Foreword / Deborah Meier -- Preface -- Prologue / John Sierra -- The First day - setting the tone -- Settling in - curriculum and classroom organization -- Astronauts and hammerhead spaceships - getting to know students -- Rhythm - the art of classroom discipline -- A Sense of belonging - diversity and community-building -- Halloween - teaching today's children -- Our families - a new parent-teacher relationship -- New beginnings - teaching and making changes -- Robert - lessons from a child -- "Am I going to repeat?" - testing and teaching -- "You're looking like a little kid" - toward a sense of closure -- The Last day - reflections on 181 days -- Afterword.