The Learning Coach Approach [Hardcover]

Linda Dobson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2005

For parents who worry that their child lacks a love of learning, or has been falling behind in a rigid “teach-to-the-test” classroom, here is an ultra-practical guide to help restore joy and independence to education. Linda Dobson is an educator and parent who has been at the forefront of the homeschooling boom. The Learning Coach, however, is not a homeschooling book, but rather a useful guide to honing in on children’s unique needs and inspiring them to learn. Her fresh approach, supported by current educational research, defies conventional wisdom by declaring that when it comes to learning, less is more: less pressure, more fun. Less scheduling, more free time. Dobson believes that success, in its many forms, results not by pushing children into activities but by creating an environment that encourages exploration, discovery, and curiosity. The role of the learning coach is to inspire and guide children’s experience to bring out their natural, unique “genius.”

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dobson, an educator and author of What the Rest of Us Can Learn from Homeschooling, urges parents to help their children develop their own natural talents and passions and then utilize them to make information, skills and self-knowledge stick. Her mantra, "Curiosity creates interest, interest increases attention to the task at hand, and attention gives rise to learning," which she encourages readers to print out in "large type" and stick to the fridge, encapsulates Dobson's philosophy that a child's learning doesn't begin and end at the schoolhouse gates, and it's a parent's duty to learn how their child learns, and then customize homelife accordingly so it's a continually educational experience. A self-described homeschooling "veteran," Dobson repeatedly flogs public and private schooling while touting the benefits of homeschooling, often with unintentionally comic or heavy-handed anecdotes that distract from her worthwhile tips on stimulating a child's learning. Some of Dobson's ideas are too involved for busy parents, but the many doable tips, how-to's and the dozens of Websites referenced should provide most parents with options they didn't know were available.
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About the Author

Linda Dobson is a nationally respected conference keynote speaker, spreading the message of The Learning Coach through educational and parent organizations. Her articles have appeared in many publications, including Good Housekeeping. She lives in Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (August 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762424001
• ISBN-13: 978-0762424009
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,930,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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