Inside Mrs. B's Classroom: courage, hope, and learning on Chicago's South Side

Description

This is the story of a "Chicago Sun-Times" veteran, Leslie Baldacci, who left her prestigious, 25-year career to teach at a public school in one of Chicago's roughest South-Side neighbourhoods. The book addresses one of American society's most critical issues - education.; "Mrs B" found out plenty in her first two years as an inner-city teacher, and this book lets us know what's really going on at school. ContentsChapter 1: The Mad Crapper......................................1Chapter 2: Welcome to the Neighborhood................7Chapter 3: "Bring Two No. 2 Pencils"........................13Chapter 4: My Assignment........................................24Chapter 5: The Farewell Tour....................................27Chapter 6: The Belly of the Beast...............................33Chapter 7: Nesting.................................................37Chapter 8: The Seventh Graders Arrive..................50Chapter 9: Getting to Know Them...........................57Chapter 10: Al Gore Visits the Billy Goat....................65Chapter 11: The Kids Are All Right, but the Teachers Are Wrecks......69Chapter 12: Violence.............................................78Chapter 13: A Five-Week Reorganization...........88Chapter 14: Learning.........................................91Chapter 15: An Observation...............................108Chapter 16: Crime and Punishment...................111Chapter 17: Thanksgiving Break...................118Chapter 18: An Intervention............................121Chapter 19: The Bathroom Incident................126Chapter 20: A Winning Streak............................133Chapter 21: So Far....................................141Chapter 22: The Mid-Winter Lull..............144Chapter 23: The Second Half.................148Chapter 24: Hip Hop 101.........................154Chapter 25: Bottoming Out......................160Chapter 26: No Coincidences.....................169Chapter 27: Pierre.................................172Chapter 28: Spring Planting...................176Chapter 29: Bad Things Happen in Threes...180Chapter 30: "Remediation".................................187Chapter 31: Assumptions............................193Chapter 32: Livin' on the Edge..............198Chapter 33: The End of Seventh Grade...203Chapter 34: Fairyland.................................209Chapter 35: The More Things Change........223Chapter 36: Cult of Personality.....................232Chapter 37: Trouble.................................236Chapter 38: Dance Africa..........................241Chapter 39: Loving Louis............................246Chapter 40: The Downside..................................252Chapter 41: Another Christmas...................257Chapter 42: Cruel January...........................265Chapter 43: A Prayer in School...................275Chapter 44: Recess!......................................279Chapter 45: The Teacher Certification Test...283Chapter 46: Midnight Catches a Snake............287Chapter 47: Lost Parents.............................291Chapter 48: Mother's Day..............................293Chapter 49: Guns of Summer.........................297Chapter 50: Going From Here..................................300Chapter 51: Graduation....................................305