Rafe Esquith: Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire

In an inner city Los Angeles neighborhood plagued by guns, gangs, and drugs, there is a classroom where first generation immigrant students play Vivaldi, perform unabridged Shakespeare, and score in the top one percent on national standardized tests. Their fifth grade teacher, Rafe Esquith, is the only teacher to be awarded the president’s National Medal of the Arts. His new book, Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire, is a roadmap for convincing students to fully and energetically embrace learning. Esquith, who is still a classroom teacher, talks about his techniques and is joined by eight of his students who perform Shakespeare and rock ’n roll. Presented by University Book Store. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.