Archive for the ‘Book Summaries’ Category
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Feel-Bad Education: And Other Contrarian Essays on Children and Schooling by Alfie Kohn (Beacon Press: Boston, MY ©2011) is his twelfth book where he argues that our schools are in the grip of a “cult of rigor” where harder is confused with better. Joy and meaningful learning are at risk. In nineteen recently published well researched essays, Kohn invites us to think beyond conventional wisdom. He questions much of what schools reflexively do and makes the reader understand why many current reform efforts are misguided. If you believe that NCLB and Race to the Top efforts make sense, you need to read this book. It will give parents and educators alike a fresh perspective they can use to shake the system for the better. Click the button below to purchase from Amazon.
Tags: Alfie Kohn, Feel-Bad Education
Posted in Book Summaries, Education Books, Leadership Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland by Pasi Sahlberg (© 2010, Teachers College Press: New York, NY) is the story of Finland’s extraordinary reforms and one that should inform policymakers and educators around the world, most of whom are on the wrong track. Sahlberg has lived and studied these reforms for decades and is a clever and engaging story teller. Click below to purchase this book today, and share with your colleagues.
Tags: Education in Finnland, Finnish Lessons, Pasi Sahlberg
Posted in Book Summaries, Education Books, Leadership Books | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
In their groundbreaking book, Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner take an out-of-the-box look at data interpretation. In a time where educators look to data analysis to help improve instruction, this book and its sequel, SuperFreakonomics, give examples of how to take a unique look at available data. Here I have included an excerpt of a summary of their first book with a focus on how teachers can get caught cheating and the economics of crack dealing. I also include slides that show which characteristics correlate with success on tests and which do not. The big point for me is that blacks are not less intelligent than whites; they are just more likely to be poor. Watch this blog for insights from SuperFreakonomics.
Click here to see the excerpted summary of this book.
Tags: Freakonomics, Frwajibinucs, Levitt & Dubner, Teachers Cheat
Posted in Book Summaries, Education Books | No Comments »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
This is a summary of Chris Anderson’s latest book. As Editor-In-Chife of Wired magazine, Chris is the guru of hipness. This book offers timely advice that can help anyone navigate the electronic world that surrounds us. If this summary grabs your interest, the details in the book offer a roadmap for survival today’s digital world.
Click here to see the summary of this book.
Tags: Chris Anderson, Free, Wired
Posted in Book Summaries, Business Books | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 28th, 2012
Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World (©2009, Ballantine Books: New York, NY) by Homa Sabet Tavangar will help you prepare children for today’s increasingly interconnected world. This is a hands-on, one-of-a-kind parenting toolbox that will give children a vital global perspective. This is a book that parents, grandparents, and educators can turn to again and again for inspiration and motivation as they strive to open the minds of children everywhere. It will also help adults gain global awareness as becoming a world citizen is a lifelong process. As it’s never too late to get started, you can start by clicking below to purchase this outstanding resource from Amazon. Every school and home should have one.
Tags: Growing Up Global, Homa Tavangar, Raising Children
Posted in Book Summaries, Education Books | No Comments »
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Hacking Your Education: Ditch the Lectures, Save Tens of Thousands, and Learn More Than Your Peers Ever Will by Dale J. Stephens (©2013, A Perigee Book: New York, NY) is a handbook for people of any age who wants to take control of their own learning. Dale suggests actions you can take now and explores how school has failed almost everyone in some way. You will still need hard work and determination to thrive in the real world as this book offers an alternate approach to learning rather than an easy solution. Dale offers lots of valuable advice and many inspirational stories of success by unschoolers. Please click the icon at the bottom of any page to purchase this fine book.
Tags: Dale J. Stephens, Hacking Your Education
Posted in Book Summaries, Education Books, Leadership Books | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013
How To Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World’s Most Inspiring Presentations (© 2012) by Jeremey Donovan, gives you a step-by-step guide to doing your own inspiring TED-style presentation. If you haven’t seen a TED Talk it’s time to start. Click the icon below to purchase this quick, quality read.
Posted in Book Summaries, Business Books, Education Books, Leadership Books | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives by Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD and James H. Fowler, PhD is another must read for anyone who wants to understand how our social networks impact our lives. All educators should consider the implications of this work.
As the authors studied social networks, they began to think of them as human super organisms. They grow and evolve. All sorts of things flow and move within them. This super organism has its own structure and a function, and they became obsessed with understanding both. Once we see ourselves as part of a larger network, we can better understand our actions, choices, and experiences. These connections are natural and necessary and a force for good. Just as brains can do more than single neurons, so can social networks do things that no single person can do. To know who we are, we must understand how we are connected.
Click here to see the summary of this book.
Posted in Book Summaries, Business Books | No Comments »
