The Essential 55

The Essential 55 was written in 2003 by Ron Clark. Mr. Ron Clark is an educator who teaches elementary school students on the East coast. He has taught since 1995 and along this journey he developed, implemented, and enforced fifty-five essential rules for his students (and himself) to follow. These 55 rules have enriched the lives of his students, colleagues, and educators throughout the United States. A few years into his journey of educating children, Mr. Clark became the recipient of the 2001 Disney's American Teacher Award.
This is an excellent common sense book for the beginning as well as the seasoned teacher. Ron Clark does not claim to have all the answers nor all of the "right" rules to make life in the classroom perfect. However, Mr. Clark offers these 55 rules that have been tried, tested, and proven to bring out the successful student in every child.

The book has been written in a basic format. Each rule is numbered. The rule is stated, then a brief story and/or an explanation. The structure and purpose of this book is similar to Mr. Swanson's leadership booklet entitled, "Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management". The only difference has to do with the audience. Both books provide insight on leadership and how to become more efficient and effective in the job.

The fifty-five rules range from communication (to fellow students, teachers, other adults) to personal responsibility (honesty, hygiene, organization).

When you look at the rules and begin to analyze them, character building comes to mind. Each of his rules molds and builds productive character traits in all of his students. It has become evident through the stories Mr. Clark has shared in his book, that these rules have helped an enormous number of his students experience academic and social success beyond his classroom.

I highly recommend this book for anyone new to the profession of education. Additionally, I think those of us who have been teaching or working with children for a huge number of years could also benefit from this book. Although the fifty-five rules may seem tedious, at times silly, and overwhelming to consistently enforce, children need to have guidelines. These rules serve as a foundation to build upon and/or a stepping stone to the essential rules/guidelines you will establish in your classroom. Students will perform at the level of the teacher's expectations. If the teacher's expectations are low, then the students performance both inside and outside of the classroom will be low. However, if the teacher's expectations are high, then the students performance both inside and outside of the classroom will be high. Children can and will rise the level you have set the bar. Set the bar at a height that will provide them with the best opportunity of being successful inside as well as outside of the classroom.

This book should be on the professional book shelf of every new and seasoned teacher in the education field.

NO AR

Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management

William H. Swanson is the author of Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management. He wrote this thirty-three unwritten rule management booklet in 2004. Mr. Swanson joined the Raytheon Company in 1972 as an engineer on the shop floor. As of the writing of this management booklet, he has become the chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. Throughout his journey, he has jotted down his thoughts and bits of wisdom on how to perform more effectively. This booklet is a product of his journal writing as well as effective practices.

Mr. William Swanson has compiled thirty-three rules he operates by on a regular basis. Each rule begins with the rule and then a brief story justifying the purpose of the rule. These justifications and/or insights are filled with humor, wisdom, and raw, yet practical experience.

Of the thirty-three unwritten rules, I have a few favorites. Rule number 4 has to do with looking for what is missing. This makes a lot of sense to me, especially in a meeting. Typically, presenters provide the audience with needed information or information they have a deep understanding of. Often times the most important message are the things unsaid and/or avoided. Rule #8 encourages you to put forth your best efforts, especially when new to the organization, on all assignments. A good supervisor and/or individuals in influential positions are always watching up-and-coming team members. They observe as well as remember how you handled those menial as well as those difficult tasks. Often times, it is those menial and trivial assignments that define as well as spell out an employee’s working character. Lastly, rule #28 states that “you remember 1/3 of what you read, ½ of what people tell you, but 100% of what you feel.” This rule makes a lot of sense to me. I try to read plenty but I find it difficult to remember the things I read. Thus, I write these brief reviews on the books that have been exposed to my eyes. Throughout the day, many people talk to me. Remembering what they say has become an arduous task. Thus, I carry a little 3X5 note pad in my left shirt pocket and write down the things I need to remember. I started this practice when I first became a vice-principal and had to remember all the “promises” I would make. To this day, I write down messages, phone numbers, birthdays, work orders, and special announcements in this little notebook. Lastly, we all have feelings. I work with teachers, students, parents, and family members. They all have feelings. When I interact with any one of these individuals, it is important that they will remember 1/3 of what they read, ½ of what they hear, but 100% of what they feel. If I come across angry, upset, happy, joyous, dull, boring, uninterested, or energetic, that is what they will remember. It is vital to always be cognizant of how I present myself to others so that their feelings will match what they read and/or heard from me.

For a seasoned leader or an up-and-coming leader, this is a worth while leadership booklet. All thirty-three unwritten rules by Mr. Swanson are practical and easy to put into practice. I have read this booklet a number of times and have discovered something new each time. After this recent read, I found many of the thirty-three unwritten rules to align themselves with the book entitled, The Leadership Challenge. The Leadership Challenge is an excellent text on leadership. With two plus decades of research supporting their position on leadership, The Leadership Challenge is a book worth exploring.

Controlling Cholesterol for Dummies

Controlling Cholesterol for Dummies was written by Carol Ann Rinzler and the practicing physician Martin W. Graf, MD. Carol Ann Rinzler use up-to-date health information with a twist of humor to inform her audience about cholesterol and how to control it.

The "...for Dummies" books have been designed to be informative and practical. Controlling Cholesterol for Dummies follows this practical, yet informative format. The book has been divided up into five parts and each part (or section) consists of 3-4 chapters.

Getting Up Close and Personal with Cholesterol is the title of part one. This section deals with the basics. It covers the basic biology of the heart, the good and the bad of cholesterol, and provides a quick self-rating assessment in terms of your cholesterol risk.

Eating Your Way to Lower Cholesterol is the title of part two. The three chapters in this section explains how all of America falls into one of three risk groups for heart attacks, how to build a cholesterol-lowering diet, and how the cholesterol-lowering diet has impacted brand-name diets.
Part three takes the reader through a journey of how to live a cholesterol-lowering lifestyle. These four chapters enlighten the reader a on a short but informative journey on how your cholesterol levels (mostly the bad cholesterol) has a correlation with your weight, exercise, smoking, and drinking.

Cutting Cholesterol with Nutrients and Medicine is the title of part four. The three chapters in this section deal with natural remedies (i.e. vitamins, minerals and other natural items) and prescribed cholesterol medication to reduce one's cholesterol levels. The last chapter in this section also covers the negative effects dangerous drugs can have on your body and cholesterol levels.

Lastly, part five consists of six chapters that expose the reader to important cholesterol web sites, nutritional web sites, deals with the top 10 myths about cholesterol, cholesterol landmarks throughout history, the top ten foods to AVOID, and lastly the top ten current foods to help lower one's cholesterol.

TWO CENTS WORTH:
I want to thank Brenda for being so patient with me. She spent a great deal of her precious time trying to help me understand lipoproteins, what is good cholesterol, what is bad cholesterol, how you should have a high "good" cholesterol count and a "low" bad cholesterol count. I'm sure I drove her to drink that night. Her patience and genuine concern drove me to purchase the one book I knew would explain this cholesterol stuff in a manner I could understand. Although Brenda is not the Nathaniel Bowditch of the cholesterol world, she certainly knows how to steer the boat and put wind in your sails. Without your patience, humor, and willingness to teach the common layman, I would still be adrift out in the sea of high cholesterol and those yummy McDonald's french fries.


This is an excellent book for those individuals who know little about cholesterol and what you can do about it. The book was an easy read. It is a nonfiction book that would meet the intellectual needs of the beginner as well as the "just above" novist(sp). Carol Ann Rinzler provides the readers with multiple resources to build upon the foundation she has set with her book.

How has this book influenced my everyday actions? I now know how to look at the printout the doctor gives me after my annual physical. I actually have a basic understanding of my cholesterol levels (both the good, bad, and total). Now I try to avoid eating at fast food restaurants and those six "small" donuts Saturday and Sunday morning. Also, I have become more aware of the foods I put into my mouth. The bottom line is quite simple, I want to live a long healthy life so I can experience growing old with my precious wife, enjoy my children, and some day grandchildren. On a selfish level, I am pretty confident that having a heart attack would be painful and possibly fatal.

This is a book I will keep on my book shelf and refer to for years to come.

NO AR: :(

Stop, Drop and Roll

Stop, Drop and Roll was written by Margery Cuyler and illustrated by Arthur Howard. This Scholastic book was published in 2001.

Stop, Drop and Roll is a precious story about a young elementary age girl who worried about everything. Her name was Jessica. Jessica worried about homework, spelling tests, and her new steps in ballet class. Fire Prevention month is the month of October. We journey with her as she learns about fire prevention and what to do when faced with a fire. Her teacher asks Jessica to model how to "Stop, Drop and Roll" if your clothes catch on fire. Although she worried herself silly about, little miss Jessica was able to model the correct actions in front of the whole school.

MY TWO CENTS:
I really enjoyed this book for two simple reasons. First of all it takes us through the mind and actions of an elementary school child. As an adult, a fire drill or even a disaster drill is nothing more than practice. As a adults we have experienced many of these type of drills as well as an occasional "real" thing. However, fire drills and/or disaster drills are new and unfamiliar situations for elementary school students. This book written by Margery Cuyler exposes young students to these common drills and lets them know they done for their safety. Lastly, I enjoyed this book because it outlines the actions that should be taken by all in the event of a fire. Our character, Jessica, takes this new information and begins to apply it to her life at home. She begins to ask her father questions regarding fire safety and she takes her little brother along to inspect the house for fire hazards. Jessica models for our young students what they should do both at school and at home.

This is a book I would recommend as a quick read-a-loud followed up with a conversation and/or a lesson on fire prevention. It is an easy, quick, fun, and action provoking read.

NO AR: :(

Why Grace Changes Everything

Why Grace Changes Everything written by Chuck Smith. This book was published 1994 by Harvest House Publishers.



In a nutshell, this book is about God's grace. It has fourteen life changing chapters that talk about God's grace and how it will transform your live into "something rich and beautiful."


The message of grace is simple, yet man has made every effort to make it difficult, complex, and unattainable. Through these fourteen chapters, Pastor Chuck Smith has taken this convoluted concept of grace and explains it in a clear and forthright manner. Utilizing scripture from the new and old testaments, Chuck Smith explains that through God's grace we are forgiven through the simple act of believing in what Jesus said and did. He takes the time to share with the reader that one's salvation is not based on works but rests on the acts of Jesus Christ and God's grace toward man. Jesus completed the required tasks and fulfilled all of God's requirements. Man can not nor will he ever be able to complete or fulfill all of God's requirements through his own efforts. Works will not open the door to heaven, only God's grace toward men/women who by faith trust in Christ. In the last chapter of his book, Chuck Smith states it best, "The message of the New Testament is simple, direct, and unmistakable. We are saved by God's grace through faith alone, not on the basis of any good works we have done. The sole responsibility of a Christian is to believe in the love and grace which God freely offers."

TWO CENTS WORTH:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I was hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of grace as well as its relationship with God, Jesus, and the believer. All of my life I have believed that work was the key to get through those pearly gates. I had to work and tip the scales in my favor so that all of my sins would be over looked when compared to my good deeds. The bible reveals to the reader that our works can not and will not get us into heaven. Yet, through the simple act of believing in Jesus we given the keys to heaven and forgiven of all we've done in the past. Jesus has done all the work required of me in order to be in God's presence. Now all I have to do is believe and accept the grace God freely offers.

This is an excellent book on the subject of God's grace. Why Grace Changes Everything is a book that will meet the needs of the serious scholar as well as the novist (sp). It was an easy read. Chuck Smith used scripture throughout the text as well as real-life experiences. The text was easy to understand, confirm with scripture, and apply to one's personal walk. This is a book I recommend to read.

10 Best Teaching Practices

10 Best Teaching Practices: How Brain Research, Learning Styles, and STandards Define Teaching Competencies is written by Donna Walker Tileston. She has written this book for the teacher who has been seeking out teaching methods that have a proven track record and have been supported by research. Donna Walker Tileston has skillfully incorporated brain research and learning styles information into a book for quick reference. The ten best practices covered in this book are not new. We have all seen them, heard about them, read about them, and even practiced them in our own classroom.

Donna Walker Tileston has provided her readers with the latest in brain research, learning styles, and standards based instruction. She builds a solid case on why educators (i.e. teachers, principals, and district administrators) need to put into action these 10 teaching practices.

This book has been divided up into eleven chapters. The first ten chapters cover the ten best practices Donna Walker Tileston champions and the last chapter discusses how to put it all together.

The importance of creating an emotionally supportive and enriching environment was covered in chapter 1. Chapter 2 supports the notion that a wide repertoire of teaching techniques must be utilized throughout the lesson. Connecting new concepts or new learning across disciplines with concepts and learning that has taken place previously was discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 takes some time to review the research that supports teaching for long-term memory. As educators, it has been our responsibility to integrate higher-level thinking skills into the daily learning of our students. This practice was covered in some detail in chapter 5. Chapter 6 reviews the research on positive impact collaboration has both inside the classroom with the students as well as outside of the classroom with the teachers. Collaboration can and will improve how students learn, what students learn, how teachers work together, how teachers teach, and what teachers teach. Bridging the gender gap, the race gap, and the socioeconomic status gap is covered in chapter 7. This chapter discusses the importance and ever growing need to ensure that "all learners" have an opportunity to be academically successful in our educational system. Chapter 8 addresses authentic assessment and the need to move away from using assessment to test our student's short-term memory but to use authentic assessment for assessing their long-term memory. Chapter 9 identifies the importance of relevance as it applies to learning in the classroom. Technology and its place in today's society has been explored in chapter 10. The last chapter is two pages (my kind of chapter) and sums up what was said.

MY TWO CENTS:

If you are familiar with the latest research of "best practices" then this book is nothing more than a review or a synopsis of the teaching practices that make a difference. I would recommend this book for new teachers as well as principals. Why? This book is an easy read and in a short period of time, the reader will be exposed to the top ten teaching practices that are research supported as well as have enough information to begin a deeper study in one or more of the practices. I'll admit some of those books on brain research are thick with tier 3 words and dwell in the clouds. When reading books like that, I tend to trudge through them (three steps forward and two steps back) and get lost in their language. Donna Walker Tileston has successfully taken years of research and experience and placed it in an easy to read, yet highly informative book.

Hey Jason, thank you for recommending this book. It brought me up to speed and has provided me with some of the research needed to support and/or correct the actions taking place in the classroom.

Math Fables

Math Fables was written by Reg Tang. In an effort to inspire the young to view math as fun and interesting, Reg Tang has written a number of books around the topic of math. Math Fables is a fable with animals and insects as characters. As in many math books for younger students, as you read the pages you discover that you and your child are counting to ten. This book is unique in the sense as you are counting to ten through the pages, the author provides the readers with multiple combinations of the numbers. For example, when the author writes about the 5 raccoons, he also writes about the 2 raccoons who "quickly grabbed" the trash can while "the other 3 all cried." Reg Tang infuses these types number combinations throughout this math book.

MY TWO CENTS:

Charming math book for young children. It is a quick read and provides a fun atmosphere reading about numbers. I particularly liked how Reg Tang incorporated different combinations of numbers to highlight the actual number he was focusing on. This opens the door to addition as well as how several different combinations of numbers can equal the same number (i.e. 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 4+1=5, 1+4=5).

AR QUIZ: 100%