This book maintains that every student is a genius, and the teacher's most important job is to discover and nurture the genius that exists within each student. Teachers are urged to look beyond the traditional understanding of what constitutes genius. Part 1 describes 12 qualities that go beyond traditional definitions of genius: curiosity, playfulness, imagination, creativity, wonder, wisdom, inventiveness, vitality, sensitivity, flexibility, humor, and joy. This section also examines theoretical foundations, looking at neurological, evolutionary, biographical, and phenomenological bases for the 12 qualities. Part 2 looks at how genius shuts down, focusing on the role of the home (e.g., emotional dysfunction, poverty, fast-track lifestyles, and rigid ideologies). This section also discusses the role of the school (testing, grading, labeling, tracking, textbook and worksheet learning, and tedium) and examines the role of the popular media (stereotypical images, insipid language, and mediocre content). Part 3 discusses how teachers can awaken genius in the classroom by reawakening the genius in themselves, providing simple genius experiences, creating a genial climate in the classroom, and knowing that genius is expressed in many ways. (Contains approximately 200 references.) (SM)