Chapter 1
The Burning Passion of an Extraordinary Teacher
In a tiny classroom in central Los Angeles, something remarkable happens every day. Fifth-grade students arrive before dawn and stay until evening, immersed in Shakespeare, algebra, and rock 'n' roll. Their teacher, with hair once literally on fire during a chemistry lesson, has created what Ian McKellen calls "the finest Shakespeare company in America." This phenomenon, documented in "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire," has captivated audiences worldwide, from Oprah Winfrey to the Supreme Court. The Hobart Shakespeareans, as these students are known, represent a radical approach to education that rejects the standardized testing obsession while producing extraordinary academic results. What makes this classroom special isn't fancy technology or revolutionary pedagogy, but something far more fundamental - a teacher who refuses to surrender to apathy and low expectations. As Esquith himself admits, he's just one of thousands of dedicated teachers who fail constantly, yet his persistence in creating a different world where character matters, hard work is respected, and support is unconditional offers a blueprint for educational transformation that has influenced teachers worldwide.
Chapter 2
Creating a Fearless Haven in a World of Educational Fear
Most classrooms operate on fear. Teachers fear losing control; students fear humiliation and failure. This toxic environment prevents genuine learning and growth. In Room 56, the most striking feature isn't academic excellence but what's absent - fear itself. After witnessing a colleague humiliate a disorganized student named Alex, I realized that frightening children into compliance achieves nothing worthwhile.
Instead, I've built my classroom on four principles that eliminate fear. First, I replace fear with trust. On day one, I explain that our classroom operates on mutual trust, not intimidation. While most mistakes can be fixed, broken trust is irreparable. When students ask questions, I answer patiently regardless of repetition. As one student told a reporter, "Rafe will go over something five hundred times until I understand." This patience builds lasting trust that eliminates fear.
Second, I demonstrate dependability. Many teachers promise exciting rewards all year, then cancel them when inconvenient, destroying student trust. If I promise an art project on Friday, I deliver - even if it means a 4 AM hardware store run. When you consistently prove your dependability, students learn to trust you implicitly and become more understanding on rare occasions when plans must change.
Third, I ensure discipline remains logical. Children accept tough teachers but despise unfair ones. Punishments must logically connect to infractions, and group punishment for individual misbehavior breeds resentment. In Room 56, consequences relate directly to the activity where misbehavior occurred - if you misuse science materials, you watch but can't participate until tomorrow.
Finally, I recognize my role as a constant model. Students observe everything teachers do, from how we handle stress to how we treat others. When Lisa frantically searched for missing homework, I simply said, "I believe you." This moment transformed me from potential nemesis to trusted teacher while demonstrating to the watching class that I was reasonable.
By creating a firm but friendly refuge without fear, students develop into confident, happy people. Though some children may betray your confidence, showing belief that great things are possible allows students to flourish in the safe haven you've built. Trust is the foundation that allows both teacher and students to grow together.
Chapter 3
The Six Levels: A Moral Framework for Lifelong Growth
Creating a classroom based on trust is essential but insufficient. True success comes when students behave properly regardless of who's watching. After years of searching for a moral framework, I discovered Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Levels of Moral Development, which became the glue holding my classroom together.
At Level I, children behave well only to avoid punishment. They quiet down when the teacher approaches and complete homework to stay out of trouble. This fear-based motivation is reinforced by teachers and parents who threaten consequences. On the first day of class, my students readily admit spending most of their lives at this level.
Level II thinking motivates children through rewards rather than fear. Many teachers use this Skinnerian approach, offering prizes for completed homework or good behavior. While seemingly better than using fear, it fails to teach that knowledge itself should be the reward.
As children grow, many reach Level III, acting to please authority figures. They constantly seek approval: "Look, Mommy, is this good?" Young teachers particularly enjoy this ego boost when students follow instructions to please them. This represents growth beyond lower levels but becomes problematic when children choose colleges or careers just to please parents.
Level IV thinking dominates many classrooms today, with students following established rules. Better teachers explain the reasons behind rules and involve students in creating them. While I appreciate the structure rules provide, I question whether we want children doing things simply because "Rule 27" says so. Many of our greatest heroes-Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Rosa Parks-became heroes precisely by not following rules.
Level V thinking represents remarkable progress, as children develop genuine empathy. I teach this concept through Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird," whose advice perfectly illustrates Level V thinking: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it." My students embrace this idea, becoming extraordinarily considerate of others.
Level VI behavior-having a personal code and following it regardless of recognition-is the most difficult to attain. It resides within an individual's soul and includes genuine humility. I help students identify this level in characters like Phineas from "A Separate Peace," who breaks a swimming record but refuses recognition, wanting only personal satisfaction. I've witnessed Level VI thinking in action, like when quiet Brenda secretly helped a beaten first-grader, cleaned him up, and walked him home, never seeking recognition. She had reached Level VI, helping without seeking reward. I don't think we can do better than this.
Chapter 4
Reading for Life, Not Just Tests
Schools have lost sight of why we read. Districts obsess over reading objectives like fluency and comprehension but never prioritize joy, passion, or excitement - which should top the list. I read daily because I enjoy it, not for a test. Friends share favorite books, and I discover new ones everywhere. As a child, I wasn't subjected to endless reading assessments - I simply read great books that made me hungry for more.
My students created their own three-question reading test: Have you read under your desk during boring lessons? Been scolded for reading at dinner? Read secretly under covers after bedtime? If yes to all three, you're destined to be a lifelong reader. Reading isn't a subject but a foundation of life that creates thoughtful, open-minded adults who can discuss great ideas.
Children need guidance with books just as they need guidance with food choices. When my student Timmy was recovering from illness at the Smithsonian, I had to steer him away from brownies and cookies toward healthier options. Similarly, though I'm not smarter than my students, I know more books and can introduce them to literature they might not discover alone. Because they trust me, they're willing to try my recommendations.
Parents must take children to libraries, not just order books online. At libraries, children discover books they wouldn't find otherwise while interacting with readers of all ages. When peers mock reading, library-going children know better - they've seen firsthand that many people still value books. Libraries combat the indifference surrounding our children by showcasing intelligence and enthusiasm for reading.
Finding great children's books is simple - share ones you love or start with Newbery Award winners like Bridge to Terabithia or The Westing Game. Many teachers face district mandates to use basal readers that include only fragments of classic literature. Rather than fighting these mandates directly, dedicated teachers should find alternative times - lunch hours or after school - to introduce students to complete works of literature.
Many teachers avoid challenging literature because some students struggle with reading. My two-pronged approach addresses this: First, I prepare simpler passages for struggling readers in advance, ensuring their success before lessons begin. Second, I assign individual reading books matched to each student's level, with monthly book reports. By guiding students through their insecurities in a nurturing environment that pushes for excellence, even my lowest-achieving students gain confidence - last year all students who came to me rated "far below basic" passed their reading proficiency tests.
Reading shouldn't be confined to English class. All teachers should become reading role models by starting book clubs. Science, history, and physical education teachers can select good books and invite students to join voluntary discussion groups during lunch or after school. Our children need adults who constantly read and discuss books with them - we must become the people we want our children to be.
Chapter 5
Writing with Purpose and Precision
Today's students are generally poor writers due to lack of practice, poor teaching, text messaging, email jargon, and a culture that nearly celebrates illiteracy. Most cannot write even a cohesive paragraph. Despite these challenges, we must find strategies to help children become better writers, not just for tests but for life, as Francis Bacon noted: "Reading maketh a full man, Conference a ready man, and Writing an exact man."
Our school day begins promptly at 8:00 AM with grammar exercises already prepared on students' desks. This immediate focus prevents wasting even minutes that could accumulate to 20-30 hours annually. Students work diligently because they enjoy mastering grammar in their second language, want to avoid taking work home, and fear the "Dreaded Rewrite." Rather than receiving poor grades, students must achieve at least 90% on grammar assignments or redo them until they master the skill. Initially, nearly everyone rewrites daily, but within two weeks, only a few need to.
Every Friday, I assign a short essay due the following week. Topics range from serious literary analysis to creative prompts. Students must write with proper grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and organization. The week-long deadline serves two purposes: it allows students to write on the weekend if they choose, teaching them to balance work with play, and it gives me time to provide thorough feedback. On Mondays, I share anonymous examples of their work for group evaluation, which dramatically improves their writing skills. By year's end, fifth-graders rarely make spelling or grammar mistakes and even master finer points like avoiding dangling modifiers.
Monthly book reports teach time management while improving writing skills. Students select from a collection of accessible, high-quality novels like Newbery winners. Their reports analyze different literary elements: protagonist, antagonist, conflict, setting, plot, climax, denouement, and theme. I introduce these concepts using "The Wizard of Oz" as a clear example, then we read our first book together and I provide a model report. Students make many mistakes on their first attempts, but with detailed feedback, they improve dramatically. By year's end, they produce excellent analyses and have read 10-12 good books.
Young Authors projects are demanding but incredibly meaningful - former students from twenty years ago still treasure these books above all other assignments. Each student writes an original book over the course of a year, primarily during class time. Students type their stories, leaving space for illustrations which they create separately, developing creative pictures that pop up, unfold, or dazzle the reader. Rather than outsourcing the binding, we make hardcovers in class using cardboard, Contact paper, glue, and tape - completing the entire publishing process ourselves.
Despite the challenges of teaching writing - language barriers, school policies, and the enormous time commitment - perseverance can yield profound connections. Children often write things they're too shy to express publicly, revealing hidden needs and emotions. One quiet, painfully shy girl wrote a story about her red ball that got lost when it bounced over a fence. In the story, "Her daddy saw it but was too lazy to pick it up." This simple line revealed her need for attention, inspiring me to be the person who would "pick up the ball." Twenty years later, she's a lawyer who still keeps that Young Author book on her shelf alongside her law books.
Chapter 6
Mathematics Beyond Memorization
Mathematics is a polarizing subject that students either love or hate. In urban elementary schools, students with limited English often score better in math than reading since numbers are a universal language. Yet many initially proficient students begin to struggle with advanced mathematics later. The problem lies in how math is taught - drilling for standardized tests without fostering true understanding. Students learn computational "tricks" without grasping what they're actually doing.
"Buzz" is a ten-minute math game we play several times weekly. Students stand while counting to 100, but must substitute "buzz" for a forbidden number and its multiples. For example, if 3 is taboo, they'd say "One, Two, Buzz, Four, Five, Buzz..." Students who make mistakes sit down. The game grows more challenging by adding rules about multiples, fractions, or number combinations. This activity engages the entire class in mental calculation and creates communal excitement about mathematics that worksheets never achieve.
Marcy Cook's methods have transformed my approach to teaching mathematics. We begin math lessons with mental exercises using her "number tiles" - small tiles with digits 0-9 that students keep in Ziploc bags. As one subject ends, I immediately pose a mental math problem, capturing students' attention during the transition. Students place tiles on their desks and hold up their answers simultaneously, eliminating the fear of public embarrassment while allowing me to immediately assess comprehension.
Marcy Cook's tile problems provide a rich alternative to traditional math drills. Her task cards contain unique problems solved using number tiles, with each tile used exactly once per card. This self-correcting system allows students to verify their work without erasures. The problems range from basic counting for young learners to complex arithmetic requiring simultaneous equation solving. Unlike simple computation exercises, these problems develop analytical thinking as students must evaluate multiple possibilities to place all ten tiles correctly. This approach transforms math into a joyful process where hard work, critical thinking, and collaboration converge, helping students see mathematics not as a scheduled subject but as something to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
Chapter 7
Navigating the Testing Obsession
The testing obsession sweeping schools has become detrimental to children's education. While assessment is necessary, the current system is broken - students take countless standardized tests yet rarely see results or learn from mistakes. This excessive testing consumes valuable teaching time and burns students out. Despite this broken system, my students perform well because they learn effective study habits rather than test-specific preparation.
My students excel on tests because they learn to study effectively rather than merely putting in hours. Drawing inspiration from Wayne Gretzky's focused practice habits, I teach students to "create the conditions of the test" when studying. Instead of ineffective methods like flipping through flash cards for vocabulary tests, they practice by writing words and definitions as they'll need to do on the actual test. Before math exams, we discuss specific study strategies: completing chapter review problems similar to test questions, studying in a quiet environment without music (matching test conditions), and getting adequate sleep.
Parents and teachers can help children by discussing realistic consequences of test performance rather than creating excessive pressure. Our national testing fixation has become so intense that we often place unreasonable stress on children, telling them their futures depend on test scores or that poor performance makes teachers look bad. This pressure not only makes children miserable but actually diminishes their performance. In Room 56, I take a different approach - explaining that tests are simply measuring devices like thermometers. Poor performance means only that a skill needs more work, not that the world is ending.
I teach my students to become "test-wise," especially for multiple-choice exams like the SAT. We approach these tests strategically, analyzing how test-makers design incorrect answers to trap careless students. In Room 56, students see a 20-question test as an 80-problem challenge - finding 20 correct answers and identifying 60 traps. When practicing, students must explain why they chose a particular answer and why they rejected the others, forcing them to analyze all options and strengthen their critical thinking.
Testing has become absurdly overemphasized, with teachers even sending me Christmas cards containing student test scores. I constantly remind my students that standardized tests never measure what truly matters - character, honesty, morality, and generosity. When traveling with the Hobart Shakespeareans, people never ask about test scores; they notice the children's exceptional manners, listening skills, and respect for others. I'm prouder of my students helping a stranger pick up trash from an overturned garbage truck than I am of their perfect SAT scores.
Chapter 8
Hands-On Science and Artistic Expression
Teaching can be humbling, as I learned when my stepdaughter Caryn, a brilliant MD/PhD graduate from Johns Hopkins, observed my science lesson. Despite my students' attentiveness and orderly behavior, she bluntly declared it "the worst science lesson I have ever seen!" Her critique devastated me, especially when she predicted none of my students would become doctors. But she was right - students needed hands-on experience, not just textbooks. They needed to "observe, experiment, record, and analyze" and learn from failures.
Hands-on science teaching requires proper materials, but school science kits are often shared between classrooms and quickly deteriorate. I recommend Delta Education's comprehensive "modules" - complete science units in boxes with durable materials for 12-15 experiments per unit. Students conduct experiments in small teams of 4-6, learning teamwork skills that reinforce our classroom culture while developing scientific knowledge.
Science is vanishing from elementary schools partly due to cost constraints. My solution: at parent conferences, I show parents my science wish list and suggest that instead of holiday gifts, they could donate to our class science fund. Parents are incredibly generous when they know their children benefit directly. I build my science inventory gradually, adding new items each year.
When visiting teachers tried to prevent my students from making mistakes while building rockets, I insisted they step back. A rocket that doesn't fly isn't failure - giving up on solving the problem is. When students must diagnose their own errors, they truly understand the physics involved. Like when my class spent two months perfecting a roller coaster with proper centripetal force, the struggle made their eventual success more meaningful. I did my best teaching by shutting up and letting them work through problems independently.
Despite having zero artistic ability, I somehow received the National Medal of Arts. Early in my teaching career, I resented when students left my class for orchestra or chorus. I was completely wrong - these students not only kept up but often did the best work in class. I discovered that arts education teaches far beyond the specific art form: discipline, responsibility, teamwork, sacrifice, practice, error correction, listening, and time management.
Even without artistic talent, teachers can help students create meaningful art. After many failed attempts, I discovered projects my students love and keep forever. When teaching about Henri Matisse, I emphasize how this great artist continued creating through disability, cutting paper shapes when he could no longer paint. Every Halloween, my fifth-graders make plaster masks of their own faces using Johnson & Johnson fast-setting plaster bandages. Inspired by David Hockney's photo collages, my students create self-portraits using six different photographs of themselves showing various expressions and angles.
Chapter 9
The Shakespeare Revolution
The students of Room 56 are better known as the Hobart Shakespeareans because each year they produce and perform an unabridged Shakespeare play. This demanding project requires extraordinary effort from both students and teacher, leading some observers to question my sanity. Despite the immense time commitment, I've found no other single activity that teaches students everything I want them to learn. The process transforms these children, earning them worldwide recognition with audiences crossing oceans to see their performances. Giants of theater like Sir Ian McKellen, Hal Holbrook, Michael York, and Sir Peter Hall have supported and inspired the program, often leaving audience members astonished at ten-year-olds performing flawless Shakespeare.
I begin by explaining to students that we're not training professional actors, and I'm no director. Our purpose is exploring language's power while having fun as a team. Throughout the year, they'll overcome challenges, solve problems, take risks, learn difficult music, dance, and tell stories. They'll analyze themes and apply lessons to their lives. The performances with standing ovations are nice, but the real reward lies in the journey - thousands of hours of work making each production extraordinary.
While most students encounter only a handful of Shakespeare's most popular plays, I deliberately choose less common works. The Hobart Shakespeareans have performed Henry IV, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, King Lear, The Winter's Tale and many others. Cynics wrongly assume children don't understand the material, but as Sir Ian McKellen noted, "The best thing about the Hobart Shakespeareans is that they know what they're saying, and that can't be said for all Shakespearean actors."
Shakespeare wasn't meant to be read but heard. Michael York reminded my students that in Shakespeare's day, people went to "hear" plays, not "see" them. Patrick Stewart told them how he listened to Shakespeare on radio as a child - not understanding much but loving the sound. The Hobart Shakespeareans learn by listening to Arkangel audio recordings, which help them understand the language naturally, just as they learn pop songs from radio.
We perform in our classroom, clearing desks to create a 200-square-foot stage with bleacher seating for thirty-three. Despite the tiny space, we present unabridged plays with choreography and live music. We use no sets or costumes - just jeans and color-coded T-shirts (purple for royalty, red for rebels, green for jealous husbands). This simplicity keeps Shakespeare's language central, with the audience sitting just feet away from performers.
Our productions have evolved from simple beginnings to what people now describe as "rock concerts disguised as Shakespeare." We incorporate dozens of songs that enhance particular scenes, with the band and singers rehearsing for months. The songs interweave with the text - starting during a soliloquy, pausing for dialogue, then continuing - creating an almost operatic effect. We've matched John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" with Leontes' apology in The Winter's Tale and REM's "Everybody Hurts" with Hamlet's "To be, or not to be."
Borrowing from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival tradition, we hang shields for each play performed. During the final bow of each production, our youngest performers - fourth graders who joined the after-school program - reveal next year's play title on a new shield. This symbolic gesture represents Room 56's continuous cycle of excellence and growth. The lessons of Shakespeare become permanently imprinted on these children's souls, as evidenced when one student, explaining why Huckleberry Finn was his favorite book, unconsciously quoted Hamlet: "Mark Twain held the mirror up to nature."
Chapter 10
Creating Citizens Through Service and Economics
In Room 56's economic system, students apply for classroom jobs on day one - ranging from janitors to bankers to police officers - each with different pay scales. Students receive monthly paychecks, deposit money with classroom bankers, and pay rent for their desks (with front seats costing more). They can earn bonus money through extra work or orchestra participation but face fines for tardiness or incomplete assignments. The system culminates in monthly auctions for school supplies and gift certificates.
Esquith's economic system teaches children organizational skills that will benefit them throughout life. Each student maintains a ledger sheet tracking deposits, debits and balances, with classroom bankers keeping duplicate records for verification. The careful record-keeping translates to other areas of life - students with meticulous financial records typically maintain organized desks and manage their time efficiently, completing homework before leisure activities.
As students purchase property in Room 56, they experience firsthand the value of ownership. While property owners watch their bank accounts grow, renters struggle monthly with payments. This practical lesson helps students empathize with their parents' financial challenges - none of Room 56's students come from families that own homes. The classroom economy creates a powerful motivation for future financial goals, as students see how ownership provides disposable income for auction items.
Room 56's economic system teaches students the value of thrift - a skill missing in most children who typically spend money impulsively. Through monthly auctions, students learn to spend wisely, asking themselves "Was it worth it?" after purchases. This practical education helps them resist advertising, live within budgets, and develop financial responsibility that serves them well beyond the classroom.
In our instant-gratification society, Room 56's economic system teaches students the power of patience and planning. Students like Amy, who quietly saved while others spent, eventually acquired the most desirable auction items. This lesson transfers to academic goals, as students apply themselves seriously in high school while peers waste time, understanding that today's hard work opens doors to tomorrow's opportunities.
In Room 56, the phrase "See you the twenty-fourth" represents everything I want to teach my students - helping others not as an assignment but because it's right. Every December 24, the Hobart Shakespeareans feed, entertain, and clothe five hundred homeless people, teaching students to see beyond themselves while maintaining quiet humility about their service.
Throughout the year, students collect clothing and supplies, with parents helping gather socks and prepare hygiene packets with essentials like soap and toothpaste. By December 23, we've amassed substantial donations that students organize in separate rooms for men and women, sorting clothing by size and creating neat, well-stocked spaces for the homeless to find useful items.
Feed the World exemplifies what happens when children are respected and encouraged to live responsibly - they develop awareness of the world that many young people lack. Our former students continue giving back as adults: lawyers doing pro bono work, architects designing for Habitat for Humanity, students taking time off to help in Mongolia or counsel troubled teens, MIT graduates aiding Hurricane Katrina victims. While I celebrate their college acceptances and graduations, I'm most proud of their service to others.
Teaching is often thankless and increasingly difficult. For every child you help, dozens make you want to surrender. Many students don't understand how education can improve their lives, administrators have compromised their principles, and standardized education strips away creativity and passion. Yet amidst this despair, I find my reason to believe in students like Janet, whose Notre Dame essay reminds me why I continue. She describes her transformative experience in Room 56, performing Shakespeare as a child from downtown LA, where police visits and violence were common. For her, our classroom became a safe haven where "gang fights and beggars" were replaced by "guitar lessons, road trips, and Shakespearean characters." Her essay concludes that even now, she retreats to Room 56 in her mind when seeking a place of "only love and joy." This student became my teacher, proving there is reason to believe. Let us all work to build these safe havens for children.
