Schools and Instruction Books

The worksheets in this collection are sorted very nicely by subject (pitch, intervals, dynamics, etc.) and level of difficulty (beginner, intermediate and advanced). Each worksheet is presented in a very straightforward fashion and easy to understand directions. This book can be used as an excellent supplement to any lesson and/or the worksheets would be perfect for reviews. This cohesive book covers a variety of Musical subjects with clarity and originality, that are fun for students and a time saver for teachers. Hats off to Audrey Adair!

This was a good book; very musical, nicely written. What I remember the most is the storyline and plot of this book. I liked how it was written about the friendship between a broken, proud pianist and a an ordinary but obviously musically-talented boy. In the end I even wrote a story about something similar.

The best part of this book was the way it related to the lives of these two characters - strong, willful characters - to the music and life of Beethoven. I'm not big fan of Beethoven (I'm more Mozart and Chopin) but Beethoven's personality was an awesome, heroic, not-easily-understood one.

The only thing I can critisize this book is on its price. For God's sake, it's $8.95 USD, which I don't believe is sensible at all because this book is neither historical fiction nor biographical. $8.95, which translates to about $13 CAN, is rather ridiculous for a book with this cover and binding.

The Bauhaus was the site of one of the most influential experiments in the art world, moving from Germany at the turn of the century to 1933 Berlin and offering an alternative to state-sponsored fine arts academies. Today modern art still holds elements of Bauhaus tradition and thus BAUHAUS CULTURE: FROM WEIMAR TO THE COLD WAR offers essays from art scholars analyzing accomplishments of the Bauhaus and adding the history essential to a thorough understanding of its unique role in the arts. Other books on the topic review Bauhaus artistic results: BAUHAUS culture is the other side of the spectrum: essential for an understanding not only of the art works and artists, but for the underlying culture which spawned them.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Cheryl LaGuardia and Christine K. Oka's Becoming A Library Teacher provides an important how-to for library instruction, with step-by-step instructions for teaching and presentations. Would-be librarians will find this an important coverage.

Most of us parents are not taught how to have open and healthy conversations with kids about sex and the myriad of topics associated with it. I found the author's expertise and common sense approach a terrific resource, and I wish I had read it a long time ago .. like when my kids were still in grade school. I highly recommend it.

Breaking the Circle of One expands the traditional meaning of mentorship in education. From its beginning as a writing circle of graduate students and professors emerged a group that was redefined by the mentoring and support the members provided to one another. This book is a rich and diverse compilation of experiences that evolved as a continuing strand of mentorship by those students who participated the Circle. The stories in this book illustrate that mentoring can truly be established as a way of life, especially for those of us who are in the education profession.

After carefully digesting Buddy Reading and having implemented the program for four years, I truly believe that the suggestions and techniques that the authors had to offer helped to develop fluency, intonation, critical thinking, and a love for reading! There are many articles on the benefits of buddy reading and this book offers an excellent guide on how to successfully implement one. There are lessons for the teacher of older buddies as well as lessons for the teacher of the younger buddies. I highly recommend this book!

My 6 and 7-year-old sons love cars and trucks and books about them. This is the first book I've seen that has both a story and step-by-step instructions for drawing cars and trucks. Instructions are simple enough for young kids, yet they yield a cute drawing at the end. I recommend this book!

This a great book to learn about the Social Justice of the Catholic faith. It is well written.

Being a mental health professional myself, I found this book to be excellent for teachers, student-teachers, and school mental health staff. It is accurate in its presentation of children, their needs, and their problems. I highly recommend it, not only to school personnel, but to anyone who is interested in furthering their understanding of children.