Education Teaching Books

I love this whole series of books-- and so do my children!
This year, my almost 7-year old ASKED for this book for his BIRTHDAY!!!

This is very well written. A great help to helping children understand History. It makes reading about the past fun and enjoyable.

I began with Story of the World Vol. 1 by recommendation of a friend. I think I've enjoyed this volume even more. The chapters are short and are written in a way that holds my son's attention well (he just turned eight). I highly recommend getting the activity book to accompany this. It contains maps, coloring pages, games, review cards, and many suggestions for crafts to illustrate each chapter. There are also comprehension questions, narration, and suggestions for further reading.

My daughter is almost six, and she is not as excited about this series. I think if we didn't have the activity book she would not enjoy history at all. That may simply be because it's not her interest, while my son likes anything non-fiction, but it is also written a bit above her comprehension level. I would wait to use this until at least age seven. My son at this point begs me to read just one more chapter every day.

As for those who've said this is historical inaccurate, I would say that I haven't found a huge margin of error. When I have come across something that contradicts what I've learned elsewhere, I consider it an opportunity to dialog with my kids about it. Or I skip it. I also believe that at this age my focus is to expose them to the idea of history and culture rather than to drill them on historical facts.

The book was in excellent condition--not even a page bent! Also, it was received sooner than expected. A great purchase all around.

Susan Wise Bauer has gone out of her way to create this well -written history books for children. I highly recommend purchasing the activity books that go with each one. They are filled with art projects, coloring pages, map exercises, lists of additional readers (both fiction and non-fiction), and narration questions! It is a complete history curriculum!

This book is excellent for all teachers, in grades K-12, not just college teachers. It gets at the essential elements of great teaching and teachers. I have given it to many of the teachers at my school.

If you are a seasoned educator looking to improve your classroom performance and get greater academic results from your students, this book is for you. If you are a new teacher who would like to get on the right track to teaching success - without having to endure the painful learning curve that most teachers go through, this book is for you.

The book's author, Ken Bain, set out with the objective of capturing the collective scholarship of some of the most outstanding teachers in the United States with surveys and interviews that helped him document what they do, and how they think in an effort to conceptualize their practices. He defines "outstanding" teachers as those teachers who have achieved remarkable success in helping their students think, act and feel.

The conclusion of the book is directed to people who teach, but will benefit students and their parents as well. "What The Best College Teachers Do" should be required reading for all teachers (young/old or new/seasoned) who not only want to get better, but to become outstanding in their field.

Brief Summary: Ken Bain and his colleagues conducted a fifteen-year study of outstanding teachers from a variety of disciplines at two dozen institutions. The teachers they chose to study had all achieved remarkable success in helping their students make sustained, substantial and positive changes in the way they think, act and learn. The study looked at how good teachers prepare, what they expect from their students, how they conduct a class, how they treat their students, how they evaluate their students and themselves, and how they understand how students learn, and then play to those strengths.

There were several recurring practices and beliefs that seemed to be shared by the best teachers. They are looking to foster deep and lasting learning, rather than a kind of surface learning in which students remember something just long enough to pass the exam. They are learners themselves, constantly trying to improve their technique. They provide a safe environment which allows students to struggle and question new ideas. They plan their course backwards, beginning with the results they hope to achieve. They provide their students with clear and realistic goals. When their students have difficulty, they look for problems with their course rather than with their students. They make their classes as relevant as possible. Most importantly, good teachers seem to share the belief that teaching only occurs when learning takes place.

Sample Excerpt :Understanding that every student is an individual, the best teachers know that no single approach can work for all of them. As one teacher in the study said, "You don't teach a class. You teach a student." Bain further explains, "Simply put, the best teachers believe that learning involves both personal and intellectual development and that neither the ability to think nor the qualities of being a mature human being are immutable. People can change, and those changes - not just the accumulation of information - represent true learning. More than anything else this central set of beliefs distinguishes the most effective teachers from many of their colleagues."

Primary Strength: If a person was lucky, she might have five outstanding teachers in her lifetime who she would strive to emulate. Yet when I try to put my finger on the "what" and the "how" of what my outstanding teachers did, those qualities are elusive. But when I read this book, those great teachers of mine came to mind and I found myself thinking, "Yeah, they did that." Bain has taken on the herculean task of studying hundreds of successful teachers and then finding their common denominator, thus allowing each of us to study what the masters have in common and incorporating those skills into our own personal style.

Primary Weakness: Bain was vague about the "science" of his study. Some might like to know more about the source of his facts, how many teachers were studied where, and exactly how the studies were conducted.

Overall: Before I read this book, I knew that teaching was difficult. After reading this book, I realize that if you do it well, teaching is far more complicated than I ever imagined. It's like a juggling act with thoughts and minds, and you have to adapt your routine for every class. It confirms what I have always known: Not everyone can teach. It's not enough to know your subject cold, or to have the greatest lesson plan, or even to use the best techniques. You have to love the job. You have to respect your students and have faith that they want to learn, and they can learn. Because if you don't believe all of that, for even one day, they will know it. Your students will know it, and they will suffer.

Excellent; makes one realize much of what passes for learning in college classrooms is little more than memorization and even that fades quickly. It would be 5-star except it doesn't always explain How these college professors implement their concepts of better teaching.

This book was completely unhelpful. It is filled with inspiring anecdotes of "what the best college teachers do" that illustrate some inspiring and earth-shaking revelations such as "treat your students like human beings" and "don't lecture for 2 hours at a time." All of his advice is abstract with few practical applications, and the rest is common-sense knowledge. Do not buy this book.

I have not read this book nor am I a teacher, but have a question. Does this book help with other professionals and adults? For example someone who knows science and takes Calculus improves comprehension analytically? Or someone who knows spelling and now uses shapes for math may help in identifying, say, words? So, not to just teach the kids how to read but to help them with their profession (outside of just teaching) or with their everyday activity/living too? Sorta like self empowerment. Thanks! Steve
Sorry for the negative rating. I just want to be indifferent about it and I cannot put zero stars.

This book has a lot of ideas to help teachers of middle school and high school. It contains examples of many strategies for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

If you are stuck on a particular student and can't figure out what to do to help them, read this book and find help.

This book is also good for content area teachers who need help with their struggling readers.

I am a fist-year English teacher serving in a low-performing high school (based on states tests scores)in an inner-city public school district. I struggled to teach on-level text to below grade level students. Once I found this book, I felt like I had a master teacher standing next to me as I taught me students how to use strategies to create meaning from text. The title of this book is befitting of its content because when my students lacked comprehension, I had specific strategies to aid their understanding. Direct instruction of these strategies is based in cooperative learning. Hands down, this warmly written book equipped my students with the ability to comprehensively read any text that any teacher gives them.

Main contents of the book covers reading strategies, vocabulary, fluency, phonics, literary discussions, the reading process, philosophy on direct instruction of reading strategies, and cooperative learning.

This book is an excellent resource for teachers in all grade levels. The strategies can be used for elementary students and the book has helpful charts that direct you to the information you need if a student has difficulty with comprehension, vocabulary, word recognition and fluency, or spelling. One of the best resources I have ever used in 27 years of teaching.

This book provides excellent practical advice for teachers and specific strategies to help middle and high school students who struggle with reading. Most teachers will find this book easy to understand and apply to their day work of endeavoring to get kids into literature, regardless of whether or not the students are independent readers.

If teaching is part of your life's work, then this is a must read. It is both spiritual and practical in its wisdom and demands for authenticity.

This book is a gift to all dedicated educators. Parker Palmer's thoughtful text, The Courage to Teach, has been updated and expanded for this, his tenth anniversary edition. I love the CD that comes with it. I used this book in my graduate course last fall and my students really enjoyed reading it and discussing Palmer's ideas. One student commented, "From Parker Palmer I've learned how to think more critically....I find myself spending much more time thinking before speaking. Not just in class but in LIFE!" All of us who work in classrooms need to consider the impact of our words on others. This book is an excellent guide to understanding that it is not technique but one's identity and integrity that make a difference in the classroom.

This new edition is a welcomed reminder of the eloquent and insightful invitation Parker Palmer issued ten years ago to educators to go inside themselves and rekindle the passion that originally drew them to teaching. I am delighted to know that in the past ten years this work has evolved to include others in professions of the heart--namely everyone. This is a profoundly thoughtful and engaging book for anyone.

I love this book! I loved it when the first edition came out ten years ago -- and I love it even more now, with the new beginning and ending. I also love the CD that comes with the book -- the wonderful conversation between Parker and his colleagues. Parker puts into words what so many of us have felt -- and he does it exquisitely. He says that we teach who we are, that the teacher's identity and integrity are more important than any technique or method. Good teachers have always known that -- but we've begun to doubt our own knowing in this mean climate that has left way too many teachers behind. This book is the perfect gift for every new teacher-- as well as for those of us who struggle some days to remember the passion that brought us to teaching in the first place!

Parker Palmer's wisdom is invaluable to all who teach. His ideas are both profound and revolutionary. The Courage to Teach leads us on an exploration of the paradoxes inherent in our living and our teaching. We are encouraged to "cultivate the capacity for connectedness on which all good teaching depends." Parker's words inspire us to live and teach authentically, and invite our students to do the same. This book is a must read for all who struggle to teach in a way that opens students' hearts, as well as their minds.

This book was valuable as an aspiring educational leader. The 21 responsibilities were extremely valuable in understanding the role that an educational leader must take on. The down side was the statistical calculation which without having had stats in some time made understanding the rationale behind some of the data more challenging. I would still recommend though!

I had asked to borrow this book from friends and was turned down. So I finally picked up my own copy and I was not disappointed. It is a good book, practical, short and concise for us busy administrators. I recommend it.

In this book, Robert Marzano, the most effective force in educational reform today, continues his efforts to promote excellence in schools. Here, he and his colleagues turn their attention to defining school leadership behaviors and actions that raise student achievement. They blend practical advice and research to come up with specific steps that school leaders can take to see that students improve academically.

Marzano et al found that there are 21 leadership responsibilities that have a statistically significant relationship with student achievement. All are important, but the three most correlated with achievement are (1) Situational Awareness (of the specific school situation and good use of this information), (2) Flexibility (to adapt to the specific situation and to handle dissent), and (3) (tied) Discipline (to protect teachers from undue distractions), Outreach (as advocate and spokesperson for the school), and Monitoring/Evaluation (creating a system that provides feedback on effectiveness).

They classified previous efforts at school change into two types. First-Order Change is incremental, a step-by-step pattern. Second-Order Change is sudden reversal of pattern or direction, anything but incremental. Both change processes can be effective, and both require different behaviors by school leaders. The three most effective behaviors for First-Order Change are (1) Monitoring/Evaluating, (2) Culture (building a positive culture that influences teachers), and (3) Ideals/Beliefs (leader's well-articulated ideals and beliefs). The three most important behaviors for Second-Order Change are (1) Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, (2) Optimizer (optimism as a critical characteristic), and (3) Intellectual Stimulation (of Staff).

The third component Marzano et al looked at was the importance of the leader's ability to select the right work or issues for the school staff to tackle to improve achievement, whether through the use of models of site-specific or of comprehensive school reform. Both models are effective if tailored to the needs and context of a given school.

But hold on. Don't be discouraged from reading this book because you fear that this is just another text full of education theory and cliches. Or don't succumb to thoughts of "been there, done that" and been burned too many times before. Marzano and company offer a thorough, five-step plan that works for experienced or novice leaders. They recognize that no one person can do all they suggest, and they show how to share leadership with other educators and community members. This book is the most clearly defined, research-based plan for improving student achievement you can find today; and everyone, educator or not, who is interested in better student academic growth should read it.

If there were educational awards equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor given for service beyond the call of duty for the promotion of student academic excellence, Robert Marzano should receive the first.

Robert Marzano and his colleagues translate the knowledge base on effective school leadership into a clear and precise format applicable to 21st century schools. It is a great gift to both successfuil veterans and aspiring leaders. Students and the nation are better off for this work. Education professors and school board members will use Marzano's meta-analysis to understand and articulate the qualities we need in today's leaders.

Tovani has produced a concise and practical resource for literacy development in high schools. Full of practical ideas based on current knowledge about how we learn, the book is useful to teachers in all subject areas. I have used this book in my work as a school administrator, and now it is a basic textbook in our university secondary teacher education program.

I found that by reading this book, not only did I learn strategies for teaching reading to my students but I also learned how to improve my own reading. The books tells us to remind the kids that even though they arent the best readers, they still have time to be.

This book is a quick read and you are bound to get a greater understanding of how to create a classroom climate that is safe, and provides a place for children to be honest about their learning, confusion and understanding on a text. Reading this boook has given me several lesson plans that will help me teach my students this upcoming year and I feel well-prepared!

It's a good book if you are looking for inspiration. Tovani discusses her experience in trying to promote reading in all classrooms. However, I feel that it is more reminiscient than a tool for instruction, although she does offer suggestions to use in the classroom at the end of her chapters.

This book is a must read for all middle school and high school teachers. Provides quick, effective strategies for working with struggling readers.

Generally I'm fairly critical of this type of educational material, but Tovani's book is actually not bad. She offers some pretty useful techniques to help struggling readers at the high school level, and breaks down the strategies to target specific needs. The only thing that turned me off a little was that many of her stories of actual classroom experience seem fabricated. Take, for example, the story she tells of the student who asked "who is Virgil?" after they had been reading the Inferno in class for weeks and the student in question had already finished 3/4 of the book. Seems a little unbelievable, and might cast some doubt on the validity of the work. But these instances aside, I feel the book could be helpful to teachers of struggling readers.

(This is Frank's wife writing.)
My daughter who is a struggling artists recommended this book to us. It's short, but packed with good thoughts about making art and coping with one's fears about the process. It's not only helpful for artists in dealing with their thoughts about why they make art, but also to their friends and relatives. The explanation of the essence art vs. craft (a topic that has long interested me) is excellent. The writing is clear and accessible. There are examples of how real artists in various genres have dealt with the basic problems of making art. The book works for both the professional artist as well as the amateur, regardless of medium.

By naming the fears that artist experience, and giving simple and direct answers to those fears; David and Ted have given artists a tool to name their own fears and overcome them. The book had a profound impact on me and how I approach my work as a potter. I owe a lot to having read this book, in the confidence I gained, and the risks I am willing to take becasue of their writing. I have already recommended it to friends, and have it on display in my gallery. It is the best book on Fear that I have read, outside of the Bible.

I just graduated from art school, major in design & illustration. I've found this book amazingly helpful. I'm not that kind of person who like to read self help book...but this book is just wonderful. Things i've learn from this book: the right attitude of making art, determination over talent, the importance of communication between you and your art, small goals get you going, making art will expose your inner self...etc.

Highly recommended book for designer and illustrator.

A friend recommended this book for me and after reading it bought two copies for other friends. It is practical, realistic and wise. If you need some perspective and engage in any form of creating, this is the book!

This is an absolute must for anyone that "creates", especially if they believe that what they create is "Art". If a person's interest is in the "meaning" of what they create, "Art and Fear" presents, with clarity, sensitivity, and insight, the risks and rewards of the process and the ultimate importance of the effort.

I am happy with this math workbook. My son likes that he only has to dedicate a small amount of time to math daily over the summer break and usually there is no argument. I recommend this book to all who want their children get ready for September!

Math book very good. Has the answers in the back so you can see if you have the right answer. It also shows examples so you can see how to workout a problem. Once you review problems it doesn't stop the first part is always a review of what you did last. So it keeps you practiceing over and over again.

It's nothing mindblowing, but for math you often need structure and practice more than anything else. A good, systematic way to build your child's math skills over the summer, or even during the school year.

This is a very helpful book for keeping your child or student up to date with daily review work. Each day builds on the previous days work. It is just enough work to keep concepts fresh. Could also be used over the summer to keep kids on track. Great product.

This text is so well put together that teaching math seqentially is now a breeze! I wish I'd found this book a couple of years ago. Highly recommend it to those who homeschool or need to brush up on thier own math skills. No need to have a math degree to teach math. Will definitely be purchasing the next book in the series.

Book was received promptly and in excellent condition. Very pleased in this service. Will use again.

This item was ordered as a new product and received in excellent condition. Unfortunately it took weeks to receive it. This is not the first time I have had this problem with Amazon.

A hilarious and easy read, this book rings true and has really helped me grow as a teacher. I gave it as a gift to beginner teachers who loved it!

This book is a fast read for beginning teachers who might want a glimpse into one teachers journey.

One of the best qualities a person can possess is the ability to see folly and laughter in the things we do. Mr. Gary Rubinsetein is that kind of person. He looks back at his first year and laughs, and with that act of laughing, he learns that there is a better way to do things. And as a result, he blossoms into a great educator - the school's "Teacher of the Year."

So much of being an effective teacher comes from practice, that reading more extensively into the varies learning modalities or the newest trend in classroom management will only improve your reading skills, not your teaching skills. Just because I read books about Mixed Martial Arts, for example, doesn't mean that I can walk into the octagon and be ready to fight. Any professional fighter will tell you that stepping into the octagon is one of the ways to become a better fighter; any teacher will tell you that teaching is a way of becoming a better teacher. The process of stepping in "there" is a necessary ingredient in the process of becoming better.

Becoming an effective teacher takes time, reflection, and the ability to handle disappointment. These are all lessons that are expounded in the book "Reluctant Disciplinarian." This is a must read for all new teachers.

If you have any intuition for teaching, this book offers little. So who has the time, really? While I did appreciate the suggestion that real teachers dress the part, I was rather unimpressed with the rest. If you're looking for guidance, though, and are a new teacher who doesn't trust her instincts, this might be worth the read.

This book chronicles the first three years of Gary Rubinstein's teaching career. In the first year he is a self proclaimed "softy," - he wants to believe that if you care about students and have interesting lessons, there is no need for being authoritative and having rules, the (high school) kids will recognize these things and toe the line. This is a myth brought on by watching inspirational movies about teaching too often - you want interesting lessons, and you want to care about the kids, but they also need structure and rules. After being walked all over the first year, he decides to be a complete hard nose his second year - no smiling, no laughing, you care about the kids, but you don't necessarily show it. This also backfires, when he realizes he has become so unapproachable that none of the kids even tell him when one of their classmates dies suddenly. This leads Gary to a comfortable median between being too soft and being too hard, and by combining the two he ends up being a successful teacher.

Quote: "Teachers should be prepared to utter a decisive answer to any question within two seconds."

I liked this book both as a memoir and a book of broad, general advice on classroom management. If you already have things under control and just want a few little new ideas, this book is probably not for you. If you want to get lots of good, general advice for managing a high school classroom, this would be a better fit. I liked this book because it was entertaining, short, and helpful. It acknowledges weaknesses both in learning classroom management at education colleges (where this is often a weakness because theories often don't pan out when confronted with actual children who don't *know* that if you have non book work and you care for them, they are supposed to be good. Rubinstein's book contains bits of wisdom such as, "many students perceive working in groups as not really working at all," calling parents without warning is far more effective than warning students that you will call," and "actions are more powerful than threats."