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Liked It “Geoffrey Canada's attempt to open a charter school extending his beliefs about changing the lives of those who most need it by creating a school beginning at both Kindergarten & 6th grade. A nobel experiment that works at the earlier grades but not at the later ones. (Promise...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Geoffrey Canada's attempt to open a charter school extending his beliefs about changing the lives of those who most need it by creating a school beginning at both Kindergarten & 6th grade. A nobel experiment that works at the earlier grades but not at the later ones. (Promise Academy)
Mindy N wrote this review Sunday, November 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
p.124-125 - idea of contamination (both negative & positive)
p 136-137 - work backward & raise test scores
p 157 - comparison w/KIPP schools
p 190-191 - Heckmann & reseach on skills & skills that matter: patience, persistence, self-confidence, the ability to follow directions, the ability to delay gratification for a future reward
p 208-209 - the Matthew affect in reading
p 232 - "what would it take?"
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“I heard about this book on "This American Life," and I am fascinated with Geoffrey Canada's vision of changing tens of thousands of lives, not just a few dozen. I can't wait to absorb this book. President Obama commented on the Harlem Children's Zone in his campaign, and vowed to work towards replicating the program in 20 cities across the country. I wonder if there would be support in Dane County.”
Amber L wrote this review Saturday, August 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Brilliant gripping. Worth re rereading it is so rich”
Lonny H wrote this review Tuesday, June 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book changed my views on education and gave me hope that we can indeed make a difference for every child.
John C. Stepper wrote this review Sunday, January 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The book is well-written - thoughtful, well-researched and evenly presented. The combination of recent academic studies with quotes and anecdotes from parents and students is very powerful. It puts a very human face on the issues and the proposed solutions while providing a solid underpinning based on facts. In addition, the inclusion of missteps and disagreements - despite the obvious enthusiasm the author has for Geoffrey Canada and his program - made the claims and assertions in the book that much more credible.
At a high level, much of the book is common sense: read to your children starting at a young age; talk to them instead of hitting them; provide positive reinforcement; put them in an environment where academic achievement is the norm; maintain basic discipline and respect - for yourself and for others.
Yet, the program put forth by Geoffrey Canada is noteworthy for pulling all of these themes together into a comprehensive program that starts at an early age, includes the parents, and reaches out to *all* the eligible students in Harlem- not just the smart ones or those who volunteer.
One other takeaway: this book is not just relevant for poor families in Harlem. The lessons in this book - particularly the proven benefits of reading to your child at an early age and providing alternative discipline methods - are relevant for every family. When I put this book down, I promptly sat with my 9 year-old son and started reading "A Tale of Despereaux." (And I didn't yell at him if his mind wandered at times. :-))
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