There are few places as perfectly suited to crush idealism and hope as a high school classroom. Yet, every year when September rolls around, another young graduate will face a class of ninth graders, confident that she can "tame the beast." Ms. Annette Kalin, a young teacher, leaves the relative security of her midwestern community to take on the challenge of teaching in New York City. From day one, a student named Leon challenges her for control of the class. Day after day she comes to school armed with a lesson plan, hoping to make a breakthrough, but each day her hopes are dashed by a...

There are few places as perfectly suited to crush idealism and hope as a high school classroom. Yet, every year when September rolls around, another young graduate will face a class of ninth graders, confident that she can "tame the beast." Ms. Annette Kalin, a young teacher, leaves the relative security of her midwestern community to take on the challenge of teaching in New York City. From day one, a student named Leon challenges her for control of the class. Day after day she comes to school armed with a lesson plan, hoping to make a breakthrough, but each day her hopes are dashed by a...