The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction - Meghan Cox Gurdon

The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy books about books and reading books about reading and reading aloud. So this one is right up my alley. I learned many new vocabulary words myself reading this book, like the book states the children you read to will if you read aloud to them. Some of the stats and studies weren't great as far as having incredibly small sample sets, etc. But, like a normal human, I can ignore that if I really support whatever those small studies are purporting. :)
Anyway, great book about reading aloud. Not just to children but to tweens, teens, spouses, aging adults, dogs. Basically anyone. It doesn't address reading to your plants, but I imagine that wouldn't hurt either.
Two extensive book lists in back: one of the books mentioned in the text and another of additional books. Now I just need to get more consistent on reading aloud to my little people more than just a quick picture book at bedtime.

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Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches - Gerry Brooks

Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches by Gerry Brooks
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

As a former middle school teacher, I do enjoy Gerry Brooks videos. I follow him on Facebook and YouTube, appreciating how each video is both relevant and humorous. So, I was super excited to learn he had written a book.
Then I read the book.
It was a disappointment. I think my overarching issue was I’m not sure who this book was directed to. One chapter (or paragraph…or sentence) would be clearly addressing teachers. Then the next would jump to parents. Or administrators. Or bus drivers. Who is the true audience, because I don’t think this book clearly reached any of them.
While there were some funny bits, there were also many incomplete thoughts and ideas. Additionally, the transcriptions of some of his videos just don’t work. You need the visuals for the humor and key points to come across. They were weird to just read.
For now, I’ll be sticking with the videos to get my Gerry Brooks fill ups.

Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

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You, Your Child, School: Navigate Your Way to the Best Education - Sir Ken Robinson

You, Your Child, and School: Navigate Your Way to the Best Education by Ken Robinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So this book wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. But perhaps (probably) my hopes were too high. I did not turn the final page with a clear answer on where to send my kiddo to kindergarten - or really even ideas on how to get an answer.
It was interesting. My background is in education, so not much new to me information. But good reminders nonetheless.
I did skim the last 50+ pages in an effort to finish before it needed to go back to the library.
Probably a 2.5 for me.

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The Class: A Life-Changing Teacher, His World-Changing Kids, and the Most Inventive Classroom in America - Heather Won Tesoriero

The Class: A Life-Changing Teacher, His World-Changing Kids, and the Most Inventive Classroom in America by Heather Won Tesoriero
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I am usually a sucker for inspiring teacher stories. And I usually try to push through books for review (Thanks, NetGalley and Random House) even if I don’t enjoy it. However, this book (sort of) focusing on Andy Bramante and his super smart, motivated Greenwich students just was not my cup of tea. I abandoned it 30% of the way in.
Some of my issue was with the writing itself. There was weird time and pacing throughout and no clear organizational method. It seems like it would be organized by Andy or individual students as that was used for the chapter names. However, in those chapters they’d take lengthy tangents to other students, random information, or jumps in time. It was just poorly organized, making it hard to follow and get into a reading groove. Pieces of information are redundant. I got it the first 5 times that one competition is only for seniors. Add in the contradictions, and I just couldn’t do it any longer.
Then there’s my question regarding the point of the book. Is this about an inspiring teacher or an ad for Greenwich, CT? A lot of times it seemed like the latter.
Maybe it got into this after I quit, but what makes Andy a successful, effective teacher? The reasons brought forth in the first part of the book are that he’s working with gifted kids who are motivated and have parental support. Plus, he has a background in the sciences outside of teaching, leading to additional resources and connections for his students. But what is it about *him* that makes him such an exceptional teacher? What sets him apart that other teachers can emulate?
Some of the research the students were conducting was really interesting. However, overall, this book was a miss for me.
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I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai

I AM MALALA:  The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban – Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

 Publisher:
  Little, Brown, & Company
Release Date:
  October 8, 2013
Market:
  Secular
Genre:
–Memoir, Education
Length:
–327 pages
My Rating:
   2/5 stars

 About This Book (from Goodreads)

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

CRITIQUE

This book has been on my To Read list for a while.  I was interested to read the story of a girl passionate about education.  What inspired her?  What gives her strength?  And even once I requested the book from my local library, it took me a bit longer to start reading it.  Regardless of which version I requested, the library kept sending me the Young Reader Edition.  Not what I was looking for.  However, in hindsight, I might have enjoyed it better had I read the Young Reader Edition. 

This is a book I probably should have quit considering all of the other books I have stacking up to be read.  It was not at all what I expected.  Where I expected a story about a teen who was an education advocate I found a book filled with Pakistani and Muslim history.  Where I wanted a focus on the person I received a focus on politics and corruption.  The beginning of Part 1 and Part 5 were probably the most personal.  The rest were not.  So the basic premises of the story ended up not being what I was interested in for this read.

Add to that the writing challenges, and I don’t think it is a book I will be recommending any time soon.  All the names and places were confusing.  Especially when she would write “The person’s name is X but I call him Y.”  That occurred regularly, and then you didn’t know which name would pop up in the future.

There was a lot of jumping back and forth from history to present day politics.  The story was missing any sort of smooth flow or running narrative.  Jumping topics occurred regularly.  Additionally, random conversations between Malala and her friends or aside comments would be inserted into the prose that had nothing to do with the current context.

Add to that the verb tense and language issues that probably are just a result of English being a second language made it a confusing book to read. 

Throughout the book I received no real sense of who Malala is as a person.  If you are looking for a memoir, this isn't it.  If you want to learn more about Pakistani history and politics, this is the book for you.

I wanted to love it; I just didn’t.

Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home from Birth to Age Three - Paula Polk Lillard & Lynn Lillard Jessen

Publisher:
  Schocken
Release Date:
  July 22, 2003
Genre:
–Non-Fiction, Parenting, Education
Length:
–304 pages
My Rating:
   3/5

 About This Book (from Goodreads)

What can parents do to help their youngest children in their task of self-formation? How does the Montessori method of hands-on learning and self-discovery relate to the youngest infants? This authoritative and accessible book answers these and many other questions. Based on Dr. Maria Montessori's instructions for raising infants, its comprehensive exploration of the first three years incorporates the furnishings and tools she created for the care and comfort of babies. From the design of the baby's bedroom to the child-sized kitchen table, from diet and food preparation to clothing and movement, the authors provide guidance for the establishment of a beautiful and serviceable environment for babies and very young children. They introduce concepts and tasks, taking into account childrens' ''sensitive periods'' for learning such skills as dressing themselves, food preparation, and toilet training. Brimming with anecdote and encouragement, and written in a clear, engaging style, Montessori from the Start is a practical and useful guide to raising calm, competent, and confident children.

How and Why I Acquired This Book

After seeing this marked as “To Read” by one of my friends on Goodreads, I requested it from my library.  The Montessori method (what little I know about it) is fascinating to me.  Add to that the fact I have an 18-month old at home and another little one on the way, and it just seemed like a good time to read and learn more about Montessori.
 

CRITIQUE

This book was good if a bit overwhelming in all of its ideas and skills that apparently my toddler is already behind on.  So it was nice to get to the end and have a disclaimer from the authors that it’s okay to pick and choose what to implement.  That, ultimately, every family is different and has different needs and abilities.  It would have been nice to have that up front.  It would have relieved some of my guilt.

This book really does cover pretty much every aspect of growth and development from birth to three.  It starts out with how the nursery should be arranged and why.  There are big concepts and ideas that are then broken out into the practical.

The authors discuss brain growth, the brain to hand connection, movement, life skills like dressing and feeding oneself, language and the arts, and how to help your child to develop best in all these areas.

Really, it’s probably more a 3.5 or 4 book for rating as far as the presentation of the ideas.  My lower rating of 3 is probably due to my personal biases.  It’s one I’m considering purchasing and using for reference.

Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire - Rafe Esquith

Overview from B&N: Perhaps the most famous fifth-grade teacher in America, Rafe Esquith has won numerous awards and even honorary citizenship in the British Empire for his outstandingly successful methods. In his Los Angeles public school classroom, he helps impoverished immigrant children understand Shakespeare, play Vivaldi, and become happy, self-confident people. This bestseller gives any teacher or parent all the techniques, exercises, and innovations that have made its author an educational icon, from personal codes of behavior to tips on tackling literature and algebra. The result is a powerful book for anyone concerned about the future of our children.

Okay, I’ll be honest. I’d never heard of Rafe Esquith before I read this book. And I’m a teacher…who reads books all the time about teaching, teachers, teaching methods, etc. After reading the book and about all he’s managed to accomplish, I’m wondering how I haven’t heard of him.

I did get a few key website and ideas and strategies for my classroom. For example, I will be instituting the “weekly essay” with my classes once we do our writing process/6 traits unit. Also, I love his economics system. I can’t use it, but our social studies teacher also does economics the first part of the year with our seventh graders. So I passed that idea on to her.

The book was easy to read. But it was also disconcerting at times – in that I wonder what I’m doing with my days and how I’m not able to manage all that he does (despite the fact I put in my overtime and such too). I found myself wondering how big his classroom is, how his family feels about all the time he spends at school, and what he does to get such amazing parental involvement and student interest. After all, his fifth graders aren’t that much younger and can’t be that much more un-world-weary than my 7th and 8th graders. So I would have liked to have some of those questions answered.

Additionally, much of the book came off as very condescending. “I accomplish all of this and if you were a halfway decent teacher you would too.” Or maybe that would just be my guilty conscious/wanting to be amazing and make my mark on the world self talking.

In the end, I would say it’s worth the read.

The Organized Teacher's Guide to Your First Year of Teaching - Steve Springer et al

Synopsis from B&N: Make your first year teaching a success! As a new teacher, you can be completely overwhelmed—feeling lost and not knowing where to start when you receive the keys for the first time. The Organized Teacher's Guide to Your First Year of Teaching will be your guide during these first few days and weeks and put you on the road to success. Featuring a series of lists, checklists, charts and diagrams, this handbook can be read quickly and referred to over and over. It includes a CD-ROM of all checklists and any matter that is reproducible.

I try to read one or two books of this ilk at the start of each school year. I usually pick up a few nuggets I can incorporate into my classroom, routines, or lessons.

The Organized Teacher’s Guide indicates on the cover that it’s “Perfect for teachers of grades K-8”. I would says definitely more K-3 and potentially some 4 & 5. I didn’t find much of use for my 7th/8th grade classroom. Although I guess if it were a self-contained room, some of the tips would be helpful.

So, in truth, I didn’t really read the book. I more scanned it. And, in honesty, I haven’t looked at the documents on the CD. So there might be something useful there yet. Most of the text was simply common sense, something you learn via student teaching, or tips not applicable to a middle school environment.

Lessons from the Classroom - Hal Urban

Wonderful, wonderful book. Inspiring and practical, duplicable information.


Hal Urban was a classroom teacher (high school) for thirty-some-odd years. and he was an excellent teacher at that. This book covers the 20 things good teachers do.

I already greet my kids at the door every day. I might try to make it more formal next year. They couldn’t care less this year, it seems.

I love the way he always established the atmosphere of his classroom before he ever got into the curriculum. If I had one thing to do over about this school year, it would be that. I would have spent more time on guidelines, procedures, and the classroom environment. His sign examples and toxic word pictures are great.

I already plan to go through a unit on goal setting using his plan with my 7th and 8th graders. Although I think I’ll wait until December. It will be something good to do right before Christmas.

I also will be implementing his “Good Kid” notices. I do try balancing my phone calls/emails home between the good and the bad. But I think just jotting a note on a postcard and popping it in the mail might help me be more proactive in recognizing and letting parents know of the good in their kid.

Definitely going to do the teacher performance review at the end of the year.

Where The First Days of School by the Wongs is great to set up your classroom, establish your guidelines, procedures, etc., Mr. Urban’s book covers some of the more intangible things that are still necessary for education and learning of the material to take place – effort, attitude, environment.

A recommend it to any teacher…whether you’ve taught 20 years or just a year or two.

The New-Teacher Toolbox - Scott Mandel

While not a brand new teacher, I’ve been out of the mix for two years. So I pulled this book off the shelf and scanned it. Most of what was covered I had already read about in my First Days of School book.


I like the format of this one a lot. However, I found it lacking in the practical: Here…Do This information.

Still, got a few reminders that I added to my task list.

And was finally able to mark off reading another book on my shelf.  :)

The First Days of School - Harry K. & Rosemary T. Wong

This is the book I always turn to when beginning a new teaching position. And since (WooHoo!) I was recently hired to teach 7th & 8th grade Language Arts – grammar and writing – at a local junior high, it was time to pull this book off of the shelve and peruse once again.


Side Note: It is also one of the very few “reading through my bookshelves in 2010” books that I’ve read recently. I’m not doing real great on that goal.

This book is chock-full of both pedagogy and practicality. I made pages and pages of things to do, procedures to put in place, and questions I need answers to. Now I just have to put all of that to good use so that I’m ready for the start of school in less than a month.

The Wongs also discuss the “why” behind what they recommend doing.

Great book for beginning teachers, teachers who are moving to a different position, or veteran teachers who just want to improve their effectiveness.

Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson

Okay, so I will admit up front that I read the “Young Reader’s Edition.” I actually started out reading the regular old adult edition for my book club this month. But I kept getting bogged down in details and rabbit trails and having to look back because I confused the similar names of various mountains and various people – sometimes even across categories. I really wasn’t enjoying it…as much as I had hoped I would because I’m all about education.


I also knew there was no way I’d be able to finish the book before tomorrow night. So last yesterday I picked up the YA one and finished it tonight. Conveniently, the chapters are all named the same in both books. So it was easy to pick up where I had left off in the other version. And I enjoyed it a lot more this way.

Greg Mortenson is definitely a man cut from a different cloth. Adventurous, yes. A little lost and bouncing in his younger days, for sure. But all of those things ultimately led him to discover and pursue his passion. And I have to admire that. He was not afraid of hardship. He was not afraid of hard work or inconvenience. He lived like no other (in his car, in a stinky sublet apartment, etc.) so he could do what he could to make this world a better place. I like that.

While I don’t know that I can jump onto his education is the only way to solve terrorism bandwagon, I can acknowledge that it is a huge step in the right direction.

Definitely a worthwhile read…if you read the juvenile version.

250+ Activities and Ideas for Developing Literacy Skills -M. Ellen and Hilda L. Jay

A great resource for parents of young kids or anyone working with smaller children. This book contains over 250 activities to do with kids to help increase their literacy. The activities and ideas are quick and easy to integrate in everyday life. It’s about being more purposeful in the interactions you already have.


I picked up this book because as a part of my job I work with kids who need help with their reading and literacy skills. While most of the ideas and activities are children from the pre-literate stage through pre-school, I did find some ideas I can adapt for the older kiddos I work with. Also, I appreciated how the authors touched on all forms of literacy, not just reading. The book contains ideas for numerical literacy, cultural literacy, charts, graphs, money, and even computer literacy.

Definitely a book to check out.