Schools and Instruction Books

I love to brag about my daughter's talents but have to admit drawing is not one of them! My five year old daughter would not complete some work in school that had to do with drawing. One time she even broke down crying in school when asked to draw a book so I knew I needed something to help her. This book is great! Very basic. Makes it so easy to learn! I showed my daughter the book and said `Follow the steps and draw the cat' She drew the cat and started laughing! She was so happy she could draw and it was so easy, no frustrations! I love it so much I bought more of these books! So if your child has lots of trouble drawing you should really try this book!

From the day my 5 year old daughter got hold of this book and "I can draw people" she is stuck with these. She completed 4 drawings at one sitting and always wants to do more. The best part is the simple visual instruction that shows the way without any adult supervision. Great book!

This book is not bad, but it's very basic. My child already can draw most of what is in it. But for preschool or kindergarten kids, it might come in handy. Or for elementary teachers who have kids that hate drawing pictures because they think it's too hard or they don't know how. It gives some nice step by step instructions, but doesn't give a whole lot of variety.

All in all, not bad for those kids who are not up to drawing anything yet. But if your child can draw a cat and fish and such, this book might be too easy and useless for them.

This is a fun book to keep the kids busy and have fun with them. It has easy steps to follow and the kids learned a lot about circles and shapes, and coloring.

Hours and hours of fun! My 4 year old daughter and my 4 year old nephew received these for Christmas. They both use these books for hours and we also do it as a family. These (I Can Draw Animals, I Can Draw People, What Shall I Draw Today) are the only ones we have so far, but they are super. Not only are these books teaching my little girl how to draw, but reinforcing time alone drawing, group activity, sharing and "Please pass the yellow", etc... Every child should have these books.

I LOVE the chapters on teaching strategies and behavior. Lots of great tips for helping challenging kids. The teaching strategies chapter has ideas for getting ready for transitions, preparing the classroom, and teaching lessons effectively. The planning-in-reverse strategy is really effective!

I have recommended this book to many -- the philosophy is sound but the practical suggestions are the highlight for me.

Brilliant, eloquent, and helpful, this book is not only eye opening, but gives a clear grasp and understanding to the broad spectrum Autism occupies. Dr. Kluth's book clearly explains the way parents and teachers can impact children not only at home, but in an inclusive classroom.

"You re" Going to Love this Kid" is written in a clear, no non-sense style capturing the unique challenges that can occur between school systems, teachers, parents and the special child with autism. Dr. Kluth brilliantly gives examples and steps to help overcome the obstacles so many parents face with educational professionals who may be ignorant or unaware of the promising and doable outlook of inclusive teaching.

Dr. Kluth's book is not only creative, but easy to follow and useful. It is information on routines and other helpful ideas and all done in an easy to follow creative way. This book is inspiring and touching with the many stories she includes from actual students.

I borrow Dr. Kluth's book out regularly and strongly encourage teachers, administrators and parents to attend Dr. Kluth's seminars regarding inclusive teaching and understanding autism.

My Boss gave me a copy of this book and suggested that I read it last summer. It sat on my desk for almost a year. When I finally did read it I couldn't believe I waited so long! I couldn't believe all the information, strategies and inspirational stories that where sitting in this wonderful book just waiting for me to read!

I got a tremendous amount of information, tips on planning, routines to follow and I feel it would have made my last year so much more fun, challenging, rewarding and hopeful if I would have just read it when it was given to me! That is why I had to tell people to read this book, don't procrastinate, do it! Dr. Kluth's book has given me such a bright and promising outlook on the future of inclusion. Her easy to follow, creative, and doable steps on including students with Autism into the classroom make sense. Her stories from actual students with Autism were touching and made me realize why I am doing this. I can't wait for the new school year.

If I have to say one thing......just read this book! It's for your own good!

This book provides information on how to make classrooms inclusive enough for autistic people and a wide range of other people, by adapting the way everything is done so that a broader range of people can participate than exists in the everyday classroom. Unlike people that view inclusion as putting a disabled child in with nondisabled children with nothing modified except adding an aide for the disabled child, this book views inclusion as about changing the entire way the class is taught so that a wider variety of people can participate to begin with.

For people who want to work within the education system at all, this would seem to be the way to do it. The only problem I had with this book was that it assumes as one of its key points that there is something good and right and natural about having children separated by age in their education.

I can see why that would be a tempting idea, because it removes the problem of, for instance, an autistic person being stuck in a class of entirely people five years younger than them because that's how they come out on standardized tests of their grade level. It allows autistic people to be exposed to the same academic material as others their age without being assumed not to benefit from this. However, there's nothing particularly natural or right about learning entirely with and from people in your exact age group, for anybody. This aspect of the school system has been extensively criticized by non-disabled students and their parents. I was disappointed to see this problem was not addressed, but rather reinforced.

Finally, as an autistic person, I was glad to see our points of view directly represented throughout the book. While I believe the education system has to change a lot more than is outlined in this book, this book is a good start.

I bought a book in the Mecha Mania series on how to draw warrior Robots and spaceships for a grandchild for Christmas.This book is wonderful for either an adult or a child who wants to draw the new anamie cartoons. The step by step drawings showing how to use basic shapes to make incredible robots and spaceships allow anyone to explore their creativity.

I BOUGHT SEVERAL OF THESE TYPES OF SKETCH BOOKS FOR MY SON. HE IS TAKING ART IN SCHOOL AND HE LOVES THE HELP THE BOOKS GIVE HIM IN HIS DRAWINGS. HE HAS LEARNED ALOT FROM THE BOOKS ALONE. WE ARE VERY PLEASED!!

I liked it pretty well. But I think it falls into the category "this is how you draw something. period." books. I think it should show you different kinds of guns for mecha, different joint types, head types, torso types, armor types, leg types, weapons in general types, shield types, jet pack/wing types and stuff. I don't think that there is enough things to inspire the mind for drawing original mecha. Instead, it tells you how to draw some limited robot examples.
So why did I give it a 4 if I'm being so negative?! Because as soon as I had merely READ it, without drawing any of the examples, was a ton better at drawing mecha. It also has some things to think about while drawing mecha that will help your drawings quit a bit. It has a little about special effects, which was nice. It tells you how to draw female cyborgs, which I thought most of which was garbage. It did have an interview with some guy from the creators of MechWarrior, which was pretty good. The book is worth the money, I think.

What is the point of this book? Each of the drawings gives just three steps, and the beginning step is very complex--there is no help in figuring out what basic shapes go into it, and it seems like the only thing you can do is copy exactly what the author has done. I wanted something that would teach me to draw this type of character, and instead I just got a book showing off the author's drawings. If it is supposed to be just a showcase, it should be called that--don't try to fool people into thinking it is a way to learn anything.

There are lots of "how-to-draw" robots/mecha books. IMHO this book simply follows the formula of breaking down the title subject into component simple shapes and embellishing with more detail. This is the formula of most how-to-draw books. It's fine to include this if your "mecha how-to" book has more about drawing aspects unique to mecha.

An astute earlier reviewer pointed out that Hart drew none of the examples in the book. How can he discuss a thought and design process that he didn't even contribute to in his own book?!? The art in the book is rarely inspired and in many cases rendered by artists who don't appear particularly interested in mecha.

To its credit, it's fun to read some of the text. Younger readers may enjoy the book as it may be helpful to beginning artists. The best pictures are from the Fasa interview in the back.

For those who want something more advanced, I'd recommend the excellent books by Sherard Jackson of Antarctic Press. He briefly covers the beginning steps of drawing mecha, but gives a meatier discussion on the unique aspects of drawing anime machines. The art definitely has a higher "coolness" quotient and he drew his own pictures!

I ordered this book back in April 30 the impression from the website that was in stock and hence could be shipped out immediately. However, I wasn't given notice that it was shipped until MAY 8 and they have not yet arrived by MAY 11! Who knows about the book itself, since i have not yet received it, butI am NOT satisfied with this order. BEWARE - consider ordering from another music or book website.

Suzinne

Suzuki is a collection of some classic pieces of music which many of us violin players grew up on. It has exerpts from many famous composers (presented progressively in terms of skills level) which can be perfect for performances. However, it needs to be supplemented by other method books which allow more practice, especially in order to develop pitch, sight reading, and techniques.

For those starting out, volume 1 may not have a clear enough presentation of the basics of reading music. I usually start my students on "String Builder," which gives a more step-by-step instruction and offers a whole lot more pieces to practice on (and it also has short duets to play together).

There are only 17 songs in this entire book! NO fiddle music. All the notes are much smaller than all the other books, hard to read. There are finger numbers above all the notes, so you don't learn to read the notes, you read the numbers and make mistakes because you don't know which string you should put the finger on. The accompanying CD is way too fast to play with! The other books give you more to play, to read and contain twice the melodies which are from all different styles.

Just don't get what all the fuss is about with this method if you don't learn to read right and don't play any worthy exercises.

I have played the viola for 5 years and started with Suzuki. Most of the songs are the same in both books. I am now in viola book 4 and it is great. I have been making it into All-County Orchestras by starting with the book!

So many other violin instruction books become dull and boring with their scales and two-line practices. Suzuki, however, is fun. It teaches you to play the violin through songs instead of through hundreds of exercises on boring items. Exercises are provided, of course, but they are icing on the cake.

I began violin with a different method that nearly turned me away. I didn't see the fun in playing a hundred and fifty repetitions of "hot cross buns." I did see the fun in playing Minuets, however, when a new teacher had me switch to Suzuki.

I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. The method is fast, fun, and head-over-heels better than those...other books.

Super book - well researched, well written, and very thorough. Haffner covers just about everything parents need to know, sharing her own teaching and mothering experiences in a most valuable way. By far, the best book on this topic I have read.

As a pastor and a parent, I found this book accessible, interesting, to the point and a rich resource! I would recommend it to any parent, teacher or religious leader.

I should have bought this book years ago!!!! It is filled with a wealth of information that ALL parents need to know. This book is a keeper and a book that I know I will continue to reference as my 6 and 8 year olds get older!!

Raising a sexually healthy child is a challenge in our world and Debra Haffner's book provides practical, realistic advice for parents with children of all ages. It's important to remember that being sexually healthy doesn't mean having sex! Among other things, it means understanding sexuality enough to decide when, why, how, and with whom to have sex...someday.

With all the negativity towards sexuality coming from so many religious voices these days, it is so wonderful to have a religious leader who is willing to speak articulately, passionately and intelligently about sexuality education and about the role that parents, schools and religious institutions play in supporting the development of sexually healthy adults by educating children in a sensitive and age-appropriate manner. This book is a terrific resource for parents -- I wish my parents had had access to it when I was growing up!

I've bought this book recently and it suits me well,why?because I just wanted to learn french for fun,and not for some kind of exam of something,it helps u to get familiar with the language,and with hard work,be able to even speak it out!And...I might add it is very simple!

I'm very pleased with this book. I've been listening to audio tapes but those only help me speak French. As an English speaking person, it is difficult for me to associate the spoken word with how it is written in French.

With this book, it is easy to read and understand the words and easy to sound out how it should be spoken. As I'm reading, I find words that I've learned how to say and can start recognizing how it is written. Also,I discovered that I don't always hear the tapes as clearly as I thought and I have been saying the word incorrectly.

This is a very nice book for people who are completely new to the language and for people that do not have a good grasp of the pronunciation of the language. This book along with a good student English/French dictionary is a good place to start for a beginner.

I started with Berlitz Self-Teacher Spanish. Having completed the Spanish text, I have decided to expand my study to French.

Although there is no updated since 1949, this is still the good source of any language study. I like this series because French and Spanish texts share the same contents for many parts so I can compare words and phrases with both books. This is the good way not to forget (and not to be confused with) what I have already learnt.

It would be nice if we could get the CD version. Any update would be more appreciated. But this book definitely works for the purpose afterall.

I would not advice this book for somebody with advanced level of French. But it may definetely help out someone with a begginer level.

This is a very fun to use book, with detailed and specific explanations and easy to apply examples, so that, by the end of the reading, you can do some things on your own that look very real.

this book was to vague for me. I have read other books about perspective so i am fimiliar with perspective terms. I would not advise someone who is just beginning to learn about perspective purchase this book as a first one.

This is an essential starter book for anybody who wants to learn to draw in 3 dimensions.

Draw five circles in a ring
And add a little dot
Use a ruler to connect
the edges to the spot
Chop the ends with curvy lines
Erase what you don't need
It's so easy, anyone
Can follow and succeed

Write your name or draw a box
Then draw another two,
Or three and four, and before long
Your perspective comes through
Horizons, roads, vanishing points
Interiors and out
With practice you can draw this stuff
Without a single doubt

It gets much harder at the end
But once you've grasped the rules
You'll find it takes a little time
Applying all the tools
This makes it so much easier
It has a chatty style
I think that once you try this book
You'll find it quite worthwhile


Recommended for ages 9 to just before senility.



Amanda Richards, July 13, 2008

"DRAW 3-D" has given me a new eye for perspective drawing, how to size objects for distance. I love practicing technique. Great book!

This is one extraordinary book on perspective. Although directed at young people, it is wonderful for anyone who likes to draw. I got two copies, one for my niece. She loves it! It makes perspective fun and easy. This author is an amazing teacher. Makes it completely panic free.

This book will help beginner art teachers as well as give some interesting ideas and insight to seasoned art teachers. There are reproducable pages, black and white art examples and I will probably use this book heavily in my curriculum.

this book was a gift from my mentor teacher after college graduation, and now i continue to share it with my student teachers! a great resource to generate unique and creative art ideas-for any grade level!

Great book! Very helpful.Helen D. Hume Has saved my life on more than one occassion.

Having purchased the wonderful Survival Guide for the Elementary/Middle School Art Teacher I expected this to also be a spiral bound book filled with tons of great ideas and projects. It is a relatively thin book with a few good ideas and the rest projects that I've done before. Maybe my expectations were too high.

There are not many books out there which is specifically for secondary level. A very resourceful book to have especially when you are in a sole charge department and have to teach across the different art fields at secondary level. It is also handy for those days when your mind goes blank and you have to come up with some quick exercises. Once you have gained confidence, you can also adapt them.

I use Bears' books in a way the authors probably do not intend. I see many resumes in the course of my work. If a job candidate's resume contains a degree from a university mentioned in Bears' book I normally throw the resume straight into the trash - three points and a substantial saving of my business clients' time, money and aggravation.

Bears' book is an essential reference tool for all Human Resources personnel. This Bears' book serial - a new edition has to be printed every few years to keep up with the proliferation - is the industry standard listing of bogus schools. Professional recruiters need this book precisely because there are dishonest people out there who eagerly peruse Bears' guidebook to see which schools will grant them an impressive-sounding degree in return for cash and a minimum of effort. (Sadly, a few gullible boobs actually believe the degrees they get from these bogus schools are legitimate).

I'm always amazed at how easily even experienced recruiters are bamboozled by bogus degrees. Bears' guide lists almost every bogus school in the English speaking world and beyond. This Bears' book is the standard reference for Bears' book as being issued by outright degree mills. The Bears are thorough and honest about such "schools" - except where the school's owners have obviously threatened the two Bears with litigation, in which the Bears hide their opinions between the lines of the review.

2) Those "distance learning" - aka correspondence - "degrees" from marginal accredited institutions that more or less offer a degree for cash and a little work - often merely a perfunctory assessment of "life experience" and a short essay. John Bear suggests reading his book and getting pregnant are good for credit at some "non-traditional" universities... This is my main complaint about the Bears' enthusiasm for "non-traditional" degrees. It's my view that there is no substitute for spending four years (three years in some countries) immersed in an academic environment before a student can call himself "educated" in any real sense. No amount of correspondence study, exam challenges, or "real-life experience credit" will subsitute. The Bears do their readers a disservice by suggesting these "non-traditional" degrees are anywhere near as good as traditional degrees earned in residence. Anyone claiming a degree from one of Bear's suggested marginal "non-traditional schools" has a time bomb in their resume. Sooner or later they will be found out, laughed-at by their colleagues, and discredited. I note with amusement that John Bear himself carefully and repeatedly assures readers that his own PhD is from a legitimate traditional university. In his heart John Bear knows the difference...

3) The few legitimate "distance-learning" degrees offered by a realtively small number of reputable universities. These mostly involve novel tools such as lectures distributed by internet or private television broadcasts. These degrees are difficult to earn and the students is assessed and graded rigorously - as if he were an on-campus student. Often some on-campus courses and/or short residency are required before a degree is granted. Such legitimate degrees are not the focus of this Bears' book.

John Bear himself admits in his book to having being involved with several unaccredited "universities" that offered "non-traditional" degrees. He himself moved from California to that hotbed of academia - Hilo, Hawaii - to become President of the unaccredited "Greenwich University," - after California authorities moved to close down Calfornia's notorious degree mill industry. (Hawaii is one of the few remaining states that still has no effective regulation of unaccredited "degree granting" schools. The Bears acknowledge in their book that Hawaii has become the preferred destination of bogus schools kicked out of California). So, the Bears are uniquely qualified to write about bogus schools

First a bit of background - I have been involved in distance education for over 25 years and have been a university and community college faculty member for over 15 years. I have traditional bachelors and masters degrees (two of them in fact). My work in distance education includes the design, production, scheduling and delivery of "traditional" video telecourses as well as Web-based courses.

In my work with students over the past decade and a half, I have advised a significant number to explore completetion or advancement of their academic programs through non-traditional or distance programs.

In all that time, I have used Dr. Bear's books as my primary referrence about distance education. I believe I started with the second edition of his "Bear's Guide" and have acquired every update since. For a number of years, his was the only publication which presented a comprehensive collection of information about programs and schools.

I have always received positive feedback form my students who relied on the information Dr. Bear presented - their expereinces with specific schools most often mirrored the reviews in the "Guide".

Throughout the years and the progression of new additions I have noted a marked shift in the method of presentation, particularly regarding the level of Dr. Bear's crusaiding against those institutions that did not measure-up to his standards. The largest number of those outfits would be called degree mills, but he did assail a fair number of "real" schools for being non-responsive, pompus or disorganized.

I must confess I miss that level of "edge" in his last couple of editions. This is unfortuante, I beleive, given the growth of educaitonal coursework via the Internet and the fact that the majority of two and four-year schools in the U.S are offering some form of distance learing (with that number growing every day.

Nonetheless, I still find "Bear's Guide" to be the best single resource for distance and non-traditional post-secondary education.

I don't remember who, what, or how I got this book, and could care less, all I know is... I got it and it changed my life for good, yes! words cannot express the power of this book, it is a must have for all young people like me.

thank you very much Dr.Bear for helping to change my life.

I had to work to eat but I always wanted to go back to school. John Bear showed me it can be done (both eating and school I mean). I just graduated Magna Cum Laude with a communications degree. Now I'm off to get a Masters. If I can do it so can anyone.Thanks John.

In the 1970's I launched a private correspondence institution named Lincoln University (Arizona). Most students were from Nigeria. I had a lot of problems from "yellow journalism" - newspapers such as Britain's Daily Telegraph which never approached me denounced me falsely as a bogus degree salesman. I was very grateful to Dr John Bear for giving Lincoln a fair assessment in his Guide recognising my work as a genuine attempt to make quality tertiary education available at a cheap rate for Africa. I have gone on to be a professor in residential African and Asian universities whose standards certainly don't match those I set for "unaccredited" LIncoln.

I feel John Bear's research on real and imagined universities is very thorough, informative and fair.

Dr Bernard Leeman b_leeman@hotmail.com

This is a good book. It was my text for a self paced class with University of San Diego. Easy to follow. Good examples.

Very well done and easy to understand. Samples are good and support the ideas throughout.

This book offers tons of practical approaches and practice scoring for the 6 Traits of Writing. It is written by a recognized master in the field and has been so helpful.

Spandel's book is an authentic, engaging, and encouraging read for those that teach writing, want help infusing writing, or want to enhance their own writing. It is written conversationally and is well supported with numerous examples. I found it visually appealing as a reader and insightful. (Another review didn't like the visuals because it isn't easy to lift examples "as is" for sharing in class. To that angle I agree, but as a reader the layout is very pleasing.) Highly recommended.

This book gives so many examples of the qualities to look for and teach in writing instruction. I especially like the fact that this edition is more inclusive of secondary ideas and samples.

With this book as a guide, it is hard to miss what is important to the writing instructional process. The information is comprehensive and user friendly.