Rafe Esquiths There are No Shortcuts and Lighting Their Fires followed me everyone. Both talk more about Esquith's philosophy of teaching and some of his actual methods. He shares his struggles and failures and growth process as he creates a magical place in an inner city public school among gangs, drugs and poverty. If you are involved in education or work with kids in any capacity his books are worth every minute of the time it takes to read them. I've been reading with pencil and paper in hand because there are so many ideas, books, movies and resources that he shares throughout. Lighting Their Fires is more of a discourse on conformity and mediocrity. Both excellent. 
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, (YA Fiction) This book is a discussion about conformity, individualism, popularity and the fickleness of those who adore. Stargirl is a homeschooler who wants to go to school. 10th grade welcomes her, adores her and then despises her, but she is herself, a person not tied to "normal" or "average" throughout. With elements of "Pay It Forward" added it, it's a good book for kids who don't "fit in" or want more than "average" Coming from a different angle this is just another discussion on mediocrity and conformtity. Excellent, easy read.
Millions to Measure & If You Made a Million, companions to How Much is a Million, by David Swartz and illustrated by Stephen Kellog. "Living Math"," great reading and super cool pictures for kids learning the value of numbers. Flower and I read them every night this week-some evenings twice. Lots of fun with a purpose.
1 comment:
Thanks for the recommendation of the Rafe Esquith books. I'm a homeschool mom, and my husband is an administrator at an inner-city private school that primarily serves low-income families. I can't wait to tell him about these books and read them with him!
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