A must-read for parents, new teachers, and classroom veterans, EDUCATING ESMÉ is the exuberant diary of Esmé Raji Codell s first year teaching in a Chicago public school. Fresh-mouthed and free-spirited, the irrepressible Madame Esmé as she prefers to be called does the cha-cha during multiplication tables, roller-skates down the hallways, and puts on rousing performances with at-risk students in the library. Her diary opens a window into a real-life classroom from a teacher s perspective. While battling bureaucrats, gang members, abusive parents, and her own insecurities, this gifted young woman reveals what it takes to be an exceptional teacher.