Kay McSpadden's classroom in rural York, South Carolina is windowless, water stained, gray ? and the scene of something amazing. Inside, slackers stay late to wrestle with Socrates. A teenage mother discovers Shakespeare. And a shy special ed student wins applause for powerful public speaking. In Notes from a Classroom, McSpadden introduces her unforgettable students. She chronicles their encounters with literature. And she shares what she's learned in 30 years of trial (and error ) in the classroom: How to turn teen diffidence, bravado and apathy into a lifelong passion for learning.