Contents

Orientation

FIRST PERIOD: Starting Out, or A Tale of Two Teachers

1. Learning to Push

2. Risk Takers at Play

3. Road Trip Wisdom

4. Problems in Houston

5. Meeting Harriett Ball

6. Staying Late after Class

7. Michael’s Smoke Signal

8. Feeling Like a Lesser Levin

9. Second-Year Teachers

10. Meeting Rafe Esquith

STUDY HALL. KIPP Today: Jaquan Begins

SECOND PERIOD: Starting KIPP

11. Getting Permission

12. Firing Mr. Levin

13. Ice Cream and Spinach

14. Money from Mattress Mack

15. All Will Learn

16. Big Dogs on the Porch

17. A Room in Motion

18. Investigating New York

19. In the News

20. One on One

21. Recruiting in Gulfton

22. Serenading Bill

23. Changing Places

24. Harriett and Herman

STUDY HALL. KIPP Today: Jaquan Climbs the Mountain

THIRD PERIOD: Starting Two Schools

25. “Them Jews Are Stealing Your Stuff”

26. “What’s With This Guy?”

27. Off the Porch

28. Starting Again in Houston

29. Climbing the Fence

30. Taking Away the TV

31. Going to Utah

32. Banished to the Playground

33. Ambushing the Superintendent

34. Dave and Frank

35. “I’m Not Going to That School”

36. Silencing the Loudspeaker

37. Giving Up

38. Moving Fast

39. A Chair Takes Flight

40. Letting Go

41. Kenneth and the Golden Ticket

42. “You Can’t Say That to Me”

43. “That’s Where It Starts”

STUDY HALL. KIPP Today: Jaquan Improves

FOURTH PERIOD: Starting Many Schools

44. Six People in a Room

45. Too Big a Heart

46. Skeptical of KIPP

47. Little Laboratories

48. Mentors

49. Alumni

50. “Tall Teacher, Sweet Face”

51. Master Class

52. Remembering Room

Commencement

Honor Roll

Index

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