Reviews (14)

Powerfully persuasive or totally histrionic? You be the judge.
With this book, Marie Winn has written an arch (though lengthy) indictment of television's pervasive and largely detrimental impact on childhood culture. With sixty years' worth of data, studies and surveys as ammo, she makes a nearly airtight case for why television should be strictly limited for the elementary children and why the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics that no children under the age of 2 be allowed to watch is not just commendable, but physiologically and neurologically imperative.She lays out her small mountain of evidence that the practice of ritualistic television watching dulls children's sensitivity to others, negatively affects family life, nearly annihalates their motivation to contribute to their own development as critical thinkers and, especially, critical and enthusiastic readers, and generally, is neither necessary nor desirable as the cultural stronghold it's become.
An enlightening book on the silver screen
While Winn's thought-provoking book focuses on the sociological harms TV can cause, it falls short in other areas, namely, the spiritual and neurological harms of TV. Another book, "Television: Prelude to Chaos" by Frank Poncelet, answered some of these questions I had after reading Winn's book. I also liked the hilarious cartoons throughout Winn's book that illustrate how silly it really is to wast your life away in front of the idiot box / boob tube / one-eyed monster.

If I could give negative stars I would
This writing discredits itself by the use of inappropriate quotations, gross generalities, and by lacking the ability to see the other side of her examples. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Studies    2. Computers and children    3. Computers and family    4. Education    5. Media Studies - Electronic Media    6. Parent Participation    7. Parenting - General    8. Sociology    9. Television and children    10. Television programs for childr    11. Television programs for children    12. United States    13. Family & Relationships / Child Development    14. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (6)

Priceless Resource
When considering homeschooling as a viable educational option for our boys, we were in a fog. Homeschooling seemed like a very foreign (very weird) concept and we were hesitant to attempt due to lack of exposure to any credible information on the subject. We bought "Homeschooling for Dummies" (our first in a long line of "Dummies" books) and made the switch just 6 months later. It has everything you need in a one-stop reference that can be used to determine if homeschooling is right for your family as well as fine tune any already-homeschooling families. It breaks down everything from the slightly unusual "unschooling" and the dreaded "socialization" question to lists of books and references to use as a jumping-off point. Thinking of taking the plunge into homeschooling? This is THE book to read first.

Helpful , informative, basic
Definitely for the beginning homeschooler, this book has lots of basic info. It's a great starting place, covers a lot of ground but touches each area only lightly. Don't expect anything in depth on any particular subject, but look to this book for general info and ideas, and expect it to be a springboard for further research. Very helpful as a starter.

Straight forward information with no agenda
We have been in homeschooling since the 70's and aside from Homeschooling For Excellence written by a couple we know and respect, this is a book I would highly recommend simply because it offers valuable information and does NOT set out to convert people to homeschooling. Even bought a copy for my local library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Home Schooling    4. United States    5. Education / General   

Reviews (2)

Successful Strategiesk for Working with Difficult Kids
This is a 5 Star book.Until I read this book I throught that I was the only one that believed in holding kids accountable for their actions. The same strategies outlined in this book worked for me the 22 years I spent inthe Marine Corps.I can't begin to count the times that I've had youngpeople come back an tell me that the strategies I used in working with themwas just what they needed, it makes them think before they act. If youuse the strategies outlined in this book, you will not go wrong. And thebest part is that the kids will come back and thank you later for helpingturn their lives around. Sound and to the point
A seal on the cover of this book advertises, "Parents or Professionals:Step by Step Help for the Discipline Resistant Child."A fairly good description of the contents. The book was written by atherapist with experience in residential treatment programs.Its languageand presentation make it accessible to the "lay person," though Ithink the book is more geared for professionals.The emphasis is onstrategies for handling youngsters who are angry and defiant, though thereis also information on self-care as a part of coping.There is also ashort section on ADHD and an appendix on suicide. The advice in this bookis not earthshaking, but I found it to be practical and realistic.I readit from the perspective of being a foster parent and found it helpful inthat regard. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. General    5. Parent Participation    6. Parenting - Discipline    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    8. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

Home-School Relations: A Winner
Home-School Relations is an excellent user friendly textbook, both studentfriendly and instructor friendly.The text is easy to read and includesextensive current information regarding the various issues surroundinghome-school partnerships.Each chapter includes several reflectionexercises that are applicable for large groups, small groups, and/orindividuals.At the end of each chapter, multiple resources can be foundfor the instructor and/or students.These include "RecommendedActivities" (to extend learning), books, articles, videos,organizations, and websites.I highly recommend this textbookforundergraduate and graduate courses. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Case studies    3. Early childhood education    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Elementary    7. Home and school    8. Parent Participation    9. Parent-teacher relationships    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    11. United States    12. Education / Elementary    13. Educational administration   

Reviews (18)

Honest, introspective and informative.
The book is easy to read, informative and gives the reader of good idea of how unschooling works.I would read again and would pass on to others.It is reassuring to hear from an early pioneer who has raised a child through the entire schooling process and shares her ups and downs.

Not what I'd hoped
We have been "unschooling" since birth- not radically, but very child led.I was disappointed in the broad generalizations made by this author seemingly based on her expierience with her one female child.Having 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls- I just don't see her particular method of unschooling working for every child or all families.It seemed to me that nearly each chapter had some sweeping statement about "all children" "we parents" etc.I'm glad it worked out so well for her and her girl- but I'd love to see her take my 3rd child- a boy and have it work out just the same.She seems to not recognize that all children are different and while her radical unschooling and unparenting worked for her-it is not as one sided as she presents it to be.

What an insightful book for a parent to read - "Unprocessing", Unschooling or not!
WOW! Where do I begin? I loved this book!Not because I agreed with everything written in it but just because it was written.Valerie Fitzenreiter sounds like she did a GREAT job raising her daughter.I loved some of the advise she dishes out and agree whole heartly with her, and then sometimes I didn't.I have two children and find it a little more challenging. All in all I recommend this book as a great read for anyone who has or is going to have children.I also recommend it for anyone interested in the well being of children in general.We must have more "respect" for our children!Thank you Valerie! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education / Home Schooling    2. Experimental Methods    3. Family & Relationships / Parenting    4. General    5. Psychology    6. Education    7. Family & Relationships    8. Home Schooling    9. Homeschooling    10. Parenting   

Reviews (1)

Great for gifted kids and non-traditional learners!
This book is full of great, original ideas for teaching gifted kids at home. There's helpful information for determining whether and how your child is gifted, but for me, the most useful part was the language arts exercises themselves. There is a wide range of ideas, writing topics, and suggestions for projects -- they all lend themselves very well to adaptation for different skill levels and learning styles. It's been a great resource and is my favorite supplement to the English textbooks we use with our kids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alphabet    2. Career/Job    3. Education (Middle school)    4. General    5. Gifted children    6. Home Schooling    7. Language arts (Middle school)    8. Religion - Christian Education - Home Schooling    9. United States    10. Careers guidance    11. Education / Home Schooling   

Reviews (3)

very good book
A very good book on the first grade math topics. It provides sound and clear explanations seldom found in other books. Essential math concepts and skills are introduced with many excellent examples. I enjoyed it very much with my son.
A Review of "Math for Your 1st and 2nd Grader"
I took a look at this book (Math for Your 1st and 2nd Grader) at the library and now I am going to order it.
Excellent resource for homeschooling or as a supplement
I am a former daycare teacher and this book strikes me as an excellent way to strengthen math skills for kids. There are math problems within the book that the kids can do. This is a good buy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arithmetic    2. Education    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Home Schooling    5. Parenting - General    6. Study and teaching (Primary)    7. Education / Home Schooling    8. Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Home Schooling    3. Problems & Exercises    4. SSAT & COOP (Secondary School Admission Test & Cooperative Admissions Exam)    5. Study Aids    6. Study Guides    7. Test Prep   

Reviews (7)

Expected More But Not Disappointed
Like someone else said, I read this because we homeschool. I had heard what a great book this was but when I got it I was honestly a little disappointed. I'm sure if my kids were still in public school it would have been more useful but it just wasn't any help to us as homeschoolers/unschoolers.
Guerrilla Learning: How to give your kids a real education with or without school.
I am new to the homeschool idea, and my daugther is 15 and hates high school. I found so many useful ideas in this book that I recommend it to anyone considering homeschooling and obtaining a better education for their kids in general.

Beautifully written ... for anyone with kids
"This book helped me relax and do less about my kid--less worrying, less trying to cram information into him when he wasn't responding as I wanted him to. Using the approaches recommended by Llewellyn and Silver, I now have fun observing my little boy, guiding him gently, and enjoying his forays into the world as he explores and learns on his own." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative education    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Experimental Methods    6. Family & Relationships    7. Home schooling    8. Parent Participation    9. Parenting - General    10. United States    11. Advice on parenting    12. Family & Relationships / Education    13. Organization & management of education    14. Teaching skills & techniques   

Editorial Review

The chilly, wet air of Bainbridge Island, Washington, practically gusts out of this book, written with such descriptive flair that it effortlessly whisks readers into the life of David Guterson, a homeschooler who despises the word and who fell into the practice by accident after he and his wife suffered anxiety attacks over sending their oldest son to school. Guterson is best known for Read more

Reviews (17)

A very useful, balanced book about why homeschooling makes sense
An articulate, thoughtful, accessible, and refreshingly balanced examination of "why homeschooling makes sense." I've read many books about homeschooling (a number of which were cited in Mr. Guterson's book), but none have been as helpful as this one in terms of exploring the advantages and disadvantages of teaching your own, and what it means in a larger sense, not just to our children but to ourselves and the society and culture in which we live. Even-handed, the author doesn't shy away from pointing out unhelpful attitudes on some members of both sides, -- school administrations and homeschoolers -- but he also does his best to place these observations in context that the reader might have a better understanding of its underpinnings. Those seeking a better way to express their reasons for homeschooling will find many arguments in its defense.
Good, Not Great
I found the historical information interesting. Guterson doesn't say anything totally revolutionary (historically speaking)--he doesn't unearth all sorts of historical factoids that no one's ever heard before--but what he does say is interesting, and leastwise confirms with details what you probably already guessed. I appreciated that the book was more philosophical, but by the end I just got tired of reading it for some reason. I guess since it didn't opt for being practical or apologetical, I could only swallow so many times the same paragraph over and over; "Homeschooling is great. Public Schools shouldn't be shut down. Administrators say they will change but don't. Schools need to rethink how they educate kids. Yada yada." Don't get me wrong, the book was very good at what it was attempting to do, I just felt like Guterson (or his publisher) shot himself in the foot by making it about 20-25% longer than it should have been. I guess it particularly got on my nerves since it was coming from an English teacher, considering that I would have gotten some bad marks for not cutting out all the redundancy if I had handed in a college paper like it.

A thought-provoking, empowering read!
It's been a while since I ready Guterson's "Family Matters," but it remains the single most important book I've read about homeschooling, even though we were already committed to and in the midst of homeschooling when I read it.
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Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Home Schooling    4. Home instruction    5. United States    6. Education / Home Schooling    7. Philosophy of education   

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. General    4. Home and school    5. Parent Participation    6. Education / General    7. Organization & management of education    8. Teaching skills & techniques   

Reviews (1)

This is a fantastic, easy-to-implement program!
We are using this book in our kindergarten which has many ESOL students!It has been a big hit with the teachers, parents, and students.We use it with the Scholastic Nursery Rhyme flip chart. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Education    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Early Childhood Education    4. Education    5. Language Experience Approach    6. Parent Participation    7. Preschool & Kindergarten    8. Reading Education (General)    9. Education / Preschool & Kindergarten   

Editorial Review

In Read more

Reviews (2)

Useless Drivel!
As an avid writer and homeschooling parent, I was very drawn to the title of this book.I believed that it would give me wonderful ideas for projects with which I could motivate my young writers.Instead, the book tells me such things as "Provide plenty of writing materials." and "Write for pleasure yourself."This is as basic is BREATHING....Any parent with a third grade education knows that you must have writing materials available.And, of course, a child who sees a parent writing will have more of an interest in doing so. This book DOES NOT provide ideas for motivating young writers.It tells the parents basic, ...facts that they SHOULD already know.I do not recommend this book to anyone.

99 Ways to Get Kids to Love Writing
After noticing that my 6th grade son did not bring home writing assignments home from school, I decided that some home writing might be appropriate. Mary Leonhardt's book offers many ideas that are easy to tryat home. Reading is also stressed as a key to writing well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition and exercises    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Elementary School Language Arts    5. English language    6. Grammar    7. Parent Participation    8. Parents And Education    9. Rhetoric    10. Study and teaching    11. Teaching Methods & Materials - Workbooks    12. Writing Skills    13. Advice on parenting    14. Education / Parent Participation    15. English    16. English language: writing skills   

Reviews (3)

Well worth reading
This is a great book. It is based on facts- studies, observations, etc. It is not an academic book that you might read if you were going to school. It is written for the parent, the person who takes care of children, the average every day person who is curious about how children learn and what can be done to encourage the learning. It is easily read and easily understood. Stimulating and eye openning towards natural ways to educate
It is a wonderful guide for parents who are worried about the children's education in a career oriented, competitive world; looking for their child to grow naturaly, healthy in spirit, mind and body; but to also willinghelp the child in her development participating actively in theireducation. A child is a natural genius, it is up to the parents to discoverall the wonderful potential she has unveiled.I do not want my daughter tobe what I want her to be, I want her to disscover it by herself, and Iwould like to provide her with as much opportunities as possibleto widenher choices.

Reassuringly readable without in-your-face academic verbosit
This book reminded me of the poster in my high school principal's office, of Albert Einstein and how he didn't talk until age three, didn't read until age 11, kicked out of school at age etc. etc. If empowerment is the word of the decade, then this book belongs in the shopping basket of parents of "LD" kids, educators, therapists, child psychologists et al. Thought-provoking is an understatement- highly readable and "user-friendly." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. General    3. Home Schooling   

Subjects:  1. Curricula    2. Curriculum planning    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Elementary School Curricula    6. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    7. Parent Participation    8. Parenting - General    9. Sixth grade (Education)    10. United States    11. Education / Parent Participation   

Reviews (11)

I love your language/literature section as well as the visual arts
I am a grandparent and have used this series of books starting from "What your second grader needs to know". We are now using "What my fifth grader needs to know" It is surprising to see how my grandchildren are enjoying the "extra knowledge" over and above what they are exposed to in the classroom. If I could have a wish, I would like to see more color photographs or images rather than the black and white pictures as shown . This would be a great improvement especially in the "Visual arts section" of this book. The description of Michelangelo's David is outstanding.

Mediocre
Up until my daughter was in fourth grade, I was pleased with the education she was receiving from our local elementary school.For many reasons, however, I decided to homeschool for fifth grade, so this book seemed like a godsend.While it does serve as a decent detailed list to use in conjunction with state and national benchmarks, it refers way too often to earlier books in the series. For example, on the very first page of actual text (not the General Introduction or How to Use This Book), you'll find these two sentences:
Core Knowledge??
I would agree that this book (and the others like it by Hirsch) offer a basis for valuable information. However, I would warn you to supplement a literacy curriculum with other stories and authors that include cultures other than European American. Look closely at the contents and you will notice that his view of "American literate culture" is overwhelmingly European-American based. I agree that students need to learn "American literate culture," however, curriculum needs to represent the many people that make up our diverse nation.
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Subjects:  1. Curricula    2. Curriculum planning    3. Education    4. Elementary    5. Elementary education    6. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    7. Fifth grade (Education)    8. Home Schooling    9. Parenting - General    10. United States    11. Education / Home Schooling   

Reviews (7)

Teaching reading's not that tough
I've only used this book for a week--gotten through just the vowels--and so far I love it. Each lesson is short, but includes plenty of repetition to help you child hear and remember the letters sounds. And the use of poems and other techniques are working--after just 5 days, my son is confident about the short vowel sounds. The lessons are completely scripted, giving the instructor the exact words to say, along with instructions about things to show or write down for your child and suggested responses from the child. We tried the 100 Lessons book for teaching reading and found it confusing and a little awkward. This one is super straight-forward and easy to follow.

Amazing Results
I (homeschooling mom) was very skeptical when I first received the book: No pictures! Then we (my 6-year old twins and I) started. And we loved it! We are half way through the book, and both kids read fluently. In their free time they pick up other books or anything else readable that they can find.
Caution to Learning Disabled
Any parent who has a children that has learning disabiilities needs to stay away from this method.Please examine the Orton-Gillingham or Spalding Method.There are homeschooling versions of these programs called Spell to Write and Read by Wanda Sanseri and Sound Beginnings by Julia Fogassy.
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Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Children    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Home Schooling    5. Parent Participation    6. Reading    7. Reading Skills    8. Religion - Christian Education - Home Schooling    9. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    10. English    11. English language: reading skills    12. Teaching of a specific subject   

Editorial Review

This ambitious reference guide lives up to its name. Practically three inches thick--and we're not talking large print here--it's packed with titles, ordering information, and Web site addresses. From where to send away for a kit to make your own Chilean rain stick to how to order a set of Elizabethan costume paper dolls, the book connects families to a world of learning possibilities. Book titles, short synopses, authors' names, publishers, and years of print make up the bulk of the guide. Classics such as Read more

Reviews (22)

Favorite resource of this veteran homeschooler!
Rebecca Rupp is inspiring. The pages and pages of resources include books, films, science kits, board games,coloring books and more. We homeschool very eclectically and I love the way she thinks outside the box! This book gets more use at my house than any other homeschool guide or materials catalog. The one drawback is that it is getting a wee bit dated- and some internet links no longer work. I'd also love to see her include in an updated version some of the programs we've been very happy with, such as Story of the World and Singapore math.

Wonderful!!!
I can't say enough about this book! If you are planning on homeschooling this is a must have!

The one to buy
There are many great books for homeschoolers, but if you are to buy just one - this is the one to buy.The amount of information will prepare you for virtually all units of study and Rupp's homeschool journal entries will energize and excite you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Experimental Methods    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Home Schooling    6. Reference    7. United States    8. Education / Home Schooling   

Reviews (5)

Not worth it
This book was not what I expected.I was really excited to read and maybe get some fresh ideas to spice up reading time but this wasn't it.I am not sure my expectations were met because I was a first grade teacher before having children but nothing in this book was very creative.I was disappointed to find their activities were some I was already doing with my girls and just basic common sense.

I love it
The recommended books are ordered by reader's age, making it very easy to select the ones that are appropriate for my child's current stage.It also provides a very good description about each book, and how it is different from other books in the same category.
Great ideas of what to do with babies and toddlers!
Often times with babies, you run out of ideas of what to do with them.Their books, however sweet, are generally very short.This book provides some great ideas for parents on how to supplement that reading time, both in ways directly related to the book being read and in other ways that further their babies' development.This is a great resource for both worthwhile books and fun activities! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Development    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Family & Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. General    7. Parent Participation    8. Reference   

Reviews (12)

Way overpriced
First off, this book is waayyyy overpriced.There are other good books on the market at half the cost.And there are other books that are better written, too.I was surprised at the sloppy writing of this new edition.If you are intent on buying this book, find a used copy of the last edition, which is better, or choose one of the better books out there.Don't go by ratings alone.Check out the book in your local bookstore first, just to be sure you find one that meets your needs.The information is this book can be found on the Internet on different sites, so there is no needed to shell out hard-earned dollars for this one.Find something else and you won't be sorry.

From a mom with a son with Tourette Syndrome
Whether you are new to the world of "special ed" or you are a seasoned veteran, attorney, Lawrence M. Siegel's book will guide you through the advocacy maze with ease. It is a valuable resource of information, including, but not limited to: an overview of special ed and the IEP process; sample IEP forms and letters; organization and planning tips; a listing of support groups, advocacy organizations and federal and state departments of education. Laws and procedures change frequently, and regulations can be different from state to state, so new editions are printed periodically. You can even take advantage of an "update service" that offers a 35% discount on any future purchases. Good overview, but doesn't replace having an advocate/lawyer
This guide provides a good overview of the special education and IEP process, as well as some sample forms and letters.It also usefully collects the relevant federal statutes and regulations.But I found the descriptions of the process to be quite different from what happens here in D.C., so that ultimately its utility was somewhat limited.There is, perhaps, no solution to this -- the book can't be written for every school district in the country.So while the book is useful, in many areas you will be well served to hire a special ed consultant and/or attorney. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dispute resolution (Law)    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational    5. Individualized education progr    6. Individualized education programs    7. Law and legislation    8. Learning Disabilities    9. Parent Participation    10. Popular works    11. Special Education - General    12. Special Education - Learning Disabled    13. Special education    14. United States