Educational Books

I have used this book with great success as an education consultant for about 10 years and am SHOCKED at the prices for used books here! I know I paid less than $20. Is there anyplace else I can find it? Thanks

I did one of these exercises with my daughter's 3rd grade / 2nd grade split class and they had a ball. They enjoyed it so much, I came back the next week with another, and I will probably do them on a regular basis next year. I don't know who had more fun, the kids or me, knowing they were practicing listening to directions and being creative! Do your kids a favor and get this book! We plan to use it a lot this summer, and have "thinking parties" so they stay sharp for next year.

I use these oral direction-follwing activites with my 5th grade ESL class. The kids enjoy them and I think they are an excellent way to sharpen listening skills.

We use this book for our 3rd and 5th graders in our homeschool. This is a really fun way for them to practice following directions. There are about 35 different types of activities; 50 activities in all. Most activites require no advance preparation by the teacher and they take about 15 minutes to do with the kids. The kids love the results and often keep working on what they've created after the official directions are over (extra decorations or they want to do another one). Even if we weren't homeschooling, I would use this book - in the summer, for instance, as suggested by another reviewer here. Smart Snips (same authors) is another good book (4 stars), however, for kids starting in 3rd grade and not younger. Smart Snips is for independent work following written instructions whereas Play by the Rules is for following oral instructions. Highly recommended. I wish we had more time to use more books by these authors!

This book offers 50 lessons on listening and following directions. The directions are scripted and while some of the lessons need worksheets many are done with either three hole or copy paper. Sample answers are included. I highly recommend this book for all teachers 4th grade and above.

This is probably the best political biography I have ever read. Phil Burton was a fascinating man, and Jacobs does a terrific job of profiling him. Whether the reader is liberal or conservative, he will enjoy this book.

Burton was out there. Great book though despite the author being overly enamoured with the subject. Good info and California politics.

The best background piece on California politics. Similarly, a fantastic insight into a legislative master whose personal vices cut short a meteoric rise to power and influence.

As a San Franciscan who grew up hearing about the exploits of Burton and other more-or-less mythical characters, I feel I owe Jacobs a serious "thank you" for providing this view of what went on inside. The man who nearly became Speaker, who wielded and exercised his power lustily and well, who was known for both creating environmental protections and shunning nature, is now a lot more real.

John Jacobs has done a spectacular job of capturing and relating the career of Congressman Phil Burton, a swaggering, ruthless liberal from San Francisco who came within one vote of serving as House majority leader in 1976. For anyone who wants to understand the history of the contemporary Congress, they need only read "A Rage For Justice," and "The Ambition and the Power," by John Barry, which tells the story of Congressman Jim Wright, the man who beat Burton by that one vote. Both books are chock with candid interviews and revealing anecdotes, and written with style. Each serves as a model of congressional biography.

Chris Cross's analysis of the history of federal public policy in public education provides all of us a critical perspective of the evolution of this policy, the issues within it, and possibilities for the future. Change is undoubtedly coming for our work in education at the federal level, and to fundamentally understand and then move to assist in this change, practioners and policymakers alike must understand the evolution that has brought us to the point, the needs we jointly face, and the players who have wrought our federal system. Chris gives us the foundation the make critical decisions in this book. Our next steps will be better measured because of this seminal work! Alice D. Parker, former Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education, former president, National Association of State Directors of Special Education

Political Education is a must read for anyone interested in education, but policymakers have a special obligation to read this book. Cross has preserved important aspects of our nation's institutional record concerning K-12 education that will benefit even the most seasoned policy and education professionals. Cross explains with ease the ways - both subtle and overt - in which America's federal education policies have evolved over time, focusing most intently on the policies enacted after World War II that led to the creation of No Child Left Behind. Rest assured though, this is no snoozer. Political Education is a page turner that is full of engaging stories about how the political process really works. A must read.

Political Education is a must for anyone studying federal education policy! The author, Chris Cross, has written a comprehensive book on the history of the paramount Elementary and Secondary Education Act, giving the reader a clear picture of its evolution and purpose.

This book is also important read for elementary and secondary public school educators. This book will help teachers around the country better understand the federal role in our nation's public schools.

This book serves as a foundation for understanding the No Child Left Behind Act and the future of federal elementary and secondary education in the United States.

The author provides a masterful account of the development of federal K-12 policy. He draws upon his own experience as a key player in the proceess while maintaining balance and perspective. This book belongs on the short list of anyone with an interest in American education policy.

I have bought a lot of books on Amazon, but I have never written a review. This was a GREAT READ!! In a user-friendly writing style, Cross' ubiased work follows the progression of federal education policy from World War II to the present. This well-researched work (over 150 references and personal interviews) provides an excellent refresher of US education policy. I am not a history buff, and I couldn't put it down (and neither could my classmates-- they loved it too.)

This is a great book. Given the negative attacks regularly heard about the American education system, this book is a reminder that there are a lot of teachers who are working tirelessly and taking innovative steps in hope of doing more for their students. The author does a very good job of making the reader feel like they're actually in the classroom and along for the ride during the study. Moreover, the author expertly mixes urban, suburban, and rural settings throughout the book. While the book may come off a bit too rosey in parts, it's probably exactly what's needed given the cloud created, in large part, over the last 8 years.

Mike Rose has a gift for observation. He makes you feel that you are sitting in the classroom with the students and the teacher and are a fly on the wall to amazing classroom connections with students. Excellent reading. This is a great book for teachers or students who are in the process of becoming teachers.

Everyone from policymakers to parents should read this book, especially if they have anything to do with the educational systems in this country! In response to the negative press public education has gotten over the years (Why Johnny Can't Read, etc) Mike Rose presents some of the inspiring and effective education happening in public schools all over our nation.

Mike Rose travels across the US to many cities and rural areas to find classrooms that are working. He describes teachers who are effective and duly inspiring. Rose is an effective writer since he describes classroom scenes in terrific detail. This is a must read for future educators, current educators, and everyone concerned with what's happening in American education. It is uplifting and truly inspiring.

I read this book as an assignment for a pedagogy class at the graduate level. It was one of those that will probably not stay in my library for very long because I can think of more than 10 teacher friends I want to share it with immediately. In fact, tomorrow morning I will copy particular chapters and mail them. I commend Rose for his attention to detail, his articulate prose, and the hope that he communicates to teachers about kids, school, and learning. I am energized by his enthusiasm for teaching and for his faith in the institution of public education in America.

When this book arrived I thought it was a text book. However, as a business owner who works with small businesses and organization, who value employee development, I found the authors' approach to processing learning experiences as a winner. This is a MUST BUY for any trainer or consultant who uses experiental learning activities.

This book looms as large on my experiential education bookshelf as David Kolb's seminal ur-text, "Experiential Learning." But whereas the latter has a more theoretical bent, Luckner & Nadler's work here is eminently practical, as well. "Processing..." is rife with pedagogical nuggets that are immediately applicable to all sorts of experiential learning contexts. Moreover, it's a very user-friendly work. No experiential educator worth his or her salt should be without this absolutely indispensible volume.

As an adventure "consultant" I found "Processing the Experience" one of the top three books I recommend to others in the education and/or adventure field. There are so many excellent ideas covering such a wide area of interest that it has become a reference book as I start design or facilitate a new program.

The book covers educational, corporate, family, and theraputic venues. I especially enjoyed the chapter on "edge work" because of it's application to challenge course work.

"Processing the Experience" offers a comprehensive, yet accessible look at the field of experiential learning. The book's easy-to-use format is a bonus for trainers, therapists and educators in all walks of life. It is well-researched and well-presented. The authors have an obvious love of their subject that translates into a work that can serve as a guidepost for others in their teaching and learning travels. The book offers a wide range of practical ideas that cover the spectrum of learning settings. The authors enlist appropriate expertise from some of the top professionals in experiential learning and related fields. The case studies bring concepts to life in ways that are both practical and philosophical. "Processing the Experience" is an important resource for anyone interested in learning in general and experiential learning in particular. I highly recommend it.

I was introduced to this book in my Outoor Leadership Training classat Houghton College and I was so impressed and impacted by it I laterwrote a manual for the camp I worked for using this book as one of the primary sources.

Whatever you are doing this will help you make an impact and teach you a great deal about learning with people. It has greatly improved my leadership skills in my outdoor education positions. This book enlightens so many of the fuzzy areas of group procesing and managing a group or person for growth experiences. Its division and explanation of the edge experience is priceless. END

This is my favorite seafood cookbook of all time. The recipes are generally traditional dishes brought over to New England from Portugal. If you have access to good Atlantic stocks, like Maine shrimp, cod, squid, mackerel, and clams, this is a must have. The elegance of this book is its simplicity.

Ever since Anthony Bourdain (author of 'Kitchen Confidential', 'A Cook's Tour' and a celebrity chef on Food TV Network) declared this the 'best seafood cookbook in history' in one of his best-selling books, it's been impossible to find this out-of-print book anywhere. Too bad, as it really is quite spectacular. The Portuguese-influenced recipes from Cape Cod in this cookbook are simple and delicious, stressing quality ingredients throughout. If you've ever been to Cape Cod, you'll find the local anecdotes pretty cool too. If you can manage to find one I highly recommend it!

The best of Mitchum's books, it's filled with stories and tips. I've cooked many of the recipes in the shellfish section, as well as several soups. It's enjoyable reading as well as a cook regional cookbook. Recommended.

This is my favorite seafood cookbook of all time. The recipes are generally traditional dishes brought over to New England from Portugal. If you have access to good Atlantic stocks, like Maine shrimp, cod, squid, mackerel, and clams, this is a must have. The elegance of this book is its simplicity.

it's been said that art is making difficult things seem simple, that anyone can do the reverse. well, if that statement appeals to you, this is your book. when i first encountered this book, i read it like a novel, devouring the stories, oblivious to the recipes. it was only later that i tried to cook the way mitch did. as a seafood cookbook this is unparalleled. i've made many pots of chowder; none has been as good as the ones mitch led me through. and where else can one find a chef to sing the praises of the humble squid? it's a great cookbook, but it's so much more than that... it's a guide on how to enjoy seafood, whether or not you live near the sea, and how to enjoy life. i don't live as hard by the ocean as i once did, but never in my life have i felt closer to the sea than i did while reading this book. i've never even been to cape cod, but nevertheless this book has meant an awful lot to me.

I have two pugs (11 and 2) This book is the BEST!

Having been researching this breed for the past few months, I found this book to be the best. Just about every question you could have about this breed is covered in basic terms that are easy to understand.

Of particular intrest was the chapter related to the health of the dog. I now feel I am more aware of the needs for pugs, and what type of problems to watch for.

If you want to learn about pugs, this is a MUST.

I found this book a good reference for taking care of pugs. With their little noses pugs use their paws a lot, much like cats to fell around. Their paws are sensitive. Generally pugs are good natured. Like all pure breeds they have their individual needs so this book is a good way to learn about them.

Our pug puppy was supposed to come 2 weeks later, then he showed up 24 hours later (long story). We bought this book on our 1st trip to the pet store with the dog in tow. Very helpful information about pug puppies, the history of the pug, grooming, etc etc. This book has helped me relax and feel confident that we are doing everything right for our puppy.

I can't say enough about this very informative Pug Handbook. It touches on everything you would ever want to know about pugs and more. This IS the book you want to get, most definitely, if you have a pug, or if you are thinking about getting a pug.
Thank you Brenda Belmonte for taking the time, to care enough about our pugs, to write such an exceptional Pug Handbook.

I found this book a valuable resource for my qualitative research. It was clear and concise, providing examples to illustrate information.

For a relatively short book this is an extremely comprehensive, practical, and accessible guide to case studies in education. Since reading it for my dissertation, I've referred to it several times for other projects. I've also strongly recommended it in my classes and for students conducting their theses. It gives both the hows and whys of case studies...motivational and informative.

I am a Ph.D. student working on my dissertation in case study research. This book is right on target for academic researchers using a case study approach. If you don't know anything about the process, you need this book. If you think you already know this process, you need this book.

I'm a nursing research teacher and this book really helps me and my students to understand what is a case study in research. This book has been very helpful in our college of nursing and it can helps all research in humanities field

I recommend this book for anyone with zero or nearly zero knowledge about qualitative research and case study. Even though the majority of the examples are for education field, the generic explanation is very clear. The book guided me step by step by giving bit by bit necessary information regarding the topic.
This book is an exhibit of the author's experiences in the topic as well as her mastery of the story-telling flow without trapped in informal way of writing. The author did very well in explaning "new" terms, so that novice reader does not need to struggle to understand the qualitative research and case study research jargon.
However, there are some shallow discussions on some parts, like computer tools for data management. The author, however, provided an array of further reading materials to consult.
My advice is if you confused by any other books or any description about the topic, especially about the jargon, read this book. When you finish this book, and you return to read those other books, your earlier confusion will disappear.

Wonderful book - lots of new-to-me techniques and fun projects. Can't wait to get started!

This book is so great because the author makes you feel as though each quilt you are making from her well-written and easy-to-follow instructions is a big game, so it removes a lot of that feeling of intimidation that beginning quilt artists often experience. Each exercise builds on the prevous one so that by the time you get to the end, you can take some of each lesson and make your own unique quilt. The quilts are playful and happy and very encouraging to help you get going.

I bought this book in preparation for taking a class with the author. It is a great, structured way to let yourself be free and have fun. By playing the games listed in the book, you can end up with all the components of a great new quilt, that will look nothing like that made by anyone else. We each play our own games, in our own way, with our own fabric. Be warned, this is not for beginners. The beginner in my class left in tears after about the first hour. A beginner, who needs more direction, would probably never start. This book is for a quilter who wants to create her own fiber art, but needs something more than a great pile of fabric and a blank slate.

I am a quilter who absolutely loves playing with fabric and hates measuring. Dianne's book is my dream workbook--it's full of ways to play with your fabrics and learn new approaches to creating a beautiful quilt, and encourages a playful, risk-taking spirit.

The book is divided into different "games," like Hopscotch, where you create a series of narrow, then wide, then narrow pieces that really do look like the hopscotch boards of our childhood; Tiddlywinks, with multicolored concentric ovals and circles arranged in patterns; Musical Chairs, with colors shifting from skewed block to skewed block in an orderly progression (until you throw in a Wild Card), and lots more. The best part is, Dianne shows you how to do each kind of improvisational piecing and then sets you free with lots of ideas and examples, so you can create something that is totally your own. The photos in the book are of wonderfully free-spirited quilts by several different quilters, and are in a lot of color schemes, though most are bright. Dianne encourages experimentation and ornamentation--there are plenty of beads, buttons, dangles and whirligigs here--and helps you get over your fear of cutting into big pieces of beautiful yardage by suggesting you "sneak up on them" and whack them into pieces, which then can go into a gloriously jumbled scrap basket that will trigger new ideas and combinations.
I just wish Amazon would post a cover photo and a "Take A Look Inside" section of the book. If you have any interest at all in improvisational quilting, you MUST get this book.

If you're more of a creative than a quilter, like I am, this is the book for you. In successive chapters, Hire takes the participant through eleven "games" with your fabric stash -- each which develops your skills and leaves you with an amazing set of non-traditional, contemporary quilts. From a Hopscotch block (a modified Courthouse Steps pattern) that is so easy it's beyond exciting, to a Toybox quilt which employs circles and spirals -- if you play these "games" in succession, you'll find your quilting creativity engage while your skills build and your stash shrinks. (And anything that shrinks your stash is just a good excuse to go shopping for more, right?)

If you're one of those perfect-corners and traditional blocks type of quilters, this book may drive you insane. But if you're a free spirit or a risk taker or someone coming to quilting by the way of other creative arts, this is a perfect book. It's easily the favorite in my collection that I can see myself going back to again and again.

This book is refreshing! As might be expected, it applies the latest understandings in neuroscience/neurodevelopment to the issues of assessment of learners, children specifically, who present with "learning differences." Pohlman has written a book that should be used in all Educational Psychology courses in colleges and universities--yet is entirely approachable as a resource for parents who may not have a background in this field.

(Note for parents who may have felt intimidated by the lingo of the experts: pp. 23-29 on "A Neurodevelopmental Framework" and
"Selecting a Framework" plus the whole of Chapter 3 on Task Analysis and Chapter 4 on Making Linkages are so understandable that these sections alone would make the purchase of the book worthwhile! And the Glossary should be required reading for all parents.)

Later chapters on assessing Attention, Memory, and Language are so clear that student, professional, or parent alike would benefit from a close reading.

Of particular interest is Chapter 12 on "Demystification"--the process that addresses the need of students to have a meaningful understanding of how their minds work, both academically and in real-life tasks. This involves briefing students honestly about their assets as well as their weaknesses, and what could be called "normalizing"--in the process, helping students understand that all human beings have weaknesses in some aspect of cognitive processes.

For parents, the Glossary is invaluable for a clearer understanding of many of the terms used by professionals in the field. For parents and professionals alike, the clarity of the "Index of Potential Findings" in Appendix C is one of the richest contributions to the field of assessment.

All in all, this book is an invaluable resource; grounded in thorough research and deep professional experience, Dr. Pohlman has offered a book that is incisive and refreshing in its clarity.

-Andrew Matthews

As a parent, I could sense Dr. Pohlman's sincere desire to help children and their families. If more professionals would use the "Revealing Minds" approach, more children would get meaningful assessments with effective learning plans, while being treated with dignity and respect. Thank you, Dr. Pohlman!

Revealing Minds offers educators a new way of looking at assessment which has been sorely needed in the field for too long. There are so many struggling students who are misunderstood and would benefit from the insights offered by Dr. Pohlman. It is very well-written and accessible - parents also would learn a great deal from this user-friendly book.

This is the most insightful assessment book I have ever read. It should be required reading for all education students as well as anyone who works with children. I only wish it were even longer!

This is one of the best books about assessment that I have ever read. This is a must read for all clinicians and teachers working with children with learning difficulties today. A totally fresh perspective on assessment.