Education Teaching Books

This is a great book that talks about many approaches and techniques to use for students with multiple disabilities. Is is an easy & quick read. Good for teachers and parents.

Set aside the terms literacy and the socioeconomic status that most readers of this book focus on. Read the book in terms of communication development, and develeopment of higher oder thinking and reasoning skills. These higher order thinking skills and communication styles are found in schools who's student are successfull, and in homes where learners are engaged in functional dialogue that enables them to shape their environment and act upon it. This is the heart of Literacy with an Attitude. As a teacher, this is a must read for every teacher to evaluate their own biases and provide direction for students who do come from "under-resourced" backgrounds. This book can also be useful for parents who want to evaluate their own teaching practices- becausae we all know, as Literacy with an Attitude teaches us too, that parents are a student's first and most influential teacher.

If you are teacher- read this book! Today! With the mandates of NCLB (closing the gap- even between low SES and higher), this book can provide some valuable insight and inspiration.

If you have ever wondered what the difference is between children of working class families verses those of more afluence, (hint, it isn't simply the money) if you ever wondered what the difference could possibly be that leads some children into the chute toward dead-end factory jobs, while others have jobs that hold some promise, this is the book to read! Read it, then take a closer look at your child's classsroom, their homework, they way they are spoken to, etc. Take it with you as a guide and visit the classroom often, and at different times! You may be shocked at what they are actually learning. Be warned--that reading this book gives validity to the saying "The truth will set you free, but first, it will [upset] you ... !"

Finn contends that the degree of literacy that is taught and exercised in schools is a key determinant in attaining social position and agency. Professionals, managers, and executives acquire an empowering literacy that emphasizes evaluation, analysis, and synthesis in contrast to the functional literacy that is taught in working-class schools which leads to routine, non-creative work and diminished social role. It is Finn's mission to empower working-class kids through changes in the educational system that will create, what he calls, literacy with an attitude.

Finn arranges schools along a line including working-class, middle-class, affluent-professional, and executive elite schools.

Working-class schools are strictly teacher-directed emphasizing order and discipline. The subject matter is largely fragmented facts with little relevance to working-class lives. An uneasy standoff exists between derogatory teachers and reluctant students.

Middle-class students also have minimal input to the educational process but see the value in the information in textbooks and teachers' efforts. Anxiety-producing testing is emphasized but is accepted as essential for success in white-collar jobs. Competency is the goal, not creativity.

It is only in affluent-professional and executive-elite schools where empowering literacy is found. Students are able to participate in planning their own education. Creativity and problem solving take precedence over getting the facts right. The executive-elite schools stress academic excellence and the exercise of control. The affluent-professional schools are more wide-ranging and even willing to critique the social status-quo.

Finn finds that working-class culture itself has an impact in school settings. The dominant form of communication is implicit which relies on unspoken, shared opinions and beliefs. However, success in schools is dependent on the ability to fully use language. Also, working-class parents tend to emphasize obedience in younger children, not exploration. But constrained personalities can be at some disadvantage in settings where personal initiative is key for success, as in good schools.

So working class culture itself must be overcome to gain equal footing with articulate elites. But the Finn mission of extricating working-class kids from dead-end schools is fraught with other contradictions and difficulties.

It is difficult to understand Finn's claim that "the savage inequalities in schools are not the result of a conspicuous conspiracy to oppress the working class." It is Finn that describes the suppression of the fledgling corresponding societies in 1790 England who had a mission to empower the English working class via the extension of literacy. He further shows that a main factor in establishing public education was to control the working class. Why wouldn't the same sort of policies deployed by many levels of government and supported by business interests against the American labor movement throughout most of its history be reflected in the public education of the working class?

Finn proposes that "transforming" intellectuals who see schools as sites of social struggle for the working class will initiate change. He does not clearly address where sufficient numbers of these agents for change can be found. Nor does he explain why their actions would be tolerated by school officials and the larger society. It is somewhat disturbing to see proposed the use of children to achieve a social agenda.

It is unclear as to whether Finn fully appreciates the individualizing that occurs in the elite schools. It is individual creativity and excellence that is developed. But in Finn's new working-class schools, students become "collective" actors for social change. Is student solidarity equivalent to maximizing education? Where would the new schools fit among his school models?

A glaring piece that is missing from the book is the location and numbers of the various types of schools that he describes. One can only speculate that the middle-class school model predominates in the US. That data is necessary to get a handle on the feasibility and relevance of his proposal.

Finn's book ultimately does not come to grips with the contradictions within the working class itself as well as the demands of capitalism. Despite an emphasis on social class in the book, Finn does very little to acknowledge that working class education occurs within and is shaped by capitalistic class relations. And what he proposes would have ramifications for those relations. Capitalism does not require extensive education for most of its workers. Somehow the reader gets the feeling that close to an invisible hand is going to guide working- class students to empowerment nirvana despite the real obstacles noted.

This book shows literacy at a socio-economic level, and what teachers of the working-class schools need to strive for in their classrooms. It answers descriptively the reasons schooling and literacy for the America's working-class children are not the same for other levels of the social spectrum. It is insightful and inspirational!

I found this book to be one of the most important books I've read. I was a working-class student, and Finn's description of typical attitudes astounded me, because I had those attitudes, but thought I was fiercely independent and radically individual. Oh, well.

It is written in a friendly and encouraging way, and offers proven methods to improve education across class and cultural divides.

I have been an acting teacher for nine years and an co-author of my own acting book "Finally..Monologues That Work" and the one thing children love the most in class is the games! Games and more games. They can't get enough. 101 Drama Games For Children gives us variety. It is a great source for teachers who teach acting or in the classroom. It keeps the children interested, helps them learn and they have so much fun. Who could ask for more.

This book focuses a lot on the younger crowd, but can be enjoyed by students of any age! I'm an elementary drama teacher. Great buy!

I teach a summer drama class for grades 1-6, and it has a lot of really great games for all of the age groups, I do however wish there were a few more for the younger groups, but many can be adapted.

While not directly about "Drama", this book offers great games to get children thinking fast and exercising their creative muscles. I am having a lot of fun using it in an introductory drama class for 1st to 3rd grade chilren. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for ideas to use creative play groups more than for teaching specific dramatic techniques. It's about the fun of imagination!

You will use this book over and over. I teach gifted upper elementary and middle school drama students. This book is one of my favorites - it is likely to be one of yours too.

This is a fine attempt at a survey of philosophical ideas behind Western educational systems. The editors have chosen a few exemplars of philosophers from ancient Greece through modern day constructivist American educational philosophers. Especially praiseworthy is the inclusion of women authors in the third version, although at the expense of such thinkers as Richard Rorty, Vygotsky, and Hegel.

The introductions for each philosopher are succinct, and the questions at the end of each chapter can be used in the classroom for discussion. In this regard, the book is well-suited as an introductory textbook.

Many of the excerpts, however, are exceedingly short and do not present much depth or flavor of each philosopher's thought. For readers with a background in philosophy, this is a sip of water when a glass is desired. Students of education, however, may find it adequate as a quick beginning to the topic. However, I strongly recommend additional readings be included in any serious course on the philosophy of education.

This book is very helpful for the K-6 PLT exam. Sample questions and study tips included.

This was useful in my preparation for the test. I passed the first time.

Great fast service, I didn't have to wait long to recieve my order, which is good since I must prove I am a highly qualified teacher due to No Child Left Behind.
Thanks

I used this as a guide to prepare for the Praxis Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment test. It has a chapter called "Study Topics" which outlines what will be on the test. I went through the chapter and researched and studied each item thoroughly. I also read the other chapters which give advise on test taking. It has a practice test which was also helpful. Studying and preparing for the test took a long time and lots of work but it was worth it. I felt very prepared for the test and passed it on the first try.

I believe this book is necessary for anyone preparing for the Praxis, but it isn't overly helpful. Minimal explanations for the answers are given, but it does give an idea of the format of the test and the type of questions included.

I got the book just in time and it was in the promised condition. I would buy from this vendor again.

I have one major point of contention with this author. What I will be referencing is found in her field notes on ODD and chapter seven. I believe that Ferguson is arguing that psychologists are not fairly diagnosing African American students, and labeling them with disorders like ODD without taking into account the external circumstances. She points out that African-American males are disproportionately in special education. First, she says that D'Andre is a part of a growing number of adolescents diagnosed with a personality disorder. She says "the APA goes to pains to underscore the origins of the disorder as within the individual and not the result of external circumstances." She also says that "diagnosticians are instructed to discount the social environment and reject any claims on the part of the individual that external forces have contributed to the problem." She then goes to to say that we need to look at the unreasonable circumstances that led to D'Andre's actions, unreasonable circumstances she feels the psychologists ignore. The reason I bring up this as a major point of contention is because she has all her information incorrect in this section. Often when I am confronted with psychology information in my education classes I asked one of my friends for clarification of the matter. I believe she is a highly qualified person to comment on anything psychology related. I talked to her about the author's claims about ODD and she was amazed at the backwardness of the information.

First, the author claimed that D'Andre was a part of growing number of adolescents diagnosed with a personality disorder. My friend said that is is impossible to label anyone under 18 years old with a personality disorder and that any psychologist who would do so would lose their license. Perhaps the author misspoke and meant to say that D'Andre is a part of a growing number of adolescents with behavioral disorders. Second, these are quotes from the DSM, "judgments about personality functioning must take into account the individual, cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds in providing any diagnosis." The last quote that I feel goes against what Ferguson suggests is, "Anti-Social P.D. appears to be associated with low socio-economic status and urban settings. Concerns have been raised that diagnosis may at times be misapplied to individuals in settings which seemingly anti-social behaviors may be a part of protective survival strategies. In assessing anti-social traits, it is helpful for the clinician to consider social and economic context in which behaviors occur." I bring this point up because the author characterizes psychologists as part of the problem, but the actual writing suggests something else. She indites the APA in a conspiracy to help place labels of personality disorders and ODD on African-American students. She also very blatantly twists quotes from the DSM and APA writings. I will give her the benefit of the doubt that perhaps the school psychologist at Rosa Parks school was doing what she claimed, but she applied that to all of the psychological field.

Her inclusion of the ODD section and her comments suggest that she is spinning information to fit her preconceived hypothesis and also makes me suspect of other conclusions she draws. By how big of a deal my friend is making it suggests to me even further the inappropriateness of Ferguson's comments. I do admit though that this is a small portion of the book but I felt the attention to this detail needed to be made.

There were good points in the book, but I highly suspect some of her conclusions.

When do the black kids take responsibility for their behavior? How can the school help them to do this? To be sure, it is shameful for schools to overly punish black youngsters. At the same time, what does one say to black youngsters who devalue school or use it as an avenue to act out certain stereotypes or cultural dilemmas--when the acting out is self-destructive.

We are caught in a cycle of acting out what Richard Wright called the "Bad N*****" archetype--that is, Bad Thomas, who did not care if he was beaten or lynched, and who remained unbowed before "white" (that is, illegatimate) authority. His heroism was in remaining unbowed.

The author would have done better by searching for the bilateral influences (cultural, stereotypical, archetypical, and developmental): that is, how being "tough" (read: a "hero" on one side, "bad," "unbowed" on the other) affects school personnel. Having done that, she could then make recommendations about how to extract ourselves (both children and adults) from this two-way morass of two-way screwy, self-destructive behaviors and reciprocal archetypes, Bad Thomas on one side and Simon Legre on the other.

Bad Boys, a social science book, is about how African American males are perceived in the school system by school faculty. In this book told by Ann Arnett Ferguson, she follows some eleven and twelve year old boys who are labeled as "unsalvageable", "troublemakers", or "schoolboys." Boys that were labeled "unsalvageable" meant that there is no hope for them and that they would probably make it into the court system at a young age and be lucky to make it to high school. The "troublemakers" were identified as those who got into trouble. The "schoolboys" were those who were labeled as doing well. This book shows how African American boys were looked upon in the school systems.
This book has many good and many bad points in it. The fact that it is written kind of like her own journal was something that I saw as helpful. It made it an easy read. Interviewing the parents and children also made it something easy to read. The interviews were what I though made it the most interesting. It was fun to see what the parents were saying to their kids and also what the kids thought.
The interviewing that she did was good in some ways and in other ways I think she could have improved the book by doing a little more interviewing. What I mean is that when she did interview the children she seemed to do well. However in my opinion I think that if she would have done a little more interviewing with the teachers and the parents then it would have helped her research. I know that this book is about the African American students, however if she would have let us know more of the opinions of the parents and or teachers then I think this book would have improved. When she talks about the teachers in this book she is always talking about how they sent the kids to the office or how they let this kid get away with something but not another one. Most of the time the kids that were labeled the "troublemakers" did not get much leeway on messing around like some of the other kids did. I did like how they interviewed some of the parents. I also believe that if she would have interviewed some of the white kids to see what they thought and how they viewed the African Americans then it would have been a little more interesting.
The interviews in the part "The Real World" made the story come to life. I think that the interview that she did with the parents made us as the readers understand what their home life was like and how their parents were raising them. The interview with Terrence's parents gives us an idea of how home life is in this neighborhood. Terrence's parents want him to succeed in life. They want him to know that everything he does reflects who and how he acts as a person. Terrence's parents want him to know that even the way he dresses reflects on how people are going to look at him and view him. This interview lets us know that the parents really do want their kids to succeed and don't want to see them failing or in trouble.
One thing that I though should have been different were her little field notes. Many of the times they could have been incorporated into the chapters. I had no clue why she had to make them as extra side notes. In some cases in the book it would have made more sense to put them in when she was talking about that subject. Also on the side notes sometimes they seemed to drag on a little too long. For example, in the mothering field note I think that she could have cut out a bunch of that. I know that she made it feel like a conversation but I felt like much of the conversation was repetitive. I think to make things easier in this situation she could have made it shorter by summarizing what the mother was saying.
One other thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that this book was the fact that it looked like Ann was looking for the kids to be troublemakers. She did not go into this book with an open mind. I think she went in with a closed mind and a preconceived notion that African American males are troublemakers. You can see in the way that she writes this book that she already believes that African American children get treated different then other races.
All in all this was a decent book. There are a couple of thinks that could have been done to improve it. If the interviews were a little more diverse and she would have went at going to do her fieldwork with an open mind then she could have produced a better book. Don't get me wrong though the way it was written like a journal and the interviews with the parents did make it a good book. There however is always room for improvement.

I was excited to begin reading this book and to learn how the school system unproportionately suspended and disciplined African American males. I was not expecting to learn how the author related the concept of masculinity and discipline into cause and effect paradigm. Even though this class and other sociological classes have taught me to think for myself, ask questions, and expand on concepts presented to me, I am in agreement with the theories and evidence that the author, Ann Arnett Ferguson, presents in her book.
The book begins with an introduction of the community that Rosa Parks Elementary School belongs to. Ferguson is conducting her research here for her doctorate. She has many forms of observing and gathering data needed for her thesis. Sometimes she is a "fly on the wall", a quiet observer. Other times Ferguson is more involved in participant groups, tutoring, and one-on-one interviews. She gathers the most information and insights through her interviews with the children that attend the school and their families. She credits the interview sessions as a valuable way to let the children ask her questions, gain her trust, and for her to develop a deeper understanding of her own strengths and weaknesses and those of her interviewees.
After observing the pupils of the school in the hallways, after school tutoring sessions, and inside the classroom, Ferguson makes an important discovery that becomes the foundation of her research. Her breakthrough came when she stumbled upon two small rooms in the school. These rooms provided discipline, punishment, and seclusion for students who were not following the classroom or school rules. The first room, used for minor infractions, was known throughout the population of the students as "The Punishing Room". The other room was reserved as a place for students who receiving in-school or after-school suspension, anywhere from one to three days. This space was called "The Jailhouse". Files with children's names on it were stored in these rooms to document that more frequent visitor's deviant behavior. While observing the caliber of students in these two rooms, it does not take long for Ferguson to see two important details: the students who are often in trouble are usually African American and male. Teachers that were interviewed notice this discrepancy as well but cannot offer any well substantiated reasons why this occurs. Over the course of her three years of research at Rosa Parks Elementary School, Ferguson comes up with evidence to explain this phenomenon.
Ferguson argues that rather than simply internalizing the negative labels bestowed on them by teachers and school personnel, the African American boys look critically at schooling as they dispute and evaluate the meaning and motivation behind the labels that have been attached to them. In a school were students are judged by their class, race, and gender, many negative labels and stereotypes are presented to students. It is up to the individual if they want to internalize these beliefs or prove the stereotypes wrong. A major conflict that lies within the male gender is that they feel compelled to exert and portray their masculinity. Their "reputations" center around whether they are "hard" or "soft", and this is very important to their self esteem and self worth. "[...] kids recoup a sense of self as competent and worthy under extremely discouraging work conditions. Sadly, they do this by getting in trouble" (Ferguson, 22). The author continues by arguing that sex as well as race are powerful markers of difference, and can be used as explanations as to why children act they way they do. Each race and gender category has different and unique expectations on how children should act and be disciplined. The expectations from family, friends, and school personnel commonly conflict and cause confusion and deviant behavior on the part of the children.
Ferguson's arguments are coherent and well-researched opinions on why school discipline minority male children in a stricter form than most of the student body. I especially agree with the author's ascertain that teachers can be held directly responsible for perpetuating negative predictions about a student's future. On page 227 Ferguson strengthens this point by saying, "[...] school personnel made predictive decisions about a child's future based on whole ensemble of negative assumptions about African American males and their life-chances". The beginning of the book cites examples of white and black teachers referring negatively to a student's chance of staying out of jail. Ferguson states that most boys she interviewed did not see themselves this way. Rather, they portrayed themselves in a positive light. This is one point that I disagree with. Ferguson states that she does not give much merit to the labeling theory. I hold the belief that when teachers voice the grim options of students, they perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy that harms that student's self esteem and contributes to their "need" to act out in school.
At the end of the book in the chapter labeled "Dreams", Ann Ferguson states that the inclusion of Black English would benefit the students who come from families where this language is spoken. She argues that this would lessen the hostile environment and feelings of disattachment that many African Americans face. Ferguson believes that this would increase the valuable social linguistic environment of the school and provide validation for black students, especially males. I am not sure I agree with this plan. I can see the value of the learning Ebonics and promoting it in the school system, but I also believe that learning proper English is more valuable for students, because it helps them to get jobs and succeed more in the future.
In conclusion, Ferguson's book is a valuable tool in discerning the unequal disciplinary action that plagues most schools. Understanding the mindset and background of male African American students will benefit teachers, school personnel, and more importantly the students' chances for success.

I recieved the product promptly. However, I realized I had not ordered the right book. So I sent it back. The return was just as easy as the purchasing of the book.

The book was in perfect condition and even with the hurrican I recieved my book in good time.

The book attempts to discuss the importance of multiculturalism within America's educational system, yet, the author's method of discussion throughout the book portrays biased and hipocritical views. The book intends to inform readers to stray away from prejudices and personal opinions, yet, the author seems to include his own prejudice views making his book hipocritical of the very point he attempts to conjure. He makes various comments throughout the book that disclose negative personal opinions upon current education within America's schools and educator's "white" methods of teaching. I agree with his claims on the need for educators to incorporate a more multicultural perspective in teaching, but he seems to boast more on his negative views and multicultural issues in education throughout the book, rather than including ideas and advice for educators on improving it.

Could he take any longer to make a point? He's at the top of his field, but he needs to be more concise. It's not like he's telling us complex stuff that needs repeating.

This book is so jammed packed with ideas, I cannot wait to get back into the classroom this fall to try some of them. The ideas presented in this book will hopefully make it easier to connect with and implement activities for culturally different learners. The book also gave me a new perspective and philosophy for learners from different cultures.

This is one in a series of workbooks, each of which offers an abundance of learning activities, exercises, and games that are presented with superb production values. Appropriate to the given age level, much of the material focuses on basic subjects such natural science, mathematics, history, and social studies while enabling children to strengthen their reading, reasoning, and writing skills. The editors of Brain Quest believe that:

"All kids are smart - though they learn at their own speed

All kids learn best when they're having fun

All kids deserve the chance to reach their potential - given the tools they need, there's no limit how far they can go!"

I agree, while presuming to add that children will learn more and have more fun meanwhile if, when completing various exercises, adults are involved. As a parent of four and a grandparent of ten, I can personally attest to the pleasure an adult will also have. Each volume in the series is a WORK book. Exercises are completed with crayolas or pencils on the page on which it appears. Correct answers are provided. One caveat: Resist the temptation to control the learning process as a child completes an exercise.

This volume, for Kindergartners, was written by Lisa Trumbauer, with Kimberly Oliver serving as consulting editor. It is worth noting that Oliver was 2006 National Teacher of the Year. The material consists of organized curriculum-based exercises that help children to gain an understanding of ABCs, phonics, spelling and vocabulary, 123s, shapes and colors, patterns, sorting and matching, time and money, community, science, and "Fun and Games." Also included are more than 150 stickers, an all-new Brain Quest Mini-Card Deck, and a fold-out "Ticktock Clock" poster.

Here is a representative selection of exercises:

Help the cat find her way to the castle. (Page 14)

P as in Pirate.
Pirate begins with the P sound.
Circle the things in the picture that begin with the P sound. (127)

And
Say the word and.
Trace and then write the word and. [in the space below]
The word and connects words.
Write and to connect these friends. (155)

Squares!
Trace the square and then draw your own. [in the space below]
Find all the squares in the room. [on opposite page]
Color the picture frames brown.
Color the jack-in-the-box purple.
Color the clock face tan.
Color the present gold and silver. (210-211)

Clean Up!
A clean community is good for everyone.
Help clean up this community.
Draw an X through each piece of trash. (278-279)

Hat Trick!
Help the monster find his hat!
Connect the dots from A to M. (307)

Each of the volumes in this series (pre-K through Grade 4) would be an excellent book for parents, grandparents, and others to purchase and then share with a child at an appropriate stage of her or his development. No doubt there are precocious children who will prefer more challenging material associated with later grades but I think it would be a mistake to rush the learning process. Worse yet, to indicate little interest in it.

Congratulations to the Workman Publishing Company and especially to the editors of Brain Quest. How pleased they must be to know that their materials have already helped to nourish so many young minds and to delight so many young hearts and, fortunately, will continue to do so for the development of other children in months and years to come.

I got this for my son who is 5. The workbook is very nice. well illustrated and the quizzes and projects are very good. IT has a very good variety of worksheets of different types .coloring, writing, reading, matching, etc. it is a good price for the size too.