Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: Manners, Respect and Discipline are the cornerstones of success in Ron Clark's classroom. In his first book, The Essential 55, he shares the secrets of that success. Disney Teacher of the Year, Ron Clark has the uncanny ability to instill fun and adventure into every learning opportunity. Daily he shares with his students an unbridled curiosity about the world! However at the start of their journey together, Ron conveys to the class the 55 essential expectations that he has for them. For example, he instructs them in how to give a firm handshake, look people in the eye, and eat properly using the rules of etiquette. His classes learn to respect themselves and others. Chart busting academic scores have been the result for his classes of low performing students from North Carolina to New York City. In The Essential 55 Mr. Clark provides guidelines for living both inside and outside the classroom. He exhorts young and old alike to embrace each day with heart and vigor, appreciate and encourage others and challenge themselves to achieve their potential. Read how Ron Clark convinces his students to seek lives of abundant adventure and fulfillment. I highly recommend this extraordinary book along with another book that I just finished reading "HE NEVER CALLED AGAIN."
Rating:
Summary: The Secret to Being a Great Teach Revealed!
Review: A must read for any parent, teacher or coach. This book is loaded with great advice on how to become a more effective teacher. Ron is not just doing it for the money, for him teaching is about living his passion. Fulfilling his purpose on this world. I wish there were more like him. We need more teachers who are teaching out of love. That's why he is so effective. He creates a bond with the students that go beyond the classroom. (Like you can see-he even went to his kids birthday parties over the weekend.) The stories in this book are awesome. One of my favorites is how he took his class to the White House! Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated
Rating:
Summary: The Essential 55
Review: Never have I read a book that I identified with more. Ron Clark has put his teaching experience down in such a manner that allow fellow teachers to relate. The rules he uses in his classroom are those that could be adapted to any classroom to help manage and enhance the educational experience of all children. I laughed at his experiences, because we, as teachers, have all had similar ones. I recommend this book to everyone! My students are enjoying the daily calendar and beg for me to read more out of his book each day.
Rating: 
Summary: Half-Baked Cookies
Review: Better pour yourself a tall glass of milk to drink as you read this book. There are a lot of cookies in it. And a lot of half-baked ideas. My grade-school teachers failed me. They didn't take me to any basketball games or the White House, let alone Disney World. And they never baked any cookies. Somehow, I learned how to diagram sentences. I memorized prepositions, state capitals, times-tables and the names of not a few presidents. And I learned to appreciate the Flight of the Bumblebees and the Valkyries, as well as the Wright Brothers and the Mercury Seven. Along the way, I learned manners and how to play fair. Everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten, and first grade, second, third, fourth . . . Well, you get the idea. I went on to graduate, worked in an assortment of part-time jobs while attending college, and ultimately became a teacher. My degree plan didn't include baking cookies. What a cool teacher! He takes his kids to restaurants, basketball games, bowing alleys - all on a teacher's salary, for doing what they're supposed to do. Becoming a 5th-grade teacher was a natural transition from baking donuts at Dunkin' Donuts to baking cookies for class. Lots of cookies. Take Rule 16. Ron Clark bakes cookies for the class after the tenth day of perfect submission of homework. What if all the answers are wrong? He doesn't address this. But if one kid doesn't turn in the work, there is no reward: "I use peer pressure," he shamelessly admits: "I let the class lay it on thick. I saw them glare at him . . . I watched them fuss at him at lunch time." More of that peer pressure strategy worked for him when he wouldn't allow anyone to eat until a girl admitted she cut in line. It's a half-baked idea in a book like a half-baked cookie that winds up in every batch. Ron is not above exploiting a child's credulity. He makes a video for the substitute, and the day before he's out he meets with a couple of kids and swear them to secrecy. "I tell one kid that when I say I can see the kids in class, I want him to say, 'Mr. Clark, can you really see us?' . . . It always freaks out the students, and I have even shocked a few substitutes here and there." Must be another one of those half-baked cookies. Ron had some bad experiences at Dunkin' Donuts. Customers didn't look into his soulful eyes as he served their donuts. He drew the lesson to "never talk to waiters or waitresses as if they are servants . . . you do not want to be on the bad side of a waiter." Isn't a restaurant part of what's called the service industry, and employees called servants? Since when does treating such employees as servants imply treating them with disrespect? He's paying your salary, after all. And your tip, if you're a good servant. Every teacher has quirks, such as Clark's Doritos Rule #47. Okay, he hates Doritos. Me, I hate Corn Nuts. Ron doesn't have much use for property rights, either: "I noticed that one girl had a bag of Doritos and she had a smirk on her face. I quickly took the bag from her, walked over to a trash can, and smashed the bag between my hands. . . " Ron can't make up his mind if he wants the little kids to like him or not. On one hand he says, "Sacrificing a little dignity can go a long way when you are trying to win over students." On the other, he has a First Day of School Speech that says, "I'm not here to be your friend, I've got more friends than I can handle, who needs you anyway, blah, blah, blah." And then he asks, "Do I want the kids to like me? Yes, it is absolutely necessary." Necessary to whom? The kids? You? I've got news for you, Ron - not everyone is going to like you. Not in the classroom, and not in the real world. You have a winsome personality, no doubt, and you go through the trouble to teach good manners, which a lot of people manifestly lack, but I didn't go into education to watch basketball games with my students, or bake cookies. Be sure to wipe off the cookie crumbs when you finish reading this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Some Good Advice, Some Interesting Advice, Some Weird Advice
Review: The Essential 55 is an interesting book that I think both parents and teachers can get a lot out of. Ron Clark, who is apparently a highly successful teacher, has set out 55 rules of his classroom he believes are the key to his and his student's success. Some of the advice is useful, if obvious (look your teacher in the eye, address teachers with "sir" and "maam". Some of the advice is weird--like always tipping in hotels and the length of time a group of students should applaud when congratulating a fellow student. The essence of this slim book could easily be distilled into a useful Parent's Magazine article--I'm not sure it warrants an entire book.
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Summary: Don't Waste Your Money
Review: I was given this book from a friend in New York who said all the teachers in New York thought it was so wonderful. All I can say is that they must not have manners in New York. This man is making money by writing a book of manners. A teacher with common sense already teaches manners. I teach in the inner city and children can't remember 5 rules let alone 55. I teach manners every day, every hour. Ron Clark is a joke. Do not waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing to do with education.
Review: Few, if any of these rules have nothing to do with education. How will washing your hands, help you become a crtical thinker? He has one rule about tipping hotel employees. What?! Tipping hotel employees will make better student! Too many rules and they don't have to do with education.
Rating:
Summary: He sounds like he's been there!
Review: I borrowed this from a friend and have not finished reading it. I got on this website to purchase my own copy, because I knew I could use this with my own children as well as my classroom. This book gives me hope that I as an educator still have hope that I can turn some students'lives around DESPITE their home lives and lack of moral upbringing in their homes. I have taught in the inner city of Memphis,Tennessee. How depressing it was to hear some of the situations that today's youth were having to deal with at home. "Home" is supposed to be a SAFE place (a haven) for them where they are accepted with unconditional love. Some horror movies sound cozier than what some of these children dealt with. When are we going to start holding parents accountable for their children instead of leaving it up to the teachers and blaming them? This book gave me such ENCOURAGEMENT and RENEWAL in my ability to be a structured, loving but firm educator, and at the same time accomplish mutual respect in the classroom. I am in a smaller town now, but the problems are getting to be the same as I had encountered in the inner city of Memphis. I want this book to incorporate it daily into my classroom. Trust me! Today's youth are not being taught basic morals at home. Maybe if they have to attain this higher standard in my classroom, it may carry them through to a successful life by just giving them good self esteem. I believe children need a strucured but loving environment to thrive. That is just what Ron Clark helps you to achieve with this book.
Rating:
Summary: 55
Review: January 20, 2004: We gave this book to our son in law for Christmas. He has been teaching grade 2 in a school in Maryland, close to DC, for 3 years now. He called us last week and to especially thank us for the book. He said it should be required reading for EVERY college student in the teacher prep program, regardless of where they live or the grade level they teach. He has implimented 2 of the 'rules' since Christmas and the other students, and even teachers and other staff memebers, have commented on the improved behavior of his students.
Rating:
Summary: SUPERIOR!
Review: This book has completely changed the way I view my classroom and the way I teach and relate to my students. I felt like Mr. Clark was speaking directly to me as he told his heart warming stories and shared his creative tips for getting the most out of all children. I could see the faces of my "hard to reach" students as he told his stories, and I only wish I could turn back time and handle situations the way Mr. Clark did. He isn't what I would call a convential teacher, and some of his strategies seem different, but they work. He got results from his students, and as I have used his 55 rules this year, I have gotten the same types of results with mine.
On a negative note, I found that using all 55 was too much. I cut my list down to what worked for me (as Mr. Clark suggested that we do.) I have "The Fabolous Forty," and it is working SO well! I am using 38 of Mr. Clark's rules plus 2 of mine, and as he said, the students really do work so much better when you take the time to be more specific with rules and give them examples of how to handle all situations.
On a final note, as you read this book, you may not agree with absolutely everything he says, but he has energy, passion, creativity and AMAZING ideas that work. What he brings to the table is different and new, and it deserves a look from everyone in education and everyone who works with children, even parents.
Bravo to Mr. Clark for being a champion of children!!
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