Stand for the Best: What I Learned after Leaving My Job as CEO of H&R Block to Become a Teacher and Founder of an Inner-City Charter School [Hardcover]

Thomas M. Bloch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2008

Thirteen years ago, Tom Bloch was CEO of H&R Block, the groundbreaking tax organization. The son of the company’s founder, he was a happily married 41-year-old executive, but something was missing from his life. After a nineteen-year career at the company, Bloch resigned his position to become a math teacher in an impoverished inner-city section of Kansas City. Stand for the Best reveals Bloch’s struggles to make a difference for his marginalized students and how he eventually co-founded a successful charter school, University Academy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The lessons from Mr. Bloch's journey — on the importance of courage, risk-taking, passion and service in our lives — are valuable to us all as citizens, leaders, social-change agents and human beings." (The Washington Times, October 2008)

From the Inside Flap

Stand for the Best

"In early 1995, quite deliberately, I stepped down as CEO of H&R Block, where I was making nearly a million dollars a year. I had decided on a higher calling: teaching math to inner-city kids. This is the story of how that decision changed my life and the lives of kids I tried to help."—From the Introduction

Tom Bloch was the successful CEO of H&R Block, the groundbreaking tax organization. The son of the company's founder, he was a happily married 41-year-old executive, but something was missing from his life.?After a nineteen-year career at the company, Bloch resigned his position to become a math teacher in an impoverished inner-city section of Kansas City.?Stand for the Best follows Bloch's struggles to make a difference for his marginalized students and how he eventually co-founded a successful charter school, University Academy.

But Stand for the Best is more than a memoir of one man's journey; the book also includes lessons learned from Bloch's experience, winning strategies from teachers he has known, valuable approaches for educating students no matter what their circumstances, and a unique model of education for teachers working with inner-city students. Most of all, it shows what can be accomplished when teachers, students, and the community all stand for the best.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (July 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470188960
• ISBN-13: 978-0470188965
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read -- both entertaining and thoughtful, August 6, 2008

By 

Debbie (Midwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stand for the Best: What I Learned after Leaving My Job as CEO of H&R Block to Become a Teacher and Founder of an Inner-City Charter School (Hardcover)

This is a good read. Tom Bloch's personal story is riveting and he is brave enough to share some very private emotions. But this book is more than a collection of anecdotes from the classroom where backpacks leak pickle juice and children regularly lose family members to shootings. Bloch has taken a thoughtful look at the herculean challenges before America's urban teachers and the universal human challenge to find purpose and meaning in our lives. He is also brave enough to offer some suggestions for institutional improvements. Worthwhile reading for anyone worried about America's schools and its students. Knowing that the book profits will go back into teacher training makes it easy to pay the hardback price.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, August 9, 2008

By 

Marc - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stand for the Best: What I Learned after Leaving My Job as CEO of H&R Block to Become a Teacher and Founder of an Inner-City Charter School (Hardcover)

Bloch's story is very uplifting. How many people in his position would leave it all behind to try to make a difference in the world? He readily admits he could afford to do so, but he has truly walked the walk, rather than just talking about it. This book puts it all out there--his internal struggles, the path he took and what he learned along the way. He underscores the importance of the teaching profession and makes a plea for society to give it more respect. This book will appeal to people considering a career change who aren't sure they have the courage to do it, teachers who question their significance, and just anyone who wants to be inspired.

5.0 out of 5 stars important message, November 24, 2008

By 

Michale A. Kincaid (midwest) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stand for the Best: What I Learned after Leaving My Job as CEO of H&R Block to Become a Teacher and Founder of an Inner-City Charter School (Hardcover)

This is a story that should reach all ears. For young adults, thinking about careers, this puts a different spin on what "success" means. Tom is up front about how his financial security gave him options to make choices that might be more difficult for others. At the same time, he convinces the readers that the payback for this kind of commitment is greater than a paycheck. The education of all of today's children has to be one of the most significant issues we face. With an educationed population, economys tend to be strong. Lets give some kids a chance and see what they can do. My guess is ANYTHING!