I am writing this review as a brand new, "fresh out of the bag" teacher in their first post. If there was ever a single book that enables you to survive through teacher training and during your first teaching post THIS HAS GOT TO BE IT!
The techniques may appear to some slightly "off the wall" but they work! The book is a source of insiration and comfort, and one that I will treasure upon my bookshelf.
To the author, words cannot express just how much help this one book has given me. Thank you - on behalf of my students and myself.
This book is not 5 STAR its 55 STARS ...

Two Parts Textbook, One Part Love is a wonderful book! I rarely the same book twice, but I fully intend to re-read this one in the future. It is very difficult for me to put it down, and I know I will be sad when it ends. I am a student who is preparing to become a teacher, and I have found that the advice in this book is very helpful. I will definitely share it with all of my friends who are already teachers as well as my friends who will become teachers. I began reading this book before I saw the movie Dangerous Minds. I also love the movie, as well. This is the first book by LouAnne Johnson that I have read, and I will definitely read all of her other books.

My favorite thing about this book is the way that Johnson uses her sense of humor to illustrate her points. I have often found myself bursting out in laughter in the middle of the night because I have thought about some of her stories. Whether you are a teacher or even if you are just thinking about becoming a teacher, I urge you to purchase this book.

I'm a first year teacher who was assigned this book for an Ed. course in college, and ended up buying her own copy! I love it, and have just started re-reading it in preparation for next school year. Why do I love it? Johnson is honest, her approach is no-frills and realistic, and yet she inspires and shows true commitment to her students. This book points out things you would never think of considering before stepping into the classroom, yet should. Johnson practically covers everything you need to know, and instead of telling you exactly how to be a cookie-cutter version of herself, she offers ways to take the way she does things and make them your own. This book is a real eye-opener, and should be taught to every new teacher before stepping into the classroom. Thank you for this book, Mrs. J! :) Laura (lilpace@aol.com)

I came across this little paperback in a flea market and couldn't resit it. This is the true adventures of LouAnn Johnson who enlisted in the U.S. Navy to become a journalsit. Johnson and freinds enjoy bucking the military lifestyle wherever and whenever they can. If you can find it in the used book store its a definate keeper.

I'm also an English teacher who have been teaching teen-agers for 10 years. Teaching teenagers is hard work, very stressful, depressed by themselves and the surrounding of them. I don't have such energy of love to my students as Louanne Johnson. But I can feel her pain in heart because I myself love my students. They are devils and angels at the same time. If they were devils, I could ignore them. If they were angels, I could just smile, do nothing, and just ignore them. But they are irresistable.

I agree with Hal, her master teacher. He said to her, "Teenagers are supposed to be ungrateful little brutes. They're supposed to trample your tender feelings, break your heart. It's their job." He is always right. I wish he would be with me!!!

I had the wonderful chance of reading this book. This book made me laugh and cry and jump in suspense. Ms. Johnson is a wonderful teacher who deserves awards beyong awards. The book taught me to see other parts of education. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who is going into the education field

This should be required reading for every education major. I teach in an urban school; Ms. Johnson had something some of my young colleagues who quit teaching after a year do not have--resolve, persistance, and determination. There are no "bad" kids, there are kids who do "bad" things or come from "bad" environments, but as Ms. Johnson writes, it is possible to save the kids by giving a lot of ourselves.

Johnson captures the essence of what it was like to be a woman in the navy in the early 1970's -- having fun, yet encountering obstacles (usually in male form -- crusty old chief, a commanding officer who thinks women should be making babies, cat-calling marines) at every turn. In this autobiographical account, Johnson details her decision to enlist & escape Ohio, her experience at bootcamp, journalism training, her first duty station at NATO's SACLANT headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia (where she made many pots of coffee), her next assignment at Clark Air Base in the Phillipines (where she lived with a fellow sailor & his Filipina wife and children off-base), and her subsequent assignment to an aviation squadron. The tale ends when Johnson decides to apply for Officer Candidate School. Only by reading the book's back cover do I know hat Johnson went on to become a Marine Corps officer -- I wanted the book to continue so I could learn more of her antics. Throughout the book, Johnson describes her relationship with her best friend and shipmate, Lucas, who constantly ribs Johnson about being a "lifer." Like the real navy, Johnson's story isn't all patriotism & spit-shine. She recounts (with great humor) an experience where a female roommate makes a pass at her, gives the lyrics to sexually explicit jodies, and describes an incident where Lucas picks up a nasty little Army sergeant and dumps her in a trash can. The tale is pleasant, humorous, and very easy to read. At times, I found it to be a bit incredible (incidents of blatant sexism and sexual harassment), but then I would guess that much has changed in the Navy and society in the past thirty years.
I would highly recommend this for any female veteran -- anyone who's been there, who has encountered their own version of the evil Sergeant Burke or the lascivious, girlie-tattoed Chief Hatch.

I read this book in a library several years ago and feared it was
now out of print. I'm SO glad to see the issue of a contemporary paperback.

A balanced account -- and very fun to read. Or re-read.
I'm recommending this book to anyone who's considering joining the military, or anyone who's young and searching for a way to move to a new career without going broke. Or any woman at midlife who wishes she had joined the navy and handled the life as well as Louanne Johnson did.

I highly recommend this book to all the English teachers. This book is about an ex-Marine named LouAnne Johnson who decides to become an English teacher. So she is placed in a really corrupted school called Parkmount High School. The students were so dreadful that they put their old English teacher in the hospital. So when she began teaching, the students ran their usual tricks on her but she took them as piece of cake. As soon as the kids realized that how much she cared for them and how much she wanted them to graduate they actually responded to her and actually started doing their work that they are suppose to. One of the things she did was she went to her students houses to make sure they did their work and to see what kind of environment they are coming from. Before, the students laughed at Shakespeare, but now she made it so intense for them that they want to read every single book he wrote. She has become so popular in the school that year after year every student wants to be in her class. Now and then she sees her old students coming back to her, to see what they have become of themselves and they thank her for teaching them and leading them to the right path and she becomes proud of them.

This book by Louanne Johnson is the best book I have ever read. I first read it when I was a new teacher, fresh out of college. I was truly inspired by the love that Johnson displays for her students, and I would like to think that I have the same qualities as a teacher. I have since read the book six or seven times, and I am constantly refreshed and amazed as I read about the students that Johnson took under her wing, and encouraged when no one else believed in them. She makes every page a must-read for anyone who has ever even thought of becoming a teacher. Be prepared to laugh, cry and feel good through every chapter!

Imagine you are the new teacher, in high school, in New York, in a class full of students who hate you. You struggle through each day striving to make these students learn. You also have to go through gang fights, racial slurs, and troublemakers, all while trying to make these kids pass High School. You may think you've seen something like this before and you have, you probably watched the movie "Dangerous Minds". If you have not watched the movie, I suggest you read the book first to compare which one you will enjoy more. As for me, I thought the book was good, but of course, who doesn't like watching movies? Also I recommend that the age groups that do read this are that of High School and above so that they can actually relate to this book. Such as me, I thought even though I don't go to the schools in New York, I feel I can relate to the students in this book and so can you. Overall, this book will either give you a strong message if you can relate to it, or a new look on teenagers if you cannot relate to it... and that's Da Majishan's word.

I think this book was great. It keeps you reading it. Some how you feel like the book wont let you put it down. Some times I get lost in the book, for example my teacher has seen me reading and she has heard me laugh out loud. She loves it when her students get lost in a book like that. She really wants to be a math teacher but by her teaching english she has helped me learn how to enjoy and understand books like this one. I think every one should read this book.

I read this book because "Dangerous Minds" is one my favorite movies. Let me just say that this is an awesome book. It's about Louanne Johnson, an ex-marine that has moved into a poverty stricken neighborhood to teach at a local high school. When she gets there, she realizes that the kids aren't there to learn. These students didn't realize that this teacher would become their best friend, and would teach them some of the best lessons life has to offer. This book has to be read by anyone who enjoys a powerful book.