1.5 stars
I'm a big Baker fan, and was very excited when I heard about this book.
What a disappointment.
It is 28 days worth of journal entries that offer little insight, analysis, or structure.

Many of his implied critiques are the direct result of him being a sub, and not a teacher. ("I wondered if I even taught anything today." Of course you didn't. But that's not an indictment of our schools. That's what happens when a sick person has to make plans for a complete stranger. And the constant comment on worksheets!)

I was also taken aback by the numerous ways he undermined the teachers he was filling in for.

I was very hopeful such a keen observer of the quirks and thoughts of folks would have interesting things to bring to light here. Nope. Just transcripts of what the kids said. And a guy who thinks he knows how to educate kids best because he was a (less than ideal? bad?) substitute for 28 days.

There are interesting, informative, evocative moments. ("I suck at everything.") But far too few to justify over 700 pages.