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Rating: 
Summary: Good info but too heavy on the pomp
Review: I read this as part of my Master's program and found it to be helpful overall. Vella explained many concepts that most might find difficult or intimidating through good examples of teaching. While I enjoyed her refreshing honesty at flubs and not-so-great experiences, I did not find her hearts and flowers emotionalism and pomp as exciting or stimulating. Her writing style varied greatly within examples from over-blown academic writing to the best of simplistic styling. But it became too much to handle and made for slow reading. Additionally, although I enjoyed the varied and multi-cultural feel of most of her examples, many in my class did not. They felt (wrongly, in my opinion) that those examples did not apply to them in any way because the examples were so far removed from the US.
Rating: 
Summary: Important concepts illustrated through practical application
Review: I read this book as part of my master's degree program and have come to respect Jane Vella tremendously. She has a way of explaining, in simple yet powerful terms, complex concepts that are often ignored in training and adult education in simple yet powerful terms. Her practical examples help drive home the importance of her principles and by doing so, she is teaching by example. I also suggest you read other works by her, including "Training Through Dialogue." --Anthony Jones
Rating:
Summary: A Must for any Adult Educator
Review: I was expecting the usual with this book - a little dry, one or two ideas I could apply to my work, maybe an anecdote. I had never read Jane Vella before! A Maryknoll sister and longtime worker for Save the Children, Vella has taught in 48 countries and for over 45 years doing community development work in incredibly varied and diverse situations. You don't have to be interested in community development though, to get the point of this book. While her stories are riveting (you constantly grip the book asking, "And then what happened?!"), her message is consistent - she maps out how she plans, teaches, listens, and reflects on all her teaching/learning experiences. I particularly appreciated her honest approach (she tells you stories of when things didn't go well) and her egalitarian approach to equalizing power in the classroom (she calls it "the death of the professor"). This would also be an excellent volume for anyone working with a culture not their own - Vella models how to truly listen to people's needs in their education experience and not impose what you think they need.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for any Adult Educator
Review: I was expecting the usual with this book - a little dry, one or two ideas I could apply to my work, maybe an anecdote. I had never read Jane Vella before! A Maryknoll sister and longtime worker for Save the Children, Vella has taught in 48 countries and for over 45 years doing community development work in incredibly varied and diverse situations. You don't have to be interested in community development though, to get the point of this book. While her stories are riveting (you constantly grip the book asking, "And then what happened?!"), her message is consistent - she maps out how she plans, teaches, listens, and reflects on all her teaching/learning experiences. I particularly appreciated her honest approach (she tells you stories of when things didn't go well) and her egalitarian approach to equalizing power in the classroom (she calls it "the death of the professor"). This would also be an excellent volume for anyone working with a culture not their own - Vella models how to truly listen to people's needs in their education experience and not impose what you think they need.
Rating:
Summary: 12 Principals of Adult Education that will Inspire You
Review: The 12 Principals of Adult Education set forth in this book will inspire any Adult Educator. They are followed up with relevant case studies from small places in far off corners to college professors. This is a great book for anyone interested in designing adult education programs.
Rating:
Summary: How to respectfully teach adults
Review: This book demonstrates how to apply the principles of adult learning theory when teaching groups of adults. Even adults of cultures very different from your own. My favorite line: "Teachers do not empower adult learners; they encourage the use of the power that learners were born with." (page 8)
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