The sixth book that I’ve finished reading this year is Rafe Esquith’s “There Are No Shortcuts”. Thanks G?for lending it to me. Filled with witty anecdotes that reveal often overlooked circumstances in the US public education system, this book provides an entertaining account of a teacher’s ups and downs, as well as some heartfelt advice for teachers at the beginning of their career.

Just a few chapters into the book, I was already filled with great admiration for Rafe’s determination to see through his selfless mission. A teacher with high expectations and insane work ethics, Rafe has burnt himself out several times, not only physically and mentally, but also financially, to achieve the best he could for his students. He is willing to give up his comfortable position at a well-off middle-class school in exchange for the wild experience he encounters at the Jungle, where students mostly come from disadvantaged families and English is not their native language; he wants to provide opportunities to students who really need his help, rather than just being the icing on the cake. It is a tough journey with various obstacles, not so much stemming from the students’ family background but absurdly more so from the school’s and government’s administrative system, but Rafe tackles them the best he can as he learns from his terrible experiences and grows to become stronger. There’s just so much to learn from him; not only from his teaching, but also from his character.

One thing that I greatly agree with Rafe is his opinion that “reading is the most important subject in school”. When a child develops an obsession with reading, he/she starts to unlock the ability of independent learning and embarks on a journey in search of knowledge. The ability to read critically is ever so important in modern society and will continue to be important in the future. However, developing a skill takes repeated efforts, which may be a mundane and arduous process, putting off many people. Nonetheless, as Rafe summarises, “there are no shortcuts”; you have to accumulate step by step to reach your final goal. Only those who persist through the hardships come closer to their aspirations. In this sense, a person’s innate intelligence may not be the deciding factor of his/her prospects of success; instead, it is the discipline, hard work, perseverance and the generosity of spirit that better contribute to his/her future achievements. Therefore, educating children to adopt such positive character traits is rather crucial, and this is only feasible if these children are exposed to others (mainly adults) who embody such traits.

Rafe’s personal developmental arc is also an interesting point of reference. Once a Huck Finn who rejects society and rebels against its injustice, Rafe has gradually come to realise the art of taking a step back and retiring to calmness, becoming more malleable to challenges, making tolerable compromises while withholding his core values. “Be nice, work hard.” If you’ve made an offer that was declined, simply say “suit yourself” and respect the other party’s right to make that choice; a wise person knows when to “walk away and leave well enough alone” rather than hot-headedly pursuing after what you think would work best for that party. After all, people need to learn how to be responsible for themselves.

Although personality-wise, I may not be as audacious as Rafe, I do share with him the thought that decency, humility and compassion are qualities that shape the core of humanity. I hope that schools can educate children with such qualities, and I will continue to play my part in this undertaking.