Contrary to traditional educational thought, true emotion, rather than pure reason, is the secret to creativity and intelligence. The truth is ultimately personal-that’s why it’s universal. By the time Bernie Shein’s students arrive in his middle-school classroom, they are little more than a gaggle of defense mechanisms, needing to rediscover who they are. His goal is to help them with this joyous and difficult endeavor. Through stories from his classroom, he shows us how he does it.