The author, a high school language arts teacher, describes her move to a high-needs urban school after 13 years teaching in predominantly middle-class suburban schools. Unlike her former schools, in which a culture of compliance prevailed, her new school serves students who don't necessarily cooperate unless they see how the curriculum matters to them. Through several stories, Towbin shows how she has learned to listen to students so that she can discover where they are and what is important to them, thus engaging them in meaningful learning.