Tracking the progress of a class of prototypical kindergarteners, veteran educator Diamond guides readers through the myriad details of classroom life: the organisation, curriculum and relationships that create a unique class culture that can represent the reality of social ideals and values. Exposing the magic a veteran teacher can work in a classroom, Diamond lays out the logic behind the routines and rituals in which children thrive, creating a lyrical look at the hidden structures of an elementary classroom from the inside perspective of an expert educator.