Teacher Training Books

For me, the real strength of this book is the way the presence of Eleanor Duckworth shines through her writing. I liken it more to the beacon provided by a lighthouse than to a how-to manual that describes rowing techniques. The clear direction that shown through for me was that learning is complex, and that teacher behaviors must be equally complex, but the guiding light is simple: Listen to and respect the learner and respond with your whole person, and the learning that needs to happen will occur, for both partners in the process.

This book is excellent. It is an important read for teachers today. As an educator it is extremely disheartening to see the direction of education being driven today by politicians, rather than parents and teachers. Ms. Duckworth redirects are attention where it belongs, on the students & how they learn. This book gets us (teachers) thinking about the kind of classroom culture we want to create for our children. It is about what we value as educators. Don't mistake it for a quick reference, how-to book. This is not meant to be a outline of various lesson plans to try out with your class. It is more thoughtful than that and more important

This book is packed with the interesting observations derived from much experience.
"Knowing enough about things is one prerequisite for wonderful ideas." P.14.

I agree with all the other reviews, good and bad - which in some sense is in agreement with a point ED makes. We must seek out everyone's different ways of understanding. Ironic. Reminds me somewhat of Daniel Goleman's "Emotional Intelligence" in this regard.

"(P)eople sometimes use language that goes far beyond their thoughts. Some people can dazzle us with elaborate words when they do not really know what they are talking about." (p. 17). (But remember the Postmodern Generator!) I wonder how much familiarity with philosophy of language educators attempting to understand language learning in children have. A look at the references reveals no sign of folks like Quine, Wittgenstein, or even Chomsky. This alone suggests what benefit there might be in interdisciplinary efforts. Contemporary understanding of the nature of language shared with those who have practical experience teaching children and vice versa. Imagine what Wittgenstein might have said about the section on "Language and Thinking" (p. 16- 18) and on "Constructing What We Know" (p. 18-22) "In order to know something, or to think about something, then, we do not have to use words." or "Logic Is Deeper Than Language"! This is too much fun. One book that discusses a similar comparison is "Wittgenstein, Mind and Meaning: Towards a Social Conception of Mind" by Meredith Williams, as well as in "Constructive Evolution: Origins and Development of Piaget's Thought" by Michael Chapman. It seems that Piaget was influenced only by the earlier Wittgenstein when the later Wittgenstein would have been a much better fit. This seems so apparent to some that aspects of Piaget (genetic epistemology) are a "closed chapter in the history of science." (p. 127 in "Piaget-Vygotsky: The Social Genesis of Thought" by Anastasia Tryphon.

But this seems very good advice: "Words that people hear-and the younger the child is, the stronger the case-are taken into some thoughts that are already in their minds, and those thoughts may not be the ones the speaker has in mind." (p. 22)

As a parent and teacher, I strongly recommend this book to everyone concerned about children's learning. The main point of the main essay is that when children think and come up with their own ideas, it's the same fundamental process that scientists do when they are doing science, what inventors do when they are inventing, what creative artists do when they are creating, etc. Although the ideas may not seem like much to us (and may, in fact, turn out to be incorrect), they often seem wonderful to the children--and we should be supportive of children having ideas, rather than squelching them because it can be helpful in their learning. Moreover, Duckworth believes that children who are encouraged to generate ideas are more likely to grow up to be adults who come up with ideas that are true innovations in science or art, and that the world will benefit from them.

"The Having of Wonderful Ideas", by Eleanor Duckworth, was not quite what I expected. Although I learned from some aspects of the book I expected more "ideas" that could easily be understood and incorporated into classroom activities. I felt that the essays on the many experiments conducted by the author and Piaget were far too lengthy, almost drowning out any real "wonderful ideas". This book is not easy to read, and may leave the reader struggling to read to the end. However, as I stated previously, I did learn a few things, but they came too far and few between the lengthy essays.

This is not a book of ice breakers or social games, but true reflective activities to do with your staff or educational group. Very useful and practical.

This was an assigned text for my university course, and we were tested on the content cover to cover. The authors take quite a stand and repeat their opinions over and over again. The further one gets into the text, the more exclamation marks the author uses. Instead of wanting to help change reality or go forth and be a positive role model, I became slightly irritated with the whining. The book is filled with educating about People of Color with an equal amount of complaining.

This book is well-written and easy to read. It includes lots of examples of strategies for teachers. Highly recommended.

Anyone seeking to teach in a cross-cultural setting, even here in North America, would benefit from reading this book. The author's writing style is clear, readable, and packed full of great real-world examples. This book is a must read for anyone involved in teaching in a cross-cultural setting.

Judith and Sherwood Lingenfelter's work Teaching Cross-Culturally seeks to accomplish four goals. The first is to help teachers understand their own culture of teaching and learning. The second is to help teachers become effective teachers in another culture by becoming good learners. The third goal is to help teachers reflect on cultural differences and conflicts with others by considering perspectives taught in Scripture and faith in Christ. The final goal reflects the others in that the Lingenfelter's want teachers to have fun and enjoy teaching in other cultures and feel like they are taking part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

One of the more helpful aspects of this book is it helps teachers to consider their own cultural biases and how those biases affect their teaching style in cultural settings different from their own. These cultural biases reflect not only one's family background but also one's own educational background. Cultural differences can be seen in a variety of settings ranging from the difference between an inner city school and a rural school to the difference between an American International School and a native school setting. This issue is important because many teachers don't fully realize how much their teaching styles are influenced by their own cultural backgrounds.

This book also helps the potential cross-cultural teacher to consider different learning styles and settings in non-western settings. One is reminded that in many non-western settings learning is often more of a community event than an individual pursuit. So, one needs to understand the role of a teacher in these kinds of setting will differ based on where they are. The Lingenfelter's also help teachers re-evaluate their expectations and consider which may be valid and which are false. Too many false expectations lead to negative teaching experiences.

To teach effectively in a cross-cultural situation then is to learn about the culture one is in and then adapt one's teaching style to that culture. This is reflected in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ who set the ultimate example of adapting to different cultural situations to most effectively reach those around him. The potential cross-cultural teacher needs to follow the example Christ set before them.

There's lots of books out there on teaching, and lots of books on multiculturalism, but FINALLY a book that addresses each area from the other's perspective! This book deals with the nuts and bolts of different cultures, but it also comes from an academic perspective, including the research and citations to back it up. Written by two PhDs with the practical knowledge to back up the scholarship, this gave me the answers I needed for working with my inner city/multicultural church groups. It's very readable, and reasonably priced. I'm delighted with it and recommend it highly.

So many times teachers take themselves and their lessons too seriously. This book understands that students need to first relate to the teacher in order to make a connection to foster learning. This book helps the teacher learn new ways to get the students to relate to them and makes learning fun again. They will look forward to coming to your class.

This book is an absolutely wonderful resource for teachers who feel they might be at the end of their chain or are simply looking for a way of revitalizing their classroom. The ideas are hysterical, practical, and easy to implement in most cases. Just reading the book can make you laugh and get you ready to brighten up your classroom with laughter. We all deserve a little laughter in our day, students and teachers alike - this book is highly recommended! :)

"If they're Laughing..." was a great read for two main reasons. Firstly, in today's classrooms sometimes there is not a lot to laugh about. This book allows the teacher to find ways to laugh with the students everyday. I believe that students that laugh and enjoy school will work hard to get to school everyday. Secondly, even if you don't use these ideas in class, there are lots of funny stories and anecdotes. I was chuckling to myself as I was reading and relaxing (this is definitely not a typical textbook / teacher guide read). If you are looking to add some fun and humour to your classroom, "If They're Laughing..." is a MUST! END

I am very impressed by this text. Having taught new teachers for almost a decade I am so pleased to finally have a place where students can get what they need in their first year. They not only hear what to expect but how to work through issues as they arise. I think the format is very user friendly and will not only help new teachers but also remind teacher educators what it feels like to just begin in this crazy profession. The most important aspect of this book is the truth. Dr. Zuckergood does not always say what his new teacher wants to hear (nor does Anne always agree with him) but is honest and upfront with areas of growth. Teacher education needs more of this straight talk when we prepare the next generation of teachers. Excellent book that is now a required text in my introductory course.

This text aids one in figuring out how to reform or transform one's school culture. It is not a set of prescribed rules but rather guidelines on what to do and how to do it. I really enjoyed the sections wherein the authors created a fictional dialogue to convey their worldly application of the skills. It was easy to identify with one or more of the staff members in said dialogue. The main emphasis that I drew from the reading is that change must be from the inside out. You must work as a team to develop the modifications within your system. The process revealed was not always pretty. In fact, at times, it was apparent that the characters in the dialogue had some trouble adjusting. Yet, isn't that the way it is in the adult world? Change is not easy. Yet this book gives methodologies to help.