First published 1982
Jonathan Kozol opens his account with the practical challenges of founding an educational institution from scratch. He walks readers through each step of establishing a school that serves its surrounding community rather than imposing external standards. Kozol details the organizational decisions that shaped his experiment, from hiring teachers who understood local needs to designing curricula that reflected student backgrounds. He examines how traditional educational structures often fail communities and presents his alternative approach as a working solution. The book provides concrete guidance for educators and parents who want to build schools that respond to their specific circumstances. Kozol closes with the deeper purpose behind his work: creating places where learning connects directly to the lives students actually live.
Genres: sociology, social-issues, education, non-fiction
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, social-justice
132 pages · Paperback · Continuum