Rating: 
Summary: High Hopes
Review: My son's teacher has exactly the same opinion as the reviewer that wrote High Hopes Dashed. I have hopes that my son can have his learning differences accommodated in a regular education classroom as opposed to being taught by an aide in the Resource Room. Under IDEA and 504 it is his right. Mel Levine's book will help parents and students understand some of the learning differences that need to be accommodated.
Rating:
Summary: Another outstanding book by Dr. Levine
Review: This book is just as relevant as Dr. Levine's earlier books, such as "All Kinds of Minds" and "Keeping a Head in School," which I read when my son was in grade school. I've also attended a conference where Dr. Levine was the keynote speaker. All of his advice was a tremendous help to me in understanding the reasons why our son was struggling so much in school. He was the classic example of the "lazy" student. Fortunately, he was in a small private school where teachers recognized the problem immediately, he was tested, and by understanding his learning disabilities when he was 6 years old, he successfully completed K-12 and is now in his sophmore year at college. I firmly believe the reason he is where he is today is that we kept him out of public schools, in environments where the teachers understood the way he needed to learn. He was never labeled as "disabled" or "special needs", or put into "special classes." The only difference between the schools he attended and public schools is that the teachers were not bound to the inflexible "teach to the test" format and could offer a range of learning experiences for their students based on individual ability. Teachers who "get" Levine's teachings know how to approach these kids, and our son is living proof that such enlightened teaching methods achieve success for the student.A previous review, written by a teacher, is a typical example of the mind-set of some public school teachers toward students who don't fit the public school model of learning. Blame the student -- it's not the school system's/teacher's problem that they're unwilling to recognize there's no such thing as a "one size fits all" approach to education. Yes, there may be some students who, because of home environment, will have difficulty ever achieving their potential, but too many kids have been written off too soon because of the rigid public school bureaucracy. It wasn't easy to find the money for tuition for 12 years of school, and we're struggling to pay college tuition/expenses now, but we'll never regret a single sacrifice or a single dime we spent. And we'll always be grateful to Dr. Levine for continuing to educate the public about misunderstood children.
Rating: 
Summary: Too bad you can't clone Mel Levine's genius
Review: This book is organized as a series of case studies building up to three chapters of recommendations. Levine's insight into children is stunning. It is why people come from all over the country to see him in North Carolina. I am sure he wishes as ardently as anybody that his genius were transferrable. While this book gives one an appreciation of his methods, it also highlights how subjective the judgments really are. Any parent who has been through the rounds of physical therapists, speech therapists, child psychologists, ritalin, Prozac, tutors, school counsellors, etc. etc. will know that not all experts have the same powers of perception, and they certainly don't all agree. I of course love the advice with which I agree. Turn off the TV! Have the kids read. Practice writing. He gives some very concrete and useful advice on how to do this... forms you can copy and suggest that your child's teachers hand out with assignments. As another reviewer suggests, examining the unique balance of skills and weaknesses in each child, and tailoring life and learning plans to meet their special needs, takes a tremendous amount of resources. Public school classroom teachers charged with 35 young minds, or a modestly paid and trained counsellor responsible for a whole school cannot possibly be expected to handle every child's issues. There are always alternatives -- many, confusing and conflicting -- for parents with the money and time to investigate them. The sad reality is that society just can't devote enough resources to give all kids the attention that would benefit them. How to apply Levine's insights and techniques to as many kids as possible within what voters are willing to spend is an interesting question.
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