ON TEACHING

Nearly ten years since he first characterized those memorable 36 Children, Kohl is still teaching and writing about his experiences in schools; these remarks are primarily for teachers although sympathetic parents may benefit too. One of the earlier and more effective spokesmen for alternative schools, he is wiser now about what can be accomplished in such charged settings and knows his own limits too--he's never stayed more than three years in one place. How to organize a classroom, integrate curriculum activities, and encourage individual growth are all illustrated, amplified by specific examples, flow charts, and suggested readings. Even more valuable is his attention to the inevitable ambivalences and mood swings of teachers, often neglected in open classroom accounts. A political section concentrates on concrete situations: running a candidate for local office, organizing pressure groups to make and follow up requests, winning over a school board member--all intended to educate the community. This lacks the wide dramatic appeal of his first book (no children's work appears) but the central message of sensible, responsive teaching remains the same.