Books about Divergent from Amazon.com

From the moment they step into the classroom, boys begin to struggle They get expelled from preschool nearly five times more often than girls; in elementary school, they’re diagnosed with learning disorders four times as often. By eighth grade huge numbers are reading below basic level. And by high school, they’re heavily outnumbered in AP classes and, save for the realm of athletics, show indifference to most extra­curricular activities. Perhaps most alarmingly, boys now account for less than 43 percent of those enrolled in college, and the gap widens every semester!

The imbalance in higher education isn’t just a “boy problem,” though. Boys’ decreasing college attendance is bad news for girls, too, because ad­missions officers seeking balanced student bodies pass over girls in favor of boys. The growing gender imbalance in education portends massive shifts for the next generation: how much they make and whom they marry.

Interviewing hundreds of parents, kids, teachers, and experts, award-winning journalist Peg Tyre drills below the eye-catching statistics to examine how the educational system is failing our sons. She explores the convergence of culprits, from the emphasis on high-stress academics in preschool and kindergarten, when most boys just can’t tolerate sitting still, to the outright banning of recess, from the demands of No Child Left Behind, with its rigid emphasis on test-taking, to the boy-unfriendly modern curriculum with its focus on writing about “feelings” and its purging of “high-action” reading material, from the rise of video gaming and schools’ unease with technology to the lack of male teachers as role models.

But this passionate, clearheaded book isn’t an exercise in finger-pointing. Tyre, the mother of two sons, offers notes from the front lines—the testimony of teachers and other school officials who are trying new techniques to motivate boys to learn again, one classroom at a time. The Trouble with Boys gives parents, educators, and anyone concerned about the state of education a manifesto for change—one we must undertake right away lest school be-come, for millions of boys, unalterably a “girl thing.”.
Price: $14.20 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Based on the belief that even small accommodations make a difference in the success of students with disabilities, this text provides classroom teachers with the knowledge, tools, and practical strategies that will empower them to spark learning in every student. From students with disabilities, culturally diverse students, and students with limited English proficiency to economically disadvantaged students Vaughn/Bos/Schumm provides teachers with the tools they need in their diverse classrooms. Revised to reflect recent changes in the law (IDEA 2004 & No Child Left Behind) and current terminology, the strength of the book continues to be its numerous learning activities and sample lessons addressing both elementary and secondary classrooms. This edition continues its very popular multi- chapter unit on curriculum adaptations with specific strategies and activities for teaching reading, writing, mathematics, content areas, and study skills, which has been further strengthened by a new capstone chapter on teaching self-advocacy, study skills and strategies. The strong emphasis on professional planning and collaboration make it an excellent resource for all teachers.The newest edition features a new chapter on Autism; a new chapter on Developing Independence in Learning; an all new "Tech Tips" features that has received rave reviews; a revised chapter "Managing Student Behavior" that emphasizes school-wide behavior management and positive behavioral support; an expanded chapter on "Collaborating and Coordinating with Other Professionals and Family Members" with increased coverage of co-teaching; a revised chapter on "Planning and Grouping Strategies for Special Learners" that reflects an increased emphasis on grouping; and expanded coverage of secondary education via chapter-opening interviews, new photos, and new examples throughout the text..
Price: $73.37 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Any child can be motivated to learn.

"If he only would apply himself .."

"She can do it if she puts her mind to it."

"He just doesn't seem to care."

"She's just not trying."

Motivation is the key to learning But very few parents and teachers have an effective arsenal of techniques at their disposal. Enter educator and acclaimed author Rick Lavoie, who arms all those who deal with children with proven, effective tools and strategies they can use to encourage any child to learn and achieve success.

Lavoie's practical, innovative approach begins with a quiz that helps a parent or teacher identify -- using six different possible models -- a child's motivational style.

• Is she motivated by power?
• Does he need prestige?
• Does praise mean a lot to this child?
• Does contact with other people inspire this child?
• Does he like to do projects?
• Does she enjoy receiving prizes?

He then explores each motivational style in depth, presenting proven techniques, strategies, and scripts that can be used in the classroom and at home to break through a child's apathy and discouragement and inspire him to succeed and achieve.

Along the way, Lavoie explodes some common myths about motivation: for instance, he demonstrates that rewards, punishment, and competition are not effective motivational tools. He gives specific advice throughout for parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities and provides detailed instructions for how to create a motivated classroom. He outlines the parent's role, the teacher's role, and suggests ways in which they can work together to encourage children to reach their potential. The book's final chapter, "What Does Madison Avenue Know...That Maple Street Elementary School Doesn't," reveals what parents and teachers can learn from some of the most powerful motivators in our children's world: advertisers.

With empathy and understanding, backed by decades of experience in the classroom, Rick Lavoie gives parents and teachers the key to unlock any child's enthusiasm and responsiveness. The Motivation Breakthrough will revolutionize the way parents, teachers, and professionals reach out to and motivate all children..
Price: $6.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Explores how the ADHD gene is and has been critical to humanity's development

• Shows how artists, inventors, and innovators carry the gene necessary for the future survival of humanity

• Explains why children with the Edison gene are so often mislabeled in public schools as having a disorder

• 10,000 sold in hardcover since August 2003

Thomas Edison was expelled from school for behavior that today would label him as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but his mother understood how to salvage his self-esteem and prepare him for a lifetime of success. In The EdisonGene Thom Hartmann shows that the creativity, impulsiveness, and distractibility that are characteristic of ADHD are not signs of a disorder at all, but instead are components of a highly adaptive skill set utilized by our hunting and gathering ancestors. These characteristics have been critical to the survival and development of our modern civilization and will be vital as humanity faces new challenges in the future."

Hartmann, creator of the "hunter versus farmer" theory of ADHD, examines the latest discoveries confirming the existence of an ADHD gene and the global catastrophe 40,000 years ago that triggered its development. Citing examples of significant innovators in our modern era, he argues that the children who possess the "Edison gene" have neurology that is wired to give them brilliant success as innovators, inventors, explorers, and entrepreneurs. He offers concrete strategies for helping Edison-gene children reach their full potential and shows that rather than being "problems," such children are a vital gift to our society and the world.

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Price: $10.37 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This book analyzes newly collected data on crime and social development up to age 70 for 500 men who were remanded to reform school in the 1940s. Born in Boston in the late 1920s and early 1930s, these men were the subjects of the classic study Unraveling Juvenile Delinquency by Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck (1950). Updating their lives at the close of the twentieth century, and connecting their adult experiences to childhood, this book is arguably the longest longitudinal study of age, crime, and the life course to date.

John Laub and Robert Sampson's long-term data, combined with in-depth interviews, defy the conventional wisdom that links individual traits such as poor verbal skills, limited self-control, and difficult temperament to long-term trajectories of offending. The authors reject the idea of categorizing offenders to reveal etiologies of offending--rather, they connect variability in behavior to social context. They find that men who desisted from crime were rooted in structural routines and had strong social ties to family and community.

By uniting life-history narratives with rigorous data analysis, the authors shed new light on long-term trajectories of crime and current policies of crime control.

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Price: $23.25 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Celebrated by reviewers as being "the greatest language book I have ever read," this text has been touted as the best overview of basic principles and methods for TESOL education Written in DA A--az-Rico's passionate style, Teaching English Learners is a one-stop introduction to teaching English to speakers of other languages. It includes an introduction to the fascination and challenges of teaching English learners and offers a comprehensive overview of learning theories and teaching methods. A breakthrough in language teaching and learning, this thought-provoking text includes a coverage of second language acquisition issues and techniques, as well as attention to such controversial topics as the influence of culture on schooling, the cultural practices of schooling, and the sociopolitical context of education. Complete with a well-chosen and generous selection of techniques and examples, DA A--az-Rico illustrates the main tenets of the book and demonstrates to the reader a clear model of strategic teaching leading to students' road to success..
Price: $62.88 [Notify me when price goes down.]

"My daughter lives in her own world, sitting in the back of the classroom, doodling unicorns. She's a bright kid who's getting lost. How do we reach her?"

"My son can program my laptop, but I have to hound him constantly to do the simplest things. How can I motivate him?"

"My kid has to get his own way. And he's always racing around, always on the go. How can such a smart kid be so hard to live with?"

Millions of children--one in five--have what psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, Ph.D., calls the Edison trait: dazzling intelligence, an active imagination, a free-spirited approach to life, and the ability to drive everyone around them crazy. They have the raw talent to succeed in our fast-paced, information-rich, techno-magic world. But, unbridled, their talent also brings conflict into their lives. Edison-trait kids excel at thinking divergently, brimming over with one idea after the other. However, schools, organized activities, and routines of daily living reward convergent thinking, which seeks to focus on one idea at a time. Parents and teachers get frustrated by the Edison-trait child's apparent intractability and lack of focus. A mismatch between school and child can mask the child's considerable gifts for creativity and independent thinking.

Drawing on examples from over two decades of private practice, Dr. Palladino helps parents, teachers and others appreciate this challenging aspect of their child's intellect and personality. She distinguishes and describes the three main styles of the Edison trait. Dreamers live in their own world, following no one's schedule but their own. Discoverers insist on learning about and experiencing the world firsthand. Dynamos are full of energy, with a flair for surprises, power, and speed.

A small percentage of Edison-trait kids also have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which puts them at even greater risk for problems in school. To address parents' concerns, The Edison Trait includes chapters on defining, diagnosing, and treating ADD.

Thomas Edison, who flunked out of school was able to harness his talents to give the world some of its finest inventions. Today this same ability to brainstorm thrives in creative geniuses such as Maya Angelou, Bill Gates, and Ted Turner.

Dr. Palladino offers eight guidelines for parents to understand and help Edison-trait kids:

1 Believe in your child.

2 Watch what you say.

3 Build a parent-and-child team.

4 Encourage your child's interests.

5 Teach your child self-control.

6 Coach your child to learn how to achieve.

7 Take care of yourself.

8 Take care of your family.


The Edison trait is on the rise in our younger generation, who are growing up in a world of accelerated change. Dr. Palladino reveals the link between Edisonian thinking and Information Age success. She explains how Edison-trait children are born leaders of the twenty-first century. Her inspiring and reassuring book will light the way..
Price: $39.70 [Notify me when price goes down.]

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Price: $24.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Based on the belief that even small accommodations make a difference in the success of students with disabilities, this text provides readers with the knowledge, tools, and practical strategies that will empower them to spark learning in every student including students with disabilities, culturally diverse students, students with limited English proficiency, economically disadvantaged students, and other students at risk. Revised to reflect recent changes in the law and current terminology, the strength of the book continues to be its numerous learning activities and sample lessons addressing both elementary and secondary classrooms, as well as its four chapter unit on curriculum adaptations with specific strategies and activities for teaching reading, writing, mathematics, and content areas. The strong emphasis on professional planning and collaboration make it an excellent resource for all teachers. Designed for anyone interested in inclusion/mainstreaming, teaching students with disabilities in the regular classroom, and teaching exceptional learners.

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Price: $27.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]