The Unteachables

The Unteachables is a realistic fiction novel by Gordon Korman.  It is about 280 pages with short chapters that are about 5-8 pages each.  Gordon Korman has a unique structure in many of his books (including this one) that is all his own - each chapter is from a different character's perspective.  So while the novel is told in first person point of view, the reader gets the privilege of knowing the thoughts and emotions of many characters - and sometimes even secrets and events the other characters don't get to know.

Zachary Kermit used to be a great teacher - one of the best.  But a cheating scandal on a state test in his classroom sabotaged his teaching career.  The well-known scandal in the small town of Greenwich has haunted him through his entire career and even wrecked his relationship with the woman he was engaged to marry.  Since then, he has not been the same - doesn't connect with his students, doesn't care about the job, and generally burned out from teaching.  Now he is just one year away from retirement and just has to hang on until June until he can put this all behind him.  The superintendent of the school system has been trying to run him off for years, and now in one final, desperate attempt, he assigns Mr. Kermit to teach "The Unteachables" in room 117.  SCS-8 (the Self-Contained Special class for 8th graders) is a group of kids that have been given up on.  It is filled with troublemakers, academic failures, and social embarrassments.  The kids in this room have been put there by other teachers who see them as a lost cause - a place to put them until they can send them to the high school and become someone else's problem.  Elaine (that rhymes with pain) is the school's biggest bully and always a threat for physical torture, Parker is in the eighth grade and still cannot read a word, Aldo is well-known in the school for his anger management problems and can usually be found punching lockers or vending machines, Rahim doesn't even stay awake at school long enough to count his attendance, and "Barnstorm" Anderson used to be the school's star jock, but now that he is injured, teacher's aren't giving him As anymore and his lack of academic knowledge is certainly showing through.  Mr. Kermit walks into class (very late) on the first day to find the students with a fire in the classroom trash can and roasting marshmallows.  All they have to do is figure out how to survive each other for a year, which shouldn't be a problem, right?  Mr. Kermit isn't interested in teaching; "The Unteachables" are not interested in learning.  But it isn't that simple - especially when the superintendent is determined to run off Mr. Kermit before the end of the year.  The year certainly does not go as either group expected it to! 

I think The Unteachables is a great middle school book, especially because the events take place at a middle school.  Gordon Korman is a great middle school author that I often recommend to my classroom students.  His books are very realistic, but have a great dose of humor that often appeals to middle school readers - both boys and girls alike. The Unteachables have some interesting and unexpected characters that many readers will also enjoy.  I definitely recommend this lighthearted book for easy summer reading.  It definitely offers a great look at what can happen to a person when you find someone that believes in you!