Organizations Books

This book is written for the software tester and/or test manager, but not just those professionals who test eBusiness Web sites. Rather, there is something in here for any software tester, or IT manager who has responsible for software quality.

In some ways this book is actually 4 books in one - the first part of the book focuses on using Risk to drive the test strategy for a product being evaluated, an approach that works as well for testing embedded software in aircraft engines, as for testing a Web site used for eCommerce. For example, in Chapter 3 Paul & Neil pose age-old software testing questions such as; "how good was your testing?" and "when can we stop testing". Later providing answers based on a systematic (& defensible) approach, as opposed to good old fashioned "gut feel".

Part II provides a high-level overview of some of the more common risks that a Web site might face, and then applies the risk based testing strategy discussed in part 1 to this particular problem domain. In effect, providing a high-level generic case study for risk based testing.

Part III is the largest section in the book, and is a series of 9 Chapters that go into the details of how to test Web sites. The last chapter in this section focusing on tools that can be used to automate many of these tests.

The last part of this book; looks at some of the common challenges a testing team might face when trying to implement any new approach to software testing (i.e. many of these aspects being applicable to any testing environment, not just eCommence Web sites).For example; how to handle incident management, staff retention, and Beta testing.

In summary; this book has something for anyone involved in software testing (whether it is as a test executioner or in a test management capacity). Please do not let the title lead you into believing that this book is only appropriate for testing Web app's; there is plenty that is applicable for any software testing effort - especially the concepts of applying a risk based approach to determining what to test, and when to test it.

Note, additional details on this book can be found at [...]
Also, in the vain of "full disclosure", you should know that I've known Paul for many years, and consequently I cannot be considered a completely impartial reviewer.

This is a relevant text now. And even when e-business ceases to be a buzz word, this book will still have enough material, on the broader needs for risk-based testing in an organization, to remain relevant.

Each of the 20 chapters reads like an individual essay allowing you to dip in and out for reference purposes and, given that some of the sections have a lot of useful information buried in them, I suspect that you will want to do this.

The approach to risk based testing presented in chapters 2 and 4 is a useful one for helping the reader plan and approach test planning. From an identified risk, the tester builds a test objective. These are used as high-level test conditions which, hopefully, help determine if the risk has been mitigated or not. The later technique chapters provide examples of the risk->test objective translation and that is obviously a useful thinking technique.

Chapter 4 in particular 'Risk-Based Test Strategy' will be a popular reference source for many testing projects.

The web testing coverage is pragmatic, introduced in good order and provides a good overview of the technicalities of web testing. There is an interesting section in the Appendix which demonstrates how effective simple homegrown automation can be for web testing.

More important for this text though, than the drilling down to extreme testing of web technicalities, is the extended coverage of web testing over the life of the project and understanding how the traditional phases of the testing life cycle apply to e-business projects.

In summary then, a good book for management, and for testers that want to look beyond their collection of test scripts and concern themselves with the needs of the business.

Although the focus is on e_business testing this book has changed my views about the realities of risk-based testing for any environment. First, the authors give a dose of reality regarding the differences between 'best practices' provided in the testing body of knowledge that is growing into hundreds of books (less than two years ago there were only a few dozen books on software testing, so this is a positive trend for the profession as a whole). Second, the fallacies in conventional risk-based testing are exposed. Here the authors propose that testing be exclusively focused on product risk, instead of trying to encompass the wider scope that includes project and process risk. This, in my opinion, is sage advice and keeps testing focused on areas where it can contribute to a project's success.

Among the strong points of this book are it's clear writing, which is full of examples, and the logical sequence in which the material is presented. In addition, the clear definitions of general risk management and associated processes and procedures, and how it all ties together are among the most succinct I've read. However, the best aspect of this book is the way the chapters build upon each other, and the complete coverage of risk-based testing.

Specifics include a general chapters on risk-based e-business testing and types of web site failures that lay the foundation for the technical aspects of the book. These are followed by chapters that show how to develop an e-business test strategy, how to fit risk analysis to a test process, and a comprehensive treatment of test techniques and tools. The latter is especially valuable because it covers the full range of testing techniques that are tailored to e-business testing, which includes static, web page integration, functional, service and usability testing. This part of the book also includes security testing and large scale integration testing - both of which make this one of the most complete collections of test techniques for e-business as well as general testing.

The remainder of the book covers the context of e-business testing (including brief advice on how it fits within Extreme Programming and the Unified Process), E-business test organization, planning and specifications (a wealth of information for the test manager), and E-business test execution (which also addresses important topics such as incident management and testing in a live environment). The two appendices, Essential Web Technologies for Testers and Web Testing Using Home Brew Tools are also valuable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in E-business testing, and also recommend that it be used in conjunction with Systematic Software Testing by Rick D. Craig by Stefan P. Jaskiel (ISBN 1580535089), which nicely augments this book.

The title of this book need not deter you. Yes, it is aimed at both Test Managers (the risk elements) and at web testers (the E-Business content). However, if, like me, you fall into neither category, it is still a very worthwhile addition to your reading list and workplace library.

The authors use very practical examples from real life testing to illustrate points. A continuous analogy of an individual E-Business being like a shop, with potential walk-in customers, works very well. Some rather startling facts emerge too; the average visit to the Systeme Evolutif web-site (of which Paul Gerrard is the web-master) is less than two minutes. I am sure that is true of a lot of sites, including those that are payment-now, real business sites.

Everyone in testing seems to promote 'risk'. Here is a strategy for answering the inevitable questions on ready-for-live issues based on whether risks have been addressed. "When enough tests have been prepared, executed and passed to convince the risk-owners that the risk has been addressed, enough testing has been done".

I have dabbled in web testing, both formally and informally (the latter probably every time I use the internet). The techniques for addressing real and perceived E-Business risks have a large carry over into other (i.e. non E-Business) test forms. The sections on performance, usability and Large Scale Integration rung some bells with me, and the use of tools is both encouraged, and discouraged. Strange as it may seem, the way of doing this did not seem to be contradictory. The sections on why the concept of E-Business is different only seeks to place MORE emphasis on why a coherent risk strategy is necessary. With web applications, not only is the time-to-market critical, but the price of failure can be so much more disastrous.

Use of American spelling and currency (everything is quoted in dollars) jars for the British reader, and look out for the words "we", "us", and "our". These are sometimes used a little ambiguously. (Ask who "us" refers to). However, expect to be challenged, and encouraged on to the land of better testing. There is a wealth of source material provided, especially on tools, and toll providers. There are lots of web-based references; additionally, a significant number of articles and books referenced are from 2001 or 2002.

The preface gives one of the reasons for the book being the ordering of the vast quantities of information that there is around. What was set out as an aim has been achieved, and both Paul and Neil have brought their experience, knowledge and communications skills to benefit us all. One of the dedications says: "To all those testers who do the best they can, but always think they should do more". I for one appreciate that the book was written for me. Thanks.

Easy to read and language easy to understand.
Really great book.
You really understand the reason behind the Sacred Heart devotion
with this book.

When I was little, I used to love reading about the Saints. My Dad encouraged it, and I found their lives very inspiring. As I got older and busier, I either didn't have the time to read these books or I just wasn't interested. The other day, I couldn't find anything to do so I pulled this book out.

It starts out by giving you a bit of background on the life that St. Margaret Mary was living. She was 13 and very ill. She and her mother prayed all they could for young Margaret to get better, but nothing worked. Finally, her Mom came up with the idea that Margaret should offer herself to be a Nun. After praying on such, Margaret was healed, and was able to resume a normal life.

Years later, Margaret's mother wanted her to get married, but Margaret knew that she had to become a nun. The idea made her so happy. She begged her Mother and brother, and finally, they allowed it. They wanted her to become a nun at the nearby convent, but Margaret wanted to be a nun with the Order of the Visitation. They finally agreed, and she was accepted.

When Margaret was there, it was hard for her to undersatnd some of their ways of life. And when she started to have visions from God, the sisters began to think she was mental. They were very critical and felt that she was very different from them.
Margaret did all she could, but they still criticized her. After convincing the Superior of the time that she wasn't crazy, they got a new, more practical, Mother Superior. But God told her things would be better. Margaret still was having visions and knew that all of the criticism and suffering would be worth it in the end. And God told her he would send someone to help.

That someone was a priest. Sister Margaret Mary told Father Coliembre about her visions, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and how Jesus wanted to be loved, and not feared so much. The Priest offered to do everything he could to help her, and convinced the practical Superior that the Sister was really having visions. But later on, Father Coliembre gets sent away.

Later on, troubles meet Father in England and the story goes to him for alittle bit, telling of all that he had to deal with in England at a time when Catholicism was looked down upon. When he is finally done with all the suffering, he goes back to the convent, and is surprised to see a new Mother Superior, who won't let him speak to Sister Margaret Mary. When they finally do talk, Sister Margaret tells of all of the promises of the Sacred Heart that God told her about.

Father Coilembre dies later on, and a few strange things happen at the convent when Mother Superior won't allow Sister Margaret Mary to make her holy hour of prayer on Thursday nights, and get communion on the first of every month. She allows Sister Margaret to do these things, and also believes that Sister Margaret is meant to be a Saint. With the help of Mother Superior, Sister Margaret Mary stops getting criticized for her visions and ways and gains support from her fellow sisters. She receives the final promise, and gets many involved with the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Soon, Mother Margaret Mary (She was ranked higher) dies.

This book is great, especially for those who want to know mroe about the promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And remember, I'm a 14 year old who reads popular teen books (by Meg Cabot, Ann Brashares, Lisi Harrison, etc.) and if I liked it, then there is a good chance you will too! :-)

The story for children 10 and up of the revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to a holy French nun, including the Great First Friday Promise, her painful childhood, troubles in the convent, St. Claude, the Apparitions and her many penances.

Saint Margaret Mary... an apostle for Christ, a loving and obedient nun, one who would do anything for Christ and Our Blessed Mother, one who recognized the power of love and suffering for Christ... yes, this is who St. Margaret Mary is.

And Mary Fabyan Windeatt wrote the book, Saint Margaret Mary and the Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in such a way that it is very hard to describe. The story started out with Margaret, ill in bed, at the age of 13. Mary Wineatt tells how Margaret and her mother promised to Mary, Our Blessed Mother, that if Margaret is cured of her illness she will become a religious. Their prayers were answerd... the Blessed Mother cured Margaret!

It took a long time until finally Margaret could visit the Visitation nuns to become a religious. When she becomes a Visitation nun at the convent she begins to have visions of Christ's suffering. Most of the nuns don't believe her at first. Our Lord revealed twelve promises to Margaret and she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus two times.

Our Lord tells Margaret of a person who is going to come and help her spread the word. This person was Father de la Colombiere. He was a very well known and educated priest. He helps Margaret in a lot of ways until he dies at the age of 41.

Before Margaret dies she was perfectly healthy but in a few hours she dies at the age of 43.

I like this book so much because the way the author writes it. It sounds like a story instead of facts just put together. This book is beautifully written. And I especially liked how Margaret seems so loving and kind to everyone.

I had asked to borrow this book from friends and was turned down. So I finally picked up my own copy and I was not disappointed. It is a good book, practical, short and concise for us busy administrators. I recommend it.

This book was valuable as an aspiring educational leader. The 21 responsibilities were extremely valuable in understanding the role that an educational leader must take on. The down side was the statistical calculation which without having had stats in some time made understanding the rationale behind some of the data more challenging. I would still recommend though!

In this book, Robert Marzano, the most effective force in educational reform today, continues his efforts to promote excellence in schools. Here, he and his colleagues turn their attention to defining school leadership behaviors and actions that raise student achievement. They blend practical advice and research to come up with specific steps that school leaders can take to see that students improve academically.

Marzano et al found that there are 21 leadership responsibilities that have a statistically significant relationship with student achievement. All are important, but the three most correlated with achievement are (1) Situational Awareness (of the specific school situation and good use of this information), (2) Flexibility (to adapt to the specific situation and to handle dissent), and (3) (tied) Discipline (to protect teachers from undue distractions), Outreach (as advocate and spokesperson for the school), and Monitoring/Evaluation (creating a system that provides feedback on effectiveness).

They classified previous efforts at school change into two types. First-Order Change is incremental, a step-by-step pattern. Second-Order Change is sudden reversal of pattern or direction, anything but incremental. Both change processes can be effective, and both require different behaviors by school leaders. The three most effective behaviors for First-Order Change are (1) Monitoring/Evaluating, (2) Culture (building a positive culture that influences teachers), and (3) Ideals/Beliefs (leader's well-articulated ideals and beliefs). The three most important behaviors for Second-Order Change are (1) Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, (2) Optimizer (optimism as a critical characteristic), and (3) Intellectual Stimulation (of Staff).

The third component Marzano et al looked at was the importance of the leader's ability to select the right work or issues for the school staff to tackle to improve achievement, whether through the use of models of site-specific or of comprehensive school reform. Both models are effective if tailored to the needs and context of a given school.

But hold on. Don't be discouraged from reading this book because you fear that this is just another text full of education theory and cliches. Or don't succumb to thoughts of "been there, done that" and been burned too many times before. Marzano and company offer a thorough, five-step plan that works for experienced or novice leaders. They recognize that no one person can do all they suggest, and they show how to share leadership with other educators and community members. This book is the most clearly defined, research-based plan for improving student achievement you can find today; and everyone, educator or not, who is interested in better student academic growth should read it.

If there were educational awards equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor given for service beyond the call of duty for the promotion of student academic excellence, Robert Marzano should receive the first.

Robert Marzano and his colleagues translate the knowledge base on effective school leadership into a clear and precise format applicable to 21st century schools. It is a great gift to both successfuil veterans and aspiring leaders. Students and the nation are better off for this work. Education professors and school board members will use Marzano's meta-analysis to understand and articulate the qualities we need in today's leaders.

This gracefully written book tells an adventure story. It's set in the late 60s and early 70s, the time of the Great Society when hopes were high for breaking down barriers of Class and Race. It's full of unforgettable characters : Parents who live in East Harlem, near the market under the train tracks, and teachers and other people who come from outside the community and soon are engaged in learning how to work within it. Very relevant to the present day challenges of teaching and parenting.

With the start of the school year approaching, there is no better time to learn from the men and women whose struggles are documented in this wonderfully written book. The account of their journey to create better schools and better futures for the children in their community is both engaging and inspiring.

This is an exceptional book. I'm not an educator and found it spell binding. What I found most extraordinary was that, against so many odds, there were so many successes and that the school continues. The efforts of the families and teachers is humbling. One of the outstanding aspects of the book is the description of the way in which issues of class were confronted and dealt with. This seems to be an issue over which many well-intentioned efforts to change "the system" stumble. This account offers valuable insight as to how such challenges must be met. This book is of great value to anyone concerned with social change. It's also well written, which is a treat.

When I was a teacher in a New York City public school, professionals used to implore parents to get involved in their children's education. This involvement, of course, was to take place at home, because parents were not welcomed into the school except by invitation. What a difference there is between that relationship of school and home and the one described by Tom Roderick in this book! Parents were not only welcomed into the East Harlem Block Schools, they were in charge of the place. Roles for teachers and parents were clearly defined, but in the end, an elected parent board had decision-making power. The result: Children thrived, parents found themselves furthering their own education, and teachers discovered the pains and pleasures of breaking through barriers of race and class. This book is great social history with important lessons for schools and for community development in general.

"Schools That Do Too Much" by Etta Kralovec gives insight to the "hows and whys" of where a portion of our education dollars are spent. Ms. Kralovec also takes us through a typical day in the life of a high school student. The time and money lost in our education system according to her is "eye-opening" to say the least. Although I do not agree with all of her findings as being money and time wasters; what she conveys will have you agreeing with her. Schools today are not delivering what is needed for our students. Read this direct and easy to follow book and then draw your own conclusions about today's public school expectations.

In her new book, Schools That Do Too Much, Dr. Etta Kralovec advocates rethinking the amount of time and financial backing given to "school sports, DARE and extra-curricular activities", but not without rationale. She documents the toll taken upon academics from the seemingly endless stream of fundraising for one project or another. She notes that with each new societal challenge; AIDS, drugs, poverty, disrupted family units, we have expected our schools to assume responsibility for instruction on the issue, and to act as surrogate parents. Although there is undoubtedly a need for a larger community support network to support our youth, is that the role of the school? With each new program or curricula added to an already hectic week, some other piece of the day must give way. Inevitably, it is a core academic piece that is lost. With the recent increase in federally mandated standards, and a drive towards "learning results", it is especially difficult to accomplish. Kralovec acknowledges the value in special programs and extra-curricular activities, many of which grew out of progressive reform movements of the past aimed at making our communities more cohesive and nurturing places. However, in the face of nsufficient time and funding devoted to academic pursuits, she argues thatit is time to fundamentally revisit the purpose of school. We must alter the curriculum, the budget, and our own expectations to achieve success.

That the average student's day is chaotic and fragmented is more than just the "view" of Dr. Kralovec. As reported in her book, studies show that during the average high school day, a comparatively small percentage of the day is devoted to actual learning. Large chunks of precious time are squandered on moving between classes, settling into the new class, taking roll call, and the numerous and frequent interruptions from announcements,
bells, and other distractions. Furthermore, the time spent `in class' is not always spent `on learning'. Even the very nature of that time is examined. Research shows that the current model asks students to engage at hours when they are least able to do so, and then divides their day into ways which make it particularly difficult to focus. Perhaps from a sense of familiarity, perhaps from lack of a clear alternative, we continue to cling to this unproductive model. Kralovec offers an alternative.

Following an illustration of how to read and understand a school budget (so that parents and interested community members can see where the money is spent), Kralovec goes on to present concrete and well developed, if radical, solutions. These include doing away with homework as it is now (see her prior book The End of Homework), altering the length and structure of the school day, eliminating the bells and loudspeakers which fragment thought, respecting the time allotted to learning, and making the classroom `sacred space'. She challenges schools and parents to revisit their long-held assumptions about what a school is, in an attempt to see what a school might be. I challenge you to read
her book, loan it to a teacher, pass it around your local school board, and start the dialogue.

Heather Martin-Zboray

Kralovec raises two interesting and important questions in this book: What should schools actually be responsible for, and how should the various "additional" (in Kralovec's view) activities and concepts be handled? She advocates removing athletics and drama from the domain of the school, placing them instead in the hands of community groups and businesses, and argues that doing so will allow schools to focus more effectively on the business of learning.

Kralovec's stance is a brave and innovative one, but she barely acknowledges the fact that any such radical change would be possible only after a LOT of hard work by school and community leaders. She does recognize the fact that many people would be angry about proposing these changes. Overall, I don't feel the book does enough to make this kind of change possible -- that is, there isn't enough concrete information about how to bring about real school reform.

Kralovec uses a kind of composite sketch to describe the problems in American secondary schools; some schools are better learning environments than the author describes, and some are even less productive. She also seems to rely on a very few studies to support her ideas, and frequently speaks in generalities. The book as a whole could have been edited better for things like parallel structure, consistent verbiage, and Those Mistakes that Spell-Check Can't Help With.

I think these are important ideas, and it's clear that Kralovec really believes in her thesis. _Schools That Do Too Much_ is worth reading, but the writing itself leaves a bit to be desired. I would (actually, I did) get it from the library rather than purchasing.

As Heather Martin-Zboray states in her review, this is a book well worth reading. Its suggestions are simple but radical for most Americans: let community groups sponsor sports and drama, and let the schools teach a core curriculum!

Shifting to longer class periods (the 90-minute block); starting high school at 9am rather than 7:30am (when most scientific studies reveal that adolescents should be asleep); removing disruptive loud speakers; extending the school day so that teachers can tutor students one-on-one on a daily basis; etc. are the core of Kralovec's suggestions.

Other than overcoming community aversion to these suggestions because "things always were done OUR way," there are no real roadblocks to the suggestions here. The question is this: Does America have the willpower to try to effect effective change which truly promotes learning?

Allington and Cunningham provide excellent insight as to what all schools need to ensure quality instruction to students. This book is a must for all educators, especially administrators. I am a Special Education teacher and a graduate student. I refer to this text often.

With over fifty combined years of experience between them, educational researcher/ consultants Richard Allington and Patricia Cunningham have many ideas to offer in their new book, Schools That Work: Where All Children Read and Write. The book is a natural follow-up to their first collaborative effort, Classrooms That Work: They Can All Read and Write. It is lengthy, but highly engaging, and offers practical, research based ideas for those who envision and want to work toward moving their school or school system toward being one where all children become literate. Because American society has changed, and is changing, at such a rapid pace, Allington and Cunningham contend that the current organizational structure of schools, while being well intentioned, is outdated. Existing structures do not effectively meet the needs of all children, especially those who are at the highest risk of school failure. Therefore, they believe that educational interventions that offer "more of the same" will not work to fix the inadequacies in today's schools. Because many schools are stuck, looking toward traditional solutions, huge amounts of federal and state money are being poured into educational programs such as developmental kindergarten, transitional K-1 classes, retention, and remedial, resource and bilingual programs that aren't effective in helping all at risk learners learn to read and write. Throughout the twelve chapters of the book, examples of effective large and small-scale school restructuring efforts in real schools are described. These descriptions are very helpful in illustrating the authors' key points. Models such as the Coalition of Essential Schools, Success For All, the Accelerated Schools Model, Reading Recovery, School Power and Schools for the 21st Century are included. Chapters of the book are organized around central themes of school organizational plans such as instruction, professional roles, allocation of time, parent involvement, assessment and curriculum materials. I will briefly summarize these chapters to give an overview of their content. In the chapter on curriculum, Cunningham and Allington offer many ideas for getting real reading material into the hands of children. Popular methods of literacy instruction are also described, but it is clear that the authors do not believe there is one best way to teach reading and writing. Instead, they advocate for quality instruction delivered in a multifaceted approach. This position is similar to that taken in Best Practices in Literacy Instruction, edited by Gambrel, Morrow, Neuman and Pressley, a resource text for teachers of literacy. Allington and Cunningham then go on to describe essential components of quality literacy instruction. One of the important points of the book is that "good schools are a collection of good classrooms" and that the job of everyone who works at a school is to support and enhance classroom instruction. An important point is made that while most instruction for at risk students slows down the pace of instruction, what is most effective is accelerating their learning through more and better instruction so that they are able to catch up with their peers. Concerning the issue of how instructional time is used; a chapter is devoted to describing effective classroom management practices that maximize the amount of time available for actual reading and writing. Innovative ways of creating more instructional time such as allowing teachers to work on flexible schedules opens up the possibility of students receiving extended amounts of instruction before and after school, in Saturday School and summer school. In the chapter on assessment, strategies for evaluating literacy programs and progress are given. Ideas for utilizing authentic assessments such as observational records, writing samples, narrative comments, interviews, self-evaluations, portfolios and anonymous student testing are presented.

Because schools can change only as fast as the instructional practices of teachers change, Allington and Cunningham devote a chapter to advice for supporting the professional development of teachers. The authors believe that systems need to allocate greater amounts of their resources toward professional development, as well as offer administrative and collegial support in order for teachers to remain life long learners who continually develop new areas of expertise. As our changing society affects schools, it affects families too. Most children now come from single parent families or families where both parents work. Because the authors believe that schools cannot be fully effective without parent support and involvement, ideas for improving parent outreach programs are described. Innovative ways to improve communication between schools and families, involve parents in school decision making processes, and create family literacy programs and interagency family support services that help break cycles of illiteracy and poverty are provided. A chapter is set aside for offering additional ideas for developing the literacy skills of special populations of children, such as those with learning disabilities and those who speak English as a second language. In another chapter, a tour is given through a hypothetical school that reflects some of the basic themes in the book. Readers are then prompted to take a tour through their own school and look for examples of effective practices they would like to see more of, as well as ineffective practices they would like to see decreased. The final chapter of the book offers some relief to the reader, who may at this point be overwhelmed with the scope and scale of school restructuring that needs to be done. Allington and Cunningham caution, though, that there are no quick fixes in education, and that successful reform efforts are done gradually with the long view in mind. Restructuring often begins with a small group of people, or even with one person at a school. Is that person you? Do you believe that all children can learn to read and write, and would you like to help them do so? If you think so, this book could be an invaluable resource that gets you thinking about large-scale changes by starting small. Read it and pass it along to someone in your school, as someone in my school passed it along to me. Who knows what might happen next?

Because their other book, "Classrooms That Work," is such a hit with my preservice students, I ordered this one. Receiving it just today, and after browsing through and discovering on the final page reference to the the critical words, "common sense initiatives," I have a feeling we may have another winner with this book, as well.

With over ten years as a primary, intermediate, and junior high teacher, I have read lots of education books. This may end up being the book that helps me the most in helping improve myself as an educator, and in helping the school improve itself. This book was jam-packed with great ideas of what truly makes a good school. "Schools That Work" is geared for both principals, teachers, and anyone else in the education field. After reading this it makes for a great reference book. The book is well organized into the different components that make a good school. Also, it has great book, magazine, and web resources throughout the entire book. In short, buy this book without hesitation--it is that good!

An emotional and disturbing tale of scoutmasters who have deceived whole communities, the boys they've molested, the parents who were somehow oblivious until it was too late, and the scout officials who didn't understand their own policies and for years underestimated the scope of the organization's problem.

Something a previous reviewer seems to have missed, and perhaps one of the reasons these things often go unreported, is that these guys aren't always forcing themselves upon the youngsters. Sometimes the men are master manipulators who convince the boys that what they are doing is normal and that they care for them more than their own parents. This is the case with one of the main characters in this book. Of course, this isn't always the case. Sometimes they use intimidation and fear to keep the boys quiet.

In any case, years later some such boys grow up to be abusers too and there is a cycle that goes on. This is also detailed in the book.

Fortunately, the Boy Scouts have put into place new policies in recent years, probably in part thanks to this book. Basically, it is against BSA policy for adult leaders to ever be alone with a boy or sleep in the same tent with boys. Also, leaders now have to go through a criminal background check.

Unfortunately, the fixes won't stop every molester, especially when parents aren't on the ball. It's important that the parents be aware of these rules and not just always trust the leaders to be following the rules. There was one story in the book of a group of pedophiles who worked together to start a scout troop, so if you see a troop where none of the leaders are parents you should be cautious. Make sure to know who these people are.

Finally, the main character in this book was not just a boy scout leader, he was also a junior high school teacher, and many of the boys he molested were not scouts. Bottom line is that parents should in general not trust other adults to be alone with their kids and watch out for any warning signs.

I think parents and community leaders should read this book to have a better understanding of the problem.

A word of warning to the reader: this book includes graphic details of molestation and can be disturbing.

Patrick Boyle does a masterful job of illustrating how adult male homosexual pedophiles could fool whole communities of parents into thinking they had the best interests of their boys at heart while at the same time were intimidating their boys into having non-consensual sex right under the parent's noses. It's chilling to learn how the parents defended pedophile after pedophile as being "falsely accused" or "good men" while often refusing to take the boys' word that the Scout leader had coerced them into having sex. When I read the newpaper articles about how the Roman Catholic church hid their pedophile problem for years, as did the Boy Scouts, I see the same play but with different actors. If you want to get an insight into how pedophiles think, work, and act, read Scouts Honor. Don't, however, make the mistake of thinking that when the Boy Scouts got rid of their pedophiles, the pedophiles quit molesting. They are probably just "working" another youth organization using the same methods they used to infiltrate the Boy Scouts. Good book.

As a victim and scout myself, I found this book to be an investigative feet with stories from all sides. It is a must read if you want to know how so many molesters can offend the nation's most trustworthy and honest youth in the worst way.

I wish there were books like it that dicussed abuse in other organizations such as church, and sports.

1. Self-managing organizations are dynamic and capable of continuous organizational learning. The basic principles of self-managing organizations are as follows a. employees have all knowledge, information, and skills to make all decisions that concern them b. Control and coordination authority is located as close to the people actually in contact with the work process or customers. C. Authority is based on expertise and competence d. management and leadership is shared functions widely distributed across levels and departments e. access to information and feedback is instantaneous and transparent. F. Support systems are congruent and synergistic g. the role of management is redesigned to focus on value creation for customers, shareholders, and employees.

2. In complex adaptive system there exists a redundancy function. Redundancy function has a variety increasing effect on the organism's potential for responding adaptively to environmental demands. Complex adaptive systems are capable of a high degree of cooperative behavior, where self-managing groups of agents can produce higher-order behaviors that no single agent could accomplish on its own.

3. Self-managing organizations have a superior competitive advantage because they build redundancy by extending the skills and functions of their people and by relocating responsibility for control and coordination of work to the level at which the work is actually performed.

4. Why does TQM almost always fail? TQM fails because: a. long drawn out projects lose energy, momentum, and relevance in a fast-changing business environment b. the rehashing of competitor ideas versus creating capabilities that can't be copied easily, practices that are embedded within, and growth out of the uniqueness of the company culture. C. Senior management often think they are exempt from the transformational focus and divert change to middle and lower levels of the organization d. many consulting firms specialize in reengineering focus on implementing new technology or redesigning the work process.

5. When employees are engaged in creating a vision or mission, the statements are much broader to why they are doing their work than any leader would give them.

6. Participation transforms a bureaucratic organization into an empowered workforce aligned for high performance. The cardinal rule of the participative design method is that no designs are ever imposed. Organizational change and transformation is smoother and changes are sustained because employees are truly architects of the design process.

"We soon realized that many companies which adopted such methods were caught in the middle between two competing organizational paradigms: the bureaucratic and democratic. In our analysis, these methods failed to transform the DNA, or fundamental design principle, that informs how organizations are structured and managed...When we understood that these two diamectrically opposed traditions for designing and managing organizations were competng for dominance, it became clear to us why managrs and employees were often being bombarded by mixed messages and a confusing mishmash of structures, management styles, and techniques. The bureaucratic and democratic design principles are based on different logics; each constitutes a distinct class with a specific genetic order...When these logics are mixed together in efforts to shore up the failings of bureaucracy, empowerment and reengineering efforts often fizzle because the basic tenets of a traditional hierarchy have not been uprooted...This book describes the principles and methods for designing the self-managing organization. We show how companies in any industry can change and evolve to become fully self-managing organizations"(from the Preface).

In this context, Ronald E. Purser and Steven Cabana, in Chapter 8, outline fundamental choices of two competing organizational design paradigms as following:

I- Bureaucratic Structure: Coordination and control of work tasks is done by supervisor.

1. Mind Set...*People have specialized skills and are easily replaced. *The work (technical system) is designed first. The people (social system) must adopt and fit in. *Workers are cogs in the machine of the enterprise, a commodity. *Total specialization of everything. *Within a complex organization, simple jobs are created. *Tthe building block of the organization is one person- one task. *Competitive structures, processes and reward systems are the best way to produce high performance.

2. People Act As If...*The environment our enterprise exists in is stable and unchanging. *There is little to learn at work; success comes from reacting resourcefully to problems. *Procedures are sufficient to guide behavior. Change interferes with productivity and can often be postponed. *Responsibility, and blame can be shifted to others; we are separate and therefore I can win at your expense. *We don't need to coordinate work closely with other functions. Their problems are their problems. *Unspoken assumptions need not to be explored. Simple solutions to problems are adequate.

II- Democratic Structure: Coordination and control of work is done by those doing the work.

1. Mind Set...*People possess many skill sets and can do many jobs/functions. *The needs of the work (technical system) are balanced with the needs of the doers of the work (social system). *People are learners. Machines and information systems can extend the skill set of employees to many functions. *As little as possible is specified, leaving the rest to the skill and discreation of the workers. *Complex jobs are created within a simple organizational structure. *The building block of organization is the self-managed work team. *Cooperative structures and reward systems are the best way to produce high performance.

2. People Act As If...*The environment our enterprise exists in is constantly changing. *Skepticism and doubt are valuable and enable continuous learning. *Outcomes are best reached with flexibility built into the approach. *I am fully responsible for any work I agree to perform. *Every task is part of some larger whole. I can't win at your expense. *Everyone's ideas are taken seriously. Cooperation is essential for our mutual survival. *Making our assumptions explicit and exploring them is worth the temporary discomfort.

Hence, in order to transform an entire enterprise to self-management, they discuss these choices within the context of Participative Design method. And they argue that "Dmocratic business organizations won't solve all the world's problems, but they will be places where people can find meaning in their work. Work becomes meaningful when people have attained real membership status, when work is restored to its rightful place, which adds value to both the customer and to the worker, and when people are shapers and creators of the organization's future."

Highly recommended.

This book contains a number practical nuggets for executives and middle managers who are seeking to move from a command and control management style to a style that systematically enlists the participation of employees at every level of the organization. Purser and Cabana provide insightful analyses of how some of the world's most successful organizations have initiated efforts toward higher employee participation that have resulted in superior organizational performance.

This is an easy to read book that blends practical theory with best practices. This book will satisfy the interests of bottom-line focused executives, human resource professionals, and academics who are looking for actual implementations of sound theory about self-managing organizations.

The book introduces a set of organizing principles that are valid across a variety of industries. These principles are introduced in the context of case studies of distinctly different companies such as Motorola, Microsoft, and Charles Schwab. The authors shed light on age-old management dilemmas such as, "How can I give people more autonomy, but still ensure that we have order and productivity in the organization?" and "How can I accelerate people's learning that I know will be critical to our future, but still have them accomplish their business tasks that need to be finished today?" The authors present solid self-management principles that I have seen work in small and large-sized firms, and for industries as diverse as professional services and hi tech manufacturing. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in improving organizational performance by creating opportunities for higher employee participation.

-- Tom Devane (tdevane@iex.net)

If you are struggling with questions related to your business strategy, how work is designed, and the way your organization ought to be managed - READ THIS BOOK. "The Self Managing Organization" (by Ronald E. Purser and Steven Cabana) explains why we have been on a merry-go-round of quick fixes and false promises, and what to do about it. The concepts and real applications in this book move everyone back to ground zero. By the time you finish reading, your thinking will have changed about what it takes to produce effective change, and how self-organization can be facilitated.

It will take a while to read the book. Take the time. The first half analyzes the key management methods of the recent past and dissects what went wrong. You'll understand the principles which facilitate organizational learning, put in place a team-based system of shared responsibility, and re-energize the workforce and management at all levels of the business. You'll also understand why we continue to make costly mistakes when we go about changing organizations and what it takes to be successful right now.

In the second half of the book, Purser and Cabana describe the "how" of moving from today's inadequate practices, to a lean, non-bureaucratic, and powerful future. You'll learn how to develop an urgency for change, get the right people involved, develop common, tangible goals and accelerate their implementation. One benefit of the approaches described is a results-oriented future built from a shared understanding of the business environment. Another is an energized leadership with a shared vision, and a workforce whose local knowledge is translated into effective work designs. Swift deployment throughout the organization occurs.

You might see alignment of the practical concepts in "The Self Managing Organization" with those of John P. Kotter. The alignment is, in fact, perfect with Kotter's Eight-Stage Process of Creating Major Change, as written in his "Leading Change" book. Kotter beautifully frames the steps that EVERY successful organization goes through when making fundamental change. What Purser and Cabana do is describe HOW to rapidly and effectively move your organization through those major changes. There are only two books on my recommended list. "The Self Managing Organization" pushed Kotter's book out of the number one slot. If you need permanent, pervasive change in your business, don't miss it!

Rob McClusky, Baldrige Manager, Picker International, Cleveland, Ohio

In Separate by Degree, Prof. Miller-Bernal brings to life the history of women's higher education at different institutions. The various approaches to educating women and the changes along the way are presented in a well-rounded manner and make for interesting reading. A lot of ground is covered here and some hallowed halls of learning receive tough scrutiny. Insightful, well-written and pertinent for many different kinds of readers, I recommend this book. As a Wells College graduate who took part in the four-year study, the second half of the book was of special interest to me. There were a couple of surprises when I got to review how my fellow students had responded to questions posed to us over ten years ago and a bit of regret that I can't exactly remember how I responded myself! The actual data from the survey may not be for everyone, but Prof. Miller-Bernal presents it clearly and draws some thoughtful conclusions that are relevant to the endangered status of women's single-sex education today.

In Separate by Degree, Prof. Miller-Bernal brings to life the history of women's higher education at different institutions. The various approaches to educating women and the changes along the way are presented in a well-rounded manner and make for interesting reading. A lot of ground is covered here and some hallowed halls of learning get tough scrutiny. Insightful, well-written and pertinent for many different kinds of readers, I recommend this book. As a Wells graduate who took part in the four-year study, the second half of the book was of special interest to me. There were a couple of surprises when I got to review how my fellow students had responded to questions posed to us over ten years ago and a bit of regret that I can't exactly remember how I responded myself! The actual data from the four year survey may not be for everyone, but Prof. Miller-Bernal presents it clearly and draws some thoughtful conclusions that are relevant to the endangered status of women's single-sex education today.

Choosing the right college is a difficult decision. For many it is based upon reasons that may not be totally valid. For some, the choice is not given much thought at all. For this reason, Professor Miller-Bernal's new book, Separate by Degree, should be on the reference shelves of our libraries and in the guidance offices of our high schools, for Professor Miller-Bernal gives some cogent reasons why single-sexed education might be a more suitable option for many of our young women.

Professor Miller-Bernal has done extensive and well-documented research on the treatment of women in four different kinds of colleges. She takes us to Wells (a small single-sexed institution), Middlebury, (a long-time coeducational college), Hobart and William Smith ( a coordinate school), and Kirkland/Hamilton (once a coordinate school and now a coeducational institution). She is totally honest about the good and bad points of all four colleges and has thoroughly researched what is happening to the women who graduated in the class of '88. She also tells us about the academic and social opportunities for women at these different institutions and how women fared in positions of leadership and responsibility in campus life. She shares suggestions on how all four colleges might better serve their female populations.

Professor Miller-Bernal has also done extensive research into the history of women's colleges. The cliche, "You've come a long way, baby," really does say it all in this case. Fortunately, society's reasons for educating women have changed, and truly it is only in recent years that women are finally receiving some sort of equitable treatment in higher education. Anyone interested in learning about women's struggle for rights will find this book enlightening and informative.

Madeline Nelson Teacher West Islip Public School System

Leslie Miller-Bernal's Separate By Degree is a timely, engaging and accessible book about the important differences in the educational experiences of women who attend women's colleges compared to those who attend coeducational institutions. The book is timely because it calls on the reader to reconsider the value of single-sex education at a critical moment of decline in the history of women's colleges. The book is engaging because Miller-Bernal tells an exciting and frustrating story of the struggle of women for gender equity in higher education. And the book is accessible, thanks to the easily understood manner in which the author writes.

Professor Miller-Bernal argues that single-sex education still has advantages for women. Those advantages include: a high proportion of women faculty who can act as role models for students; more opportunities for young women to develop leadership skills; and a supportive atmosphere where women do not have to defer to men. Her argument is based on quality research, including longitudinal surveys of women students at four Northeastern colleges: Wells, Middlebury, William Smith and Hamilton. The histories of the colleges are described in rich detail, the differences in the experiences of women students at the four institutions are carefully compared and contrasted, and the most recent literature on single-sex education is well presented and thoughtfully critiqued.

Although Professor Miller-Bernal asks the reader to reconsider the value of single-sex education for women, she does not fall into the nostalgia trap. She recognizes some of the past and current limitations of women's colleges, and she details the many factors that have made coeducational institutions more viable than women's colleges. She ends Separate By Degree with a set of recommendations for applying the beneficial aspects of women's colleges to coeducational institutions and a caveat--If colleges are really concerned about women and equality, they will have to attend carefully to meeting the needs of all women students and never waiver from the goal of achieving gender equity.

Sing a New Song: Portraits of Canada's Crusading Bishops is a captivating blend of history, biography, and religion told through the lives of four charismatic B.C. Anglican bishops; men who fought (and are still fighting) for change not only within the church, but in society. As someone without a religious background, I found Julie Ferguson's story of the Anglican church, and those who've made a difference, an easy-to-follow, compelling read. This book changed my perception of religion as an institution permanently stuck in the past and oblivious to current social concerns. It was encouraging to learn that there are clergy who welcome all people to the Anglican church, and who want to make the world a better place without attaching blame or judgement in their quest. Thanks to Julie Ferguson's knowledge and passion for this topic, I enjoyed an informative and thought-provoking read.

Julie's book is everything one might think church history shouldn't be: exciting, thought-provoking, invigorating, heart-wrenching, beautiful, and true. One needn't be Anglican or even religious to come to a deep understanding and appreciation of the fight for human rights represented between the covers of this book.

Julie Ferguson's Sing a New Song is a great read. It is carefully researched and written in an entertaining and fast-paced style that pulls you along. For anyone interested in Canadian history, this book is a must. The issues tackled head-on by the four bishops are among the central social issues of our time, and the way they were handled by the bishops and their church helps to define us as Canadians. Ferguson has handled some controversial material with care and consideration for her readers, while remaining rigorous to the history. Strongly recommended!

As readable as it is exhaustively researched, Julie Ferguson's Sing a New Song: Portraits of Canada's Crusading Bishops gives us intimate portraits of four courageous church leaders who faced dissent and open opposition, even risking their careers, as they fought for equal rights and social justice. These are four men who were prepared to push the envelope, within their own Anglican faith, and in the wider society of their time. Sing a New Song is a book not just for Anglicans, but for people of all faiths, or for anyone who enjoys a lively and absorbing biography.