[.ca] How To Talk So Kids Can Learn (ISBN 0684824728)

More of the same from the authors in this excellent series:
This book was written in response to requests from educators, some of whom apparently experienced difficulty translating the principles from the authors' earlier work, "How to talk to kids will listen and listen so kids will talk." The writing is clear and the supporting comics are very helpful. Like their earlier works, this is about how to get kids to open up and has useful tips about a variety of subjects. For example, when brainstorming, let them go first so that they are not initimidated by some great suggestion. As with the earlier works, the ideas apply similarly to adults. I don't think the book is necessary unless one wants more examples applied to primary education. Otherwise, I'd just get their first book.

great to learn how to deal with situations:
I picked this book up at the local library, and immediately realized that it was full of great ideas for classroom management. I'm studying to be an elementary school teacher, and I saw many ideas in this book that I will be able to use in my classroom language: Both when I am teaching and during my practicum next term.

Lots of insights for teachers who deal with behavior issues:
As a middle school 6th grade teacher, I experience the gamut of behavoir issues from too much chatting, to rudeness to the occasional pushing/fighting. I found myself reverting to what this book suggests you don't do (but most teachers do) and that is to constantly say "Don't" and "because I said so". While I control out of punishment and consequences, I was not feeling I was controlling out of respect. I was searching for a book that could help me, and came across this one. I liked the simple concepts. I liked the actual examples used of typical classroom issues. This book made me "think" about how I am coming across to my kids now and how I SHOULD come across. The only part of the book that left me wondering was 'how do teachers have time to implement this'. I wish the author could have addressed that issue more.

A must-read for every teacher and education major:
Wow. This book made a lot of sense. What I like best is the layout. Not only does it practically apply theories (particularly those of Ginott), it tells you how to do so in a user-friendly way. There are checklists, comics, and even dialogues to help teachers (and parents too) see and understand how the techniques described by Faber and Mazlish work. The day care where I currently work uses extreme discipline techniques (and requires teachers to punish moreso than negotiate), so I have not been able to fully practice this method and really see whether or not it works in that setting. However, this book helped me look at children in a different way and respect them even more. The tips on parent-teacher conferences helped me successfully hold my first parent-teacher conference. I did use the method in a student conference with my CCD kids, and it helped me see all the children's point of views and understand the roots of the misbehavior (though we are currently still working on the issues, but the method has a long-term approach moreso than short-term one). Parents should pick up this book at a library and check it out. Teachers, read it and read it and read it some more (and highlight it like crazy)!

A great book for getting students to cooperate:
Unless you are used to talking completely rationally for optimum results, this will aid you in how to confront students without putting them on the defensive. In his autobiography, Mussolini talks about how, during his childhood, he would often have rock fights with his classmates who didn't like him. They would go on to become friends afterwards, and the lesson is that childhood is filled with instances that may seem harsh but teach you something in the long run by overcoming them. This is what I learned growing up too, but growing up today is hard enough, so it is important to make students reasonably comfortable in their learning environment. In this instance, however accustomed you are to being "real" with your students, you need to back up a bit and realize that they are in a position where people are constantly asking them for a certain behavior (self-motivated and self-disciplined) so they assert their freedom in countereffective ways. When given appropriate choices they will usually choose a good one, but they need that control over their lives. (...)