"A penetrating analysis of the social structure of elementary school classrooms in a recently desegregated school system. An important book for any educator deeply concerned with improving instructional practices inside multi-culturally diverse American classrooms."

–Barbara Schneider, Professor of Sociology, Co-director of the Alfred P. Sloan Center on Parents, Children, and Work, The University of Chicago and NORC

"A wonderful contribution to the sociology of education. It shows how the classroom's instructional organization fundamentally shapes the ways children come to know and interact with each other, thereby determining how they learn about norms of equality. It is a must-read for anyone interested in social change and school reform."

–Steven T. Bossert, Dean, School of Education, Syracuse University

In this seminal new work, Stephen Plank expertly navigates us through the wake of one school district’s attempt to desegregate its schools according to socioeconomic status. Drawing from his rich study of ten fourth-grade classrooms, Plank uncovers the ways that teachers’ leadership styles, tasks, and reward structures affect students’ peer relations. The synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data is especially creative, as are the practical implications presented here for administrators and teachers who want to encourage participation and well-being among students in heterogeneous classrooms. This informative book is crucial reading for anyone who cares about the inherent difficulties and rewards of achieving school reform and social justice.