The teachable moment

"In this candid collection, [the author] brings together the voices of educators who strive every day for these breakthrough moments. They share their triumphs, as well as their frustrations. One teacher envisions her 12th grade English students hopping on desks and quoting poetry, Dead Poet's Society-style, only to be confronted with the reality that her students can barely read Whitman. Another teacher works to find an inner mathematician in a student better known for his detention attendance. From the poignant to the hilarious, these essays take us into the classroom and give us hope that there's a teachable moment out there for all of us."--From back cover.