When Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin signed up for Teach for America right after college and found themselves utter failures in the classroom, they vowed to remake themselves into superior educators. They did that, and more. In their early twenties, by sheer force of talent and determination never to take no for an answer, they created a wildly successful fifth-grade experience that would grow into the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), which today includes...

Drawing upon decades of research and myriad authentic classroom experiences, Kathleen Budge and William Parrett dispel harmful myths, explain the facts, and urge educators to act against the debilitating effects of poverty on their students. They share the powerful voices of teachers - many of whom grew up in poverty - to amplify the five classroom practices that permeate the culture of successful high-poverty schools: 1. Caring relationships and...

"Kundu draws powerful narratives from individuals who beat the odds to become successful. These strivers overcame challenges such as broken families, homelessness, abuse, and incarceration. But it wasn't simply resilience or grit that helped them. It was a combination of social and cultural supports that harnessed the inherent power of their agency"-- Provided by publisher.