The Missing Heart: Chronicles Of An educator

Pinney's "The Missing Heart" is a story involving her experience as an educator and the school system in which she was employed. The story is based on real life events of a woman who is in a continuous combat with the school authorities over comprehending the students' talents and sharpening their skills, rather than trying to meet the school's regular test goals. She reveals the dirty politics played within the boundaries of the schools which have broken down the education system. As a child, Pinney was very fearful and had to wrestle her way through the difficulties of a close-knit school system to become a skillful high school assistant. She knew what a child is expected to get in a school and since that was clearly not happening, she became a teacher herself. But what she found was that education system had almost fallen apart. The sad part is that the school in which Pinney worked didn't only have a broken structure of education, but was also highly embroiled in petty politics. Normally, parents do not get to know about the operations inside the four walls of a school. If their child does not achieve good scores, they assume it to be a lack of effort both from the teacher and their child. As you go through the synopsis of the story, you will get to know the state to which our learning system has come to.

Teri Pinney As A Teacher And An Author
Teri Pinney gave up a twenty-two-year long career as an educator to devote time towards her writings. She also writes education articles and is an occasional columnist for the local newspapers. She also serves as a proposal-writer for some non-profit organizations. Pinney wishes to bring the back the "heart" in the education system through her writings. "I'd like to see the joy of learning and the passion of teaching back in our schools," quotes Pinny.

The Story In Brief
Pinney has picked up an inside story of the school she worked with and narrated it in a funny, yet tragic manner. She uses fictional names to guard the identities of the characters which are part of her story and exist in real life. Pinney has candidly expressed her anger on the school executives who simply cared about the grades and kept on intimidating the students and teachers. In the story, Pinney works as an Assistant Principal along three others. What she aspires is, to work as a team. But she finds out that the sync is missing between herself and her colleagues. Over a period of time, she realizes that unlike her, the other Assistant Principals are more interested in fulfilling the government's demands rather than the aptitudes of the children. On finding that system is just gross and its effects are utterly devastating, Pinney decides not to go with the flow but, to swim against the tides. Her compassionate approach towards her students, their parents and the teachers earns her their admiration. every time she stands up against injustice, a raging battle breaks out between her and the executive administrators. The school's apathy towards the falling standards in terms of the students' merit and intelligence is appalling and even the district members seem to shun their responsibility regarding these students.

Teri Pinney's Fight For A Cause
The book is a public stand against the education system and sends a straight message to the school administrators whose activities now stand exposed to the community. Pinney has brought to her readers the behind-the-scenes story which most parents are unaware of. The hollow education system is now plagued with sexualities, politics and crime which are being continually overlooked by the government. The efforts of the teachers and the staff are simply brushed under the carpet and both the students and teachers are under a perennial pressure of the so called "merit-system".

The book is an eye-opener for the readers. The story is absolutely compelling, especially in those instances where Pinney fights against the administration for the cause of her students and her fellow teachers. It is an open campaign against the schools who have taken up the cruel practice of increasing the school grades and the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Test Assessment) scores. The teachers are held accountable for the students' performances which is again an extremely annoying exercise. Pinney has mocked all such activities through her book in a persuasive and motivating fashion. All in all, a must-read for this Teacher's Day!