Teacher Training Books

I am preparing for the Praxis I test. What I have studied so far has been very informative. The book came quickly and in excellent condition.

The book is a good study guide, and I have no major complaints. However, when trying to score your practice test, it does not help convert your raw score to the PRAXIS score scale (individual to each state). I ended up buying "The Praxis Series Official Guide (Official Guide to the Praxis)" by ETS in order to prepare properly; it also has practice exams, and it helps convert the scores.

I like the writing assessments they have....however, the book doesn't have enough sample tests! I still had to go via other sources to get more practice! Naviagation of the book is diffcult with respect to self-assessment and if you can determine the proability of how well you will perform on the Praxis Level One Exam. I would have liked an additional software program or CD-ROM with multiple tests. Like Stanely Kaplan...where it actually tells you your weakness and what you concentration of study should be!

After reading many reviews of some of the most popular study guides for the PPST, I choose Dr. Postman's book primarily because it specifically has a section pertaining to the computerized PPST. Since I did not use any other study guide I cannot make any valid comparisions to the other study guides available. However, since it has been almost 30 years since I was in high school, I felt a strong urge to brush up on some basic skills in math and writing. So, on this basis I decided to purchase Dr. Postman's study guide. I found it to be sufficient enough material for my needs. The bottom line is that I passed all three sections of the PPST, with scores well above what the state requires. On this basis I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend this study guide.

I'm a working professional who hasn't been in school for almost 20 years. The thought of taking a math test sent chills down my spine. This book was great in helping me prepare for all three sections of the PPST - especially the math. I studied about an hour night for about a month and passed on the first try. The review for each subject is very comprehensive and you might think it's more than you need. But, you will be prepared and ready for any question they throw at you. I do recommend the ETS book for the practice tests. The two together are a sure thing.

Book was in perfect condition and arrived in a timely manner. THANK YOU!

i bought this book on a whim because some of my fellow co-workers told me forrest w parkay was hot. hot like butter (they said it was no coincidence that his last name was parkay!). well, as hot as he may be, his anarchist points of view make him ugly as can be. the backdrop and underlying premise of parkay's work is that the key to becoming an excellent teacher is the caking oneself in butter on a daily basis and hurling curdled yogurt at children. if he is being comical, i don't see the humor. if he is serious, he has issues. dont miss the forrest through the trees (pun intended). you can think parkay is butter, but he's snot.

The cover of the book had printed all over it "free copy not for sale"

I had the misfortune of attending a class where this was the required text. This may be the worst textbook I've ever had. The editors have no pretenses about being objective: they often present only one side of an issue, or dramatically downplay the opposing view. Some of the exercises are comically biased. The MyLabSchool portion of the text was abysmal: the pre- and post-tests were riddled with errors. My professor was engaged in a continuous battle with the publishing company over the shoddy workmanship. The online video portions would freeze or, more often than not, simply not play - the whole class complained about it.

If you are a professor looking to acquire a new text for your class, please skip over this one. If you're a student who is required to use this text, Lord help you.

This text is comprehensive in scope. It presents educational theories whose understanding is imperative in today's classroom.
It is an excellent beginning for the student who plans to teach.

Book Review: The Art of Teaching Adults: How to Become an Exceptional Instructor & Facilitator by Ann Tomey

This is a 140-page book packed with practical ideas of how to help students learn. The chapters are: 1. On becoming a teacher, 2. Planning a session, 3. Setting up the room, 4. Getting packed, 5. Breaking the ice, 6. Contracting for learning, 7. Working in groups, 8. Delivering lively lectures, 9. Asking beautiful question, 10. Flexing learning styles 11. Observing group behavior, 12. Rallying learning circles, 13. Brewing brainstorms, 14. Directing role-plays, 15. Teaching by demonstration, 16. Inspiring participation, 17. Studying cases, 18. Inviting experts, 19. Learning outside the classroom, 20. Individualizing assignments, 21. Writing in journals, 22. Assessing the course, 23. Giving & receiving feedback, 24. Designing tests & quizzes, 25. Projecting overhead, 26. Flipping charts, and 27. Showing films. Footnotes, bibliography, and index are at the end of the book. The book is well organized and easy to read. It uses large print, bolded headings, bullets, numbered lists, case studies, quotations for emphasis, and illustrates room set-ups. It gives step by step instructions for how to get students involved in learning. It is not only for the beginning teacher, it is also useful for the seasoned teacher to review the book and reflect on how the teacher could teach even better. It is a good reference book for a teacher to use throughout one's teaching career.