Education Book Reviews

Intrator, Sam. M. (2004) Tuned In and Fired Up: How Teaching Can Inspire Real Learning in the Classroom. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

This is another of Sam M. Intrator’s books that seem centered on the Chicken Soup for the Soul type of feel good messages for teachers. In Tuned In and Fired Up, Intrator spends about 170 pages discussing his insights on observing one high school teacher he calls, Mr. Quinn, which is a pseudonym for a San Francisco educator. It is a book built around a year’s worth of observations done in one highly capable and bright teacher’s high school literature class. To add depth to this Intrator has cited rather dated research that goes back to the 1960’s, with most citations over seven-years-old.

The usable results of Intrator’s findings are general in nature, drawn from the observations he makes of Mr. Quinn’s class. The result is a book that is hard pressed to do much but pay homage to Mr. Quinn’s admired teaching style. I think every literature teacher in the nation would welcome a book written by Mr. Quinn that would reveal in depth the pacing, rationale, and selections he makes to fire up his students.

Overall, there is little in this book that reveals anything startling to the experienced teacher. Typical of Intrator’s insights is that learning requires emotional investment to get the attention of the students.“When students tuned in and connected, they became dynamic, awake and vital” (p. 131). Other advice from his observations of Mr. Quinn and his 32 students are that teachers should embrace their role as performer, give their classroom character, tap into the students senses, manipulate time, pacing and rhythm, plan novelty and surprises, acknowledge that some things are boring, and use the Socratic method. In each of the “case studies” Intrator tries to define the connection between what Quinn is offering and the students’ reaction to that message. Always, it seems, for the better.

Intrator has a few lists in the back of the book that take his observations and turn them into rules for success. These are interesting and include loving literature, avoid grading stress and taking a “mental health” day off, and offering a variety of assignments to harvest student interest. But the lists lack insights as to how these rules are accomplished with national and state standards, NCLB requirements, and the fact that accrued “sick days” can be added to your retirement income.

Journalists would call this book a “puff piece” as the main theme is positive in nature without the writer seeking a more detached, objective view. I doubt Intrator intended it as anything but a what he calls “Inspired Learning.” The question an educator on a finite budget must ask is what would be gained by buying this book, since there is no mention of pre or post testing results to prove that “inspired moments” actually improve student learning, or how Tuned In and Fired Up methods work with students who have problems reading. The book does not even offer some current bibliographical citations. The main reason to purchase this book would be recreational. Intrator alludes to this near the end of the book when he surmises, “I believe the story told here will share common features with your school, your students, and you. I hope you enjoyed the journey” (p. 156).

It is no surprise the back cover blurbs from reviewers reflect more on the writing style and passion of the prose than being a guide for teachers. One such analysis sums it up best when Marianne Novak Houston writes, “If you seek faith and hope I invite you to spend a day here with Mr. Quinn, a master teacher, and Sam Intrator, a master writer.” If this is what you want, only $23 separates you from that day. For someone seeking more structured insights, this book is best left as an opportunity cost until Mr. Quinn writes his "how I do it" tome.

Other works by Intrator
Stories of the courage to teach : honoring the teacher's heart. (2002). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Teaching with fire: poetry that sustains the courage to teach. (2003). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

References

Canfield, J. & Hansen, M. V. (1993). Chicken soup for the soul: 101 stories to open the heart & rekindle the spirit. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications.

Pages: 170     Price: $23.00(hardcover) $15.00(paper)     ISBN: 0300100221(hardcover) 0300107668(paper)

Review by Alan Haskvitz, National Teachers Hall of Fame, Reader’s Digest Hero in Education, NCSS National Teacher of the Year

  • Education Book Reviews Introduction Page
    		•
  • Education Review/brief reviews
  • Authors Page
    		•
  • Titles Page
    		•
  • Subjects Page
    		•
  • Publishers Page
    		•

    Michigan State University Libraries
    Page editor: Kate Corby

    MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution