Curriculum Books

Lisa Cary is a cutting edge educational theorist who focuses on our assumptions about knowledges and their material effects on individuals' lives. Drawing on poststructuralist, postcolonial, and feminist theory, Cary articulates how oppression is carried out in material contexts through assumptions of social science knowledges and socially valued constructs of "knowledge." This is particularly important as it relates to education as the K-12 schooling experience often represents a harsh institutionalization of children.

Cary, theoretically prepared and unafraid to carry this preparation to its logical consequences, articulates important educational issues such as the shrinking space for critical educational work, the sociological construction of children's sexuality and deviance, and false discourses surrounding "psychological development" in a society in which the technological gaze makes for on-going surveillance of bodies rather than liberation of subjects.

Most important in Cary's contribution to curriculium theory is the strong epistemological focus that runs throughout the book (and schooling spaces as Cary would articulate). Adding to a long line of epistemological inquiry into educational practices in various curricular spaces, Cary is the heir, beneficiary, and current proponent of the epistemological work done by Yvonne Lincoln, Patti Lather, and Jim Scheurich.

If you are interested in how oppression is currently carried out in material institutional spaces like those of schools, then this book--controversial, illuminating, and unapologetic in its conclusions--requires a read.

James C. Jupp
Curriculum Coordinator
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program
Martin Middle School
Austin ISD

This is a wonderful book for anyone looking to integrate web technology into their classrooms. It is well-written and clear.

Bradshaw gives a stunning perspective on Improvisational comedy.
A must read for any aspiring improv teacher or student.
Bradshaw, clearly, lives among the ranks of Improv diety.

This book came to me in superb condition. It was shipped to me in a very timely fashion and looked brand new. Good packaging. Thanks for your great service.

our daughter, now 22 months, loves this book. she has brought it to the doctor three times and asks for it all the time. it has been really helpful to show her daisy performing the same tasks and tests on her patients that elliott is to have done to her. when she begins to get upset at the doc, we pull out the book and look at it together and try to find objects in the office that we see in the book. fun clay figures and great definitions of medical jargon at the end for the little ones to learn.

My 6-year-old daughter loves this book. It provides and outstanding introduction to painting and art history, using a clever story to teach children about symbolism and meaning in fine art. After reading this book one time, my daughter was able to look through one of my husband's art history textbooks and pick out paintings by the same artists as some of those discussed in Dan's Angel. She was also able to look at completely unfamiliar paintings and excitedly talk about how they make her feel and what they might "mean." I wish there were more books like this available!!

This book is a hardbound copy from Wayland Publishing in England. It has 48 pages with beautiful color pictures on every page. The book introduces the reader to a quick history of dance around the world and then, in word and picture takes a tour of dance on the continents and islands of the world. It is a delightful book, well worth reading, or as a collector item for those with an interest in and a love for dance.

This book is a powerful plea for all of us involved in edcuation to stop and think about the disastrous effects of emphasising test results and league tables alone, at the expense of emotional literacy. For those of you switched off by that term, rather think in terms of equipping children, from the earliest age, 'with the self-knowledge, confidence, interpersonal skills and emotional equlibrium to be able to navigate their way through life, no matter how imperfect the circumstances of their life may be' (p.122).

Referring to her own experiences as a student, Reva Klein suggests that unless those repsonsible for schools acknowledge that everyone has her or his own learning needs and plans accordingly - as far as possible - then much of what we do will be ineffective and alienating. She argues that successful schooling is about the provision of opportunites, spirit and understanding and in case that all sounds like an impossible dream, the book is full of examples of just such places - in the UK and USA.

The projects Klein writes about are mostly small scale but, I would argue, offer vital clues to those who are concerned about social exclusion, anti-racist education and the number of young people who feel and are left out by the national (UK) obsession with A - C grades. Her introduction and the first four chapters offer an extensive and comprehensive analysis of the meaning and causes of disaffection. The positive initiatives she then goes on to describe all recognise the importance of developing emotional intelligence and are run by staff brimming with 'inspiring commitment'. Defying Disaffection is warmly endorsed by two leading lights in the world of emotional intelligence (the author Daniel Goleman and Dr Jay Smink, Executive Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center, Clemson, South Carolina).

Defying Disaffection is written in Klein's distinctive style, always accessible and vivid. The book is well researched, not off-puttingly academic or full of jargon. Neither is she afraid to talk about humanity, hope and old fashioned goodness in the context of despair. And the stories she tells are often terribly moving, of triumph over adversity, of the toughest kids being given space, support and respect until they are motivated. For example Lincoln Academy of Science, a small alternative high school in the South Bronx, New York 'a district [that] is the quintessential symbol of urban decay at the fag end of the 20th century (p.60). In HLAS, Klein claims, 'academic alchemy is taking place everyday...transforming kids once classified as potential dropouts into high shcool graduates with high aspirations.' 98% of the students are from ethnic minorities and 75% entitled to free school lunch. She quotes Erma aged 16, 'At Hostos Lincoln, teachers want to know how you're doing all the time and make sure you're learning. Until you learn what you're supposed to, they won't let you go' (p.71)

Klein says and I agree, that holding up pockets of good practice is vital. Not least because the staff in question are unsung heroes and to demonstrate what can be gained by applying creative thinking and never giving up on children labelled failures.

The book is indeed an inspiration and, in the words of Dr Jay Smink, 'a must read for all educators, policy makers and community leaders.'

I read all of Erich Kästners books as a child. He was, without doubt, one of Germany's finest children's literature writers, because of his humour and intelligence. His stories are not of the kind "Pitty and Patty go to school"; instead, they deal with real life aspects, although presented in a very pure and innocent manner.

This particular book was not intended for children. Nevertheless, much of Kästner's personality is reflected in it: it is a simple, but very beautiful love story, and at the same time a brilliant comedy, and also a "tour" through a lost world: Salzburg, Austria, in the 1930's, before World War II, before humanity lost innocence. I love the book, the characters, the story, and have read it many times.

Kästner was a decided oppositor of the Nazi regime; in fact, his works were burned during this period. After reading this and other books of him you will understand why: he was a true admirer of all that is good in people, of their most noble feelings towards others, of the exaltation of individuality -not individualism- instead of a society of dull masses...

You won't be dissapointed by this one!

Design and Technology is really a splendid book!

The author has done a masterful job at clearly explaining and illustrating the design process and a core set of enabling technologies that underlie product design and manufacturing.

The book is really aimed at junior high school and high school students, but I've even used pieces of it with undergraduate mechanical engineers!

The book includes practical project ideas and examples of how these fundamental technological concepts are applied in real life.

I highly recommend this book to teachers at all levels, to parents who would like to encourage budding young engineers or scientists, or to anyone interested in finding out how things work.