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Summary: A superb guide for students
Review: Ron Clark offers 55 essential practical strategies for students to function successfully in and out of the classroom. He deserves the aclaim he has received for this book. Lewarning etiquette, self-respect and consideration for others are necessary ingredients for a good life. I also suggest Optimal Thinking: How to be Your Best Self, written by an award-winning teacher, Dr. Rosalene Glickman. Optimal Thinking has been translated into many languages and is used in schools throughout the world to teach students how to be their best, master their emotions, make the most of any situation and achieve their most important goals. Buy these books and read every page.
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Summary: From age 1 to 100; Rules to Learn and Live By
Review: When it comes to education ground rules, Clark has hit the ringer with this book! What Clark considers essential to to successful education outcome are, in reality, tried and true basics of human relations. Over time, these tactics have gone by the wayside. Fortunately, Clark reignites the flame with "The Essential 55". These concepts are, at first glance, rudimentary, but with deeper reflection one may come to the realization that these are the framework of success in not only education, but in life. This book should be required content for all educators throughout the spectrum of education. These principles, if integrated into education can only enhance the process as well as product. Clark, with his strong educator background produces insight and impact! Basic principles and rules, such as Ruler 37: If someone bumps into you, even if it was not youer fault, say "Excuse me", establish the mindset of respect for ourselves as well as others. To this I say "Bravo"! If Clarks's rules are applied educators's are more likely to produce successful, self-determined and proactive leaders of the future!
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Summary: The Essential 55 by Ron Clark
Review: I am a teacher and never have I found a book that spoke more to me than this one. Ron Clark has developed this list of rules through personal experience. It is funny, thought provoking and absolutely essential to your bookshelf if you are a teacher or a parent. I would recommend this book to everyone!!! My kids even love it. We read things from it in class all the time. The lessons are well worth teaching your students, as well as reminding us of everyday lessons we, as adults, should keep in mind. Well done!
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Summary: This is a book about teaching?
Review: This book is more about appealing to the good ole days of manners and a disciplined classroom than about teaching. Clark's rules offer very little to either experienced teachers or those entering the field. Instead, readers are treated to a laundry list of do's and don'ts of questionable value. Instead of telling kids how to clap, cough, and shake hands, Clark, or perhaps so educator who really knows teaching, should be offering guidelines on how to become a self-directed learner. This book is all hype and no substance. Without a marketing machine behind him, this book would be in the remainder bin by now.
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Summary: Learn to respect others
Review: OK, education reform & sex seem to be the hot topics these days. And I found 2 similar books: "The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child by Ron Clark" and "Make Every Girl Want You: Everything from Picking-Up Girls to Having a Successful Relationship by John Fate and Steve Reil." Both books, surprisingly, have the exact same message! They both focus on having manners and showing respect for others. They both discuss, for example, the importance of returning a question with another question, to show interest in the other person in the conversation. What a surprise when I, as a single man who teaches for a living, bought these two seemingly polar opposite books, and found out that they teach the same things. I will now be using the same tenets in both the classroom and my dating life!
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Summary: Some things definitely need to be brought back!
Review: When I was reading the editorials someone commented that this seemed like a primer right out of the 50's. Although something's are good to be left in the 50's like smoking, no seat belts, and legalized racism...one of the things that should have never been forgotter is simple etiquette.Civilization survives by the polite rules of engagement that seem to be forgotten by an entire generation. No matter how many computers we have, no matter how much money we make, and no matter how advanced we get...if we don't know how to treat each other how can we respect our selves. Mr.Clark deserves the award and their must be a fundamental shift in education to include these types of lessons in the curriculum.
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Summary: A High School Teacher says please read . . .
Review: If you want to compliment this book with more substance, also purchase First Who You Are, Second What You Know: The Ten Habits of an Effective Teacher, which was written by an author known only as An Aspiring Effective Teacher. This book examines the role of serving as a teacher from a philosophical perspective. Combined, they make a perfect match!
Rating: 
Summary: Missed the point
Review: The Essential 55 provides a strong foundation of extrinsic motivation and coercion techniques that will bring young students into complience with societies behavioral exepectations. It fails to provide any techniques for "discovering the successful student in every child". This book teaches educators to structure their management in such a way as to conform student behavior to the goal of becoming proper citizen. (The type of child that would make a grandmother proud) While a class in compliance with these rules is likely an orderly class, which would impress onlookers, the purpose of education is sidestepped. As educators we seek to foster an atmosphere where students are intrinsically motivated to work to their fullest potential. This is done through choice- response thinking that builds personal responsibility, not conformity to adult etiquette and authority through punishment and reward strategies (p181). If a long-term effective management strategy that allows students to concentrate on the academics and build student responsibility is your goal, I suggest purchasing instead Discipline Without Stress Punishments or Rewards by Dr. Marvin Marshall.
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Summary: Teaching kids how to be their best
Review: The author provides guidelines to enable children to grow into adulthood with self-respect, valuable skills and good behavior. I recommend you read this book and an essential universally applicable book called Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self, written by another award-winning teacher Rosalene Glickman, Ph.D. Optimal Thinking is the mental software to be our BEST, master feelings, overcome obstacles and make the MOST of any situation.
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Summary: Essential 55- What a GREAT Book
Review: I am currently in college to be a future teacher and I believe that this book has helped guide me with ideas to use with my future students, more than any other teacher book could have done. I think this book is great for anyone, from learning about what manners you might want to have, to being a parent, aunt, uncle etc., maybe even a babysitter or just for being a teacher. Learning how to get children to respect you and like you, without being to lenient was one of the most important parts I believe. I say that if you want to read about some who has done wonders for students who have had trouble in the past then this is the book. He tells some of the greatest and most inspiring stories and even tells you how you should communicate with parents. I only wish I could be as great a teacher as Ron Clark is!
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