Non-fiction can occasionally be as interesting as fiction which is the case with this book. Although the title makes you think of something criminal, chasing a suspect down perhaps, it's actually about the Teach for America program and its relentless pursuit to teach children in the worst American schools. Recent graduates from any field but with leadership attributes are recruited heavily, then given an intensive five week course on teaching and thrown into schools where being able to control a class is just as important as coming up with exciting ways to hold the interest of complicated and desperate teens.
This book follows four very different teachers in a Watts, Los Angeles high school through all the highs and lows from the beginning when they have to learn QUICKLY how to handle chaotic classrooms to the end when they've learned to enjoy and value their students. Observing the teachers, how they handled situations, how they took on challenges I would run from made for exciting, interesting reading! There are a few duller parts on the history, funding, etc. of Teach for America...they are easy to skip if you are so inclined.
Birgit
