If my stepdaughter didn’t attend The Paideia School, I’m not sure I would believe everything Bernie Schein writes in If Holden Caulfield were in My Classroom.

Paideia is different from any public school, and probably from most private schools. The teachers work in unorthodox ways, and the students thrive because of it.

Schein has taught seventh- and eighth-graders for more than 30 years, in addition to being a principal and educational consultant. In his book, he offers real-world examples of his classroom and how he brings out the best in his students.

For example, Schein allowed students to essentially govern themselves under a “Constitution” for the classroom that they created, a model that other teachers have adopted. By giving students more power and control over their situation, they blossomed, showing remarkable insight and taking their responsibilities seriously.

Schein relentlessly challenged students to examine their own emotions, motivations, and values, leading to frank, sometimes profane, discussions and gut-wrenching soul searching. In the end, students left Schein’s class with the ability to express themselves as individuals, something every middle schooler struggles with, and something our current education system does its best to stifle. An eye-opening read.