Taught by America: A Story of Struggle and Hope in Compton

This is a beginning teacher in the "Teach for America" program that starts her career in the Compton, CA area better known as the Watts area in LA. Since I have been a teacher for 36 years and live in LA, I relate to this book and her many disappointments and joys. Read it--you'll love it, especially if you are or have been a teacher.

The vulnerability expressed by the author in dealing with a situation that was WAY beyond her control was incredibly moving and inspiring. An idealist at heart, Sentilles went into Teach For America for all the right reasons, and when it became clear that TFA had no intentions of providing her with the resources she needed to succeed, she stayed and fought the system right alongside her kids. In a place where many people would have set themselves apart and focused on the differences, Sentilles relentlessly tried to bridge the gap between herself and her kids and provide them with the tools they would need to succeed in the world beyond school - love, support, compassion, humor, and kindness.

One of the many valueable components of Sentilles' experiences, and her writing, is her ability to see and, in turn, express a critical perspective while also coping with personal cultural barriers, stereotypes, admitted innocence, and privilege. Her stories reveal as much about a broken education system as they reveal about her individual struggles to understand it. It is refreshing to read a book of this genre (Teach-For-America memoir)that DOESN'T blindly champion the TFA program, but provides some much needed honest critique. In addition, I commend Sentilles for not being a self-congratulating author recounting her "knight in shining armor" experiences in the inner-city. Rather, in her book, she uses the same sensitive analytical voice for herself as much as for the TFA program, the ludicrous inequalities allowed by our national public education system, and the specific problems in Compton's schools.

Taught by America is open, honest, and a pure pleasure to read. Sarah Sentilles bears her soul in this book which offers a glimpse at what we know, what we think we know, what we need and what we think we need in terms of public education, especially in our inner cities. Her deep and profound sense of justice prevails, but is never heavy-handed. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this important book with all of us...teachers, students, parents, etc.

I grew up white and middle classed. And by middle classed I really mean rich when compared to a large number of people. I knew nothing of the bottom part of the world. My first experience at actually seeing the other side of the story was when I went to a meeting at a high school in New Jersey only a short distance from the mouth of the Holland Tunnel that lead to Manhattan and one of the richest parts of the world. Approaching the school, I was first struck by the razor wire topped chain link fences. And this was inside the building to seal off places such as the janitor's closet. How could anyone possibly get an education in such surroundings? Then in Africa I realized just how well off the school in New Jersey was. New Jersey at least had electricity and running water. And the walls of the school in New Jersey were brick and not a home to the birds and bugs of the thatch roof and woven walls. In Africa they have an excuse, the overall income of the country is so low that they are lucky to afford a teacher. I can only be very thankful that there are people like Sarah Sentilles around. I would have been scared to go into the school in Compton, and I'm not a 21 year old white girl.