A riveting year-in-the-life account of three teachers-combined with must-read reporting that reveals what's really going on behind school doors- by New York Times bestselling author and education expert Alexandra Robbins Alexandra Robbins goes behind the scenes to tell the true, sometimes shocking, always inspirational stories of three teachers as they navigate a year In the classroom. She follows Penny, a Southern middle school math teacher who grappled with a toxic staff clique at the big school in a small town; Miguel, a special ed teacher who fought for his students both as an educator and as an activ-ist; and Rebecca, an East Coast elementary school teacher who struggled to schedule and define a life outside of school. Robbins also interviewed hundreds of other teachers nationwide who share their secrets, dramas, and joys. Interspersed among the teachers' stories-including a seeming scandal, a fourth-grade whodunit, and teacher confessions-are hard-hitting essays featuring cutting-edge reporting on the biggest issues facing teachers today. Robbins unflinchingly examines school violence; outrageous parent behavior; inadequate support, staffing, and resources coupled with unrealistic, mounting demands; the "myth" of teacher burnout; and the COVID-19 pandemic; and she offers ways all of us can help the professionals who are central both to the lives of our children and to the heart of our communities.