ABSTRACT
Our story opens in the classroom of a teacher who typifies the problem that is being addressed in this book.
Mrs. Kilpatrick, a third grade teacher who acquired tenure in 1967, is seated at her desk. Several students come to her with questions about the homework assignment. Each one is told the same thing, ‘Go back and think about it’. Mrs. Kilpatrick notices two children talking in the back of the room and throws an eraser at them. Shortly thereafter, she gets up from her desk and approaches a child who is obviously having trouble doing the assignment. She taps the child on the head with her fingernails and says in a belittling tone of voice, ‘Are you so dumb that you can’t do that?’
