Perhaps America's top priority is not the economy. It is not healthcare. It is not national security. It is not the national debt. It would appear to be the effectiveness of the educational processes that we employ in preparing our children to take over the leadership of our nation. They will be the innovators who drive economic growth, streamline healthcare, and assure our nation's security including its fiscal health and international credibility. In parallel with the influence of the home, the classroom is the "cradle" where childhood aptitudes and a sense of self-worth are nurtured. Clear ideas and effective patterns of thinking are forged in the "crucible" of learning that each classroom represents. And, as would a "crystal ball," the classroom provides a prototype of what America's future will be. We will all soon live in the future that today's students will create. This book contains practical insight and heart-warming inspiration for teachers, parents, students, and American citizens-all who have such an immense stake in the outcomes that our nation's classrooms produce.