There are no secrets in KIPP, just old lessons relearned and embraced by committed teachers willing to bring astonishing levels of energy to their classrooms. The charter school movement has always had its enemies, and KIPP has its share of critics, and their opinions are fairly chronicled by Mathews. (A transcript of my interview with Mathews is here . A podcast of the hour-long chat is here.)
But Mathews --a veteran of almost 30 years of excellent reporting on schools-- cannot but leave readers amazed and impressed by what KIPP has accomplished and the charisma of its founders and associated heroes, like the GAP stores founders who have funded a large roll-out of the basic model. Mathews knows that most education books are deadly dull, full of statistics and cliches, so he draws the readers in by writing biographies of all the leading characters, and given the kaleidoscope of types --Harriet Ball, Rafe Esquith, Frank Corcoran-- plus the career ups and downs and love lives of the Feinberg/Levin duo (and especially their pratfalls and joys along the way), the stories carry the message that reform is possible and children can learn even when they come from the toughest circumstances. The portraits of many of the children who rise to the challenge of hard, sustained study are inspiring and touching, and some of these stories --like the tragic death of Kenneth McGregor playing high school basketball-- will not be forgotten.
Work Hard. Be Nice. should be required reading for every college student considering a teaching career, and every teacher who works hard at his or her job will love it, while the class room time servers and distant educrats will be shamed by what they have not done and the effort and energy they have left unexpended. The audience should also include every legislator at every level, from local school board member to the new president. Education can work again. There is no reason why millions of American children have to emerge from middle schools unprepared for high school and the life beyond it.