Book Description
Weaving anecdotal narrative with trenchant reflections on his profession, Garret Keizer offers one teacher's answer to the hue and cry over the crisis in education. An English teacher in rural Vermont, he writes of the opposing realities he faces every day: the promise and energy of the young and the oppressive effect of their economic disadvantages; the beauty of the countryside and its people and the harsh, sometimes ugly edge of life there; the need for discipline and the importance of rebellion. In exploring the demands peculiar to his own community, Keizer movingly depicts the difficulties-some triumphantly overcome, some overwhelming-that form the heart of teaching anywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent & thought-provoking
In No Place But Here, Keizer expounds on life in rural Vermont from the viewpoint of a rural English teacher.His views on rural education covered thoughts on students, teachers, administration, politics, community, and parents.Through his writing, readers get the sense that he loves his community, his students, and his work.As a rural teacher, this is inspiring and interesting to me because so often rural schools are ignored while the public goes about discussing suburban schools vs. the inner city.I don't agree with everything Keizer had to say, but he had many good, thoughtful points, and I found myself underlining and making comments in the margins on several occasions, even though the book was a pleasure read.

excellent read
In my M.Ed. program, Garrett Keizer was the best of the assigned reading. He does a wonderful job of discussing the day-to-day and larger theoretical issues of high school teaching, and his sense of humor makes the bookcompelling and readable. Though his agenda may be heavy handed at times,anyone who has thoughts on the state of public school education in the USshould read this.

A book of rare power and persuasion
Holding a lantern before his readers, Keizer escorts them through a rural landscape that is filled with a raw beauty that is masterfully contained within his plaintive language.This important book should be read by all,whether lay or religious, academic or professional--it will challenge youto view (and value) the intrinsic worth of your own lives...as well asothers'.

A gorgeous work
Keizer's musings on the state of education transcend his quaint corner of America. All readers can learn something from this eloquent, thoughtful book.

An earthy jewel of a book...
Mr. Keizer's writing drips with his educational agenda, yet--at the same time--oozes humility and concern for students. With plenty of stories and "sermons" revealing the heart and soul of the North Country of Vermont, anyone who has lived there will find the book entrancing; anyone who has not lived there will find themselves strangely drawn to explore its social and natural beauty. ... Read more

Book Description
Schools can change, they do change, and they will change, if you have the right tools to initiate these changes. This second edition supplies the reader with updated insights into how to better educate today's youths. ... Read more

Book Description
A Union of Voices: Accounts of the Union Institute & University is the long awaited book about the history of this progressive institution. A nontraditional history about a nontraditional university, this book tells the educational story of UI&U from its origins at a Goddard College conference through its expansion to become one of the most innovative and experimental institutions of higher education in the United States. Covering the early days when it was located at Antioch University through the creation of the University Without Walls to the 2001 addition of Vermont College, these accounts from former presidents, administrators, deans, faculty, alumni/ae, and learners in different points of view document for the first time the history of one of the most ground-breaking educational experiments in America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Important History of Alternative Higher Education
This interesting book presents the history of what is now called Union Institute & University. A experiment in the sixties, this alternative form of educationm was ground-breaking in its time.
Unfortunately, after the death of Robert Conley, the institution fell into the hands of Judith Sturnick and the people that she hired. Like at many other universities they were interested only in their high salaries and what they could take from the university. They were traditional educators who have "dumbed down" the original concept.
This book shows us the history of this educational dream from its optimistic beginnings to its present reality.

Thoroughly Enjoyable~
Hard to imagine an oral history documenting the origin and rise of the non-traditional University Without Walls (a pro-active, learner-centered approach to higher education) is a page-turner. The interviews are fascinating, revealing a greater story; that of progressive post-secondary education throughout the United States, and Cappel does a terrific job providing any details left out by the interviewees.

New book on Radical Education
The root of the word "radical" is "radish," and this book shows how the root of many experimental ideas in education grew from the source of the Union Institute & University. "A Union of Voices" shows through many interviews and articles the history of this unusual institution, now beleagered by the many agencies that it first ignored. The traditional universities stole many of its original ideas like the UniversityWithout Walls and assimilated them into money making projects. Now UI&U is being attacked by the traditionalal acceditating agencies to became more conventional like them. This book records that long journey.

Important historical document
If you are interested in American progressive education and its history, this book is an important addition to your collection. Not only was it lively reading, but was packed with information about the experimental higher education scene of the sixties and seventies. As a model for the Ph.D. non-residental degree, the Union Institute & University was the originator. The story behind the story is a must read for anyone in Higher Education. ... Read more

Book Description
Life is not going well for Tessy LeClerc. She's a C student, her teacher hates her, and her parents have got to be the strangest people to set foot in Vermont. Now she's stuck with the oral report topic everyone else wants: local hero of Fort Ticonderoga and boring old dead guy, Ethan Allen. If Tessy doesn't make this oral report the greatest thing anyone's ever heard, she'll flunk the sixth grade for sure, and life as she knows it will be over. Can Tessy find a way to show that Ticonderoga isn't just a name on a pencil, or will she be doomed to sit in the back of the classroom forever? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Ticonderoga
Have you had to redone, redue, redo something over and over again? You're at the end, but go back to the start?If you have, then you know just how the main character in The Hero of Ticonderoga feels.
Therese is a 5th grade girl from Vermont and her teacher has to leave for two months, and gives instructions for the sub to announce an oral report assignment the class has to do on Vermont.One lucky student gets to have the privilege of doing their project on Vermont's Revolutionary hero, Ethan Allen.As you may have thought, Therese gets picked to do the "fabulous" project.She doesn't want to do the project like someone doesn't want a wet donkey in a fourth of July parade. But now has to do it in front of the class. She doesn't get to do it just once, but 4 times. Now that's ridiculous!
Therese at the end realizes that she is more than just a good oral reporter, but a good actor!She also finds friends who she thought could never be. And enemies she thought were her friends, but stabbed her in the back like a little kid spits out spinach.
You might think that this book is a girlie book, but it's about someone finding out who they really while going through friendship obstacles, mean teachers, and family.

Ticonderoga
Presenting an oral report can be an adventure! Ticonderoga tells about a girl in school who gives an oral report of Ethan Allen, the first leader of Vermont's Green Mountain. This book is packed with historical events that will amaze you!
A girl named Theresee isn't happy about the way she looks and her life. Theresee never got invited to parties, and she never liked her parents. One day when she went to school she had to do a report about a leader called Ethan Allen. When her substitute teacher Mr. Santanggelo told her to do the report, all of her classmates gathered around her desk as if they wanted to trade with her. They wanted to trade because they thought her person would be easier to research. It turned out, it was hard to find a lot of information on Ethan Allen, but Theresee didn't give up. She learned a lot of facts about Ethan Allen and became a shining star in her class. She finally felt good about herself.
This book thought me a lot about history. I never knew anything about Ethan Allen before this book. This book is a good book for an older student or an adult who likes history.

The hero of Fort T is in sixth grade
More than simply a book about an unlikely heroine -- a girl, who succeeds despite all expectations (even her own); more than simply a biography (once removed) of an unlikely hero -- Ethan Allen, who led the green mountain boys to an unexpected victory against the British; this is a wonderful tale about the unwritten laws, of ethics and valor, of friendship and family.

a hero(ine) of a writer
Tessy is an engaging character and it's easy to root for her as she tries to avoid flunking the sixth grade by giving a great report on Ethan Allen. The author certainly knows her history and her geography, and how to write a book that will win over young readers, but her most sterling achievement is that she finesses material that could easily turn pedantic in less sure hands.

Good Book
The Hero of Ticonderoga is an important book for children of all ages to read. It teaches us that if we work hard, w ewill start to like what we are doing in school. ... Read more

Book Description
When is a problem a good thing? When it launches a new effort in problem-based school development (PBSD). By starting with a problem identified by teachers themselves, PBSD overturns any notion that professional development is irrelevant to everyday life in schools. Problem-based school development builds the capacity of teachers and others to tackle problems in a way that allows authentic adult learning to take place--with simultaneous benefits for schools and the students they serve.

John Clarke and his coauthors--practitioners at the school, district, and university levels--tell how a relationship between the University of Vermont and school districts throughout the state enables teachers to earn graduate credits through yearlong Problem-Based School Development Institutes. The institutes take participants through a cycle that includes identifying a problem, conducting background and action research, field-testing possible solutions, and recommending action. The authors offer the perspectives of both teachers and administrators as they provide guidelines for making PBSD work. They tell how teams at elementary and secondary schools used PBSD to make significant changes in curriculum and other areas, and they describe the strategies used to link individual school efforts together to create meaningful districtwide reform.

While citing various success stories, the authors acknowledge the struggle between energy--which inspires change--and order--which schools need to function smoothly. They conclude by offering principles of policy development that accommodate both. By following these principles and the practical approach of problem-based school development, educators can create an environment where the creative energy of individuals fuels significant change, taking bottom-up reform to a new level of effectiveness. ... Read more

Book Description
Revised and Expanded Edition

This long-awaited revision of a popular book provides information and activities to assist educators and parents in exploring the local environment with children. Grouped around five themes (Adaptations, Habitats, Cycles, Designs of Nature, and Earth and Sky), fact-filled essays introduce each subject, followed by field-tested, experiential activities that engage students in learning about the natural world.

With complete instructions and background information for teaching over 40 natural science units, and scientifically accurate drawings illustrating each topic, this easy-to-use, beautifully illustrated, up-to-date environmental education handbook both enables novice leaders to teach nature subjects successfully and offers creative new approaches for experienced educators. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interacting With Nature
This Revised and Expanded Edition of Hands-On Nature is an engaging how-to activity book--for children and for anyone looking to bring them before nature, whether at home, school, camp, playground, hiking, a workshop, or other pursuit. Here is a practical guide for the environmental enthusiast. Page after page it exhibits a wide range of detailed illustrations in black and white, many that appear as works of art. The text is well-written and easy to follow and understand with keywords that are highlighted in bold type, easily directing the attention of the reader to an order of valuable terms and particulars on nature. The book is divided into chapters, namely: Adaptations, Habitats, Cycles, Designs of Nature, and Earth and Sky, with related subjects like birds, insects, plants, flowers, streams, earth, deer, logs, and clouds. The chapters are organized into two sections, starting with an informational essay to introduce each chapter, followed by an activity and experiment segment that may include a brief script for a puppet show or play, and a suggested reading list. This book was made possible with the help of a large group of teachers, professionals, students, and volunteers. It should be included in every family's collection of books to read and share.

If you like Project Wild you will love this book
Any Environmental Educator or Scout Leader who has ever gone to a programlike Geosphere, Project Wild, NatureQuest or Project Learning Tree willLOVE this book.

Everything is organized by lessons and activities thatare coded to match certain skills like Predation, Plant Succession,etc.

I have used this book for years at Boy Scout Summer Camps and I knowthe American Camping Association recommends this book for anyone involvedin teaching Environmental Skills & Nature at a camp setting.

Perhapsthe only draw back is the plain colorless sketches of the book.A teacherwould appreciate the book's content but I would not get this book for akid.Having said that, this book is a great pick for any leader, summercamp, or school where teaching an understanding & appreciation ofnature is a priority. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Read this book if you want to understand how people learn.
Everyone (parents of Learning Disabled, non-disabled, regular education and special education teachers) should read this book. Especially, if you are just starting out.This book describes how people learn in everydayenglish.It starts from when a child is born and how they begin to learn.And it shows you how you can teach students with learning disabilities(Yes, you the parent).When you finish this book -- you'll want to learnmore about how to teach your LD, ADD, ADHD, etc. child. Also, it makes yourealize how important language is to learning everyday. If you areinterested in helping your child with his/her learning issues -- read thisbook. It maybe the key to what you need or a path to the next step. ... Read more

Book Description
In a nely wrought memoir, thirty-three-year-old Theo Padnos describes his experiences teaching a literature class inside a locked prison room at the Woodstock Correctional Facility in Vermont. His students, ages seventeen to twenty-ve, stand accused of grisly, calculated crimes: beatings, rape, drug dealing, and murder. All are drifting, including the teacher himself. By rejecting standard prison safety precautions-videotape, monitored windows, an open door-Padnos creates an atmosphere of trust, and through the works of seminal American writers, enables these young prisoners to talk about their lives and the apocalyptic myths and metaphors that motivate their crimes. Armed with self-deprecating humor, Theo Padnos guides his students to discover themselves and each other through the power of the written word-and nds himself along the way. My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun is a clear-eyed work that penetrates a formerly unmapped territory and unflinchingly tackles questions that haunt us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An excellent, honest book
This book keeps getting beaten up for not being science or pure sociology, and reviewers keep missing what is excellent about it--the intersection of the writer's own reflections, aspirations and ideas with the violent, dull, and endless world of incarcerated young men.Padnos's honesty about his own motives and feelings give this book a rare freshness.In his attempts to connect the books he loves to the real and brutal world of these men, he illuminates much about the struggles of growth, the uneven progress of our ambitions, and the enduring power of stories to shape all of our lives.

Gut-wrenching, Courageous and Truthful
Jailhouse literature is a rising trend these days, and it is producing some of the toughest, most original, most disturbing nonfiction on the market.From the lost souls at Guantanamo Bay to the terrifying Aryan gangs that kill and terrorize from behind bars to the dread-soaked life of a Sing Sing guard, a composite portrait is emerging of the mostly invisible Hell that is the American prison system and the dehumanizing effects it has on inmates and their keepers alike.

Theo Padnos has made a quirky, but brilliant and unforgettable contribution to this literature.From his vantage point as a part-time English teacher in a gothic juvenile detention center in Vermont, Padnos draws us--almost against our will--into a collection of scary, wretched, lost young men who have been obliterated from the view of "respectable" society.In terse, electric, revelatory prose, sparing neither his subjects nor himself, he obliges us to see them for who they inescapably are: versions of ourselves, versions of an America drifting toward apocalypse.

This is a book that demands attention--more attention, by the way, than it received from the prissy, careless Publishers Weekly reviewer quoted above.In garbling the name of one of the chief characters in this book, Laird (not "Lance"!) Stanard, the PW scribe unwittingly represents the blindness and indifference of a society that is a lot more complacent about its incarcerated alter-egos than perhaps it can afford to be. ... Read more