"A page turner. With candor and clarity, Tony Wagner tells the story
of his remarkable life and, in so doing, tells the story of our
education system."
--Angela Duckworth, Founder and CEO, Character Lab, and New York
Times bestselling author of Grit
One of the world's top experts on education delivers an uplifting memoir
on his own personal failures and successes as he sought to become a good
learner and teacher.
Tony Wagner is an eminent education specialist: he has taught at every
grade level from high school through graduate school; worked at Harvard;
done significant work for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and
speaks across the country and all over the world. But before he found
his success, Wagner was kicked out of middle school, expelled from high
school, and dropped out of two colleges. Learning by Heart is his
powerful account of his years as a student and teacher.
After struggling in both roles, he learned to create meaningful learning
experiences despite the constraints of conventional schooling--initially
for himself and then for his students--based on understanding each
student's real interests and strengthening his or her intrinsic
motivations. Wagner's story sheds light on critical issues facing
parents and educators today, and reminds us that trial and error,
resilience, and respect for the individual, are at the very heart of all
teaching and learning.
