Customer Reviews

Fred Jones Tools for Teaching: Discipline, Instruction, Motivation

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Simply put: This book covers all the bases. If you are a new teacher stressing out, this book is a must. If you are a veteran teacher searching for that spark you had a few years ago, this book is the answer. For whatever reason, colleges do a really poor job preparing this country's soon-to-be teachers. All I remember learning about in my EDU classes were countless theories and how to write five-page lesson plans.

Once I started teaching I quickly realized that my college professors didn't prepare me for the realities of teaching. (All of you veterans out there know exactly what I am talking about.) Anyhow, if you are looking to be more successful in the classroom, at any point in your career, pay the $20 and if this book takes away just one headache during your next month of teaching then it was worth it.

---Michael James D'Amato, Author of "The Classroom"

I have been in education for over 30 years and work with teachers, as a consultant, at all grade levels. Before I start any group presentation, I begin with, " If I were ever in a fire and could take only one education book with me, it would definitely be Tools for Teaching, by Fred Jones." Teachers love this book, and I love being able to easily direct teachers to specific information in the book to help them improve their craft and maintain sanity in their classrooms. Chapter 7: Visual Instruction Plans (VIPs) is simply the best for helping teachers teach skills in an organized fashion and creating a VIP tool for the student to differentiate instruction for all the students in the class. Fred and Jo Lynne have perfected a plan for success in the classroom. Be sure to buy this for any teacher!

I own "Why Didn't I Learn This in College?" and "The First Days of School," in addition to the Fred Jones book. BY FAR, the "Tools for Teaching" is the most helpful. Jones presents tips on instruction, by way of an antecedent strategy to avoiding behaviors. Then he presents strategies to cope with behaviors that may surface anyway. His tips are a result of the author's years of observation in classrooms and described in great detail.

My only disappointments with this book are: editing (could have cut some of the build-up), weight (book weighs a lot due to paper type), and format (awkward horizontal format does not fit on my desk or my lap!), lack of broader research base (Jones could enhance this book by supporting his declaratives with research).

5 stars for Fred Jones!

I've recently bought the latest edition of this book, because I also wanted the attached DVD, which didn't come with the first edition.

I was very disappointed to find that the DVD you get with this book is just a cheap infomercial for some other book or DVD set that Fred Jones has produced. It was really useless. You might as well throw the DVD into the trash.

Save yourself a few bucks. Buy a used copy of the first edition.

As a veteran teacher, I know that today's classroom can be full of stress. Fred Jones gives every teacher, both new and experienced, the tools for reducing stress while doing the job of equipping young people. UNIQUE to most books for educators, it is equally as effective for teachers K-12.
As a "gift" to myself and my students, I reread Tools for Teaching each year in August. I didn't think the book could get any better until the newest edition came out ! Everything in previous editions is there, just BETTER and MORE !
If a teacher could have only one book in their library, THIS IS THE BOOK. It will carry you from day one to the last day of your teaching career.

If you are a Harry Wong reader and love his work try out this Fred Jones book! I love Harry Wong but always finished this books wanting more, Fred Jones gives you just that. You won't regret adding this book to you teaching collection!

I bought this book to try and gain control of my classroom. I was brought in shortly after the school year started and have faced many challenges since then. This book has offered some wonderful ideas that I will most likely use next year, but it does not address how to put these things into place after the school year has started. I have been figuring that out on my own.

The behavior section is very helpful as it offers great ideas on how to address behavior as it happens.

Overall, this book is well written and organized. It has been helpful, but I wish it had more on how to implement after the year has begun.

This is a very informative book. I brought late in the school year and wish I had the summer before. As a teacher it has been helpful and great guide. remember it is not a how to but a tool help sharpen you other tools.

Fredric Jones does a great job explaining class procedures. It's fun, easy read and eye opening. I am a teacher and I'm starting to get his ideas into my classroom and see them work. Grandma's recipe really works and meaning business even worked with my younger child. A normal tantrum of 30 min. became a monologue that lasted only 5 min. The second time lasted one min. and there has not been a third time yet because she gets the look and goes away. I recommend it for both parents and teachers.

"The best disciplined child is a self disciplined child." This quote comes from the staff manual in my current placement as a student teacher. The author makes the point that discipline and order need to be established in the classroom before we can do what we want and that is teach. How do we move the discipline away from being teacher directed and extrinsic to intrinsically motivating the student to become self-disciplined? Using poker as an analogy, the author answers that very question.
I bought this book on a friend's recommendation. I will use it in conjunction with Minute Discipline and Harry Wong's book about the First Days of School when I have my own classroom.