The board and the political leadership of the city are not working to create schools where teachers know students.
He tries to get to know students in other ways, too.
Teachers focus on getting to know students and team-building activities.
I knew students that had been accepted to the University of Michigan.
"I know students - they try to out-militant each other, especially in public," he said.
I have known students who feel obliged to know pages 1-65 almost by heart before they dare turn to page 66.
"Faculty members cannot get to know students if you have 300 in a room."
But the time to get to know students best is outside the classroom.
His classes were small, and he made an effort to get to know students who made use of the reading room.
In most conventional schools, teachers barely know students in other classrooms, let alone have time to help them.