Memoir of a Retired Teacher

In "Memoir of a Retired Teacher, " author Edes Solina shares her concern that there is a real problem in education today: American children are performing at levels significantly below the skill levels of many countries in mathematics and science exams. College instructors are asking why such a large number of high school graduates are not prepared for college work in these and other subject areas. The United States has the best quality of college or higher education in the whole world, but the quality of education in high school is below acceptable levels for college entrance. She believes the root cause of the substandard performance of American students is the serious disruption caused by discipline problems taking place in the classroom today. Teachers need help in finding positive methods for turning the tide before it's too late. She believes that the schools need to allow the teachers to focus every minute of the class period on teaching and learning activities without the constant disruption from the rampant discipline problems plaguing their classrooms. "Memoir of a Retired Teacher" is Solina's life story in three parts: in the first part, she looks back on the final days of her teaching career; in the second part she remembers her teaching experiences; and in the final part she recounts her life's journey.