In Italy, at least in the past, the process of distributing teaching jobs was a real jungle, as you will see. The list, assembled by a complicated point system, involving test scores, experience, seniority, etc, was what would determine whether an aspiring teacher would have a job that year or not. Alberto Manzi knows he is qualified, but gets an unpleasant surprise at the education office.

Manzi goes to the reform school for his first day of teaching and finds out all the things he will or won't be able to do.

Will Alberto Manzi be up to the task of dealing with these rough, incarcerated boys? On his off-hours, Alberto goes to see the parish priest about a missing person.

Alberto's friend, Eugenio, is ready to call it quits when it comes to teaching. Alberto is convinced that kids are the future, but even though he made some headway with the kids at the reformatory his first day, there are still huge obstacles.

Manzi isn't getting anywhere with the kids at the reformatory. He talks to the director, and then goes to the Board of Education, too, to complain.

Alberto gets a friend to drive him to where Ida teaches. He recognizes her right away as the kids come out of the school.

Alberto sleeps on the park bench across from Ida's apartment and then goes to work at the prison, where, once again, it's an uphill battle.

Ida reads the letters Alberto had left for her and is clearly moved. She looks out the window at the empty bench...

Alberto Manzi takes an exam, getting a high grade. He takes the opportunity to express his ideas about teaching troubled young people. There's trouble at the reformatory, and Alberto steps in.

Ricotta can't believe his eyes when Manzi comes to take him back to his inmates. The kids are incredulous, too, and Manzi, having gained their respect, can finally begin teaching.

Alberto and the kids at the reformatory all lie down on the ground to see the clouds better. They let their imaginations run wild. Alberto takes Ida and Alda to their new home.

The prison director refuses Alberto's request for writing materials, so he takes matters into his own hands, and learns a thing or two from his pupils, too.

Alberto becomes a hero by bringing his kids some pencils. They start to feel the thrill of simply being able to write their own names.

The kids have gotten to the point where they can write much more than their own names. But what then? Alberto comes up with a wonderful idea.

Manzi's pencil ruse gets found out and he is called into the director's office.