Notes from a Classroom: Reflections on Teaching

Kay McSpadden's classroom in rural York, South Carolina is windowless, water-stained, gray - and the scene of something amazing. Inside, slackers stay late to wrestle with Socrates. A teenage mother discovers Shakespeare. And a shy special ed student wins applause for powerful public speaking.

In Notes from a Classroom, McSpadden introduces her unforgettable students. She chronicles their encounters with literature. And she shares what she's learned in 30 years of trial (and error!) in the classroom: How to turn teen diffidence, bravado and apathy into a lifelong passion for learning.

Published originally in the Charlotte Observer or delivered as radio addresses for Charlotte's NPR affiliate, the 72 essays collected in Notes from a Classroom offer a wealth of wisdom for teachers, parents and anyone who works with teens. An epilogue, "Socrates Eats School Lunch," chronicles the joys and challenges of teaching students to think critically. And a special bonus section, "Books for the Examined Life," offers readers a chance to confront the great literary questions - and invites them to come up with answers of their own.