PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewFor such a long book, Baker makes few recommendations, most of them modest enough — shorter days, less homework, more attention to foundational knowledge. As a rule he’s on firmer ground when he questions sequence than when he balks at scope ... But any deficiencies one might find in Baker’s classroom management, and he finds plenty on his own, are not all his fault. Substitute reminds us how even the best teachers can only be a little better than the schools in which they teach ... Baker’s book may be the most revealing depiction of the contemporary American classroom that we have to date.
