Teaching Books

Delpit clearly defines and details, in narrative form, the differences in teaching students of color, especially the differences between students who are either middle-class Whites or African-Americans. Delpit considers the ethnic identities and linguistics of ethnic children, the heritage behind these children's learning styles, body languages, ethics (some students will not write a review of other researcher's work because it in unethical, in their society, to speak for others), and how some students will not detail what they have accomplished, such as to outline their activities in a resume. Delpit includes many testimonials (qualitative inquiry) from other educators and students and builds a holistic view of differences in teaching students of color.

The holistic presentation in this book, with rich background information from Delpit's personal experiences, is exactly the presentation style that Delpit discusses as a way that African-American learners use to present their information, in a story building method with many details, which is quite different from Whites who typically present the main points in clear, yet concise, detail. Delpit also discusses how this difference in presentation style is problematic when others, usually non-ethnic evaluators, attempt to score presentations according to predetermined standards. Delpit also discusses issues with standardized testing and the need for educators to discern between ethnic students' deficits in knowledge and their inability (sometimes) to convey their knowledge on worksheets or other similar assessment mediums.

The book is rich with Delpit's personal experiences, is easy to read, and is quite hard to put down. I have now read this book twice and have gained a deeper understanding of ethnic differences the second time. As Delpit points out, many writings by African-Americans rely greatly on personal experiences whereas Whites cite empirical research to support their statements; this book is a prime example of this method. Although Delpit does cite many sources, many "profound" (perhaps I should say "firm") statements are stated without citations and the reader has no reference to empirical research to underpin these statements. Because of this, I have rated this book as 4 out of 5. This book contains excellent information.

If you work with students from dominated cultures, this is a must read. Delpit examines the culture of power and how we can begin to change the climate in our schools. It will challenge you to examine your assumptions.

I am going for my masters in secondary education and I was required to read this book in one of my graduate classes. All I can say is that this is by far the most racist book I have ever read. This book really should be renamed "Mein Kampf II", or at least "How to Handle the White Devil". As an example, written in her book, Adolf "Lisa Delpit" has "The only difference between black folks and white folks is that black folks know when they are lying." This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are many other racist remarks that are in this book. Not only is she racist to white people, she also inadvertently seems to be racist to her own people. I some how got the feeling that see implies that black children should not be required to speak proper English is the classroom (I say proper but Adlof would say standard as if to say that it is arbitrary, and that there wasn't really a proper English. Just us evil white devils trying to say there is.) By the way her book is written in perfect "standard" English, I guess her editor felt otherwise.

It absolutely amazing to me how someone like this is praised, with the Quarterly Black Review calling her a godsend and a visionary, While Don Imus is fired for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team a "bunch of nappy headed ho's". While I feel that both are racist and wrong, Imus's comments were merely off handed remarks while Adolf's remarks were well thought out and subsequently published. I wonder what would happen if there was a Quarterly White Review, and it called Don Imus a visionary.

With this being said I guess there is a place for this book in the educational system, just as I feel there is a role for Mein Kampf. There are lessons to be learned from every book. For instance in Adolf's book I learned that even though someone went to Harvard University that doesn't mean that they are intelligent.

We recently read this book as part of my MA in Secondary Ed, and I highly recommend it. Our diverse class of aspiring public school teachers found the author's opinionated and passionate essays to be a great discussion starter, with most of us having either strong positive or negative reactions to Delpit's perspective. In particular, we liked her explanation of the importance of direct language and making expectations of the school culture explicit for kids. In a critical sense, we found she tended to generalize too much.

Here are a few examples of things we found interesting:

White teachers ask "Where do you think the scissors go?" and black kids think, man, how did she get to be a teacher, she doesn't even know where the scissors go! Whereas, according to Delpit, a black teacher might say "Put the scissors back in the drawer and sit down."

White teachers at a school in Native Alaska complain about parents not making their kids go to school. Native Alaskan parents, whose culture values children's authority, respond that if their children don't want to got to school then the school must be a place where the children do not feel welcome.

Teachers are often compared to lawyers and doctors, when in fact a better comparison is with preachers, who need to respond to and inspire their congregations.

This has got to be the biggest bunch of racist (i.e., anti-white) nonsense I've ever read. The following passage is a perfect example:

"Several black teachers have said to me recently that as much as they'd like to believe otherwise, they cannot help but conclude that many of the 'progressive' educational strategies imposed by liberals upon black and poor children could only be based on a desire to ensure that the liberals' children get sole access to the dwindling pool of American jobs. Some have added that the liberal educators believe themselves to be operating with good intentions, but these good intentions are only conscious delusions about their unconscious true motives."

Isn't this just a little paranoid?

If I could have given it zero stars, I would have. My only guess as to why such a high percentage of favorable reviews appear here is that Amazon refused to publish the higher number of negative reviews (probably because they were, rightfully so, pretty inflammatory in nature).

Whether you have taught for a while or are just starting out, this book is a good resource. It goes through the components of reading and shows how to plan lessons according to what your students need. I found it very helpful in organizing materials and plans.

This book is really good. I saw it in a workshop I was in and definitely recommend it. It has a lot of really good information and for a good price on here.

Debbie Diller shares lots of tips to help you get organized for small group instruction. Also, there are lots of lesson plans and examples of how to teach various skills in small groups. I am an experienced teacher, but still got a lot of very useful information from this book. It is a book that I am sure I will use often.

Couldn't put the book down. This book has a wealth of information. Coupled with Debbie Diller's other book about work stations, this is a must have.

Debbie Diller has written another fantastic resource for reading teachers. This book is full of helpful ideas for teaching each of the five areas of reading and give tips on organizing. Well worth the money--one of the best resources I have seen in 27 years of teaching.

I purchased this for use at home as we home-educate our children. I thought this would help me to brush up on my grammar skills, but my kids immediately picked this book up and started using it on their own. It is very user friendly - an easy read for any age, and a great review for middle and high school students. My 14 yr old uses it as a reference when she is writing. Highly recommended!

Painless Grammar is completely different from any typical grammar stuff! We tend to label grammar as boring, but I noticed something totally different from what we learned at school; it doesn't involve any dull and/or old-fashioned structures at all. What really intrigued me was the last chapter dealing with how to e-mail! Actually, I like that chapter best in this book. That was the least I'd expected! Facial expressions and abbreviations drew my attention because both of them are expressed differently from Japanese. I think using them sometimes helps you enjoy e-mailing your friends. Of course, I know too much use of them confuses readers, though. I bet dealing with e-mail is a down-to-earth and up-to-date approach to attract readers!

Read and then keep at your desk within arms reach when you write. This book is perfect for those grammar stumpers.

Even though this book is geared for the 6th-8th grade student, it offers sound advice in a clear, easy-to-understand style. Who needs a grammar book that's full of long, linguistical answer that no one can understand. If I'm stumped by a grammar question, I don't hesitate to pick up this fun reference tool.
Karen Reddick, author of Grammar Done Right!

Before ordering this book I've read many reviews. Those reviews helped me a lot to make the right decision. This book is just amazing for sharping your English grammar skill. You polish your English by learning little details. I'm a Junior in High School. I thought that my level of English grammar is pretty high, but till I started reading ''Painless Grammar" with all these small, tiny detail. My dad, is educated 52 years old teacher, who is a bookworm! Even he found this book very exciting. So right now, when I start to read this book he is always next to me. The book is written with good humor and explanations to every aspect of the grammar. I read 10-15 min. per day, that's enough.

I think this book should be a "hand book" for every single person, no matter how old you are. Folks, don't even hesitate! Just go for it, buy it, and have pleaser by reading "Painless Grammar."

I was very happy with the purchase I made with Amazon. The book was in excellent condition and the time that it took to get the book was a little long but not unbearable.

Had to send book back because I didn't have to take this class. The seller admitted to recieving the book back and did not refund my money! Will never buy from this seller and will tell friends and family to beware. Have tried to contact seller with no response!

The books condition was bad, much worse then described. I also payed for express shipping and it took awhile to get to me.

This textbook is easy to read and follow. The explanations of mathematics, how to teach young children to use strategies, and examples of worksheets make this a great resource for future Elementary school teachers.

I was trying to be smart about my book buying, which I generally do very well for myself. However with this book and its publisher there is a very big problem. This book is designed so that you have to buy it new! Save for the fact you want to read it for entertainment or leisure purposes. They do this by having the student (assuming of course anyone who buys this textbook is a student), require not only a pass code, but also a work manual, DVD, and a pocketbook dictionary. Which by now you may have guessed most of which is usable only once! If you are to Google the Vista site directly you can find the items that come packaged new separately. But by the time you add it together you were better off just buying it new from the college bookstore or the vhldirect site! So save yourself time,headaches,and money and do not buy this textbook used , unless you just want something to read for leisure. I hope this helps!

I loved this book. Parker Palmer is addressing something that other books and inservices don't and that is the integrity that's at the heart of all teachers. He offers advice and encouragement to those who care so deeply and give so much to their students.

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!

This item arrived within the standard 4-14 business days and in wraps. Crisp corners and well packaged, because I order two items from Amazon they placed the rather large texts in a small box. Well done.

Very , very unhappy with this book and the seller. The book reeks of cigarette smell, it is impossible for me to hold the book in my hands for more then 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Would never buy anything from this seller.

This book was used as the text for a class in library science. It is a very good introduction to the subject and very readable. Anyone interested in studying information or library science might want to check this out to get an overview. It deals with current issues, but it is a foundational text, so the discussions on marketing and Web 2.0 are just mentioned.

Yes it proved uninspiring reading, but get over it! As someone completely new to library science, I learned a lot from Dr. Rubin's book. What do you expect from an academic textbook? Not everyone who writes is a natural storyteller. Despite the fact that this book could be revised differently, it gets the job done rather well. It introduces you to library science, so quit your whining about its dryness.

I bought this book for a graduate course. It has a lot of great information in it, but it's sooooooooo boring.

This is an outstanding text- I was utilizing it in a military course and liked it so much I bought it for myself. I have an MBA, snd saw this text as a real opportunity to review and sharpen my people skills.

Covers all of the basic managerial skills one must learn to be an effective leader.

Was delivered promptly in mint condition and at the best price available!

This was a required text for a MBA management class I was taking. While I enjoyed the class, the book itself was disappointing, and even the authors point out that many of the surveys and self-analysis tools are limited because the better tools are all proprietary. Most of the book is a re-hash of standard managment philosophy, with some statistical justification thrown in.
If you are looking to improve your management skills, I recommend going straight to the primary sources, which includes most of Stephen Covey's books, along with other management and self-improvement books like Emotional Intelligence, Execution, One-Minute Manager, etc. This book tries to cover the same ground, but ends up being far less informative or interesting then the popular management books it emulates.

Great Product and Price. Good Shipping. Great book for aspiring managers. Looks at Management as a social science. Great concepts and processes built into the book to guide you on what you need to improve on.

This is the best book ever written for teaching little children to play.
The songs are very catchy and fun. I still remember all of them by memory.
It's the same book I learned piano, around 20 years ago. But they have upgraded it to a very cute book.
I thought piano to a couple of my small cousins with this.
Excellent!

I've taught out of this to some of my piano students and it works out nicely.

My 7 year old has enjoyed learning piano w/ this book. I don't play but I've been able to "teach" her with it. This is great for beginners.

Good first book for learning piano, but our teacher requested we get another book to accompany this, since this one moves a little too fast for our kindergartener.

Beyond the simple enjoyment of playing a song, learning to play music is a catalyst for discovery and learning in life. Rudiments such as fractions are learned by understanding the key signature. Motor skills are developed in both hands. Processing of symbols into piano keys and then piano keys into musical tones that, when played together, create a song. We often forget this as adults, or never learned it. The key with teaching these things effectively to kids is to make it fun, keep the lessons to a reasonable length and to get involved as a parent or teacher.

Teaching Little Fingers To Play is perfect for introducing children to the joy of playing a piano. It provides short, fun songs that kids can sing along to as they develop their skills playing. My daughter finds so much enjoyment in practicing and can't wait to "figure out" the next song. The skills and knowledge are added little by little in such a way that they build on what is already developed, rather than overwhelming the child. The notes to the teacher are also helpful, particularly when the teacher is simply a parent who isn't a piano virtuoso.

The price is VERY affordable and the book simply works well, particularly for my child. I'd recommend this book for any child under the age of 10. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you buy this book. I certainly wasn't.