Experience is an Authentic Teacher
931623
Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad is packed with words of wisdom. It clearly sends the message--Take Responsibility For Your Life.  This book has come out of his own personal experience and I must commend him for sharing that experience in this book. It is an eye-opener for the young as well as the nave. For too long people have viewed good paying jobs as security blankets and allow themselves to use this to obtain high-limit credit, including credit cards, then when the job vanishes overnight, everything they possess vanishes with it.

As Robert rightly points out, this world is full of bullies--that being said, a job no matter how secure it may seem could vanish very quickly if you have to deal with bullies and mean-spirited people. Robert's own father  was a high income earner who was fired from his job at 50 and went broke.  A fall from the corporate ladder is generally a disastrous one.

I highly recommend this book as a guide - As drivers, we first learn the rules of the road before we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, likewise, we should prepare ourselves to take control of our financial well-being.
1804200
As a former student of Professor Binder's I can sincerely say the book has the same witty flare and vivacious energy he brings into the classroom. The real life examples let me take a step of out my student shoes and into a nervous new professor's. Lessons and stories range from the simple, greeting every student so that one never feels like you forgot him/her, to the more intense Buffalo Creek Disaster and personal experiences. Although it might look like a quick, fun read, the depth of the lessons leave you with something real to reflect on.
34841
Inquiry Mindset is an excellent read that both validates who I am as an educator and provides inspiration, ideas, and processes to transform our classrooms right away.  I loved Trevor and Rebecca's narrative, their passion for teaching, and how they scaffold inquiry so it is less daunting but still rich, meaningful and authentic.  A definite read for today's educator.
2295408
Teacher training in our universities has improved enormously in the last 20 years, but still our newest math teachers struggle when they find themselves in the classroom, and many leave the profession soon after in frustration. This was the book they needed.

As an associate professor of mathematics education, I prepare new math teachers for their careers through a sequence of courses and on-the-job training experiences. But what I can never give them is the very thing this book provides; a mentor they can keep by their side as they encounter the daily challenges of actually teaching in an actual classroom, day after day.

As the title suggests, Letters to a Young Math Teacher is a sequence of informal, even conversational chapters that zero in on the questions every young teacher faces: How do I establish rapport with my students? How do I get parents on my side? How can I form solid relationships with my colleagues? With the administration? How do I keep my balance in the face of unexpected and trying situations? How, in the end, do I craft my own career and keep my enthusiasm fresh? The authors, largely through anecdotes from their own experiences and those of their best colleagues and mentors, provide the answers and advice every new math teacher needs.

A number of the letters deal with topics, such as lesson plans and organizing instruction, that students will already be familiar with. In this, the authors reveal that they belong to an earlier generation that had to learn many of these things the hard way. Most university education programs now include practicums in their syllabi that include classroom observation, tutoring experience, and lesson planning and delivery under faculty supervision. Also, it should be noted that the departments of education of most states now provide a large body of online materials including lesson plans, in-class materials, and curricula to meet the state's standards of learning. The advice on testing in the classroom will not be new to readers, but is a good reminder that students should be able to support their grading decisions with data. Additionally, it is impossible to over-emphasize the importance of following up on teachable moments, a skill that too many teachers are slow in acquiring. Altogether these chapters will serve as excellent reminders of the main principles and techniques of education as students graduate into their professional lives.

The best chapters are those about working with people in and out of the classroom, especially students but also parents, colleagues, and administrators. Because human behavior is so various and (at times) so mysterious, the most valuable thing any young professional can have is a ready source of examples and wise counsel in handling inter-personal situations. The stories about dealing with disruptive students, and the advice about how to head off trouble before it starts, are really terrific. The examples of parent interaction and the insights into getting them on the teacher's side are also very good. Andwhat the new teacher can probably get nowhere elsethe advice on working with fellow teachers, with the unions, and with administrators are pure gold.

Young teachers will still make mistakes, the very mistakes the authors of Letters to a Young Math Teacher so insightfully identify, but by reading this book they can innoculate themselves against bewilderment and frustration, and meet the challenges of teaching mathematics with confidence.

The student teachers I supervise will henceforth be receiving this volume as their graduation present.
189849
Sackstein's text is authentically grounded in her classroom experiences and the lessons learned from her work with students. Far too often, theories emerge from self-proclaimed experts who spend little time in schools. Starr Sackstein's expertise is developed on the job, and this makes her a credible source.
219078
The true stories of teaching. I'm a secondary English teacher and can relate to many of the issues brought to light. I admire the author for being able to make these rather stressful situations seem comical. As teachers, we all know we teach a variety of students who come packaged with unique parents. This book exposes why many teachers don't survive the first 3-5 years and helps many of us feel like someone out there gets what we're all facing in the classroom each day. I've recommended it to all of my fellow teachers and some parents, too.
4737915
the tenth door is a unique and captivating recount of the life of a real person with a real teacher in the midst of the western world.  michelles' everyday experiences including victories and setbacks, makes this relatable and accessible.  Her joy in the overall process, despite the hard work gives a glimpse of the true nature of self improvement. I had the good fortune to know michelle and walt baptiste and can attest to the transformative experience of these yoga teachings.  michelle has wonderfully captured the teaching and inspiration she received.  Her writing passes that inspiration forward and is a complement to her career as a highly respected raja yoga teacher. Most importantly, this is a very fun, hard to put down book, written in a self effacing style that leads you to read just one more page to see what will happen next.  Hopefully, there will be a sequel.
930894
Marian Griffin's first book weaves together her skills as an enchanting storyteller, experienced teacher, spiritual devotee and thoughtful seeker.  Against the backdrop of her decades of work as a pre-school Director and teacher, Marian shares a book of wisdom for educators, parents, story lovers and seekers through a mix of insights, fiction and personal commentary.

  As a teacher, she constantly aims to "learn the highest from kids."  She passionately seeks to uncover the best in everyone by shining the light of mindfulness on her students and herself as well.  Yet, she confesses,  "I am not a saint:  I have been challenged to love even in the most difficult classroom situations" which makes her someone we can relate to because she is down to earth.  Yet, she surprises readers with her own mystical experiences as well.

  Marian knows that spirituality does not happen in isolation.  She works creatively with her limitations, such as when she writes a letter to her own "willfulness."  We fall under her spell when she gracefully shifts between fiction and real life experiences.

  This book is best read one chapter at a time to give the reader the opportunity to do personal reflection!
2434898
I feel lucky to have received a free copy of this book to review.  Many times I found myself right there with the narrator, as if I were in the room.  The children and adults that she writes about seemed very real to me.  I liked the author's honesty about herself and what she experienced and learned.  I think she was able to express her true opinions, which I find refreshing. (I am a teacher also.)  I recommend this book to other teachers and administrators, as well as to parents of school aged children; and I believe it would be a very good read for anyone interested in and/or critical of today's educators.

Recently retired
3261180
Not having kids and being out of school awhile, I forgot what teachers have to go through to teach their students!  This is my cousin`s first book and she did a good job of putting her personal experiences in this book. The teacher in this story,Maggie McCauley, was a captivating character. This reminded me of To Sir With Love. Maggie certainly had grit and care for her students. The personal insight into Maggie and her students was well done! I would recommend this to everyone who was taught by a great teacher. I also would recommend this to future teachers!
3403975
If I could sum my experience of reading the book in 3 words I would say I: Learn, unlearn, and relearn.  When you read the book, you'll understand these three words on another level.  I discovered a potential within myself to embrace new ideas as people like Dr. Wink share with the world in essence their notes of the real world for aspiring educators and lifelong learners encounter.  I read this week that literacy is a threat to what we know because words are alive in that they carry the message, the essence of the author (who they are, what they believe).  I prove this to be true as Wink's passion for learning transforms the academic educational jargon of theories and principles into comprehensible input. Dr. Wink's writing will not only evoke you to reflect on those childhood learning experiences but also on those pedagogical mindsets we tend to develop as humans.  Interestingly enough, she shares story after story of how teachers, students, and the community are active agents of learning.  Each one has a role of their and share a common one:  we are all learners.  Humbly I acknowledge my need to unlearn many things that have place limitations on approaching learning in a transformative way.  Read the book!

-Cruz (CSU Stanislaus)
685411
The voice of experience speaks clearly in this essential resource book. I keep a copy laying out on my desk at the university and at the high school at which I teach, right where students will be able to see it. Invaluable advice and a wealth of otherwise hard-to-uncover organizational connections are immediately available here, right at the potential volunteer's fingertips. Years of overseas work have taught me many of these same lessons the hard way- a person would be wise to acquire that same knowledge via this volume, and in so doing become that much more effective and learn that much more while making a genuine contribution and enjoying the experience abroad. Volunteering overseas builds perspective and character like nothing else could, and this book is the perfect introduction to having that significant period of one's life be a genuine win/win experience!
PS: Model United Nations program advisors will want to have a copy ready to hand, available for their students. I am going to check into having Dr. Collins come to my university as a guest lecturer.
1282740
5 stars because I find many gems in this book.  Doctor Holley's descriptions of many experiences teachers have throughout their careers are spot on.  What is better is that he takes the reader on a tour of the good, bad and ugly times- using his personal growth- providing a road map of sorts to improvement.  Mind you, this is no "How To" book.  One significant benefit of this book is how Doctor Holley offers suggestions for thinking holistically about the end goals of educating a student in his/her high school years.  He reminds teachers that content matters and delivering it well matters, but the goal could or should be student growth. The Conversation, as he calls it, makes the teacher-student relationship and the educational experience rich and valuable and life-giving.

I would and have recommended this book to my friends and colleagues.  Veteran teachers and new teachers alike will find wonderful notions in this book.
4498062
Schmidt has a way of hitting the core of teaching, keeping it fun and yet, recognizing the importance and seriousness of teachers' work.  This book is useful and inspiring for new and veteran teachers who want to hold on to the reasons they went into this profession--to encourage the achievement and success of every child, to create exciting learning environments beyond the textbook, and to continually be a learner themselves.  This book will help keep those hopes alive.
2059935
The fundamental understanding of teaching was good.
345435
Lauren writes as she teaches: from the heart. Honest stories from her own classroom illustrate how language development and language teaching alike benefit from a mindful sense of curiosity and inquiry. She recognizes the essential interdependence of student learning and teacher growth, approaching both with patience, clarity and compassion. I enthusiastically recommend this book for international schools and the global population they serve.
- Jon Nordmeyer, Director of International Programs, WIDA Consortium at University of Wisconsin-Madison
1323652
In reading this book, I feel that it's important to note that not only those interested in teaching would enjoy, but students as well. Further, I feel everyone and anyone can enjoy this book, for it is well-written, engaging, and I guess what you'd call an easy read. As a student, I was able to delve a little bit into the side of education that I don't deal with, the teacher's part. It was really interesting to hear about exactly what went into teaching a class. Not only are the countless bits of advice and help for those interested in following the same path, but being a student, and not really having access to this perspective from other sources, I was afforded that rare glimpse into what the teacher was thinking, and why he/she did the things they did. What makes this such a fascinating read, was that it allowed for me to realize that teachers, especially newer ones, are a lot more a like students then you'd think. Whereas students are worried about grades and tests, or simply how they're 'going to make the time in class go faster, teachers are worried about garnering the respect of their students, impacting and influencing lives for the better, and so much more. Anyone who has been a student at some point in there lives, has students in school, is a teacher or educator (so basically everyone) should pick up this book. Definitely an A+ in my book.