Teaching Books

After using this as part of my learning comprehension in the class, my professor says she can see a difference in my knowledge of speaking German. I would refer this book to a friend. It took a while to get to me because it was from overseas so you may want to order it in advance if it's for a class.

Arrived quickly and is in perfect condition. I literally don't know what else to say, because the item was exactly as I expected - in like-new condition.

It was what I needed at Amazon got it to me before class started.

It cost less, and is the same workbook as in the college bookstore.

Exactly what was needed for my daughter.

This book will make you jealous to think that 18 and 19 year olds write this well.

It would be very wise to read this and adopt the level of quality these young men and women used in their essays. Some of the events are extrinsically insignificant or common, but these bright students displayed the intrinsic value of each through excellent writing, grammar, and detail.

I'm leaving the military for college, and the essay once seemed like a massive hurdle for me. Using these essays as a standard, I no longer have that fear.

Good advice. But who's kidding whom ... it's going to take more than a great essay to get into Harvard. You need the GPA and strong test scores. If your grades and credentials aren't up to par, it doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on that pig.

Vernon M
Cambridge, MA

This is a fantastic book. As a first-generation student, I had no clue what to expect from a college essay; I had no idea what made an essay good and what made it bad.
Although this book doesn't directly teach you what a good essay is, the amazing essays in here allow you to 'absorb' the good writing and use it to your advantage.

Vernon (poster before me) is correct here; you still need the grades, the scores, the extracurriculars.. or else the book does not help much.
However, if you KNOW you have a strong profile but do not know what to expect from a college essay (like me), then this book is right for you!

I can't thank this book enough. I learned good writing only paying $14 instead of something astronomical for those editing services.

Ironically, with the help of this book, I got accepted into Harvard's rival school :)

[Handsome Dan] out.

These essays were very good, some of them were very moving. I found that this book explained the college essay process and was an easy read.

This is a fantastic collection of application essays. If you or your child is in need of examples of well-written essays, these 50 essays are just the thing for you. Not only are the essays themselves printed, the book also provides an analysis for each, by the Staff of "The Harvard Crimson". Within each analysis, you learn what topics to choose, what to avoid and how to keep the reader from discarding your essay. If they worked for Harvard students, they'll definitely help you with your school.

Just over a year ago, I was walking through Borders when I noticed this book and laughed to myself at its prominently displayed and clichéd promise of MAXIMUM GRADES.

"Oh great, I've seen this before," I thought. "Only suckers and suckers' parents buy these books, anyway." I walked away.

After all, who doesn't want maximum grades? Or, for that matter, a shorter waistband, to become a magnet for beautiful women, or to have an instant multi-million dollar bank account?

This was some kind of scheme, right? WRONG!!! VERY, VERY WRONG!!!

I was not a bad student when I bought What Smart Students Know, but I certainly was not a SMART student either. I can proudly say, as a soon-to-graduate high school senior who has meticulously applied Robinson's methods in my own life (and seen my grades go up DRAMATICALLY as a result), that THIS IS A BOOK THAT CHANGES PEOPLE- NOT JUST ACADEMICALLY, BUT PHILOSOPHICALLY AND EVEN EMOTIONALLY.

Perhaps the single most powerful element of Robinson's book is his promise of OPTIMUM LEARNING. Not the most readily graspable concept, I understand. But it's there... AND HE MEANS IT.

At a time when more and more students are applying to Ivy League colleges and when universities are becoming increasingly discerning of high school performance, it's easy to loose sight of what's really important in the rat race for an A.

Robinson refuses...no... DEMANDS his readers to preserve, both in themselves and their communities, the understanding that grades are nothing more than a necessary evil, and that they should not dictate either a student's self-esteem or his drive to learn, challenge, and better himself.

For those of you who at this point are thinking exactly what I was when I first saw this book, take note:

I speak NOT from the view of a student who was desperately failing in school when he bought this book- quite the contrary- but from that of a CONVERTED SKEPTIC who has found a textual diamond in the rough. I've never liked school, but this book taught me how to handle and exploit it without wasting any time.

Top FIVE Lessons I learned from What Smart Students Know:

5. The first step in the learning process is about recognizing one's purpose in learning: Why am I studying zoology, anyway? What do I already know about zoology? Is the primate chapter more or less important that than the amphibians one?

4. How to listen in class... Not all lectures were created equally. Crazy as it now seems, I used to delude myself that they were.

3. How to take notes... don't waist your time rewriting everything... repetition, obsessive re-reading, and, worst of all, rote memorization can get you good grades- maybe even perfect grades- but they can only erect an illusory monument of REAL, LONG-LASTING, PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL LEARNING.

2. Attitude is everything. Don't get me wrong, School sucks. But that shouldn't get in the way of your education (c.f. Mark Twain)!

1. YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST TEACHER... PERIOD.
Near the beginning of the book, Robinson aptly quotes Winston Churchill in saying, "I am always ready to learn, but I do not always like being taught."

Churchill's call should resonate with every high school and college student in America.

What is the educational crisis really about? Robinson asks. It is the fruition of a long history of misconceptions about how students think and learn. Education begins with the STUDENT, not the system that "educates" him.

In What Smart Students Know, readers of all levels ("whether you're getting straight A's or struggling for C's") will meet their ally in Robinson. His aim is to debunk conventional wisdoms and rewire students, academically and philosophically, to learn with SELF-SUFFICIENCY... and teach them to get straight A's along the way without it becoming an all-consuming motive.

I was skeptical about this book when I received it, my brain yelled waste of money and time (properly due to its ridiculous subtitle). This nagging thought stayed with me through the first few pages where the author raved on and on how much my life would improve due to his little book. But I persisted and alas I cannot find words to express how happy I am about this choice.

The author shows you how to learn any subject so it sticks, without the classical emphasis on repetition. Here for the fist time was I explained how to positively control and use the thoughts that hurl though my head when I read something. How to keep up focus when the text is just plain boring and keep your head clear when you are absolutely lost in a hard subject.

Not a simple feat and I am baffled as to why one can go though almost 20 years of public school, high school, college and university without ever being thought how to learn efficiently.

I often get remarks from my colleagues about how I master my field, and just how smart I must be, but all I can ever tell them is that I am as stupid (or gifted) as the rest of you. The only difference is that when I now open a book, I do it with a purpose, with a plan. I am going to rule this subject and master it completely.

Since reading this book I have begun telling everyone about it (to the degree where I even thought about mailing a copy to the ministry of education) - it really is that good. So If you want to go into the exam room with that extra zing of self consciousness, knowing that you cannot fail, that the best grade is marked for you, then read this book.

Although the author have good intentions, the author had clearly been out of college for a long time before writing this book. He suggests that students approach every reading assignments as a twelve-step process. He asks you to write down what you already know about the subject, what you expect to learn, read the assignment 3 separate times, write and rewrite your notes, create charts and graphics, pictures, and devise mnemonics to memorize concepts.

This might help a highly-ambitious high school student with nothing productive to do with his time, but it is impossible to apply in college. The author gives a 1 page sample and spends 200 pages explaining how to take notes on this single page. Doing every steps he advocates takes hours for a single page; how can you expect to do all this if you have to read thousands of pages, which is what colleges usually require. This book does not delivers on it's title.

For a good study-guide written by an actual college student who describes methods that are successfully used by real students and not a simple hypothetical method, get Cal Newports How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less.

Adam Robinson presents some interesting advice. However, the book keeps repeating itself and it seems to assume that we have infinite time to study. It is better suit to high school than college.

I got this book along with The Rocket Review, The Rocket Review Revolution: The Ultimate Guide to the New SAT (Third Edition) (Rocketreview Revolution: The Ultimate Guide to the New SAT) which I wrote a review on as well, because it really is my favorite SAT book. Either way, I never made time to read "What Smart Students Know" until I was bored on the train coming home. I usually never buy into these books that promises improvements in grades or even SAT's instantly, but this is actually a book that I ended up taking to college because I found it so useful.

The way the author writes is straight, so there isn't time wasted on trying to figure out what the author is trying to tell you, it is easy to follow. The graphics are great, it's funny and I will be honest it really does show you most efficient way to learn as much as you want to learn, and get whatever GPA you want to get. It is a book that I strongly recommend and because it isn't expensive and it isn't a hard read or long I don't understand why anyone wouldn't spend $15 and actually get a book that, depending on what you want to do with it, will help you save time, and open your eyes in school. In my class I had a really good friend, who never studied yet, would come into class, finish a test in half the time and get an A. While I study for hours at night, and wake up early in the morning to study one more time so its fresh in my head. I started reading this book, and it essentially became my guide because it is a book that you don't have to sit and read through all at once but you can use it as a reference and that is why it is so useful, it lowers stress for studying because it tells you what is most effective in order to get that A.

Bottom Line: You don't buy the book to get a 200 on your IQ test, rather, it is a book that teaches you how to get the best grades in school and not have to spend hours.

A must have supplement to go along with this text is the the book Damgerous book for boys. It is full of great ideas for extra curricular activies. I have an only child who is home schooled but does a lot of interacting with his friends. He needs more free,yet structured play. Dangerous book for boys offers this. I like how "What every Third Grader needs to know is formatted. It reminded me of the dnagerous book for boys.
So if you are a home schooler of a boy, or a girl look into both books.

I got this book to help prepare for the PRAXIS test for Elementary Education Teachers. I have found the book to be very informative. I have heard it is very helpful for a study aid for the PRAXIS so hopefully it pays off.

Some may agree or disagree about this book, but as for my son...he is thankful for it. He has a test on the metric system tomorrow and forgot his math book. I was about to go searching online and then remembered the book. In the mathmatics section, there it was, the Metric System. It saved him from me and gave him what he needs to do well on tomorrow's test.

I use this series for all the grades it is a great way to know what your children should be learning. It is a great way to know what to read to them or what to teach them. I give it to my friends as gifts. I recommend it to you and I recommend it to everybody.

This book is very good to my kid. It covers not only literature and math, but science, art, history, etc as well. Both my kid and I like it.

This book is not meant for self study, it is intended for college level instruction. This is the book I used when I took Russian in college. The publisher has a website with downloadable videos to aid the text. The lessons inside the book are great, but not intended for self study.

I stydy russian language for some years, and recently I re-started, using the volume 2 of Goloca. I became so found of this method that decided to have the number 1 also, despite my russian to be more for the second or even third. But I want to have both due to its beautiful language, contemporary texts, grammar and up-to-date approaches. I really reccomend it for those interested in studying this inteligent language. For those
that are just starting with russian, it will surprise that a so complex language can be quickly understood and give fast confidence in its use.

I have used this book in a two semester series in Russian language. Overall, the book is very good. I find that the grammar could be explained in more detail - this book would be difficult to use for self-study, and is not a very good reference. Plan on using the accompanying workbook as well - there are far too few exercises in the book.

This book is horrible. There is almost NO English in it. I'm not sure how you're supposed to learn a language if the book doesn't tell you what it means in English. I literally mean there is NO English translation for what you are learning. There are only English descriptions of grammatics. Its unlike any other language book I've ever used. DO NOT BUY THIS! It also relies heavily on the CD. (which I did not receive with the book.) It would be impossible to just learn from the book. Don't waste your money.

In terms of self study, this book *is* totally worthless... However, in a classroom environment with a good teacher, it becomes a lot more effective. I don't recommend this set for people who prefer studying on their own.

The website is more useful than the books.

This book is a college textbook for me, but because our state requires all early childhood centers to use this curriculum, I am keeping this book. It has great ideas on how to stop children from biting, to how to get children more involved in the activity centers that you plan daily. If you need a nice comprehensive resource this is definitely one you want to look into.

Every preschool or early childhood classroom teacher should have this book on hand to help incorporate DAP into all children's lives. Don't forget to buy 3rd edition that has other information in it as well.

We use this book for Head Start Program.. A very good reference book.

Dodge, Colker, and Heroman present this updated version of the well-known program that focuses all aspects of the early childhood classroom around the environment, what the child learns, the family, the teacher's role, and developmental theory in its famed interlocking pentagon.

Not only does the text explain each segment of the conceptual framework in painstaking detail, but a reference list of both primary and secondary sources sits at the end of each chapter.

Please make sure that you get the Creative Curriculum Toolbox (which includes this book) in order to completely implement this curriculum in the classroom.

Since play forms the foundation of this curriculum, I doubt a school/community will accept it as valid if they view education from a direct instruction viewpoint.

This curriculum book manages to cram as much information into its 530 pages as possible. It starts with an overview of child development in chapter one, entitled "How Children Deveop and Learn". Chapter one also introduces and explains what I consider the most exciting aspect of the Creative Curriculum program- the developmental continuum as a tool for tracking children's progress and identifying areas for the program to focus attention. The continuum states a program goal, let's say "knowledge of the alphabet" and then proceeds to state specific examples to help teachers assess how far a child has acheived in meeting that goal, ranging from forerunner skills (child points out that there are letters on their cubby and those letters mean this is the child's cubby) and listing 2 more examples of growing understanding, then ending with a high (for preschool) level of understanding (makes sound-letter connections and demonstrates it by writing a D on a picture they state they want to give to dad). The Creative Curriculum continuum has 50 stated goals coverng all domains of development. I find this tool extremely helpful in general program planning, individualization to meet specific needs of a specific child, and in communicating with parents.

The book also has informative chapters regarding setting up the classroom environment and the family-school partnership. This book continues with a chapter on each learning center typically found in an ECE classroom such as the book corner, blocks, and water table. It states items found in that area with suggestions on how to use them and highligting what content areas (literacy, math skills, social skills, etc.)are addressed. The other thing I am also particularly pleased with this book is how it repeatedly reinforces how Early Childhood Educators assist children in furthering their understanding through teacher-child discussions,teacher modeling, and posing open questions such as "I wonder what will happen if you...?" Children are not just left to their own devises in a "safe and interesting environment." The majority of learning occurs with people interacting with each other.

I even find the planning forms helpful, and I usually prefer to make up my own things like that.

Overall, a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate approach to teaching small children. Highly Recommended.

This book taught me so much about the anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing science.

While this text is very detailed, it does not seem to be organized well in my opinion. Information on topics were scattered through out the chapters. I also found the index to be incomplete and not helpful at all.

Great reference item. the book is well written and easy to follow. Highly recommended.

I knew Mr. Zemlin personally when he lived in Brimson Minnesota. I saw the first edition when he first got it off the press and I was very impressed. Sorry to say that Mr. Zemlin has since passed away in 1998. His knowledge of a&p was far greater than any other person I have ever known.

This book was required reading in my graduate program and I am thrilled that it was! I have worked in both acute care as well as school settings and have found this book to be extremely helpful from both ends of the spectrum. An absolutely fantastic desk reference, especially in the acute care setting!

While this is a great piece if you want to step inside a virtue theorist's mind, as an actual philosophical text it is rather poor.
While it is obviously religiously biased, it is Lewis' own circular paradoxes that lead to a flawed system of logic that can not support itself.

I was struck with amazement as I read this most beneficial and interesting book! There are so many books to choose from these days for inquiry or answers to the brokenness in our modern day populace, but this one proved to be top-notch in this writer's opinion. The writer's skill conveys keen insights into the mind to understand mankind's condition, including interpersonal relationships from the intellect. Dead hypothesis that would try to excoriate the common sense displayed here in this wonderful little treatise would no doubt fall by the wayside. Can we see the signs of the times from the author's wisdom? Where is the world headed anyway? Read this little book for some answers. I've got a much better perspective on life now due to the dulcet manner of the author; the way he draws on the treasures intrinsic in all of us to begin with. Doubtless you will not find anything insipid within the two covers. A very powerful book indeed! Lewis displays a virtuoso's flair for observing absolutes unequivocally. I will keep one of the copies of two I purchased for my book shelf and the other one for a gift. The Den of IniquityC.S. Lewis: The Signature Classics Audio Collection: The Problem of Pain, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity

This is a marvelous book for showing the rank and file American college freshman just how he or she may have been unwittingly propagandized in the lower grades. The reigning studenty "philosophy" these days is indistinguishable from classical sophistry's arguments that "everything is relative" and -since everyone has a right to his opinion - that all opinions are necessarily of equal value. I suspect this "philosophy" began its march toward triumph in the first grade when a color blind student, Johnny, misidentified a color, the other students, being naturally cruel, laughed, and the "caring" teacher correctly instructed them not to, but for a cockeyed reason, that "Johnny has a right to his opinion!"

Taking off from such a spot, sophistic relativism invariably before long comes to be embraced by the young with complete uncritical dogmatism, the opposite idea that some judgments are more apposite than others being wholly ignored by "caring" teachers, if not dismissed as patently invidious "judgmentalism." Like Socrates before him, C.S. Lewis here does battle with such lapses in critical thinking, assuming, as did his Greek predecessor, the objective existence of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, and offering instances of the recurrent Natural Law drawn from many cultures. Defending the position that values are indeed objective, Lewis aims is to call much needed attention to this bracing alternative to the regnant view that all values are necessarily subjective, and therefore, in fact, trivial. Through his usual combination of shrewd wit, clear thinking and epigrammatic style, Lewis succeeds admirably.

This book is a series of three talks where Lewis illustrates the breakdown of education , from a system which embraces natural law, truth, and virtue, to one which embraces much of nothing and feeds back nothing. It is perhaps a bit dated now as teaching methods have moved on (though not necessarily in positive directions), but yet it still has much to say as we contemplate the inadequacy of our present systems and what we need to reclaim to restore them.

In this brief book, C.S. Lewis discusses the failing of relativism and affirms the existence of objective moral values. This system of objective values, which Lewis calls the Tao, must be granted if there are to be any values whatsoever. In a long appendix at the end of the book, Lewis shows that all (or almost all) cultures, both past and present, have affirmed some basic moral principles that are part of the Tao. Against the relativist claim that all socieities have their own moral codes, Lewis demonstrates that all humans are guided by an underlying system of objective values which they may or may not recognize.

In the third and final chapter, Lewis foresees a day when men have complete control over the destinies of the next generation. Should men achieve an take advantage of such power, it would not mean that man had finally dominated nature. Rather, it would mean the abolition of man. Unguided by the Tao, man's decisions about what future generations should be like would by guided only by natural impulses. Thus, by destroying the Tao and attempting to dominate nature, man can only succeed in destroying himself.

Like always, Lewis writes with great clarity and intelligence. "The Abolition of Man" is an enjoyable read and certainly worth checking out.