Educators Books

THHIS IS NOT A REVIEW, BUT A CORRECTION IN YOUR LISTINGS OF ONE OF MY OTHER BOOKS. You mis-spell my author's name in one of my books now out of print. in my book Coulomb and the Evolution of Physics and Engineering in Eighteenth-Century France, you have my name listed as spelled Gilmor, and Gillmour. INCORRECT. Correct author's name
C. Stewart Gillmor, as in four of my other books you list.

This biography of Fred Terman was thorough, detailed, and well-documented. The author did a fine job in piecing together the biograhical data into an enjoyable narrative. At times it is very scientific and gets into real science, at others its heart warming and all about love, family -- the stuff that really matters.

What is really amazing is the amount of documentation -- letters, notes, historical records, sketches, etc -- that not only the author dug up, but apparently Fred kept and then donated to the University. I learned about a lot of other things Fred donated to the University too -- such as his house and his book royalties. It goes without saying, but I learned a lot about Fred.

Although I am a Cornellian and not a Cardinal, I believe that this book should be required reading for every freshman entering both Stanford and Cornell, in the summer prior to their matriculation. Not only does this tell a story of a real person, with weaknesses, faults, and strengths, it tells a story of a human who perservered through terrible, life-threatening illnesses to become a leader who changed not only Stanford and Palo Alto and also catalyzed Silicon Valley, but the world. Moreover, it also is a story of family, of things good in life that I believe is still a value in the Valley and was partially responsible for enabling it to springboard off of Fred's initiatives. Finally, it is a story of an entrepreneur, whose vision, perseverance, and care enabled him to achieve greatness, not through himself, but through others, and he reveled in it.

As a Ph.D. student researching entrepreneurship and innovation within the triple helix models (university-industry-government), I was of course interested in why Stanford is such a leader in innovation, and thus this book was a must for me to read, once I learned it was published last fall. However, I got so much more out of it than expected, over and above what I sought to understand intellectually within my narrow field of academic interest. But then again, this is what a good biography is supposed to deliver, is it not?

-Mike Clouser, Ph.D. Student
Edinburgh-Stanford Link Associate
University of Edinburgh, Scotland

The fact that Shirley Robinson Sprinkles and I grew up together and have been lifelong friends does not take anything away from the fact that she has brilliantly chronicled an important era in American history. I wouldn't expect anything else from her because she is so brilliant and full of life and dedicated to the creation of a better world.
Shirley as well as I and everyone who attended our beloved Dunbar, a black elementary and junior high school, could have easily bought into society's opinion of us as "less than" - but she has travelled way beyond such a tag and has illustrated clearly in her memoir how, when brawn and brain are melded together with good intentions and purposes, wonderful things can happen and a human being, no matter his or her circumstances or color, can reach for the stars and shine among them.
Our motto at Dunbar was "Be the Best" and my friend's writing shows that she has honored such a creed and made my old chest poke out with a level of pride that can't be denied. If there ever was a "must read" book her's is surely high on the list.

What an amazing journey! Every young woman should take the time to read and enjoy this book. Shirley has proven that hard work, discipline, and self-pride pay off. Her life demonstrates that when one door is closed, another door opens. Too often, young women give up and let wonderful opportunities pass them by because of an obstacle put in their path. Shirley had the courage to 'keep steppin'. Her journey serves as an inspiration to all.

Having him for a principal wasn't all that bad. I can't think of anything that he could've improved on. He's wise, and his wisdom shines through this book. Ask him to tell you about how he picked his College.

A book to keep on your night stand. If you teach, attend, or send children to high school, you'll appreciate Baker's insights. A must read.

Genetics is everywhere in the news these days. Increased awareness means increased questions. Many people are asking hard questions of their providers. This book is an excellent resource for general questions as well as specific genetic disorders. We have been using it for years. The 3rd edition is as fabulous as the previous 2.

I am not an educator or health care professional, but I found these visual aids very helpful in furthering my limited understanding of common human genetic topics. I highly recommend it!

Judye Haynes has written the most informative, helpful, easily read and understood book on adressing the needs of second language learners on the market today. Her information is specific without being overpowering, germane without being verbose, and totally comprehensible for both those who are currently in the field of second language learning and those just entering.

One of the outstanding features of the book is a section on cultural issues. Scenarios from actual teachers' experiences with ELL students and their parents are described and then explained against the backdrop of cultural differences. This approach lends itself to greater understanding of cultures different than our own and sparks excellent discussion topics. The information in the book could easily be adapted to a staff development format. Indeed, Ms. Haynes encourages this approach for using her book.

I highly reccomend this book for anyone interfacing with ELL students. It should be a "must read" and a ready resource for every administrator and teacher who find themselves responsible for guiding second language students in their quest for academic success.

Kudos to you, Judye Hayes, and thank you for giving us an outstanding resource!

Carole Hudson
ESL Teacher
Johnson City Schools
Johnson City, Tennessee

Written by veteran elementary ESL teacher Judie Haynes, Getting Started with English Language Learners: How Educators Can Meet the Challenge is an in-depth guide for schoolteachers to encouraging English language learners to participate in class, help them feel more comfortable around other students, and above all, help them succeed. Packed with tips, tricks, techniques, and wisdom borne of 26 years of experience, Getting Started with English Language Learners is especially valuable for educators who are new to the ESL field yet recommended to ESL teachers of all experience levels. "Because many ELLs simply memorize material for a test and don't understand what they have learned, teachers need to develop alternative assessments specifically for ELLs. These assessments should provide teachers with a realistic picture of what individual ELLs can do without focusing unduly on what they can't do." From basic concepts of second-language acquisition theory, to the best way to handle newcomers' first weeks of school, to differentiating instruction for English language learners, programs for English language learners, and more, Getting Started with English Language Learners is a top-quality resource.

This was the best book I could have found to explain to a 7 and 8 year old that guns are not to be idolized. This book is narrated by a young boy who is very easy to relate to. A very well written lesson on the importance of staying away from guns and what to do if you are around a gun.

"Guns Are Not for Fun" is a very simple, to the point book about the dangers of guns. Geared towards elementary aged children, it effectively addresses the price a child will play if he or she plays with a gun and hurts someone. It clearly instructs children to get a grownup if they find a gun. Unlike books and movies that leave the consequences of gunplay unseen, this book tells the child what he or she will no longer be able to *do* if there is an accident with a gun. It's also developmentally appropriate.

Dear Friend,

Education is a hot topic these days. A good friend and long time
acquaintance has run a very successful small private school for over twenty years. He has recently written a book narrating the happenings of one school year. Anyone interested in education should check out this work. The book is filled with insights, teaching tips, humorous happenings, and is an all together pleasant read...

The guiding principle at Fayette Street Academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico, comes from a quote by the legendary college football coach, Bear Bryant: "If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes real good, you did it." John Chamberlain, headmaster, teacher, and "head elf" of the school has written a "real good" book about an excellent school.

Twenty-eight students, ages 7-14, use no textbooks, attend classes only four days a week, do no academic work for the seven weeks preceding the Christmas holidays, spend many wonderful hours swinging and climbing the ropes course in the "Big Elm," and play baseball every afternoon in May. They sprawl on floor pillows instead of sitting at desks, don't use computers in school, and don't work for grades.

However, they study physics, history, Greek, Latin, French, music, algebra, and inorganic chemistry. They perform Shakespearean plays in the Big Elm, read Robert Burns and Harry Potter, portions of the Bible, the Koran, and the Dhammapada, and the U.S. Constitution. They perform in near-professional Winter and Spring concerts, play non-competitive soccer, and spend many hours perfecting their essay-writing skills.

The 20-year-old school has a reputation for academic excellence and innovative teaching techniques. They have no endowments, use no government funds, and do not advertise, yet have five applicants for each student opening. A majority of former students have been on high school honor rolls and excel in college and post-graduate studies.

Highlights of the school year are the two Parents' Weeks in which parents take charge of the school and all instruction. Those periods serve several important functions: they provide the staff members needed breaks for rest and class preparation; they allow parents an inside view of the school and a taste of the challenges teachers face every day; and they give students a chance to see other faces and experience new ideas.

A continuous thread of climbing weaves its way through the book, both physically and metaphorically. Using his many years of mountain climbing expertise, the author has rigged the Big Elm with all manner of climbing ropes, pulleys, handholds, and swings, and carefully supervises each student's practicing. Students climb and swing almost every day, some making their way to the very top of the tree, others perfecting their swinging skills from shed rood to shed roof. This emphasis on climbing and swinging develops the children's mastery in paying attention and following directions and also enhances their self-confidence. Students at Fayette learn not to underestimate themselves, to develop their skills and intellects to the highest degree possible. They climb the heights intellectually.

The love and skill shown at Fayette Street Academy is palpable and thoroughly honest. John can tell when his students are learning by looking in their eyes. Please read this comfortable, entertaining, enchanting, and uplifting book. You will come away with the feeling that children can learn anything and everything if allowed the space and given the attention needed to climb to their own individual heights.

This book is much more profound than its down-home approach indicates. Dr. Ehly effectively reveals the importance of education in American culture and the centrality of musical education in the process. He addresses the declining state of the American cultural landscape and casts a vision for being a part of its recovery to educational and moral excellence.

This memoir is refreshingly unique - a fictional story interwoven around his and his father's personalities and the life lessons meant to jolt one's mind into deeper thought. Dr. Ehly is one of those few genuinely joyful souls in the world, existing to touch lives in the most profound way. Every student he had left the Conservatory a better musician and a better person. If you read only one memoir, read one that can truly add something to your own life. Hogey does just that.
--Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal" and UMKC Conservatory of Music, class of 1999

CONGRATULATIONS to Larry for putting it all into words! I will definetely get the book, but I don't have to read it to know what it says. He was my mentor for many years and will remain my friend for life. If you have kids or work with kids, listen to what he has to say. Funny, I was looking him up on the internet to discover he's written a book. No doubt he bottom lines it into a few simple ideas. The things I learned from working with Larry is all any of us need to know is that we know we are loved and we feel safe. When it comes to setting limits, it is important to bottom line it, but be matter of fact about it. You don't have to yell, engage in arguing, or any of those things that make it worse instead of better. Nor is it "go to your room for 30 minutes because you hit Johnny, but "we treat ourselves and other people with respect. When you can do or say something to Johnny that shows him that respect, you can go about your business."
Forget the circumstances surrounding the conflict. Just have them own up to whatever value they treaded upon and make restitution in a way that relates to the problem. Focus on the few basic values. (i.e.respecting property, taking care of our personal responsibilities) Aside from all that, "affect" belonged on the football field where he coached for many years. The way he taught me to think makes a difference in my life still.

This book is perfect for anyone who has kids, works with kids/teens or anyone who interviews people for a living. The book is filled with thought provoking questions that really stretch the imagination and make you think about your own values. I have used it as a resource for questions when interviewing people for new careers and competional panel evaluations. Excellent questions, and the answers will surprise you!

Rancière in The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation traces two paths: intellectual emancipation discovered through the retelling of Jacoto's "universal teaching" method that was happened upon by chance; and, stultification by institutionalized teaching meant to impart knowledge and increase intelligence. The stultifying methods include the testing for a capacity of knowledge by widespread examination and the belief that pedagogy has explication as its end. The method of stultification supports itself by imposing a hierarchy on intelligence. As Rancière demonstrates, capacity does not equal intelligence; pedagogy has nothing as its end; and to teach is to teach nothing.

Rancière's theory of intellectual emancipation challenges conservative approaches to education. With emphasis by curricula for K-12 directed toward teaching for the "No Child left behind" examinations enacted under the Bush Administration, one need only look at the concrete reality of its stultifying presence in public education. Yet, if we are to take up the cause for intellectual emancipation, critical questions arise regarding the division of labor by entrance into colleges and universities of higher education.

The Ignorant Schoolmaster challenges the institutionalization of learning that reiterates the system of class domination that tells the poor that they are incapable of learning beyond what the system gives them, that to learn is to reiterate that same system that tells them they have less intelligence than the middle-class that exploits them.

I'm constantly amazed that more people haven't read this book, or even heard of it; it should be considered among the new classics of Continental political thought.

Rancière's text does several things at once: most simply, it tells the story of the eighteenth-century revolutionary pedagogue Joseph Jacotot, who developed a method of "panecastic" education which he considered the universal route to mental emancipation. But at the same time Rancière resurrects Jacotot's doctrine. Through a marvelous, sustained sleight-of-hand Rancière plays with its tone and narrative voice, this whole book works as a twentieth-century political manifesto at the same time as a work of history. It is radically egalitarian -- in fact, after reading the book I am not sure that anyone other than Jacotot and Rancière has fully understood the meaning of real, radical egalitarianism. And it is a real book on teaching, all the same, as part of its goal is to evangelize "panecastic" teaching and summarize this general method for teaching.

Not to take anything away from Rancière's other important work, which also deserves more exposure, but this book is incredible, maybe his best, and should be read by a much wider audience.