Esquith has a much longer work day than is typical for teachers, starting at 6:30 a.m. and not ending until 5 or 6 p.m., and he has said that can't be expected of other teachers. His longer period of time with the students helps him to both cover material that will be on standardized tests and teach topics that he himself is passionate about — Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and baseball (used both to help with physical fitness and mathematics). "The best teachers I know all put themselves in the classroom," he said in a 2007 interview. "If you're a great cook, spend part of your day cooking with the children, and if you love the Chronicles of Narnia, then read that with your children even if it isn't part of the prescribed reading text of your school."

Not only do his students have long school days, they also come in on holidays and are given reading assignments considered well beyond the typical fifth grader's reading level, although Esquith says they are no brighter than typical students.

He also varies teaching methods within individual classrooms to reflect differences in learning styles among students. Esquith also has high expectations of his students. Expecting his fifth graders, who are generally from families whose primary language is not English, to study and understand Shakespeare, for example.

Former students continue to help Esquith with current classes. Some come back to discuss their experiences. In a 2007 interview, Esquith said: "A lot of times a young teacher has a vision of what they want their children to be, but the children who grow up in bad neighborhoods [...] can't have that vision. They've never seen it — they don't know what it looks like. But when former students of mine come back and talk to them about coming back from Princeton or U.S.C. or U.C.L.A. or anywhere, the children realize, 'Hey, this could be me.' They really start to see how what they do now affects their life later." The involvement of former students who have done well helps to counter the lack of involvement from parents who are often poor and sometimes illegal immigrants without much education themselves and who aren't able to stimulate their children's intellectual and educational interests and motivate them because of lack of time or knowledge, according to Esquith.

Esquith has said he advises young teachers never to fight with administrators: "Always agree with them. Tell them that, 'You know, I understand where you're coming from', and try to quietly work around the system. I rarely fight with anybody in my school because that doesn't help the children."

Teachers control only one aspect of a child's education, which is also influenced by the involvement of parents, school administrators, teachers unions, testing services and textbook publishers, according to Esquith.

"I've been a teacher now for 27 years," Esquith said in a 2007 interview. "I have still not been to one staff meeting where character was discussed, honestly discussed — how we get children to behave themselves, not because they're afraid of punishment but because they really adopt a code of civil behavior."

• There Are No Shortcuts (2003) ISBN 0-375-42202-1 – published in 2003, this book is a required reading for EDCI 205 (Exploring Teaching as a Career) at Purdue University.
• Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire (2007) ISBN 0-670-038156
• Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World (2009; ISBN 0-670-021083) – a slim (208-page) book is addressed to parents but organized around a class trip to Dodger Stadium, with sections revolving around concepts including Punctuality, Focus, Decision Making, Taking Pride in What You Do, Selflessness, Humility, Patience, and Teaching Kids to Grow.

News Articles

• Washington Post "Better Teachers, Not Tinier Classes, Should Be Goal" 2Mar2009
• CBS Evening News "Teacher Inspires Kids To Love Learning" 31Jan2007
• NPR "Rafe Esquith Offers His Fiery Teaching Methods" 22Jan2007
• NPR "Inner-City Teacher Takes No Shortcuts to Success" 26Apr2005

Interviews and Podcasts

• Diane Rehm "There are no shortcuts." 29Dec2003
• Penguin Books "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire" podcast