On the first page of this book Ron Berger says: “If you’re going to do something, I believe, you should do it well.” He argues that the pride of the craftsman should apply to teaching and learning, as well as to carpentry. His book shows how this can be achieved in the most ordinary school – but only by changing the culture.

Better than any of the other literature recommended to me by the teachers at MMHS, his book explains the principles that underlie the way the school is run. Perhaps the most important of these is that the emphasis is on learning rather than teaching. The focus is on enabling young people to learn how to learn. The teachers themselves are lifelong learners and, when starting a new project, have to learn alongside the pupils.The most amazing and innovatory feature of his school is that the students  do real research. Ron Berger gives many example of such projects and these enable the reader to understand what is happening in the quiet, happy enthusiastic classrooms at Matthew Moss. An example from Berger’s book is that a group of learners undertook a scientific examination of the water in the wells of the town. This was new knowledge and important for the community. The students learned the scientific method, which they could then apply to other areas throughout life, and also the social responsibility of the scientist. The most astounding aspect of all I saw at Matthew Moss was that the research into their own family trees, which a year 8 class was pursuing, was genuine – no-one knew what they would find.

One of the delights of reading this book is that the craftsmanship that Ron Berger brings to carpentry and teaching extends to his writing. The book is beautifully written and brings to life excellent practice, which must be a beacon for the future of education.