marcus James 199). What a great writing prompt: Marcus James said that it was his destiny to do this. (read excerpt) What is your destiny? What are you going to be famous for?

"We have a short conversation in which we discuss whether or not being homosexual is a choice. Funny this, not one of them can tell me when they made the choice to be heterosexual" (Matt Miller, 208). Good argument!