Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It [Paperback]

Jane Healy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1991

First published in 1990 and now a classic in its field, and more relevant than ever before, Endangered Minds lays bare the roots of America's escalating crisis in education, presenting clear, scientifically-based explanations for why children today are less able to concentrate, less able to absorb and analyze information, and less able literally to think than previous generations. Arguing that the electronic media, fast-paced lifestyles, and current educational practice all contribute to this decline, Jane M. Healy calls for bold reform in the classroom and offers concrete advice on what parents can do at home -- including carefully monitoring their children's television watching -- to rescue the minds of this and future generations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Healy draws on recent research in neuropsychology and analyzes educational practices as she seeks reason and remedy for the increasing lack of reading skills among the functionally literate. "Thoughtful and provocative, this advisory offers much to parents regarding the development of their children's reading and critical thinking abilities," said PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The subtitle is the basic premise of this volume. According to the author, the present generation is not receiving the educational foundation needed to foster analytical thought processes. The current trend toward preschool preparedness and the use of such programs as Sesame Street to enhance the child's learning may teach the child to read but fails to develop critical reasoning processes. Today's students have no ability in language-related learning, are inattentive, and are not successful problem solvers. Healy relies on current research findings to support the theory of "plasticity of the brain"--the changeability of the brain in both function and physical size in direct response to environmental and experiential stimuli. The final chapters, offering advice to parents on helping the child to become a critical thinker both at home and in school, make this valuable for public libraries; the excellent bibliography makes this a worthwhile selection for readers knowledgeable in neuropsychology as it pertains to the field of education.
- A.R. Huggins, Memphis State Univ.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st edition (October 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067174920X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671749200
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #988,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative, thought-provoking, and understandable!, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It (Paperback)

Healy begins this interesting, understandable book by proposing that kids' brains must be different today than what they used to be. While she offers no conclusive evidence for her contentions, she does provide a great deal of circumstantial evidence for them. An in-depth description of the influence of language on mental development is given; the importance of verbal interaction bertween the child and the adult is emphasized. However, changes in our use of language are not encouraging in this regard. Issues related to attention and learning disabilities of students in today's schools are also raised. Healy launches an attack on video games and television, including the children's program, Sesame Street. I think any adult, not just parents, will find her work interesting and thought-provoking. In addition, she provides many thoughts on the impact of poverty on children's brain development and success in today's schools. Lastly, Healy offers recommendations for improving students' learning, many of which would result in major changes in many schools. In the end, the question remains about the type of skills that are needed for our information-age, changing society. Healy believes curiosity in our children must always remain. Her purpose in writing is to raise awareness about the needs of the brain today--that she does!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only for parents who WILL be involved with their children!, June 4, 2001

By 

Sandi Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Endangered Minds: Why Our Children Don't Think (Hardcover)

This book is not for the timid, not for those who just want to just park them in front of PBS, or pack their children off to public school! She even attacks the liberal establishment's God-send "Sesame Street"! I have seen explanations of many things that I have seen in my own 4 sons in this book. But, if you figure your job as a parent is just to pay the day care bill, and go to the 2 parent teacher conferences per year, save your feelings. Don't read this book. For those who want to push their children so fast that they never have a childhood. Don't read this book. To me, just seeing the order in which different centers of the brain develop was worth the full cost of the book. No surprize that her biggest critics are those who swear by the flashy teaching methods that have failed dismally over the last few decades. It's a shame it's out of print.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You mean Sesame Street isn't all its cracked up to be?, October 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It (Paperback)

Wow! While this book never mentions "homeschooling" as the answer for our educational problems, that was one of the answers we came up with for our children after reading this book.

We already knew video games, day care, and the fast pace of life was bad for kids, but I was shocked to discover Sesame Street isn't all its cracked up to be and may actually be one of the causes of our current educational problems. Her information about language development was excellent, and (suprise!) proper language development takes place by interaction with parents!