Educators Books

Superbly narrated by Andrew L. Barnes, "Frederick Douglass: narrative Of An American Slave" tells the story of a journey from enslavement to freedom and a life spent in the 19th century cause of abolishing slavery and the advocacy of civil rights for African-Americans. Douglass was involved in pivotal movements and meetings, associating with leading Americans on the most critically important social issues of his day. This is the story of a remarkable man who, after failing to purchase his freedom from his master, escaped from slavery in September 1838 by dressing as a sailor and traveling by train and steamboat to New York. Eventually he married and settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts where he addressed the August 1841 convention of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society and allied himself with the leading anti-slavery abolitionists. This deftly produced CD audiobook showcases a life in service to the betterment of human society and will prove a informative, engaging, and welcome addition to both school and community libraries.

The Internet has opened up a number of educational opportunities in recent years that have allowed parents, teachers, and students the opportunity to take advantage of a great wealth of information. Linda Joseph has written Net Curriculum to provide her readers a glimpse of what the online world has to offer in the way of educational opportunities.

A number of Websites have sprung up offering a variety of educational assistance. Many target specific ages and grades and others meet specific educational objectives. Linda Joseph presents her readers with a broad range of educational Website categories. Topically listed Websites cover art, biographies, geography, government, history, immigration, law, math, music, science, social studies, writing, and more!

Other helpful Websites listed in the book offer readers access to actual lesson ideas and activities, many of which educators and children alike will find quite interesting. Viewing from the lenses of live video cams, viewing Civil War photographs, visiting online museums and art galleries, publishing news and stories online, and sending Web postcards are some of the activities featured in the book!

Linda Joseph offers her readers basic information on getting connected, accessing online information, sharing information with others, Web publishing, student safety, copyright infringement, fair use, and acceptable use issues. Readers will learn the basic principles of Web design while creating their own school Website!

This book is ideal for home school and public school teachers, parents, and Web developers who are looking for answers on how to make use of Internet technology to broaden the scope of available educational materials. There is an abundance of resources online and Linda Joseph has opened the door for accessing much of it!

Mrs. Bourne shows, in writing about a small one room schol house in rural southern Arizona, that the issues in education have not changed greatly. Lack of funding, quarrels over bi-lingual education, educating the whole child and not just a course of study have been with us. Her solutions give hope to those of us still teaching. Very motivating. A must-read for any pre-service teacher.

"No Royal Road" is a wonderful book about the remarkable experiences of a young Hungarian girl who tries to escape from Communism, hoping to establish her new life in the new world - America. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is that it describes real events happening before, during and after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The combination of real historical events with an interesting personal story makes the book not only an appealing piece of literature but also an outlook into the life of the Eastern Europeans of the middle 20th century and the new problems thay had to deal with.

In this brief but full autobiography, Elizabeth Achtemeier brings us full circle from her Oklahoma childhood, her theological education in New York and Germany, her years as wife and mother, and her unplanned vocation in teaching homiletics at a time when women were just beginning to enter the pulpit. Her prose is sharp, witty, but gentle too. Throughout this book, her theme is God's hand on her life, in joys and frustrations.

I especially enjoyed reading how she and her husband met and how their scholarship has complimented, rather than competed against, one another. I also think it is so important for retiring scholars to write such personal accounts, sharing with those who have admired their intellectual prose the humanity from which it stems. It is clear God is "not done" with her yet, noe with any who seek His voice.

When I think of foreign policy, I tend to think in terms of diplomats, wars, tariffs, and maybe exchange rates and travel. I don't think of people helping to directly provide food to foreign nations by educating the population in ways they can help supply more food for themselves and perhaps for export. Nurture the Heart, Feed the World has certainly broadened my interpretation of "foreign policy."

Nurture the Heart, Feed the World is a delightful autobiography written by Dr. Leon Hesser. The book tells how he used his background in agricultural economics to increase the production of food on three continents. In some ways, the book could almost be considered a co-autobiography, if there is such a thing. Dr. Hesser writes often about his wife, Dr. Florence Hesser. Starting with their early years, exploring youth, marriage and family, the reader learns about Dr. Leon Hesser's interest in farming, as well as his wife's initial reluctance to live on a farm. Their various foreign postings made sure that they and their family experienced a wide range of cultures and climates. Dr. Florence Hesser had a great deal of success as Professor of Education and Director of the Reading Center at The George Washington University. Her career, like his, has been very interesting and has touched many lives.

The book is filled with so many pictures, I felt like I was having a private showing of a family photo album! In my opinion, this added significant value to the book. Many books of this nature have a selection of pictures all together toward the middle. However, Nurture the Heart, Feed the World spaced pictures throughout the book, so they were in context with the print. Moreover, nearly all of the pictures had captions underneath.

Born in the Midwest, Leon Hesser earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University. His subsequent career as a Foreign Service Officer in the Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of State took him and his family to various postings around the globe. Currently, he and his wife, Dr. Florence Hesser lead a very active retirement life in Naples, Florida. They give a new meaning to the word "busy!"

Nurture the Heart, Feed the World is a wonderful story that takes the reader all over the globe. The author and his wife have enthusiastically shared their life histories.

NURTURING NONVIOLENT CHILDREN: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND COUNSELORS offers parents and libraries catering to them a fine blend of social issues assessment, health and parenting skills by a longtime psychologist and counselor who is also a parent and past teacher. This volume focuses on research and case histories alike, discussing the growing problem of youth violence, its causes, and how adults can use specific strategies to nurture nonviolence as a lifestyle. The blend of social issues assessment, psychology, and parenting techniques offers a satisfying blend of research-based self-help techniques perfect for both school and public libraries.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a story about America working as it has for millions of immigrants. The story of
one man making it in America, it testifies to the fact that America's promise is as true today
as it has ever been. This book should be offered to Hispanic youth as an example of what
they, themselves can accomplish in America.

Knowledgeably compiled and edited by Stephen Rowe (Chair of the Philosophy Department, Williams James College), Old Hopes For A New Place: The Legacy Of Arend D. Lubbers At Grand Valley State University is a compilation of inspirational and engaging speeches from the famed and respected Arend "Don" Lubbers. Introducing the reader to a man who's work has tangibly effected students from times of the Vietnam and cold wars, through Reganism, Generation X and the cultural technological revolution of the computer age, Old Hopes For A New Place creates a vivid account of the changes and effects of Grand Valley State University's outstanding president upon both students and faculty. Old Hopes For A New Place is very highly recommended reading, especially for those who appreciate an intriguing biography, depicting the life and pursuit of an outstanding figure in Grand Valley State University history.

Dr. LeRoy Walker has been referred to as an American Hero and after reading his story, I can fully agree. His story is about overcoming politics, poverty, and racism to eventually become the President of the U.S. Olympic Committee. His Olympic Journey was a remarkable triumph and one I'll always remember. Great book!