The Queen of Education : Rules for Making Schools Work (The Jossey-Bass Education Series)

Rating:
Summary: I vote for this book
Review: Even though I am a student not a teacher I really like this book. My mother bought it for my teacher but I read it and I wish Louann Johnson was my teacher. She cares about kids just like in the movie Dangerous Minds. If the president would listen to her I think we would have better schools insted of just a bunch of stupid tests. I want to go to that dream school. If my school could be like that it would be really great.

Rating:
Summary: I'm convinced
Review: I admit I wouldn't have bought this book, but the mother of one of my students gave it to me as a gift. Now I'm glad she did because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, especially the letters from students because I am always looking for good discussion topics that will engage my middle school students. I like LouAnn's edicts even though they will probably never happen. There is too much bureaucracy in our schools and not enough common sense. My favorite part of the book was the last chapter, the epilogue. I felt as though LouAnn were talking to me in her letter to teachers. It's nice to be appreciated because teaching really is a difficult and demanding (but rewarding) job.

Rating:
Summary: All Hail the Queen!
Review: I love the Queen's royal edicts, especially the part about making the U.S. Congressmen and women enroll their own children in the poorest public schools in their districts, and making all the public officials teach in the school system with the curriculum available and living on a teacher's salary. They made me laugh out loud when I read them, but after I thought about them for a while I realized they were good ideas. Johnson's fable is a winner, too. I enjoyed reading the letters from students because it gave me some insight into the kids I deal with every day. The Open Letter to Teachers brought a tear to my eye. I skipped ahead to the end and read that letter first. Read this book!

Rating:
Summary: A Royal Read!
Review: Louanne Johnson has my vote for Queen! The ideas in this book are logical, intelligent and humane. Why can't we create student-centered schools, as she suggests, instead of designing everything to make life easier for adults? I have read Dangerous Minds and The Girls in the Back of the Class, so I knew I would find interesting anecdotes and practical advice. But this book has much more-- information on scotopic sensitivity, essential fatty acids, and why detention programs don't work. But I like Johnson's humor as much as her serious writing. I especially enjoyed the fable in this book, and the quirky drawings. But because I am a teacher, the last chapter, An Open Letter to Teachers really hit home for me. It made me cry. It made me proud to be a teacher. I think every politician and school administrator in this country should have to read this book and spend ten minutes talking to the Queen.

Rating:
Summary: I wish she was my kids teacher
Review: This book hits the target most of the time. The author is really anti-drugs for ADHD and some children need medications but thats my only complaint about this book. I think the rest of it is on target and people should read it and think about the things Louann Johnson is saying such as detention is a bad idea. I was one of those bad kids back in school and detention never helped me. It made me hate school. The best thing in this book is the stuff about light sensitivity because when I tried putting a blue plastic sheet over the book my daughter can read a lot better. I wish LouAnne was a teacher at my kids school. I think they would be happier and they would learn more.