Ric Klass

You have got me hooked, Ric. I cannot put down your diary. I cannot help but marvel at a guy who has been successful at a number of occupations and then decides to take on teaching in a tough, tough school. And you struggle. And the kids do not care about math. And the kids misbehave. And, and, and. Well, why would a teacher-librarian care about you when you only get teaching tips from the teacher’s lounge? Yes, I remember Up the Down Staircase and Stand and Deliver. You are not a polished gem, Sir Ric, but you have created a fascinating read for teacher-librarians who are trying to figure out how to lend a hand to those new teachers. By the way, Ric, did you have a teacher-librarian? Anyway, what would a math teacher in a tough school do in the library? (Seven Locks Press, 2006. 288 pp. $17.95. 1-931643-86-5.)

Bottom line: Worth the read and a big think. David Loertscher

Suzanne Capek Tingley

Each year, there is a new crop of tip books for working with parents. Tingley has worked as a classroom teacher, a principal, and a superintendent, and one can tell from the tone of her book that she has learned over the years to use humor, wit, and wisdom in handling the various characters who present themselves at the door, on the telephone, and at meetings. You get the idea quickly when scanning the chapter titles as she categorizes the various types of folks you meet: “Pinocchio’s Mom,” “Caped Crusader,” “Ms. Quit Picking on My Kid,” “The Intimidator,” “The Stealth Zapper,” “The Uncivil Libertarian,” “No-Show’s Dad,” “Helicopter Mom,” and “The Competitor.” Using imaginary but witty dialogue, Tingley teaches us various types of approaches to diffuse anger, see the objection in a larger context, and learn what not to say and do, as well a number of tactics to help make an ally rather than a more difficult enemy. The price is right; the humor is worth using to set up a scenario in a teacher’s meeting, and, because teacher-librarians have their share of encounters with difficult parents, we might learn a few tactics ourselves. (Cottonwood Press, 2006. 144 pp. $12.95. 1-877673-72-2.)

Bottom line: Push this one into a teacher’s hand or into the hand of an administrator who is conducting professional development on the topic. David Loertscher

Neil A. Glasgow, Sarah J. McNary, and Cathy D. Hicks

Glasgow, McNary, and Hicks have assembled a practical and plain guide to rethinking our work with diverse backgrounds. More than 90% of teachers in the United States are White, but their classrooms become more diverse each year. Have they adjusted? Do they know how to adjust? The 71 recommendations—each based on a major study—are grouped into eight chapters. The following are some of the recommendations offered:

•    Move beyond color-blind teaching and take the time to know students in localized cultural contexts.

•    Recognize that diverse communities view disabilities differently.

•    Open the dialogue with students regarding gender equity issues.

•    Teach group skills to help low-income students establish a positive and encouraging support network to increase their likelihood of succeeding and completing higher education.

•    Be wary of low expectations for language minority students.

•    Develop strategies to help parents help their children to succeed academically.

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Each suggestion has enough detail to offer a clear recommendation for practice. Such nuggets make wonderful 5-minute discussions for faculty meetings. (Corwin Press, 2006. 192 pp. $29.95. 1-4129-1617-8.)

Bottom line: Highly recommended for any faculty facing the challenges of teaching diverse cultures. David Loertscher

Donna Walker Tileston

Tileston is a good soldier of the current party line in education; that is, she is an apologist for the Department of Education’s major arguments for the reasons for standards, alignment, and testing. In clearly written chapters, she presents this position to parents to help them understand the current educational practice and to know how to respond positively to it. So, depending your own philosophy about current practice, this book will either be a gem or a major piece of propaganda. One of the best features is the glossary  of educational jargon with easy-to-understand definitions.

There really are not enough of these primers to education that reflect either side of the major issues. I also noticed that school libraries are not mentioned in this book and that the vocabulary instruction is particularly distasteful to a Krashen advocate. All in all, however, parents need access to this book along with a companion piece with different ideas. For teacher-librarians, it is a solid summary of the state of  “official” thinking, and as such, it gives readers a full understanding of a position and the language that we all must speak in defense of an idea. (Corwin Press, 2006. 88 pp. $12.95. 1-4129-1470-1.)

Bottom line: Read and enjoy—read and fume. This book will stir your dendrites. David Loertscher

Margaret A. Theobald

Motivation and teens; is that an oxymoron? Sometimes we educators wonder, but Theobald changes our minds with a number of strategies for working with this group. Although we might have experience, it is good to refresh our memory, or, if one is new to working with this age group, it is quite instructive to consider her points. Examples of her strategies follow: Help teens believe they can succeed and that making mistakes is just part of learning; If we expect students to be excited about learning, then we have to model this excitement in our own behavior; Provide the expectations for learning, but then give some flexibility in the time to accomplish tasks because our students’ world and motivation is changing from day to day; Motivation is increased when students learn that they can think and act for themselves within the structure we provide.

These are but 4 of the 10 examples provided in this book. Each chapter can be quickly read and is filled with many suggestions on the theme. Although you might not agree with all of the suggestions as you implement them with teens in your school, Theobold does make you think and reconsider your own practice, as opposed to allowing us to sink into complacency that we know all the answers while we constantly complain about the students we teach. (Corwin Press, 2005. 160 pp. $61.95. 1-4129-0622-9.)

Bottom line: A good introduction to or review of the topic for both teachers and teacher-librarians who work with the wonderful creatures we affectionately call teenagers. David Loertscher

Mary Humphrey

To raise a child, previous generations relied on the strength of the home, the church, and the school. Now, in a dysfunctional family environment with no church experience, that leaves the character education of many children up to the school. But the school and its teachers often shy away from character education because it is a very controversial topic, one in which a definition of the traits to be taught is controversial.

This book is designed for those in schools who feel that character education is important and should be taught explicitly rather than implicitly. What are the qualities of character Humphrey proposes to teach? She list four with subtopics: (1) Right Action: Being responsible, showing perseverance, keeping promises, and showing kindness; (2) Right Speech: being respectful, using polite words, choosing words that do not hurt, choosing words that are helpful; (3) Right Thought: thinking of others’ needs, planning with care and consideration, and considering what is fair and right; and (4) No Action: using your intuition, using your senses, and gathering information through observation. Then, using this template, Humphrey presents the tales, offers recommendations for how they should be taught, and provides an elaborate action research plan to try to ascertain whether the character traits have been internalized by the learners. So the remaining questions are:  Is your school striving to teach character education? Do you need ideas in this area? If so, this volume is highly recommended as appropriate for both elementary and middle school teachers and teacher-librarians. (Libraries Unlimited, 2005. 144 pp. $39.00. 1-59158-252-0.)

Bottom line: Highly recommended for elementary and middle school teachers and teacher-librarians who want to teach character education. David Loertscher