Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire, Rafe Esquith

Teach like your hair's on fire--The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56, by Rafe Esquith

"In a Los Angeles neighborhood plagued by poverty and violence, there is an exceptional public school classroom called Room 56. The fifth graders inside are either immigrants or children of immigrants; most live in poverty and few speak English as his or her first language. They also play Vivaldi, perform unabridged plays by Shakespeare, and go on to attend the finest universities in the country. Rafe Esquith is the teacher who helps them achieve these accomplishments."

A fascinating story about a wonderful teacher we can all learn from! "Esquith gives any teacher and parent the tips, techniques, excercises, innovations and visionthat have made him one of the most celebrated teachers in the world." His students come to school at 6:30, voluntarily, and stay well after 5:00. They treat each other with respect and they work hard, learning to handle money, read great literature, tackling algebra, and learning to play instruments, in addition to their normal curriculum.

Esquith has written at least 4 books, and all of them are worth reading if you enjoy a good story and want encouragement in your relationships with the children in your life. Our country would be so different with hundreds of teachers like Esquith!