“11,000 Days at School is an insightful, honest and fascinating must-read … especially for anyone who has gone to school, dreamed of school, dreaded school, worked at school, had kids, relatives or friends in school … basically all of us! The author has captured the good times and not so good of everyday life in the public school system, while wearing a multitude of “hats” over the years. Throughout the book, we are so very much reminded how life at school is simply a microcosm of what awaits outside the doors … and how it takes special people to prepare our future generations.”
– Larry Hayes, Trustee, Burnaby Board of Education SD41, Graduate of the Burnaby Public School System
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“From 11,000 days spent in schools as a student, teacher and administrator, Hugh Greer gathers an assortment of anecdotes and vignettes guaranteed to entertain. With self-effacing humor developed early as a young class clown growing up in Burnaby, BC, Greer captures each moment with straightforward ease reminiscent of the late Stuart McLean. You don’t have to be a teacher or even a vice-principal to appreciate what Greer brings to life. You just have to have spent time in school.”
- Gary Little, Associate Superintendent (Retired), Vancouver School Board,
Author of To Hell and Back
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“This story of [Greer’s] journey from elementary school clown to respected secondary vice principal is told with humour, compassion and the wisdom gleaned from those 11,000 days in the classroom. He shares a rare and compelling insight into the world of education, and his anecdotes often had me chuckling or laughing out loud, bringing back memories of my own journey through the Burnaby school system. This book reinforces my long-held view that teachers are the unsung heroes of our communities. Bravo Mr. Greer!”
- Svend Robinson, former Member of Parliament (1979 – 2004), J.S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar (2020-2021), Simon Fraser University
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“As a former student of Mr. Greer, I was excited to read his book, 11,000 Days at School. It did not disappoint. From his early days as a child in the classroom to his later years as a vice-principal, Mr. Greer chronicles his time at various schools with many memorable and amusing anecdotes. His self-deprecating humor and engaging storytelling style—not to mention his desire to upset his parents with his career choice—hooked me from the beginning. While many of the stories had me laughing out loud, others had a more sobering effect. I came away with the happy knowledge that Mr. Greer had a successful, meaningful teaching career.
Through his experiences, Mr. Greer provides a telling look at what it was like to be a student growing up in the second half of the 20th century. Looking back on his formative years and writing this book with the experience of an administrator, Mr. Greer’s stories highlight differences between the handling of certain delicate situations then and now. Sometimes the way things used to be done were efficient and helped move things along (see his kindergarten story about the sliver, for example). But sometimes the “good old days were not so good,” especially when there wasn’t any counselling support or trauma teams available after … tragic event[s].
Having been a student for almost 20 years, I believe teachers are inspirational and, in some cases, even heroes, giving us the direction and support we need to stay on track—or even just find the track! Mr. Greer’s journey from student to teacher to counsellor to vice principal shows how teachers can make a real, significant, and lasting difference in the lives of their students. Thank you, Mr. Greer, for your dedication, guidance, and great sense of humor and compassion as an educator and administrator—and for this insightful, entertaining book, which I highly recommend!”
- Ms. Manjeet K. Chana, BA, LLB