Reviews (18)

Teaching With the Brain in Mind
I'm rating this book a 3 based upon my need for the information.I was looking for a more condensed version of information in order to quickly gleen and gather information for a workshop.However, the book includes good information, especially for newer teachers.

Teaching With The Brain In Mind
Fabulous book!I am a teacher and am recommending it to every teacher I know.I think it's a great book for every parent to read! It would be wonderful if "those government people" who make the many many many standards would read this book.

Mixed review, but has some useful info
I had an interest in the brain and learning and bought a couple of books, including this one.It sat on my shelf until last week due to time required elsewhere--or so I told myself.The principal at my school engaged me in a conversation on the topic as she is currently reading the book.(It was nice to find someone who shares this interest, as most others get that "glazed" look when I bring the subject up.)Well, I was motivated to begin the book and went right home to read it.Now, I am a skeptic at heart and need to "see things for myself"; I do not buy into things hook, line, and sinker.I found the writing style of this author to be a little lacking and I have several spots where I jotted down notes in the margins when I really disagreed with some things. So, I certainly would not treat this book as the Bible on the brain related to learning.However, I did get many good ideas to try out in the classroom and I am truly looking forward to getting back to school to implement them. If just two or three of these ideas stand the test of time and serve to improve my teaching, the book will have been worth its price and the time invested in reading it. The author does recommend certain "atmosphere" guidelines so, I suppose, that is touchy-feely; however, most of these ideas make sense.A child will not perform to potential when he/she perceives threat, whether it be fear of risk-taking/being wrong, fear of losing the esteem of peers or being mocked, etc.Feeling threatened, to whatever degree, creates stress; stress does not promote optimal learning.I also found that this book affirmed some of my current practices such as getting children up and moving frequently.I will now be sure to do this even more often; it is easy to do and takes little time.Music will definitely be used more wisely in my classroom in addition to movement.I have begun reading How the Brain Learns by Sousa now and I ordered two more "brain" books.I am almost done with Sousa's book and I like it even more than this one.While few people (even colleagues) share this interest with me, those reading this review most likely do.With that in mind, I do recommend this book as it has lots of useful info and ideas but would recommend How the Brain Learns even more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brain    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Psychology    5. Learning, Psychology of    6. Psychological aspects    7. Teaching    8. Teaching Methods & Materials - General   

Reviews (1)

Golden Dancer
In the movie Inherit the Wind, the story of Golden Dancer is related to the audience.Golden Dancer was a beautiful and expensive wooden rocking horse that a family bought for its child after saving for it.The first time the child rode the horse, it collapsed as the wood was rotten to the core;so, is the DuFour premise as found on page 37.His conclusion that all students can achieve at the same level (learn specified topics) is asinine.He argues that all that is needed for struggling students is more time and support.He refuses to take into account intelligence and student effort (responsibility) in his equation.If his premise has any chance of coming true, teachers will have to dumb down what they teach to the lowest common denominator. Additionally, he and his colleagues lump all "traditional schools" into the same problem heap.His approach is simplistic and insulting.I would give this book zero stars, but that is not an option. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. General   

Reviews (2)

What if this is as good as it gets?
First, I should start by saying I'm a 23-year-old teacher who graduated from Penn State University.I've been teaching now for about 5 months.
A concise summary of the available research.
There are a number of popular books on classroom management.Indeed, one could argue that there is a flavor for every type of teacher.However, what I most appreciate about Marzano's books is that they are meta-analyses of educational research.This is where my own bias comes in.Having undergone doctoral study in education leads me to prefer reading the research literature; however, I do not have the time to locate and read such a large body of literature.With Marzano's book much of the legwork has already been completed.I can read his concise summary of the literature.Then, for those areas that I desire a greater depth of knowledge, I have his references to delve deeper into the educational research.For my purposes, this makes Marzano's book a great asset.
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Subjects:  1. Classroom Management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Effective teaching    5. United States   

Reviews (3)

This book grew on me (slightly)...
This book was an assigned text for a seminary class, which is the only reason that I read it.I have a degree in secondary education, so I spent considerable time during college studying these types of concepts, though the terminology in this book was new to me.I began this book with a chip on my shoulder about the psychobabble that seems to dominate many discussions about pedagogy, and she certainly reinforced several of those irritations.For instance, she spent considerable time describing the futility of lecture.I realize that lecture has significant limitations, but I think it is a silly overgeneralization to disregard its potential entirely.
Good for new educators
When you are teaching a class of adults, do you find yourself wondering if the class is getting the information?Do you wonder if you are talking too much?These are questions for all adult educators, and this book is a good first start.It teaches the use of learning tasks rather than lectures. an important book for all training professionals
I think this book is a must for all people working in the field of adult education. Jane Vella has a unique way to give new life to old concepts, and to make us rediscover the basic principles to be used when designing and leading trainings. The concept of learning task Vella offers into this book it's a powerful tool for creating learning experiences that are going to make a difference in partecipant's life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult & Continuing Education    2. Adult Education    3. Adult learning    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Learning Styles    7. Learning strategies    8. Education / General    9. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (4)

the nuts and bolts to put the thing together
I am working on my dissertation.This book got me out of my thinking chair and to my writing desk.The philosophical approach to qualitative research is very contemporary and will take us into whole new areas of research to improve and 'polish' humanity.My only objection is the cost.Does a book like this really have to cost over $60?Too much.

This is just awesome. This opens up a whole universe for the qualitative researcher.
When one thinks of qualitaitve research one tends to think immediately of focus groups and face to face interviews - but increasingly with research the game is shifting toward online surveys that generate wonderful amounts of open-ended content, and research projects may also involve ethnography and content analysis to gain rich insights. In other words the focus of the professional must shift toward that quesiton: "what on earth do we do with all this 'soft' data?" Those verbatims, those observation notes... there's a huge amount of data waiting for interpretation. Can you systematically analyse it?
Great Resource
As an advisor of doctoral students, I keep several copies of this book on the shelf so I always have one on hand to loan to students. I find it a very useful resource for students who are planning qualitative research. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Research    3. Social Science    4. Social sciences    5. Sociology    6. Statistics    7. Social Science / Research    8. Social research & statistics   

Reviews (11)

from a teacher
This book has helped me tremendously in redesigning my reading program.As a special education teacher I am always looking for new concepts when it comes to my struggling readers.

Excellent, research-based, trustworthy.
Dr. Richard Allington continues to provide a research-based perspective that goes beyond the quick fixes, commercial-for-profit programs, and the political rhetoric of the day.If you really want to understand reading and learn a variety of research-based strategies that can be used to enhance reading, this is the book for you.There are plenty of practical strategies for teachers as well as parents.However, if you are looking for simplistic fixes (more phonics, more tests, more homework), I would advise you to go to your conservative "think" tanks and listen to politicians who have never read a research study.

Explains concepts in an easy to understand manner
How beneficial you will find this book depends on your background.If you are a parent, teacher, or college student trying to learn about basic research on reading, then this book is for you. This book gave me a nice review, but if you are familiar with the original research, you may want to skip this as something you already know.
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Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Educational Research    4. Language Experience Approach    5. Methodology    6. Reading    7. Remedial Reading (Educational Aspects)    8. Remedial teaching    9. Research    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    11. United States    12. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / General    13. Industrial or vocational training    14. Reading skills   

Reviews (4)

Well Worth the Purchase
This book is a great place to start for individuals who already have some teaching experience, have a general familiarity with differentiated learning, but need help with the scope and implementation. This is not for someone who wants linear how-to manual. This book begins with a rationale for differentiated learning and then provides a framework for understanding the process, content, and structure for setting up your classroom. There is plenty of practical advice and examples. If you already know that this is the direction you want to take, I highly recommend this purchase.

excellent choice for learning about differentiation
This would be an excellent resource for all classroom teachers and reading coaches.With much emphasis on differentiating instruction, many teachers are at a loss as to what it really is.This book explains the idea of differentiating instruction in simple easy to read chapters.You will be glad you purchased it and will want to share it.

Fantastic Book
Wonderful book, easy to read book about differentiation.The book covers all areas of differentiation a simple way. Does not read like a textbook!Great book to refer back to. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classroom Management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Learning Styles    5. Learning ability    6. Mixed ability grouping in educ    7. Mixed ability grouping in education    8. Teaching Methods & Materials - Classroom Planning    9. United States   

Reviews (40)

Used book to Pass Army Flight Test
I was surprised that this book was "on it" when it came to the test questions that they ask you. I can't speak how well it is when it comes to the other branch tests, but it helped me prepare for the test giving me a passing score.
Great Help
This book really helped, but I am sure the tens of reviews before mine already assured you of this fact.

Good Book for AFOQT
This is a good book for the AFOQT, I just took the test and it has it all.My advice is study hard and practice timing yourself.This book has all the subtests found on the AFOQT, study some math if your rusty. GOOD luck! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Air Forces    2. Airplanes, Military    3. Armed Forces    4. Educational Tests And Measurements (Higher Education)    5. Examinations    6. Examinations, questions, etc    7. Military Science    8. Military airplanes    9. Piloting    10. Study Aids    11. Study Guides    12. Test Prep    13. Testing & Measurement    14. Study & learning skills    15. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (2)

great techniques, excellent read
"The College Administrator's Survival Guide" was by far the best book I read all summer.
This book has much to offer, even to those outside of academia
Although I am not a college admnistrator, I attended a presentation by C. K. Gunsalus (full disclosure:I attended because I know her relatives in my area)and found myself looking forward to her upcoming book.Her commonsense approach to awkward situations and challenging personalities is both novel and imminently practical.I am a small business owner.I encounter the business-world counterparts of the characters in Professor Gunsalus's book regularly, and I can tell you that her approaches work equally well in both worlds. I heartily recommend this book.In fact, I am purchasing a copy for each of my staff with the hope that we can bring Professor Gunsalus's positive and ethical systems into practice in our offices and we will be discussing her examples at our next staff retreat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. College personnel management    3. Conflict management    4. Decision Making & Problem Solving    5. Education    6. Education / Teaching    7. Higher    8. Leadership    9. United States    10. Education / Leadership    11. Educational administration    12. Higher & further education   

Reviews (4)

The Best Assessment Book I've Seen
I bought this for an ESL Assessment class at the graduate level. I also teach ESL at a university, and this book comes in very handy, both in theory and in practice. I especially like the rubrics you give to students so they can assess their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, when working together in groups, students fill out a form after their work is done, stating how well they listened, asked for clarification, or offered/asked for opinions. I continue to use this book long after I've taken the class, and I believe this is the best assessment book out there. Don't waste your time (or money) on books like "ESL Assessment: On the Yellow Big Road to the Withered of Oz" (or whatever the title of that book is!)
Excellent Resource
I have just completed a graduate course in Assessment for teachers of ELLs.Almost all of the students in this class, including me, found this book to be a very valuable resource.Some of the information is redundant, but for a teacher looking for ideas on how to construct an authentic assessment of student work (reading, writing, speaking or listening) it is full of great insights and models that can be copied from the book or revised for individual use.

Fantastic text for ESL/TESOL course on Assessment
This book is incredibly helpful for ESL / TESL / ESOL / TESOL teachers and home schoolers as well. It was a textbook in a required Assessment course, but it is so helpful and practical that it will be very useful even if you're not taking a formal course. It presents detailed advice and examples for portfolio assessment, as well as the largest assortment of rubrics that I have seen anywhere. When you use Authentic Assessment to balance your Standardized Tests, you get a more balanced picture of the student's strengths and weaknesses, so you can tailor your instruction to the need. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education / Teaching    2. Evaluation    3. Language    4. Language Experience Approach    5. Teaching Methods & Materials - Language Arts    6. Language teaching & learning material & coursework   

Reviews (138)

Nothing Changes
If George W. Bush could read - this is a book he should be made to read. As old as it may be - nothing has truly changed...so many children being 'left behind'. A devastating book. While we piss away billions abroad, TRUE Home Security (health education and proper employment) is ignored.

The people who rule our country should read this book
The poeple who govern are schools should tread this book. As a white student in a basicl ricth white Shool district, I picked this up this summer for my AP English reading asignment.
More money?
Talk to the Polish and South Koreans, and ask them why they do more with less. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children of minorities    2. Children with social disabilit    3. Children with social disabilities    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Education, Urban    7. Philosophy & Social Aspects    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology - Urban    10. Special Education - Socially Handicapped    11. United States    12. Education / General   

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Resource!
I got this book at a seminar on differentiating instruction and am glad that I did.It has ideas and activities for grades 4-12.I was able to read it quickly, due to its quick-access format.Included are 87 pages of great ideas on grouping, adapting textbooks, prereading, during reading modifications, and after-reading activities.Following this section are 38 pages of reproducibles.I plan to use strategies from this book immediately in my middle school classes.This is a great resource if you want to "teach the student, not the textbook." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Content area reading    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Individualized reading instruc    5. Individualized reading instruction    6. Language Experience Approach    7. Readability    8. Reading comprehension    9. Textbooks   

Reviews (3)

CLAD Text
A well written text essential for acquiring CLAD credentialing. Myths are perpetuated which greatly reduces the credibility - there is only one "race", humans or Homo sapiens. Very few of us were born or came from the Caucasus Mountains of eastern Europe, yet 17th century artificial constructs of "race" and "Caucasian" are used. There is no discussion of how skin pigmentation is an ecotype adaptation, not a "race." Science, Scientific American, Discovery and other peer-reviewed journals have corrected "race" misconceptions repeatedly - yet the authors, with education backgrounds, appear to have not completed a review of current literature. Golden resource
I almost felt like I was cheating on the CLAD test. This handbook was a wonderful resource and the only one I used to pass the test .... the FIRST time!!

Preparing to take the CLAD test.
Chapters 1 & 2 seemed very dry but I'm not big on theory. The remaining chapters were much more interesting. I highly recommend reading it before taking the CLAD test. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Elementary    4. English As A Second Language    5. English language    6. Foreign speakers    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. Language    9. Language Experience Approach    10. Language and education    11. Multicultural Education    12. Study and teaching (Higher)    13. United States    14. Communication Studies    15. Education / Bilingual Education    16. English   

Reviews (9)

Classroom Assesssment Review
Excellent book!Angelo was very clear and concise in guiding teachers through the assessment process.

CATs for the classroom
The text was used in a course through UW Stout and it is a very good resource for methods that can be used to assess learners progress towards a goal.Great tool to have on the bookshelf!
A Classic
Cross and Angelo is a classic text that all professors should have in their teaching and learning library.The techniques are concrete, simple, and powerful.This is not a theory book but truly a handbook of techniques that will not only improve your teaching but more importantly improve your students' learning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. College students    3. College teaching    4. Curricula    5. Education    6. Education / Teaching    7. Educational evaluation    8. Evaluation    9. Handbooks, manuals, etc    10. Methods Of Instruction And Study In Higher Education    11. Rating of    12. Teaching Methods & Materials - Classroom Planning    13. Testing & Measurement    14. United States    15. Colleges of further education    16. Education / Testing & Measurement    17. Examinations & assessment   

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Educational Psychology    4. Education / Educational Psychology   

Reviews (1)

Experience and Ingenuity
One of the best guides for someone breaking into teaching currently on the market.I have had the distinct honor of working with Dr. Morrison and these experiences have done nothing but enlighten me and teach me things I might not otherwise have learned.He brings this ability to communicate both gracefully and pactfully to his text, mixing it with his natural love of children and his honest desire to help people learn how to do that single most important of jobs - teach.Read more

Subjects:  1. Community and school    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Philosophy & Social Aspects    5. Philosophy Of Education    6. Social aspects    7. Teaching    8. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    9. United States    10. Vocational guidance    11. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / General   

Reviews (26)

Challenging
I read this book for a graduate studies class.The critical padagogy Freire gives is excellent and we had deep discussions in class.The reading is challenging because some points are repeated and one wonders whether one is making any headway at times.The ideas re education are basic to understanding current educational trends.

MARVELOUS
This was one of the hardest reads I have gone through in my young 16 years of life. And at the same time, perhaps the most rewarding. You wanta make change? You wanta be a revolutionary? Great intro to liberating yourself and those who are oppressed around you. DO NOT TRY TO COMPARE TO MARX. Though you can draw similarities, this particular work is just to different. Go read it.

I'll make this short, he didnt.
So many words to say so little. This book could have been three pages long and that would have been sufficient. He goes on and on on the same topics of what its like to be oppressed and what the oppressed must do to brake free from oppression. This is all very much common sence, at least it seems so to me, having taken a college class here and there. Marx is taken far out of context and this book altogether preaches a utopian way of things thats as far fetched as communism functioning in a capitalist society. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1921-    2. Aims & Objectives    3. Critical pedagogy    4. Education    5. Freire, Paulo,    6. General    7. Philosophy    8. Philosophy Of Education    9. Popular education    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - Social Theory    12. Teaching    13. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    14. Freire, Paulo    15. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (1)

Financing Education Review
Great book.Very helpful in my study of the school superintendency.Very practical and useful information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Economics Of Education    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Finance    5. School Finance    6. United States    7. Education / Finance    8. Funding of education   

Reviews (16)

Inspirational Book
I read this book while researching my topic for my MA thesis in elementary education. This book blew me away. It's provocative, it's funny and it challenges so many of the unnecessarily cruel and transparently manipulatie behaviors we use as teachers on a daily basis. While I agree that the book doesn't offer a paint by the numbers how to guide for implementing a more democratic and community based classroom, the intelligent reader can understand what needs to be done or at least look elsewhere for answers.
Lots of great questions; few usable answers
In Beyond Discipline:From Compliance to Community, Alfie Kohn presents cogent criticism of the common strategies teachers use to control student behavior:rewards and punishment.Kohn made me question whether I ought to use such tactics, and made me hunger for a better way -- something not involving an insistence on control and compliance.Unfortunately, Beyond Discipline created a hunger without really satisfying it.
In response to reviews...
To the reviewer who said Kohn has no experience: He was a teacher for several years.Secondary to be specific.He travels the country observing classrooms.This book was written in response to a)his own experience b)exhaustive research but mostly c)to answer the question of why certain classrooms he observed seemed to have "better" learners than others.
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Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Behavior Management    3. Classroom Management    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. School Management And Discipline    7. School discipline    8. United States    9. Philosophy of education   

Reviews (3)

Another Edition to a fantastic text
This new edition of the text once again proves that these authors are the masters of single subject research.I have used this text for five years in my graduate methods course and am completely satisfied with their coverage of the material of single subject research design.Just when a researcher thought it could not get any better, this new edition comes along with updates to the software.
enough is enough
I was pleased to hear that this text had been assigned in a graduate research course at my graduate school of social work. I'm seriously disappointed. I would not recommend this text's continued use. It is excessively repetitive, constantly restating previous material (commonly referred to as 'rehashing'), and, as a sidebar, i can't help but mention an irritating habit of unnecessary references to material yet to come ('we'll talk about that more in chapter 14.'). The writing style is terribly wordy, and in a weighted, clunky pseudo-conversational style that rarely is effective in a textbook. The actual technical information is obscured in a constant river of verbiage, usually in page after page of solid block text, the least helpful format when learning technical information (or when subsequently searching for specific information or techniques). The result? It serves as a strong sedative. Finally, the authors repeatedly express apologies, in what eventually (by page 350) feels like an obsequious and cloying manner, for putting forward an empirical and accountable approach to clinical practice. The worst, though, is the repetition of material, as if the reader were an idiot. The sheer relentlessness of it is what is so galling, and at $100 bucks, neither affordable nor worth the investment. There are other texts out there with clearer, cleaner, more articulate prose, that are more respectful of the reader, and at half the price, such as the classic and affordable: Single-Case Research Designs: Methods for Clinical and Applied Settings by Alan E. Kazdin. Ignore the pollyanna reviews above and below, and avoid this text, or if on the syllabus, protest and suggest an alternative.

A Classic in Practice Evaluation
Bloom, Fischer and Orme continue to make an unique contribution to improving practice in the human services by providing a road map by which practitioners can evaluate their effectiveness. I've been using their text book for over 15 years in teaching practice evaluation and in has been an invaluable help. The new edition has a CD Rom with SingWin, CAAP,and CAAS which I was able to install in Windows XP Home edition. You must install CAAS before CAAP for it to work. The sofware computerizes record keeping, score computation, and graph construction. I strongly reccommend this textbook for human services faculty. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Evaluation    3. Evaluation research (Social ac    4. Evaluation research (Social action programs)    5. Management - General    6. Political Science    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Program Evaluation    9. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    10. Social service    11. Abnormal psychology    12. Behavioural theory (Behaviourism)    13. Political Science / Social Services & Welfare    14. Social welfare & social services