The Excellent 11: Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children

Rating:
Summary: Maybe not "excellent" but very good
Review: "Essential 55" is a hard act to follow but Clark has written a book that every teacher should read before school starts, just to get the mind more focused on these important characteristics. However, he must have used up his best stories in his first book because this one just doesn't have the can't-put-it-down and must-share-with-colleagues quality that his first did. But it's good none-the-less.

Rating:
Summary: Ron Clark Strikes Again
Review: After adopting the 55 rules and procedures in my own classroom that Ron Clark outlined in The Essential 55, I was very eager to read The Excellent 11. I was not disappointed. Ron Clark hits the mark once again with his latest book. His conversational writing style and humorous anecdotes are inspiring. After reading The Excellent 11, I find myself thinking, "I can't wait to get back to the classroom."

Rating:
Summary: Ron Clark Strikes Again
Review: After adopting the 55 rules and procedures in my own classroom that Ron Clark outlined in The Essential 55, I was very eager to read The Excellent 11. I was not disappointed. Ron Clark hits the mark once again with his latest book. His conversational writing style and humorous anecdotes are inspiring. After reading The Excellent 11, I find myself thinking, "I can't wait to get back to the classroom."

Rating:
Summary: Go Ron!
Review: Another essential book from the enthusiastic teacher that you wished you had as a child. In his latest book, Ron Clark expounds on 11 characteristics that translate to a meaningful learning experience for any student. True learning opportunities are sometimes rare, and the ability to maximize these opportunities are fully realized when the students trust their teacher, because a teacher has demonstrated an enthusiastic and unwavering commitment to his or her success. This book is a good gift for any teacher.

Rating:
Summary: Basic skills for anyone working with children
Review: Bestselling author Ron Clark is right on target again with his newest book "The Excellent 11". In it he enumerates the eleven qualities shared by students who love to learn and how these same qualities in a teacher make learning an adventure. Each of the eleven qualities gets its own chapter where he details not only what defines that quality but provides examples of how to use it to teach children. The eleven qualities are enthusiasm, adventure, creativity, reflection, balance, compassion, confidence, humor, common sense, appreciation, and resilience. This is a highly recommended read and should be read by anyone interested in teaching children whether it is in the regular school system, home schooling, church school, leading children, camp counselors, or any other similar venue.

Rating:
Summary: My hero!
Review: I have to say first that this man is the reason I am becoming a teacher. When I read The Essential 55 I knew I wanted to have the same kind of impact Ron Clark had. I waited anxiously for The Excellent 11 to come out and when I opened the package I went straight to my couch and sat there and read the whole thing. Just like with the essential 55, it was a quick read, hilarious!, and inspiring. I would recommend this book for anyone who is unsure what they want to do with their life. Mr. Clark just puts things in a way that makes things seem clear and I am grateful for him and his ability to share his mistakes and successful with both humility, honesty and such a strong spirit for life. Thank you Mr. Clark for being my hero!

Rating:
Summary: My hero!
Review: I have to say first that this man is the reason I am becoming a teacher. When I read The Essential 55 I knew I wanted to have the same kind of impact Ron Clark had. I waited anxiously for The Excellent 11 to come out and when I opened the package I went straight to my couch and sat there and read the whole thing. Just like with the essential 55, it was a quick read, hilarious!, and inspiring. I would recommend this book for anyone who is unsure what they want to do with their life. Mr. Clark just puts things in a way that makes things seem clear and I am grateful for him and his ability to share his mistakes and successful with both humility, honesty and such a strong spirit for life. Thank you Mr. Clark for being my hero!

Rating:
Summary: Dances through Life
Review: Ron Clark dances through life! America's award-winning educator invites us to join in the celebration in his new book, The Excellent Eleven. His enthusiasm is infectious and his story telling ability quite remarkable. You will feel like you are sitting in an overstuffed, comfortable arm chair listening to him weave the tales that will take you on a sentimental journey and make your heart smile. As I read the book, I realized that Mr. Clark understands how to wring every ounce out of an experience inside and outside the classroom. In his book he shares the eleven qualities that parents and teachers can use to inspire a joy of learning in children.......qualities such as adventure, creativity, and humor. Whether rolling down a sand dune, riding the log flume, fighting the Alamo with water balloons, or eating Turkish delight in Narnia, students learn animated zest for living in their days with Mr. Clark. When you finish the book, I promise that you will walk away with a spring in your step. In conclusion Ron Clark says, "Passion......is the fire in our hearts and the determination in our minds to make a difference." My best hope is that my heart will always be ablaze and that I will make a difference in the lives of children as he has. Evermore thanks, Mr. Clark!

Rating:
Summary: A book all parents and teachers should read!
Review: Teachers have tremendous power to shape their students -- I can still remember my teachers from elementary school, and the impact some of them had on my life. It's a shame that some of today's learning environments are not as patient, nor as tolerant as they should be. The book, "The Excellent 11: Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children" is a book that all parents and teachers should read, and should be used as a guide in all classrooms.

This book was written by Ron Clark, who previously wrote "The Excellent 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child." Ron won Disney's Teacher of the Year in 2001, and if you haven't been one of his students, I'm sure this book will help explain why he was chosen. As soon as I began reading this book, I knew it was something special. Ron institutes ideas and behaviors in his classrooms that he admits he first learned from his parents. He has written this book as if he were speaking to a close friend -- from his own experiences to his students' experiences...he shares all the wonderful and necessary qualities that it takes for a parent and teacher to help children believe that they can be the best they can be. He sites specific examples of his teachings -- when they worked and when they didn't. He also describes what he could have done to improve on his own behavior. Providing his students with positive outlooks on life and feelings of self-worth and confidence are qualities that all teachers of children should strive to achieve.

MyParenTime.com highly recommends this book to all parents and teachers -- it's hard to put this book down! You'll feel inspired, encouraged, and learn that it really isn't that hard to pass on these positive qualities to your children. I can remember a few teachers in my past that provided me with these positive experiences, and can only dream that my child's future teachers possess many of these qualities as well.


Rating:
Summary: Aphorisms for teachers and parents...
Review: This is Ron Clark's third book (the others also available on Amazon), and the least "specific," least detail-oriented of the three. He states what he believes is necessary for good teaching in eleven short chapters: (1) enthusiasm, (2) adventure, (3) creativity, (4) reflection, (5) balance, (6) compassion, (7) confidence, (8) humor, (9) common sense, (10) appreciation, and (11) resilience. Clark describes these traits of good teaching and parenting with many entertaining anecdotes.

I think that that Ron Clark is a good writer, very gifted teacher, and excellent public speaker. I thought his book was more entertaining than "useful," however, to those in training or already in place in their schools, and that Clark's methods rely on Clark's genius, which is substantial.

The book belongs to the genre of (romantic) "teacher lit," which emphasizes warm ideas about so-called gifted teachers who can overcome all obstacles to reach all children (somewhat like Jaime Escalante, Jonathon Kozol, Marva Collins, and so forth). That is why I give the book only three stars, even though I enjoyed it.