Tending to the Past: Reflections of an American History Teacher

If you have any interest in public education, history, smart memoir, humor, political happenings, music, poetry, Florida's distinctive culture and landscape...oh and really good writing... this is a book for you. Florida native Jim McGinnis explores through narrative, essays, and poetry what it is that makes teachers like Frank Quinn so fiercely loyal to the art of teaching, so committed to their calling. This novel is a reflection on all that is good in the classroom, giving voice to the beauties, frustrations and truths that make up a teacher’s day.

Frank Quinn, a veteran American History teacher, has seen a lot in his day--promising students, apathetic students, lessons good and bad, endless mandates, and teachers that become legendary in their own right. Now in the twilight of his career, Quinn is struggling to navigate the ever-changing sea of educational reform being thrust upon teachers, trying to reconcile the current state of education with the experiences he's had and beliefs he's cultivated over his lengthy career.