Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Class
The Class: A Life-Changing Teacher, His World-Changing Kids, and the Most Inventive Classroom in America | Heather Won Tesoriero
5 posts | 2 read | 11 to read
An unforgettable year in the life of a visionary high school science teacher and his award-winning students, as they try to get into college, land a date for the prom . . . and possibly change the world Andy Bramante left his successful career as a corporate scientist to teach public high schooland now helms one of the most remarkable classrooms in America. Bramantes unconventional class at Connecticuts prestigious yet diverse Greenwich High School has no curriculum, tests, textbooks, or lectures, and is equal parts elite research lab, student counseling office, and teenage hangout spot. United by a passion to learn, Mr. B.s band of whiz kids set out every year to conquer the brutally competitive science fair circuit. They have won the top prize at the Google Science Fair, made discoveries that eluded scientists three times their age, and been invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. A former Emmy-winning producer for CBS News, Heather Won Tesoriero embeds in this dynamic class to bring Andy and his gifted, all-too-human kids to lifeincluding William, a prodigy so driven that hes trying to invent diagnostics for artery blockage and Alzheimers (but cant quite figure out how to order a bagel); Ethan, who essentially outgrows high school in his junior year and founds his own company to commercialize a discovery he made in the class; Sophia, a Lyme disease patient whose ambitious work is dedicated to curing her own debilitating ailment; Romano, a football player who hangs up his helmet to pursue his secret science expertise and develop a smart liquid bandage; and Olivia, whose invention of a fast test for Ebola brought her science fair fame and an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. We experience the thrill of discovery, the heartbreak of failed endeavors, and perhaps the ultimate high: a yes from Harvard. Moving, funny, and utterly engrossing, The Class is a superb account of hard work and high spirits, a stirring tribute to how essential science is in our schools and our lives, and a heartfelt testament to the power of a great teacher to help kids realize their unlimited potential. Advance praise for The Class A riveting look at a year in the life of an inspiring teacher and how he is helping kids create amazing and award-winning science projects. With the turn of every page, we see the joys of discovery and the immense satisfaction this brings to Andy Bramante, who made a life choice that transforms his students lives every day.Walter Isaacson, author of the New York Times bestseller Steve Jobs
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Jas16
post image
Pickpick

Don‘t ask what made me add this book to my TBR because I have no idea. It was pretty amazing to read about high school students putting their minds into solving complex scientific problems and managing to create results that impact the world.

47 likes2 stack adds
blurb
BookishMarginalia
post image

Awwww! #BonBonCat is just so adorable! #CatsofLitsy

merelybookish She truly is! 😻 5y
TheBee ❣️ 5y
Gaylagal2 😘😘😘 5y
142 likes2 stack adds3 comments
quote
BookishMarginalia
post image

Omg! This public high school teacher is paid $120,000 a year! Needless to say, neither my colleagues nor I make anywhere close to half of that. #TeachersofLitsy

Djspens Must be fiction. No way that's a teacher's actual salary... Unfortunately... (edited) 5y
Eyelit Wow! Is this a case of the gender wage gap? Or does this teacher live in affluent area where schools can afford to pay teachers that much? 5y
BookishMarginalia @Eyelit Florida (where I live) vs Connecticut (and more precisely, Greenwich) 5y
See All 11 Comments
Eyelit Well that‘ll explain it. Still super sucks, though. 5y
SkeletonKey 😮 I‘ve never heard of teachers making that much. Certainly not in Northern Va. 5y
hermyknee WHAT. 5y
Redwritinghood Well, it‘s Greenwich, CT. That‘s where the super rich live. By their standards, and CT in general, that‘s not much. I live in CT and I can tell you that the cost of living here is very high. 5y
TheBogwitch I‘m finding this hard to believe, even in Greenwich. I live in CT. I know loads of teaching professionals from grade school through college. Not one of them makes anywhere near that. 5y
TheBogwitch @Redwritinghood very high. Whew. I‘m recently moved to Fairfield County. I was in litchfield county for 26 years. It‘s crazy that I‘m paying the same taxes on a 2300 sq ft townhome that I used to for a 4000 square foot house and two acres. 5y
CouronneDhiver Ha! Ya right. Where does this happen? 😂😂 5y
AmberWB Wait....is that for real???? 5y
120 likes11 comments
blurb
BookishMarginalia
post image

The problem with reading books about superstar teachers is that then I feel like an underachiever loser teacher... sigh. As my vice principal would say, “Suck it up, buttercup!” #TeachersofLitsy

CouronneDhiver Oh no! Maybe more for inspiration than comparison... I find it hard to believe that you‘re anything less than amazing as a teacher. 5y
hermyknee Those books make me feel the same way! 5y
MrBook You are an inspiration!!! @BookBabe (who, for awhile, was also a teacher) can definitely see that from your many school-related posts! 🤗🤗🤗 5y
See All 10 Comments
melbeautyandbooks You are a fabulous teacher! You care so much about being good at it and doing good things for your students. 5y
Ostaff1 Cynic that I am, I just wonder how long ‘til they burn out. 😂 5y
ErikasMindfulShelf I feel the same way. 5y
BookishMarginalia @ostaff On page 131 superstar teacher is already making plans to leave the classroom for administration. 5y
kspenmoll I love your posts, dedication, compassion & love for your students- all you went through with them in Puerto Rico- to me is more important than, granted, a great teacher, in a very very wealthy district. #TeachersofLitsy (edited) 5y
Ostaff1 @BookishMarginalia 🤷🏼‍♀️ one can only be inhuman for so long! Everyday teachers work a marathon, not a sprint. 😊 Turtles never get books written about them, but in the long run ... 5y
121 likes2 stack adds10 comments
blurb
BookishMarginalia
post image

Current view 😎

Leftcoastzen You two are busy! In a good way! 5y
BookishMarginalia @Leftcoastzen And we have a party tonight! (Yep, chaperoning the school 💃🏻) 5y
Velvetfur You've both had a 'viewing' day! Sometimes each other, sometimes cats, very sweet 😁 5y
TK-421 Is that Dr. Mario? 😍 5y
BookBabe Yes! I love Dr. Mario! My mom and I used to play that together for hours. ☺️ 5y
134 likes5 comments