The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child

When Ron Clark walked into his fifth-grade class in rural North Carolina, he was confronted with a tremendous challenge. The children had little interest in learning, and were sorely lacking in guidance. How would he transform a group of apathetic kids into disciplined, thoughtful, and curious students? He quickly realized that they needed to learn some basic rules.

Clark compiled a list of 55 lessons, and soon, his fifth-grade students--who once struggled to read at the third-grade level--were reading at the sixth-grade level . . . and loving it. What's more, they were gaining something crucial-self-respect. Those 55 lessons evolved into what Clark calls The Essential 55--guidelines for living and interacting with others.

The Essential 55 will prepare parents and educators to teach students the rules for life--everything from knowing how to say thank you, to acing an interview.

Ron Clark has been a teacher since 1995 and has taught in the most difficult schools in North Carolina and Harlem. Since winning Disney's 2001 Teacher of the Year, he has spoken across the country to teachers, school boards and PTAs to share his 55 Rules. He lives in Atlanta.