Customer Reviews

The Educated Child: A Parents Guide From Preschool Through Eighth Grade

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a mother of three -- one in public school, one in private and one home-schooled -- I am deeply concerned about my children's education. I've lost count of the number of books I've read in the past 16 years on educating children. Some books were worth my time, many were not. Mr. Bennett's book is standing tall at the top of my list of "best reads". I'm sure we all have horror stories coming out of our kids' education (i.e., the huge amount of wasted time in the classroom, the lack of control in the class, the political correctness of revisionist history), but this book really can help. Mr. Bennett begins by explaining the importance of a solid education that engages a child's imagination by first making sure that child can read well. He builds on that by reminding parents that the main responsibility for educating our kids rests on our shoulders, not the school's. The book goes into detail about more than the Three R's, but covers those subjects extremely well, also. He reminds us that as parents it's up to us to speak up and go to bat for our kids throughout their education thus insuring they get the help they need. Throughout the book are checklists, questions to ask your child's teachers, book lists for you to insure that your child reads what is truly worthy of his time, and tips for incorporating the arts into your child's life. This book is like having a one-on-one conversation with a great educator who will give you the confidence you need to take control of your child's education. Help your child succeed by reading this book and then putting it into practice!

Bennett, Finn & Cribb provide for all parents what parents of special needs children have had for a long time - an individualized education plan, a guide for what their children need to learn and a yardstick to measure the school's performance. Since my children are in 3rd and 5th grade, I immediately went to those sections to see how we were doing in our tiny four school district, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that we do well here, but could do better. I found their treatment of issues such as learning disabilty, ADHD and giftedness to be even handed and practical. By using this text as a guide parents (and hopefully school boards and principals) will be less inclined to jump on the latest educational bandwagon, and will instead stay focused on what needs to be done. The chapter on "Temptation and Troubles", dealing with the influences of TV, internet and sexual education is excellent, and the advice here will certainly be distributed in my practice as a child Psychologist. This is a must buy book for any parent who cares about what their children learn during these critical years.

From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly Former U.S. Secretary of Education Bennett (The Book of Virtues) and his colleagues (Finn, author of We Must Take Charge; Cribb, formerly of the U.S. Department of Education) offer American parents an impassioned and straight-shooting reference for educating their children. In prose free of academic rhetoric, the authors state: "[I]f your school is inflicting a mediocre education on your child, the sooner you know about it the better." They then present a "yardstick" by which to judge the academic quality of any school (public or private). A model core curriculum organized by grade level--primary (K-3), intermediate (4-6), and junior high (7 and 8)--presents the material clearly and logically, and helps readers assess whether a child is getting a thorough dose of English, history and geography, the arts, math and science. While blunt in their criticism of decaying academic standards (evident in grade inflation, lowered expectations for students and terrible international rankings), the authors are unequivocal in their support of dedicated educators and all those willing to hold children to the highest possible standard. Parents may question some of the model curriculum's expectations (e.g., that second graders dramatize the death of Socrates), but the authors are quick to reassure readers that the book's purpose is not to serve as a list of must-haves but rather as "inspiration and general guidance" in gaining a sense of "the knowledge and skills that should lie at the heart of a solid elementary education." Bennett is a controversial figure because of his passionate cultural conservatism. But this book, despite a brief word in favor of school vouchers, is about padagogy, not politics. It's an ambitious and commonsensical guide that will inspire both parents and educators. 100,000 first printing; 25-city radio satellite tour. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Hope, an advocate for a better education, October 25, 1999, Bravo, Bill! Bill Bennett has done it again. This time in a BIG way. This book, in my opinion, is the last word on a good elementary education. It is the most concise, clear book I have read in 13 years of parenting and supplementing my kids education. With ideas taken from E. D. Hirsch core knowledge series, it is not only VERY well presented for the parent reader,but should be required reading for all teaching candidates of elementary ed. With children is grades 7, 3, and kindergarten, I am sure I will be referring to this book for many years to come! ( The reading lists are some of the best I've seen!)

This is such a fabulous book. I have four children (ages 3-9) and I have found more valuable information, guidance, and great ideas in this book than in all the other education related books I have read -- combined. I particularly liked the grade specific study topics (core curriculum), reading lists, helpful tips to improve reading and other ways to help your child succeed in school, questions to ask the teacher, info. on gifted and special needs children, and kindergarten readiness list. Even though I consider myself somewhat experienced in the first three to four years of school (due to the volume of children I have), I found that this book provided me with new insight and reinforced my desire to help my children develop a love for learning. I know I will use this as a reference for many years to come. My only regret is that I did not have this book when my oldest child started preschool! Well worth the price!

This is a wonderful book, a must read for parents with children of any school age. Better yet, buy it before they start school so you'll know what to look for. It's probably the most useful book you can buy as a parent. Your children will benefit from what you learn as well. Don't send your children to school until you read this book!

This book looks like a college textbook, but is so filled with practical, down to earth common sense that I simply couldn't put it down. I am a teacher and a parent, and am highly recommending it to every person I come in contact with. It outlines what each grade level's expectations should be, and how to spot good education, spotty education and poor education. This man is a breath of fresh air to the education world. I wish I could take all of this information and place it in each parent's head.

One thing I particularly admire about Dr. Bennett's writing is that it is easy to read and reference. He speaks plainly and simply while making huge statements (ex. "There is right and wrong and it is our job to teach children to choose right"--what a concept lacking in our schools!)

Another thing I admire about this book is that it is not politically motivated. He does have some opinions in the last chapter of this book, but over all, he points out that we are to raise and teach moral, virtuous children that sometimes "make their brain sweat" while working out problems. (My daughter really likes to tell me her brain is sweating, so she must be doing a great job).

Another thing I admire about this book is that it is his feeling that if children were taught pride in themselves as Americans, we would see children turning away from drugs, because to support drug dealers is to support enemies of the United States.

If you have a child in your family or are a teacher or student teacher, I cannot rate this book high enough. If it were out in paperback I would personally purchase it for each of my parents in my class.

This author is one of my favorites and he has a very low key, no nonsense approach to education. In this book, he seems to state that education is not just for school, but occurs primarily in the home and needs to remain that way. There are many suggestions and ideas that are easy to incorporate into just about any family routine. In addition to that, there are lists of suggested curriculum for each grade. To conclude, there are several chapters that deal with problems that one may encounter such as difficulties with homework or teachers and some ideas on how to solve them. I truly enjoyed reading this book and have kept it as a reference for ideas for during the summer. It's easy to look at the curriculum and come up with fun activities to try with my kids.

The knowledge you can gain from this 688 page volume can help your children get the kind of education that will be of value to them for the rest of their lives. It provides a how-to-do-it guide for getting your children successfully through the current U.S. educational system, properly prepared for high school and beyond. What greater gift can a parent offer ! You'll discover what a "well educated" child should know, what our responsibilities as parents are, and covers the major current issues in our education system. It not only covers academics, but also all of the other factors that can affect a child's ability to learn. Mr. Bennett even gives us a yardstick to judge the quality of education provided by any school. His purpose is to help parents get a good education for their children from early childhood through the 8th grade. I believe that he truly achieves that goal. He points out what we as parents should stand for in the school system and what we should not stand for. The author points out that the parent is the child's most important teacher, and the problems with delegating educational responsibilities to others. The parent must instill the highest ideals in their children, and a strong sense of responsibilty to really succeed in school and in life. He provides us with the rules for us to establish for our children, to help them gain the most from their schooling, and how to direct them so they know how to properly conduct themselves. Mr. Bennett emphasizes that elementary school has a far greater impact on our children, than higher education, and notes that "we ask elementary schools to help shape our students' first and lasting ideas about themselves, their country, and the world." He notes that "reading is the heart and soul of elementary education." He feels that educators today tend to emphasize that students need to "learn how to learn," and remain vague about what they should learn. The unruly atmosphere of our schools is addressed. He also covers the issues of teachers feeling that they work with very little help from parents. The basics of what makes good students and good schools is clearly spelled out for parents, and presents his "Ten Principles For Parents Of Educated Children." This books is a MUST READ, if you really want to help your children succeed, not just with lip service, but it provides all the facts you'll need, if you just expend a little effort. Wow !

I am currently reading this book. I am the mother of two children, 2 1/2 years old and 11 months. This book has been very helpful in allowing our family to gage where our 2 1/2 year old is developmentally. My daughter has known her primary colors and ABC's since she was 18 months old. As a parent, I want to understand what a solid based curriculum should 'look like'. We do not want our children to be 'bored' in school and Bennett provides a wonderful checklist of what a preschooler should know. He also outlines what we as parents can do with our children to foster their growth.

Our primary role as parents should be to nurture and teach our children. Too many parents today want their children to be taught by strangers and they want as 'little' involvement in their education as possible. Shame on them! The greatest gift in life is having children --- Our main purpose as parents is to foster their love of learning and teach them to be moral and upright citizens.

In our home, we have NEVER pushed our daughter to 'learn' her ABC's or 'learn' her colors. As an infant, I read to her and drew the letters on a Magna Doodle. After a few months of this, she was able to recognize her letters and colors.

Learning can be fun and creative. We sort clothes together and she loves to help me clean the house. Involve your children in your EVERY DAY LIFE!

I applaud these Authors for their insight in education and how we as parents need to be the PRIMARY source for their education!