Educators Books

A nice, fun autobiography. Not as good as "Surely you are Joking, Mr. Feynman", but quite entertaining. Andrew is basically a guy who started off as a 'pure' mathematician who 'sold out' to do stuff that is actually useful (due to circumstances) and has grown to love what he did as he went along applying mathematics to 'real life'. On top of it he had about at least 4 careers, going from and aerodynamics engineer for one of the early missle programs to a managment consultant to a marketing wiz to a professor. Combining this with his 'Marsian-Hungarian' background this makes for a lot of interestiong stories.

I just finished Which Door Has the Cadillac. As far as I know it is the first autobiography written by a modern mathematician, as the others are biographies. Vazsonyi has written a fast-paced, humorous, and engaging story of his life. I was moved by his personal struggles to escape Hungary before the Nazi onslaught. Interesting anecdotes of his encounters with notable and not-so-notable people, such as Paul Erdos and Zepartzatt Gozinto, made it difficult to set the book down. My vision of math has been expanded by Vazsonyi's quirky and yet grounded examples. The probabilities associated with the Cadillac problem are excitedly counterintuitive. It doesn't surprise me that even Paul Erdos was fooled by this problem. My favorite chapter was The Galloping Fighter Plane. All and all an excellent read!

What an interesting book from a man who has lived through the most momentous moments of the 20th century!

Don't worry --- this isn't a math book; it's the memoirs of Andrew Vazsonyi's journey from pre-war Hungary to modern-day California, and the ways that math has helped him to solve real problems, and have fun.

The style is easy and fun. Highly recommended.

Aldo Leopold is widely admired for his contribution to the modern conservation movement and his seminal work, "A Sand County Almanac." In my own profession (wildlife ecology and management), it seems like a Leopold quotation carries the ultimate weight of authority (and they're much more common, since Meine and Knight's collection, "The Essential Aldo Leopold," came out).

For many years I admired the wise, kind-hearted old man who wrote The Almanac. Aldo Leopold became the most exalted member of my personal pantheon of saints. Aldo Leopold became inspiration incarnate, but lost his humanity in the process. He could do no wrong.

Then I read Curt Meine's biography. Leopold's famous essay, "Thinking Like a Mountain," chronicles only one of the many lessons learned in a life filled with equal parts reckless bravado and deep introspection. Leopold launched his career as a fortunate son, cocksure and itching to change the world, only to learn that real change takes patience, commitment, hard work, compassion, and an open mind willing to learn. Sound familiar?

I read Curt Meine's biography before I read Marybeth Lorbiecki's "Fierce Green Fire." To be honest, I enjoyed both, but found Meine's biography to be more fulfilling. If you want to understand where the Land Ethic really came from, pick up "His Life and Work."

If "Sand County Almanac" was your first taste of Leopold, you'll want to read Curt Meine's book. It's one of those books that you can't put down (if you are a true Leopold fan - if you're not - don't bother, you wouldn't appreciate it!

My second cousin, Ben Yagoda wrote this book and I am proud of him! This is an amazing, inspirational account of an amazing woman's life and the story of her overcoming much adversity- from rags to riches story. My grandmother met her and spoke very highly of her too. Buy and read this book!

Great autobiography of Dr. Ruth! So many things that I didn't know about her: fled Nazi Germany at age 10, never saw her family again, lived on a kibbutz in Israel, was a soldier for the Haganah, then came to the USA, where she found her career and true love.

Very open and candid, and also tragic at times. It's a book I couldn't put down, once I started reading it! Highly recommended!

This is book on ADD is wonderful. It is a very informative book on ADD and ADHD. I now understand more of what my child is going through and helped me deal with the disorder. I have two children that have ADD/ADHD, one also has a learning disorder. I learned so much from this book. It gave me so much information, I actually felt I learned a great deal after reading it. This is a must have book if you are wanting basic/informative information on ADD/ADHD, for your children. It even including some information on learning disability and it's association with ADD.

After reading this book, I have a much more effective and positive "bag of tricks" for helping my ADHD child at home and in school. The information on education rights, how to determine the best educational placement and effective accomodations is one of the best I've read! I feel I am better able to advocate for my child in school and help him manage his behavior.

McEwan really understands ADD and its impact on the child, his/her family, and school success. She offers real-life information for real families!

This was a wonderful book, its a wonder how Dr. Mays overcame all the things that was holding him back. This is one you should read.

Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays (1894-1984) was one of the most prominent educators, social reformists and civil rights and religious leaders of his time. This book magnificently captures a time in American history that is far too scarcely documented: the Post-Civil War segregation era, leading up to 1970. This book gives a very personal description of Dr. Mays's struggles for dignity, respect and integrity, while simultaneously touching upon the collective struggle of African-Americans. I recommend this book for anyone seeking a greater understanding of African-American and American history. Mr. Mays was a pioneer in social reform and civil rights, was the President of Morehouse College from 1940-67, was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and held the honor of being the "First" to hold several important and powerful positions in private and public organizations. He was a giant among men. I assure you that this is one of the best autobiographies that you will read.

As an elementary teacher, I have always had a difficult time finding quality science resources to use in my classroom, especially chemistry. No longer. I like the way that Dr Keck explained the topics and made the experiments very workable in a classroom setting. She makes Chemistry interesting and not intimidating. The illustrations definately add to the book, making it something my students enjoy reading as well. I would strongly recomend this book to both my collegues and parents of students. I am eagerly waiting for Dr Keck's next book.

This book introduces chemistry to kids in a fun and exciting way. Dr. Keck does not talk down to her audience, as many science writers do. She does present many important science topics (such as polymers and pH) that I have never seen discussed in any other children's science book. The illustrations are fantastic, done by up-and-coming artist Thomas Plunk. Great slime recipie too!

Marjan has created an updated educator's guide that surpasses the original guide he compiled a couple of years back. This updated guide puts a lot of meat up front in chapter one for those who simply can't wait to dive in... educator, parent, and kid sites are available immediately upon opening the book! The ten sections of the second chapter begins with sites for educational standards and ends with elementary, middle school, high school, and college and university sites. Chapter three includes web locations by subject categories such as: Art; ESL/Foreign Languages ... Math ... Science ... Social Studies ... Special Education ... Technology ... and others. The last three chapters includes information, concepts, URLs, and theories about Internet projects that work; searching and locating information for busy educators; and web site construction, including 25 reasons why every school should have a web site! I was so excited and thrilled about the updated version that I bought enough to give copies to selected librarians in the local area. The book is a wonderful source of Internet URLs researched and compiled in a format that eases its use by busy educators who want to view first-hand exactly the sort of assistance they can find on the Internet. There are down-to-earth explanations of Internet searching and search engines. It is a must-have for those librarians who are always asked for relevant sites for specific topics and subjects... Depending on one's personal librarianship philosophy, you may share the entire book OR just jot down the URL for the inquirer... 8-) ...

Marjan brings it in once again!

Later y'all . . . Earl J.

The very best in usefulness, information, and time-saving! Explanations in each chapter enhance the pictures of the many actual downloaded web sites. Information in each chapter addresses tips and hints for every level of expertise. Both educators and librarians will find the subject and grade level categories especially useful for locating web sites for specific topics and educational Internet projects - and the alphabetical index is simply superb! Internet projects are described (5 in detail) and contact information is also included. This book is one reference which will always be close at hand.

beautiful story and so poignantly written. the author lived at a very crucial time in modern history, and i feel priveleged to have gained a window into her world. the heroine of the book, sara schenirer, and the author are two outstanding examples of women who have chosen to raise themselves higher than angels. their stories are an inspiration to all to try and do the same.

This is a wonderful history of Sarah Schenirer, her students, and their vision of providing formal education to Jewish girls. A must read for anyone interested in women in Judaism.

Peter McLaren has long been recognized as one of the pioneering figures within the tradition of critical pedagagy and his body of work thus far has been hailed, rightfully so, as cutting-edge in his field. Yet what makes McLaren's work both provocative and unique is that it transcends the boundaries of any one discipline--in this case, education, and speaks to much broader concerns within critical social theory as a whole. His latest book to which this review is dedicated, "Che Guevara, Paulo Freire, and the Pedagogy of Revolution," is arguably his most powerful contribution not only to social theory but to progressive Left politics as a whole. After reading this inspiring text, I was immediately reminded of E.P. Thompson's famous treatise "The Poverty of Theory" penned more than twenty years ago. In that text, Thompson was, of course, mainly concerned with the influence of Althusserian Marxism and the tendency of intellectuals to become so immersed within the web of "scholastic argument," so immersed within their "pseudo-revolutionary dramas" in the realm of pure Theory (with a capital T), that they tended to ignore the actual material conditions of embodied, historical agents. Thompson condemned such intellectual exercises for being diversionist tactics which lended themselves to the elitist division between theory and practice. Thompson's book was also a clarion call for the "Left" of his time to honestly re-evaluate itself. McLaren's latest effort is another such clarion call and it comes at a time when it is desperately needed. Indeed, it is a passionate plea for committed Left scholars to reassess the most basic constitutive principles which have dominated Left intellectual discourse for the last two decades. The beauty of McLaren's book is that it demands progressives to take stock of regnant social relations. At a time when the "text" has become the marionette theatre of the political, at a time when the critical interrogation of capitalism has become unfashionable among the avant-garde of the "cultural Left," McLaren reminds us of "real" concrete struggles that are taking place all over the world. At a time when the subject has been decentered and textualized within contemporary "left" theory, McLaren reminds us of living, breathing, bleeding historical agents engaged in struggle and he does so by drawing on the remarkable legacy of Che Guevara. Of course, Che the icon has become part and parcel of mainstream popular culture--his signature beret has been placed on the head of Taco Bell's chihuahua to hawk fast food; the site of his remains has become a tourist attraction and yet among the cacophony of commercial messages that have attempted to make a mockery of Che's legacy, Peter McLaren stands firm. His Che is a revolutionary committed to human emancipation, unafraid to confront the powers that be and the enormity of forces that steadfastly guard the status quo. McLaren's Che is not a caricature but rather a vivid portrait of a dedicated human being--Che was not only an extraordinary revolutionary figure, he was also a brave humanist and McLaren fearlessly picks up that torch and demonstrates how Che's legacy can illuminate our thinking about contemporary global conditions. McLaren's book will, without a doubt, stir a great deal of controversy and it may very well be condemned by weak-kneed academics caught up in the scourge of "discourse radicalism"--those who strike radical poses without ever leaving the confines of the academy; those who believe that turning texts on their heads can change the world. Such posturing is to be expected for McLaren has clearly thrown down the gauntlet--this is clearly a challenge to those that fashion themselves as progressives and Leftists to put their proverbial money where their mouths are. This is a book penned by someone who is not only an exceptional scholar but a passionate activist as well; someone who is unafraid to challenge the scholarly inertia that has plagued the intellectual Left for far too long. This is a book that all committed Leftists must read regardless of field or discipline--it is intense, informative, invigorating, and above all--inspiring.

Che Guevara, Paulo Freire, and the Pedagogy ofRevolution

Reviewer: Robert E. Bahruth, Ph.D. from Boise StateUniversity, Boise, Idaho

In order to contextualize the significance of the contributions of both Che Guevara and Paulo Freire for American readers, McLaren makes the analogy to Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. respectively. Whereas Che, Malcolm X and Dr. King were all dealt with by assassination, Paulo died of heart failure at the age of 75. One might suspect that Paulo's end may have been more violent - and he certainly suffered persecution during critical periods in his lifetime, including a long exile - had his ideas not been rejected by anti-intellectuals in the American academy. Often his work was dismissed, without careful consideration, by professors who claimed that his ideas only applied to third world contexts. To this Donaldo Macedo often asked the critical question: Have you been to East Los Angeles, Roxbury, Harlem, East St. Louis or Camden, New Jersey, lately? One might wonder how the world today might have been a saner place for humanity had Che, Malcolm and Dr. King truly enjoyed the protection of the first amendment's freedom of speech "guarantee," thereby living longer lives and pushing the causes of common people's human rights. It has been claimed that the reason why Che was not allowed a trial in an international court was because the powerbrokers who financed his murder - there were CIA agents present to orchestrate his assassination, including the way he should be shot to make it appear as though he were wounded in combat - feared the power of his discourse and how it might play in the minds of the oppressed peoples of the world. To set the record straight and to dispel the many myths generated by status quo propagandists, McLaren's scholarship allows readers to look into the life and the machinations of the mind of Che, while simultaneously calling into question how contemporary revolutionaries such as Comandante Marcos in Chiapas, Mexico are both inspired by the lived example of commitment and love that Che provided, as they are equally persecuted for standing up for the rights of subsistence cultures around the world who are not interested in joining in the vulgar game of globalization, consumerism, and the politics of greed. Were Che alive today, with access to the high technology that Comandante Marcos and others so skillfully employ as they advance the cause of their post modern revolution, he might not have had to resort to violence which was then his only option. With the co-opting of corporate media, many are hoodwinked by the spin doctors who claim objectivity. Journalism has sunk to such depths of integrity and moral bankruptcy that they have found it necessary to invent terms such as investigative reporting. What does this imply about all other types of reporting? To counter the propaganda of corporate media, Comandante Marcos has demonstrated the power of the internet as a tool of organization, fund raising, and moral support from around the world, as well as the means to dispel myths while informing the world of the atrocities and lies of the status quo. Che would have had a field day with such luxuries! McLaren's other subject, Paulo Freire, is addressed with great love, honesty and devotion. He shows us the gentle man, dedicated as was Dr. King, to nonviolent humanism and the cause of democratic ideals. Education which is not commodified or politicized to reproduce the status quo, but rather a process of conscientization which invites all humans to participate as agents of history, as readers and writers of the word-world. Paulo provided a vision which expresses the possibilities for a future which is less violent and anti humane than the world we live in today. His was an invitation for teachers to rise above the technicism of skill, drill and kill which banters learners into silence and submission. Along with Chomsky, Giroux, Aronowitz, Macedo, bell hooks, McLaren, Chávez Chávez and others committed to "teaching to transgress," Paulo was an inspiration to us all. I have often said that the degree to which the status quo rejects a vision is in direct proportion to its power to create change. Clearly, Paulo has been marginalized in mainstream academia, but for world class scholars and extraordinary humans who are ontologically clear, Paulo's is a message of hope and possibility. McLaren has made a great contribution by keeping Paulo's vision alive and challenging all of us to awaken to social consciousness. In Peter's own words in a recent interview he states so well what is at stake:

"We cannot -- we must not -- think that equality can occur in our schools or society in general without at once and the same time demanding and participating in political and economic revolution. No sphere of domination must remain unassailed by the project of liberation. We need to remain steadfast, we cannot embark in a flight from being, that is, a flight towards the world of commodities that can only objectify being. We need to remember that we do not own ourselves, we don't belong only to ourselves. We belong to being. Because we belong to being, we need not covet the fruits of capital, for they are also the fruits of exploitation. Exploitation violates being. To find our multicultural soul is always an exercise of praxis, not ownership. It is an act conjugated with love in the interests of social justice. I am not trying to be metaphysical here since I connect objectified being with labor, with the laboring and toiling body, with the alienated worker, with the commodification of labor, with the exploited and the oppressed...

I borrowed this book from the library, and now can't wait to own my own copy. It is so full of great ideas.

Cathy Duffy is honest, dependable and reliable. I bought her first book years ago and several updates inbetween. I have always found that I could count on her to tell me the truth about homeschooling products--which made homeschooling much easier. I've been homeschooling for 12 years now and I couldn't have done it without Cathy Duffy. Way to go, girl!!