This book was an eye opener, to be honest I was completely surpriser by the author, between personal anecdotes, Colin Phelan transports the reader in a very mind opening journey, while traveling and meeting new people who shares his interest in education, Phelan describes his own friendship with Sanjit and Bajju, they share they knowledge in the educational system. Phelan completely changed my perspective of my community and truly spiked my interest in the way thing are set for the educational world.
As a new author, and a teacher Colin Phelan promises great changes and I cant wait to read more about his perspective. ( )

Phelan hits on a great concept: sometimes our peers, loved ones, and environment has more to teach us than the established education systems. This book acts as a memoir, a recapturing of Phelan’s journey through India. The writing is pretty solid, clearly written by a well-traveled and educated writer. Phelan learns from many people who come in and out of his life, but this book focuses on two men that helped him grow. We explore more than just Phelan explaining what he’s learned; it’s the insight into a new way of living and growing as a person. He shares this through a journalistic memoir with some poetry—The poem “Kolkata’s Morning Song” does an excellent visualization job; I feel like I’m there.

Phelan does precisely what he wanted from this book. I’ll quote his own words to make the point:
“We need conversation, Real conversation” ( )

The Local School Paperback by Colin Phelan is a beautifully written book and one that explores the nuances of culture and traditions. The book captures the author's experiences well as he chronicles his travels to India, exploring the local practices. Friends Bajju and Sanjit have much to teach Phelan as he gets to know them. This book is much more than just a travelogue as many books of this nature are. It is more about keeping your eyes open through your own journey and allowing new experiences to come in. Sometimes the smaller, more local experiences are the ones that truly educate us and expand our minds. This book is a testament to that concept and one that the author embraces. Recommend for a great read. ( )

A fresh perspective on education…and living!

Connecticut author Colin Phelan earned his degree from Boston College and is an educator. He serves as a history teacher, an outdoors educator, a travel writer, and a poet, and is a Fulbright-Nehru scholar, having mastered the Hindi language and experienced the manifold aspects of education in India. THE LOCAL SCHOOL is his debut book publication

In his Preface Phelan states, ‘This book pays tribute to a localized yet universally relevant perception of education: that the best schools are our local schools, ones of friends, of family, of all the people serendipitously encountered in your own neighborhood, or, in the case of teachers, and I speak to your directly, in your own school and classroom. In the case of this book, the local schooled detailed is one in the city of Kolkata, in West Bengal, India. While this story recounts my specific experiences living, working, and studying alongside two Indian men (Bajju and Sanjit) whom I met by chance, it is my hope that this story might galvanize educators, students, and learners – of which we all are – to ground themselves in their local communities and local schools.’

Phelan’s fluid prose invites the reader to experience the interpersonal relationships he shared with his time in India, and most especially with his fascinating friends Bajju and Sanjit, two men from whom we learn Indian cultural customs and traditions and insights that in effect provide an imaginative and mesmerizing journey to India. As the synopsis details, ‘Fusing genres of travel writing, narrative journalism, memoir, and poetry, The Local School explores a counterintuitive perception of education and the need for an education renaissance in America. Detailing his experiences living and studying alongside two Indian men, one a Bengali teacher, and one a northern Indian truck driver, Phelan reorients education as a lifestyle, as opposed to something we chase. For years, Phelan wrestles with questions about these two Indian men's uniquely uncommon friendship, about the Indian subcontinent's history and complex social fabric, and ultimately, about what makes an education. All the while travelling far from home, Phelan learns that the best schools are our local schools.’

Walking with Phelan through these formative years, back and forth between the US and India, produces an emotional connection with the author and his colleagues, interchanges in thoughts and experiences that encourage altering our perception of ‘education.’ The book is exceedingly entertaining as well as informative, and by the final pages, the content becomes poetic – literally! There is much to be gained by reading this book: we can only hope for further adventures from Colin Phelan. ( )

The Local School was a very immersive, informative, and also very entertaining read. Author Phelan conjures up great imagery in his writing, with detail that made me as a reader feel like I was experiencing rather than just reading the book. After finishing the book I felt I had a much greater understanding of India and it’s rich complexities and people. It didn’t feel like a memoir, and probably isn’t, or at least it felt like much more than that. This is a read that definitely falls between genre lines, but if you want something a little different I’d recommend giving it a go. ( )