Each month, the consultants at IDE read a book on a current topic and meet for dinner to discuss it. This is a wonderful way to examine the implications of a variety of topics on the field of education. By sharing viewpoints and delving into the issues, the consultants are able to broaden their thinking and reexamine their beliefs, striving to model reflective practice. By subscribing to various journals, magazines, listservs, and the like, they are able to keep up with the latest happenings in the field.

As educators, it's sometimes difficult to find the time to keep current. Starting a book club in your school is one way to keep in touch with colleagues while simultaneously examining the issues. Joining an organization or subscribing to a journal is another. In this section, you'll find brief summaries of what IDE consultants have been reading and discussing. If you've read something interesting and you'd like to share it with the visitors to our site, email us and tell us about it!

This month we read and discussed

Adams, James L., (2001). Conceptual Blockbusting. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.

Angelou, Maya (1970). I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. NY:

Random House.

Bennett, Sara and Kalish, Nancy(2006) .The Case Against Homework. New York,NY: Crowne Publishers (Random House).

Bolman, Lee G. and Deal, Terrence E. (2006). The Wizard and The Warrior: Leading with Passion and Power. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Brown, Juanita, and Isaacs, David. (2005). The World Café: Shaping our Futures through Conversations that Matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Calvino, Italo, (1979). If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Coelho, Paul (1993). The Alchemist. New York. NY: Harper Collins.

Collins, Jim, (2001). Good to Great. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.

Costa, Arthur L. and Kallick, Bena, (1995). Assessment in the Learning Organization: Shifting the Paradigm. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Covey, Stephen R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly & Schneider, Barbara, (2000). Becoming Adult: How Teenagers Prepare for the World of Work. New York: Basic Books.

Darling-Hammond, Linda (2008). Powerful Learning San Francisco, CA : Jossey-Bass

de Bono, Edward, (1992). Teach Your Child How to Think. New York: Penguin Group.

Delpit, Lisa, (1995). Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York, NY: The New Press.

Dewey, John (1997). How We Think. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc.

Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Dufour, R, editors (2005). On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Evans, Robert, (1996). The Human Side of School Change: Reform, Resistance, and the Real-Life Problems of Innovation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.

Friedman, Thomas, (2005). The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Friedman, Thomas, (2000). The Lexus and the Olive Tree. New York: Anchor Books, a division of Random House.

Fullan, Michael, (1993). Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. New York: Taylor & Francis, Inc.

Fullan, Michael, (2005). Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Gatto, John T, (1992). Dumbing Us Down-The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Education. Gabriola Island, BC VOR 1XO: Oxford Village Press.

Giuliani, Rudolph W,(2002). Leadership. NY: Miramax Books.

Gladwell, Malcolm, (2000). The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. New York: Little Brown and Company.

Glasser, William, (1986, 1988). Choice Theory in the Classroom. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., and McKee, A. (2002). Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Hacsi, Timothy, (2002). Children as Pawns: the Politics of Educational Reform. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Haddon, Mark (2003). The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York: Vintage.

Heacox, Diane (2002). Differentiated Instruction in the regular Classroom: How to Reach All Learners, Grade 3-12. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing.

Healy, Jane M., (1998). Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds - for Better and Worse. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Hosseini, Khaled (2003) The Kite Runner. New York: The Berkeley Publishing Group (division of Penguin).

Intrator, Sam M., (2003) Fired Up: How Teaching Can Inspire Real Learning in the Classroom. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Jaworski, Joe, (1998). Synchronicity: The Inner Path to Leadership. Williston, VT: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Jinkins, Michael & Jinkins, Deborah Bradshaw, (1998). The Character of Leadership: Political Realism and Public Virtue in Nonprofit Organizations. New York: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Johnson, Adam, (2003). Parasites Like Us. New York: Viking Books.

Johnson, Spencer M.D., (1998). Who Moved My Cheese?. New York: Putnam Publishing Group.

Johnstone, B., (2003). Never Mind the Laptops: Kids, Computes, and the Transformation of Learning. New York: iUniverse.

Kidd, Sue Monk. (2002). The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Viking Penguin.

Kohn, Alfie, (1999). The Schools Our Children Deserve. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Kohn, Alfie (2006). The Homework Myth. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press (Perseus Books Group).

Kotter, John P., (1996). Leading Change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Levine, Mel, (2002). A Mind at a Time. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Levitt, Steven D. and Dubner, Stephen J. (2005). Freakonomics. New York: Harper Collins.

Lucas, George Foundation, (2002). Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.

Machiavelli, Niccolo (Translation by George Bull)(2003). The Prince. London, England: Penguin Books

Marx, Gary (2006). Sixteen Trends, Their Profound Impact on Our Future: Implications for Students, Education, Communities, Countries, and the Whole of Society. Virginia:Educational Research Service .

McCourt, Frank (2005). Teacher Man. New York: Scribner.

Meier, Deborah, (2002). In Schools We Trust: Creating communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization. Boston: Beacon Press.

Meier, Deborah, (2000). Will Standards Save Public Education? Boston: Beacon Press.

Mellard, Daryl F. and Johnson, Evelyn, (2008). RTI- A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementing Response to Intervention. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Orwell, George, (1949 renewed 1977). 1984. NYC, NY: Signet Classic – New American Library, a division of Penguin Group

Pane, Ruby (1996). A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc.

Patterson, Kerry, Grenny, Joseph, Maxfield, David, McMillan, Ron & Switzler, Al (2007). Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. McGraw-Hill.

Pflaum, William (2004). The Technology Fix: The Promise and Reality of Computers in Our Schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Postman, Neil (1992). Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Vintage Books - A Division of Random House.

Prensky, Marc (2006). Don't Bother Me Mom - I'm Learning. MN: Paragon House.

Ravitch, Diane (2003). The Language Police. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Ravitch, Diane (2000). Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Rothstein, Richard, (2004). Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black – White Achievement Gap. New York: Economic Policy Institute.

Senge, Peter et. al., (2000). Schools That Learn. New York: Doubleday.

Smith, Frank (1998). The Book of Learning and Forgetting. Teachers College Press.

Smith, Frank (2007). Reading: FAQ New York, NY: eachers College Press

Sobel, Andrew,(2003). Making Rain. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Solomon, Gwen and Schrum, Lynne (2007). Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools.Eugene, Oregon. ISTE

Sousa, David A. (2001). How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.

Standage, Tom, (1999). The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-Line Pioneers. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Tapscott, Don (1998). Growing up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Tapscott, Don & Williams, Anthony D. (2006). Wikinomics. New York: Penguin Group.

Tovani, Cris (2004). Do I Really Have to Teach Reading. Canada: Pembroke Publishers.

Thornburg, David, (1998). Brainstorms and Lightning Bolts: Thinking Skills for the 21st Century. San Carlos, CA: Starsong Publications.

Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. ( 2006). Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wagner, Tony (2008). The Global Achievement Gap. NY : NY Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Book Group.

Wheatley, Margaret. J., (1999). Leadership and the New Science 2nd ed. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

Williams, Richard, L. (2005). Tell Me How I’m Doing: A Fable About the Importance of Giving Feedback. New York, NY: American Management Association.

The Global Achievement Gap

In The Global Achievement Gap Tony Wagner challenges the reader to think about whether even our most successful schools are adequately preparing our students to be successful participants in the global knowledge economy. Based on conversations with top CEOs, he presents seven “survival skills” that today’s teens will need to become tomorrow’s workforce.

Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools.

In web 2.0 new tools, new schools by Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum make a strong case for the mportance of integrating technology in schools. By offering multiple examples of using 21st century skills in classes of all levels, and providing websites with resources for using blogs, wikis, podcasts and more this book is a great resources for all 21st century educators. The book also includes numerous tutorials to utilize web 2.0 tools.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is a coming-of-age story based on Angelou’s life as a young girl. It illustrates how strong adult influences and a love of literature can overcome racism and trauma. Angelou explores growing up as an African American prior to the Civil Rights Movement while focusing on overcoming oppression and adversity. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was nominated for a National Book Award in 1970 and remained on The New York Times paperback bestseller list for two years. Since publication, it has been read in high schools and universities across the country and has been touted “a biblical study of life in the midst of death.”

Powerful Learning

In Powerful Learning, Linda Darling-Hammond discusses much of what is known about effective teaching and learning strategies in three major areas – reading and literacy, mathematics, and science – as well as interdisciplinary strategies such as project-based learning, performance-based assessment, and cooperative learning. In addition, she analyzes the conditions which can influence the effectiveness of these strategies. Finally, she examines the quality of the research in these areas and identifies any gaps which may exist, with recommendations for the future. The goal is to have a greater understanding of the current research on effective classroom practices and design additional methods of organizing students and their learning.

The Prince.

In The Prince, Machiavelli instructs leaders on how to obtain and maintain absolute power. Machiavelli distinguishes between idealistic political values and the realities of daily political life and offers a treatise that advocates, when necessary, ruthlessness, greed, and dishonesty. Machiavelli acknowledges that virtue is an ideal characteristic but explains that it may not always be a prudent one when it comes to maintaining power and order in a nation. Centuries later, Machiavelli’s principles can be found in modern and contemporary political events.

RTI- A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementing Response to Intervention.

In RTI: A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementing Response to Intervention, Mellard and Johnson describe a process of instruction, assessment, and intervention that allows schools to identify struggling students early. RTI integrates student assessment and evidence based interventions within a multitiered prevention system which maximizes student achievement and reduces behavior problems. Schools identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes, provide interventions, monitor their progress and adjust the intensity and nature of those interventions depending on a student’s responsiveness. In such a way we can increase the likelihood that students will be successful and maintain their class placement as well as support academic achievement and prevent student failure.

Influencer: The Power to Change Anything

Are you an influencer? An influencer motivates others to change. An influencer replaces bad behaviors with powerful new skills. An influencer makes things happen.

Most people wish they had more influence with the people in their lives. But most of us stop trying to make change happen because we believe it is too difficult, if not impossible. We develop complicated coping strategies when we should be learning the tools and techniques of the world's most influential people.

Influencer takes you on a fascinating journey from San Francisco to Thailand where seemingly “insignificant” people are making incredibly significant improvements in solving problems others would think impossible. These people make change not only achievable and sustainable, but inevitable. You'll discover why some managers have increased productivity repeatedly and significantly-while others have failed miserably.

Reading: FAQ

Forty-one questions about reading are briefly addressed in this slim volume. Each is not meant to be the definitive answer, but rather the author’s opinion based on his experiences. His thought-provoking style questions the way we have “taught” reading in our schools because he firmly believes, “Reading teaches us to read. Every time we read a story we learn a little more about reading. Whether we are a child just beginning or an adult with years of experience.”

Sixteen Trends, Their Profound Impact on Our Future: Implications for Students, Education, Communities, Countries, and the Whole of Society

In his book Sixteen Trends, Gary Marx proposes how to bring education into the 21st century: by bringing the issues of the 21st century into the world of education. America’s national revenue will soon be based upon its social and intellectual capital, and for wealth to compile, young people’s global intellectualism must be fostered. Marx identifies 16 “seismic shifts” as vehicles to reform education; all universally share a need for intellectual and global exploration, experience, experimentation and expansion. Connecting students to the world and its powerful shifts is what is needed to make them competitive – locally, nationally and globally.

The e World Café

The World Café is actually the introduction to a process designed to capture the energy of an organization through conversation. Authors Juanita Brown and David Isaacs developed the model through trial and error, but with the foundation conviction that conversation is a critical action. They explore the idea that conversation isn’t wasted time, and that a well-asked question can make a tremendous difference in building towards a better organization. Stories of applications are mixed with practical ideas for using the process within your own workplace.

The Alchemist

The Alchemist is the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of his personal legend. This tale of adventure ranges from the countryside of Spain to the Egyptian desert, as Santiago tries to decide whether to seek a larger fortune or stay in the security of his job. Santiago endures a long journey during which he grows mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. When he finally discovers the location of the treasure, he realizes that the treasure was exactly where he started. The author helps us to see that life is in the journey, not the destination. In order to discover our own personal legend, we don't need to search outside ourselves, but rather look within.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

In Malcolm Gladwell's book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Gladwell, tells the stories of seemingly minor incidents that build to matters of great consequence. The tipping point is the moment at which an idea catches on and spreads. The author asks his readers to consider questions such as, "Why is it that some ideas or behaviors or products start epidemics and others don't? And what can we do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our own?" Gladwell feels strongly that, "What must underlie successful epidemics is a bedrock belief that change is possible." With this faith, people have the power to tip the world around us, making it a better place for all.

Do I Really Have to Teach Reading

Cris Tovani’s book, Do I Really Have to Teach Reading offers a balance between content and reading instruction by providing resources for teachers to teach complex concepts in their discipline, while promoting strategies of good readers. Tovani shares her experiences using humor and honesty and provides a plethora of examples and practical guides or "comprehension constructors" to use in any discipline. This is a must read for any teacher or content specialist seeking researched strategies for students to understand specific technical and narrative texts.

1984

From the first sentence, when the clock strikes thirteen, a reader knows that the world of 1984 is different. And yet, as we follow Winston Smith’s futile struggles to find some freedom and happiness under the watchful eye of Big Brother in this classic novel, it becomes more and more apparent that this world reflects ours as well, even decades after the title year. Orwell saw the birth of doublethink, newspeak, constant surveillance and endless war during the Spanish Civil War and World War II and, though our world today is not as hopeless as the one Orwell depicts, the philosophy of “Ignorance Is Strength” is one that still undermines the advances of our modern world. Fortunately, 1984 remains to help us keep our eyes open to the dangers against which we must be constantly vigilant.

The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century

Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat is subtitled "A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century." While it is by no means brief, Friedman's book is a fascinating analysis of the forces that have "flattened" today's world and the implications of the flatteners on individuals, organizations, corporations, countries, and cultures. Friedman argues that, around the year 2000, we entered the era of Globalization 3.0, during which the world has moved "from small to tiny." In examining the state of American education in the flat world, Friedman suggests ways that the United States and its citizens can remain competitive in this century and beyond. The World Is Flat is a fascinating and provocative read that will change your perspective on the world in which you live.

Wikinomics

MySpace, YouTube, Second Life, Wikipedia—the popularity of these websites and others like them has exploded recently; however, these websites differ fundamentally from those of the past in that they rely on their users for the content. More and more, people are taking it upon themselves to create and contribute to the news, information, entertainment and history that appears online. Users all over the world are collaborating with each other to solve problems, generate income and produce content.

In Wikinomics Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams explore this phenomena and the impact it is having on our world. Based on their own research, they provide examples of how this change towards mass collaboration has impacted companies, countries and individuals. They also look to the future, suggesting what we might expect and what it’s going to take to survive in this wiki-world.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty

With an increasing number of at-risk students in our school population, Ruby Payne’s outline of the different learning needs of students in poverty is timely and relevant. Through vignettes and statistics, she discusses the impact of varied resources on families and schools. By recognizing hidden class rules, and common poverty-related behaviors, teachers will be better prepared to create learning environments that meet the needs of this growing population of students.

The Homework Myth & The Case Against Homework

Two looks at the issue of homework in schools can be found in The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn and The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish. Both books site much of the same research to support the idea that too much homework is being given to our kids. Where the books differ is in their audience. Kohn addresses a more general audience of interested citizens with a passionate argument. Bennett & Kalish focus more on parents who are looking for practical ways to get districts and teachers to reduce the amount of homework being given to their children. Either way, there’s a lot of food for thought in both books on this important issue.

The Kite Runner

In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini addresses the effects of the chaotic political revolution of the late 1970’s on the people and culture of Afghanistan. The author explores the classic theme of sin and redemption through the character of Amir, an Afghan boy who later moves with his father to America. Through the relationship between Amir and his father, Hosseini portrays the experience of the immigrant in America with depth and insight. Issues of class, world politics and culture are woven into this moving novel.

The Wizard and The Warrior: Leading with Passion and Power

Bolman and Deal adeptly present readers with stories of successful leaders throughout history who exude passion, power or a combination of both. Their remarkable tales illustrate what it takes to achieve success both personally and professionally and present readers with the practical tools of a metaphorical sword or wand to do so. The book imparts the journeys and dreams of accomplished leaders, evoking inspiration and self-exploration in anyone who reads the book.

The Technology Fix: The Promise and Reality of Computers in Our Schools

A few years ago, William Pflaum took a sabbatical to travel the country and observe computer use in schools. The Technology Fix is a report of his observations. In a series of case studies, he offers us snapshots of technology use in classrooms and his analysis of how computers could be used more effectively. Though his recommendations are debatable, he does give voice to perspectives on technology that need to be evaluated.

Teacher Man

“There isn’t a teacher in the world who doesn’t have a million stories.” In his own words, Frank McCourt wrote Teacher Man to “turn an eye on his 30 years of teaching” as “not enough attention is paid to the art and science of teaching.” Through memoirs from his classroom experiences as teacher and as human, McCourt tells of his efforts to help students connect learning to their lives, create an authentic context for his curriculum, and encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning.

Freakonomics

Seeking to expose the “Hidden Side of Everything,” Levitt and Dubner explore the economics of life in this book, asking questions such as, “What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?” and “What Makes a Perfect Parent?” Throughout the text, economics concepts provide the foundation for the authors’ insights into how these concepts play out in daily life, including the power of incentives, data, and information.

Don't Bother Me Mom - I'm Learning

In Don't Bother Me Mom - I'm Learning Marc Prensky has expanded upon the ideas he put forth in his widely-read article, "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants." Inside, readers will find information on the positive effects technology and video games are having on our children. The digital immigrant will also find help to understand what fascinates the children so and how to communicate with them effectively about the popular games - everything from a glossary of basic terminology to advice on how to sit down and play with them. Parents and teachers alike will find much of value in this easy-to-read guide to 21st century gaming and its impact on our youth.

Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design

In Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe have worked together to provide readers with a practical and comprehensive guide to two models of instruction. By providing rich examples and an in-depth approach to teaching and learning the book makes meaningful connections between Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction and shows educators how to use these methods to create lessons and reach diverse learners in the classroom.

On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities

Schools across America are searching for the most effective strategies for raising student achievement through the design and implementation of professional learning communities. The contributors to the “On Common Ground” offer an interesting array of perspectives on the means to creating and supporting these learning communities. They address this “common ground” of ideas through professional development, standards, accountability, lifelong learning, and a variety of others.

Skillfully edited by Richard DuFour, Robert Eaker, and Rebecca DuFour, the book offers educators the answers to their many questions about the means to create professional learning communities. The contributors include many familiar names: Douglas Reeves, Rick Stiggins, Michael Fullan, Roland Barth, and others. Through theory and practical examples, these authors clarify the issues and leave the reader with a sense that they can lead and support the effort to improve schools. “On Common Ground” is a must read in these times of public assessment and accountability as well as school by school need to serve their diverse populations in the best possible way.

Leadership & Sustainability: System Thinkers in Action

Leadership & Sustainability provides a comprehensive examination of what leaders at all levels of the educational system can do to pave the way for large-scale, sustainable reform. Author Michael Fullan links abstract concepts to concrete examples, defining an agenda for the system thinker in action, including eight elements of sustainability that can be applied to any public service or corporate purpose. At a time of increased pressure for greater performance and public accountability, Leadership & Sustainability provides clear ideas and strategies for achieving deep, sustainable reform in education.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Narrated by Christopher Boone, a 15-old boy with autism and a great talent for mathematics, this novel, with humor and poignancy, allows the reader to see the world through the eyes of someone both very logical and, in many ways, very distant from the world as many people experience it. Beginning with the mystery of who killed his neighbor’s dog, Christopher sets out to solve the mystery, revealing and discovering much about himself and his family along the way. The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night-Time lends great insight into the workings of children who are differently-abled in this way.

Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black – White Achievement Gap

Richard Rothstein, a researcher for the Economic Policy Institute and Columbia University visiting lecturer, examines how social class characteristics influence learning in school by looking at such variables as culture, health, mobility, and income. Rothstein suggests that in order to raise the achievement of lower-class students, public policy must address social and economic issues, in addition to whole-school reform. In Class and Schools, Rothstein also compares existing reform tactics, and offers possible solutions to narrowing the achievement gap such as early childhood programs and stable housing.

Tell Me How I’m Doing: A Fable About the Importance of Giving Feedback

Richard L. Williams, a business consultant specializing in leadership development, uses a corporate fable about a manager who gains firsthand experience of a world without feedback to illustrate the importance of guidance, praise and constructive criticism in his book, Tell Me How I’m Doing. Through it, the reader is lead to examine her own personal style of feedback as well as identify ten distinct elements of feedback. Williams also introduces four distinct types of feedback: supportive, corrective, abusive and insignificant, then highlights ways of implementing the first two, while avoiding the latter.

In Schools We Trust: Creating communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization

In Schools We Trust challenges its readers to look at what makes a good school work and what doesn't. Deborah Meier begins with by focusing education around the trust that needs to be present in order to foster learning. Meier explores this topic by analyzing the relationships between student and teacher, teacher and teacher, school and parents, and school and government. In this commentary, Meier also shares her successes and failures at building trust within small school learning communities. Often transparent, her failures and the lessons learned are some of the most engaging parts of this book. Additionally, Meier examines the reemergence of standards and testing and their impact on our public schools. Do tests test what we think they test? How do standards and testing impact the trust inside a learning community? How can we close the continuing achievement gap? Through it all, Meier suggests that "our schools must never be beyond questioning, argument, and debate".

Differentiated Instruction in the regular Classroom: How to Reach All Learners, Grade 3-12

Diane Heacox has compiled an incredibly practical and user friendly guide to differentiated instruction in the regular classroom. Beginning with anecdotal descriptions of differentiation in the classroom, Heacox defines differentiation and then breaks it down into concrete practices that teachers can put into action. After exploring the work of both Gardner and Bloom, Heacox helps teachers determine where the gaps are in their existing learning plans. Then she shares practical strategies for determining points of differentiation, creating flexible groups, offering student choices, and grading what really matters. Finally, Heacox offers special strategies for special student populations. This book is a must for any school or classroom library.

Technopoly

Neil Postman, the late cultural critic famous for books such as, The Disappearance of Childhood and The End of Education, takes a not altogether shocking stand against the "surrender of culture to technology" this last book published before his death in 1997, Technopoly. Here, he builds his case in an attempt to illustrate how Americans have made technology "both friend and enemy" and chronicles humanity's progression from merely a tool-using society to a "totalitarian technocracy," or, in his definition, a technopoly. In essence, Postman makes a plea for a more balanced view and an examination of the role technology plays in our everyday lives, cautioning us to "admire technological ingenuity, but not see it as a representation of the highest possible form of human achievement." Transformational, rather than automational, uses of technology in education might prove an interesting exploration in light of this book.

The Secret Life of Bees

The 2004 novel selection for team IDE was The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Set in the segregated South, the novel tells the story of Lily, a fourteen-year-old searching for a mother's love and a place to belong. Her search leads her to escape her life, taking with her the only "mother" she has ever known, a black woman named Rosaleen. When they find themselves living with three black bee keepers, Lily begins to learn the important lessons of life through her encounters with the bees and more important, through the beekeepers. The life lessons that come with Lily's growth and change lead the reader to reflect upon both the development that comes with being a member of a Learner-Active Classroom, where students take responsibility for learning and pursue their own individual learning paths.

The Language Police

The Language Police by Diane Ravitch is a must read for all educators. It clearly presents the way in which textbook publishers, test designers, states and the federal government censor materials that are available in schools and how it affects what students learn.
Although this censorship is well intentioned, it limits what students encounter. Some of it seems funny but most is shocking and, in addition, creates boring and unrealistic texts. Ravitch does offer some solutions to this sanitizing of our students' materials but it will still leave the reader greatly concerned.

Never Mind the Laptops: Kids, Computers, and the Transformation of Learning

In his book, Never Mind the Laptops, Bob Johnstone focuses on the power of providing each student with a laptop computer, arguing that we owe it to students to teach them in their own medium. He provides the wonderful history of laptop computers, Alan Curtis who envisioned a "Dynabook." A key feature of the book is his story of the visionary David Loader, headmaster of the Methodist Ladies' College in Melbourne, Australia who drew from Seymour Papert's work from MIT in constructivism. In 1990, Loader required all fifth grade students to have a laptop computer. Johnstone fears that schools do not provide the necessary teacher training and support to embrace technology and thus fall far behind their corporate counterparts in making technology an integral part of the school day. It's interesting to see how far we've come in education and yet how much farther we have to go.

Choice Theory in the Classroom

A revised edition of his 1986 edition Control Theory in the Classroom, this book offers a guide to promoting student interest and enthusiasm primarily through learning teams. Through his psychological backdrop of "the needs that drive all of us," Glasser illustrates the importance of having one's five basic needs met in order for meaningful learning to occur. Glasser asserts that in addition to the most basic need to survive and reproduce, we all seek to belong, to have freedom, to gain power, and to have fun. It is through the learning team model that Glasser offers practical ideas for engaging students in meaningful collaboration, thus meeting each student's most basic needs. With an explanation of choice theory, Glasser offers classroom examples of learning teams, as well as a guide to getting started with the goal of reaching all students, even those "who seem uninterested or even antagonistic to school."

Parasites Like Us

Once a year, Team IDE reads a novel and relates it to our work! Parasites Like Us, by Adam Johnson, tells the story of anthropologist Hank Hannah as he studies the Clovis people, a prehistoric tribe of hunter-gatherers. His theory is that the hunting habits of the Clovis caused the extinction of some 35 species of large animals. Helped by two of his graduate students, the discovery of a Clovis arrowhead and then the discovery of the remains of a Clovis male bring new hope to his study; however, as with any good novel, disaster strikes! The book is an interesting look into higher education, the love of learning, and the unsatiable desire to uncover the past. The book offered us some interesting quotes for discussion, such as: "Beyond science is an area of not knowing, and to get past that, you must enter the story yourself, filling the blanks with your own past, splicing the helix of your own narrative into the gaps of another." While the book was not reviewed as Johnson's best work, it was a fun read.

Good to Great

Jim Collins' Good to Great is a report on years of research into what makes good companies turn into great companies. Surveying hundreds of big name companies, Collins and his group looked for organizations that made tremendous gains in market share and held them for a significant number of years. Narrowing down the field to only a handful of companies, they looked for similarities between the organizations that met a strict set of criteria. Questions about leadership and management, process, and organizational change led the discussions to explore why these firms became and stayed powerhouses. Collins also uses comparison companies for each example: a company in the same field with approximately the same market share at one point that doesn't make the change to great companies. Whether you lead a business, school, church, a not-for-profit, or any other group, this book offers insights about how to turn your group into a great organization.

Fired Up: How Teaching Can Inspire Real Learning in the Classroom

Published in 2003, Tuned In and Fired Up: How Teaching Can Inspire Real Learning in the Classroom is a look a into one high school teacher's great teaching moments over the course of a year. Sam Intrator records and analyzes these moments to determine what elements come together when students become Tuned In and Fired Up. This account of a Mr. Quinn's classroom will help you isolate the elements of a classroom in which real learning can be generated. This book does not explore the daily routine of a classroom, but rather asks, "How can we make those great moments become a regular part of that routine?" This book is a light read that doesn't offer new science in learning or educational theory, but simply explores those moments in which students truly learned. Through reading this book, educators should realize that they have the power to create authentic learning experiences.

Leading Change

In Leading Change, John P. Kotter provides anyone facing the challenge of change in the organization with a blueprint. Although his experience and examples are largely from the business world, the eight step model that he presents is relevant to education. The eight step process is a road map for leaders who want to achieve their change goals. It also provides a picture of how and why good people often get off track in the process. The book is both inspirational and practical as Kotter takes the reader from step one, establishing a sense of urgency, through creating and communicating the change vision, to finally anchoring the change in the culture. It's a wonderful read for leaders of change.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This classic of "self-help" literature is still as fresh as it was when it was first published. Covey has identified habits, both "public"and "private"that allow a person to be successful. "Be Proactive"urges the reader to expand his/her "sphere of influence"and not be discouraged by obstacles. "Begin With The End In Mind"focuses in on determining the mission statement for your life and then ordering your priorities based on that mission - a powerful exercise for those who are just living day-to-day. The habit of "Put First Things First" organizes tasks and demands into prioritized "Quadrants" --- and you will never look at how you organize your workday the same way again! Those readers who adopt the habit of "Think Win-Win"will master the art of negotiating and working with others in a mutually beneficial way. Many in our office found the "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood"habit very compelling—with hints on how to communicate effectively and listen empathically. "Synergize"can show how to reach a new level of excellence in working with others, and "Sharpening the Saw"encourages the reader to recharge and avoid burn out. Along the way, Covey uses specific advice and stories from his own life to illustrate his ideas. At the very least, this book is replete with great tips to help simply live a great life. At the most, it can be life-changing!

How the Brain Learns

David Sousa's book, How the Brain Learns helps educators turn the latest brain based research into practical, hands-on activities that reach every child. Sousa includes information about the brain and motor skills, the implications of the arts in learning as well as an updated model of Information Processing. How the Brain Learns is the kind of book that is used as a daily reference by educators, administrators and parents. corporation, school or a classroom.

Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman has written a book that every leader should take to heart, whether you are a leader of a corporation, school or a classroom. Primal Leadership details the importance that emotions have on groups of people. According to the authors, the leader needs to create positive feelings so the group will feel empowered and inspired. To demonstrate the importance of emotions, the authors give examples of the different types of leaders, emphasizing the ones who get their groups motivated and engaged. Some of the principles the book explores are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.

Synchronicity: The Inner Path to Leadership

Jaworski's book, Sychronicity: The Inner Path to Leadership, is an inspirational story for present leaders as well as anyone considering becoming a leader. Through personal stories of his path to inner leadership, Jaworski explores the challenges and successes of learning the spiritual road to being an effective leader and his realization that each individual is responsible for collectively shaping the future. He discusses his transition from living a controlling, success-driven lifestyle to becoming aware of the greater powers responsible for influencing each of our lives.

Making Rain

Making Rain explains strategies for getting and keeping clients. Based on building relationships, Sobel explores how businesses of all kinds can be indispensable advisors to their clients as opposed to being mere experts. The principle is based on a simple one, service; getting to know your client as well as allowing them to know you, so they gain respect for your knowledge and all you can offer. Sobel uses many anecdotes to exemplify success stories. Some of his stories come from centuries ago, such as from Aristotle. These ideas are not new, but certainly are ageless in time.

Leadership

In his book, Leadership, Giuliani demonstrates successful leadership principles that anyone in a leadership role can utilize. Giuliani uses personal stories that explain his past experiences and the lessons learned along the way that have shaped his view of leadership and prepared him for future challenges. In detailing his principles of leadership, some examples are the importance of staying calm in the face of an attack, standing up to bullies, and learning independently so as not to rely on experts for all the facts. He believes with being a leader comes with enormous responsibilities. A strong leader brings well articulated, strong beliefs, and is held accountable for attaining all results. These premises have carried through to all areas of his life, building the base of experience which put him to the test on 9/11. Leadership is an interesting and informative read.

Children as Pawns: the Politics of Educational Reform

Children as Pawns opens with a simple question "How can we improve our schools?" -- a question we've been asking for years. Different reform programs have been implemented in hopes of finding an answer. In his book, Hacsi analyzes several educational reforms; Head Start, bilingual education, social promotion, class size, and school funding. For each of these there have been both advocates and dissenters, their views based on results from major studies. As Hacsi points out, reform efforts must be rooted in solid research. Unfortunately the manner in which evaluations on these educational reforms have been conducted yields results that have been misrepresented and misunderstood. By providing historical case studies of what the research "really" tells us, Hacsi demonstrates the influence that political interests can have on public perception of the effectiveness of educational reform programs and clearly points out how programs that sound plausible may not satisfy the complex needs of children.

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler

In Calvino's post modern novel, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, included are not one, but ten novels. The stories are unrelated in plot but related by the theme of the reader's experience only. Each story has a different plot and style but stops right at the moment of suspense in the story line. With so much going on, this reading experience is nontraditional in every sense. To a reader where this style is new, it may be uncomfortable; much like the learner-active classroom can be when a teacher begins the process of changing it to a student-centered environment. The new experience can be frustrating. Like the story, the learner-active classroom allows each individual teacher to make it his or her own, with endless mutations as the teacher and students explore what it is like to be immersed in an environment where students take responsibility for their learning. As Calvino believes that "readers are true heroes of a novel", so are the students the true heroes of their own learning experience.

Teach Your Child to Think, by Edward de Bono

Edward de Bono's book, Teach Your Child to Think, presents his renowned educational program that helps parents and educators teach children thinking skills and habits to ensure their future success. Due to the increasing demands in life regarding decision-making, initiative, and creative thought, developing clear and constructive thinking in our children is a necessity. Dr. de Bono makes thinking fun by providing examples, games, and drawings that include a step-by step method for helping children understand how to think better. As he says, "the quality of our thinking will determine the quality of our future."

How We Think, by John Dewey

In How We Think, Dewey shares his view of thinking and its relationship to learning. Dewey, a philosopher and educator, is concerned with experience, interaction and reflection. He views the educator's role in training students to think well as the "main office of education". His theory is based on the fact that humans build knowledge through interaction with the world. Training people to think includes reflective thinking, methods of inquiry, and reasoning. Dewey's book is an exploration of what he considers "the need for thought training". A brilliant man, the book is worth the read!

A Mind at a Time, by Mel Levine, MD

In Dr. Levine's book, A Mind at a Time, he discusses in-depth the numerous ways in which children's minds differ, each mind working in individual ways when learning. According to Levine, various minds are wired differently, each mind consisting of eight components to learning. These components are neurodevelopmental systems of the mind that work together for learning to occur. Individual wiring gives children their own unique learning styles. Students often have problems in schools because their learning styles may not always fit with what is implemented in school, and thus teaching frustration and failure along the way. In this book there are suggestions for identifying individual learning styles accompanied by many recommendations for developing the minds of our children, thus producing satisfaction and confidence during the school years. There is significant value in focusing on the students' strengths as opposed to weaknesses. Students also need to be taught what their strengths and weaknesses are so they can understand and develop ways to compensate. It is an excellent and highly recommended book that all parents and teachers should read!

Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age, by The George Lucas Foundation

Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age, is a dynamic book loaded with innovative models for successful teaching in the Digital Age. There are many creative ways to use the Internet to connect students to life outside of school, as well as terrific Web sites that bring the world into the classroom. The book includes a CD-ROM with seventy minutes of video footage showing many of the highlighted programs in action. There are also interviews with students, teachers and administrators. If you are looking for a unique perspective on education and examples of schools implementing innovative, authentic, connected learning strategies for the Digital Age, this book is a must.

The Human Side of School Change: Reform, Resistance, and the Real-Life Problems of Innovation, by Robert Evans

In The Human Side of Change, Robert Evans offers an insightful look into the human side of educational change. When educators are asked to examine their teaching paradigm with the intention of changing it, quite often the immediate reaction is resistance. The author explains that this is an essential first step in the process of change. He further discusses in detail the nature of change, dimensions of change and offers leaders suggestions in leading innovation in their schools. This book is a must read!

The Book of Learning and Forgetting, by Frank Smith

In Frank Smith's book, he describes two opposing theories of learning, the classic and the official. The classic theory states that learning occurs naturally and continually through collaborative activities in natural settings. The official view states that learning is work and it takes effort to be successful. According to Smith, the official theory is the one that our current educational system values, and that it is used to justify excessive regulation and mass testing. He also details why the official theory is damaging and inaccurate, and should be reconsidered if our children are going to benefit from education at all. He also discusses the the so-called "theory of forgetting," which is of importantance when considering how, and at what rate, we learn. Also discussed in the book are the damage and injustices caused at all levels of education. This is definitely a thought provoking book and a highly recommended read.

Conceptual Blockbusting, by James L. Adams

James Adams explores and demonstrates how people approach problem-solving scenarios with limitations of which they are unaware. Adams clearly identifies key blocks (cultural, environmental, intellectual, emotional, expressive, perceptual) that make problems very difficult to solve. Adams takes the reader through a series of exercises to help overcome these blocks and train the mind to apply under-utilized methods to solve problems. Not only will the reader learn how to overcome blocks, but also to embrace a new way of thinking and thus unleash blocked creativity.

Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms, by Diane Ravitch

For the entire twentieth century, Americans have worried about the quality of education. Have things really changed all that much over time? Left Back takes a look at the history of education dating back to the late 1800's when the reform effort began, making its way forward in time to the present. Historically, there have been many different complaints and concerns about the quality of American education. Critics have stated that our system has not furthered social progress, students have not learned enough, and it may not be appropriate for all students have an equal education. Whatever the concerns, Diane Ravitch describes in detail why school reform has often failed. She includes many of the beliefs of the leading philosophers and theorists over time and their influences on the educational system in this country. This book is long and yet fascinating, providing an interesting perspective on our American education, its history, and its future. A great read to stimulate thoughts regarding our system of public education.

Dumbing Us Down-The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Education, by John Taylor Gatto

John Taylor Gatto received the New York Teacher of the Year award for his excellence in teaching. This book reveals his true feelings about the state of education today. He shares his view on what he calls "the deadening heart of compulsory education" which he outlines in a chapter entitled, The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher. He recounts the lessons in life that were important to him and urges all of us to find ways to bring community service and family education to the forefront of education.

Will Standards Save Public Education?, by Deborah Meier

This book is a collection of essays by prominent figures in education both opposed to and in support of the standards movement. Offering many fresh ideas and perspectives, it is a valuable resource for anyone faced with standards implementation today.

The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas Friedman

Technologies are transforming the way societies interact with one other. The Lexus and the Olive Tree illustrates how new technologies and centuries of culture are coming together to form today's society. This book provides educators with an overview of the skills that are necessary for educators in this era of globalization.

Schools That Learn, by Peter Senge, Nelda Cambron-McCabe, Timothy Lucas, Bryan Smith, Janis Dutton, and Art Kleiner

Finding the right path to move education into the twenty first century is a monumental feat. Peter Senge and his coauthors have complied a field book for parents, students, educators, and administrators that describes in detail how schools can work together to form effective learning organizations for the twenty first century. The book provides detailed accounts of best practices in education, numerous anecdotes, reflective activities, and opportunities for creating dynamic dialogue about the future of education.

Assessment in the Learning Organization, by Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick

This book is a compilation of essays covering topics ranging from Systems Thinking to Process Design, to Shifting the Paradigm. Topics of essays include ideas like self-evaluation, authentic assessment, critical friends, and critical feedback spirals. Essays also include topics of real relevance to both administrators and teachers. Several essays include ideas in classroom management. This book is a good read for anyone interested in either examining their own practice or beginning significant change in either the classroom or the organization.

Becoming Adult: How Teenagers Prepare for the World of Work, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Barbara Schneider

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (CHICK-sent-me-high), author of Flow, and Barbara Schneider explore a multi-year study aimed at exploring the habits of adolescents. The data is also examined to establish connections between habits and post-high school plans, goals, and activities. The authors also spend a portion of time discussing some of the history of the working world and how today's adolescents are facing different preparations and a different set of needed skills in a school environment that has not changed (as a whole). The study examines when students are in a state of efficient and challenging engagement (flow), and finds that students report being in flow during particular classroom activities: individual work time, group work time, homework, and testing. Conversely, students feel the least challenged and have the least sense of purpose during lectures and audiovisual presentations (which is found to be the predominant classroom activity). The book is a long read, but has some strong statistics to support instructional reform if that's what you're aiming for in your school.

Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

This book, on the best seller lists for much of 2000, provides a way to look at the way the world seems to be in constant flux around us. The main body of the book is a parable with direct explanations, the reader follows Hem and Haw, Sniff and Scurry through their attempts to survive in a "maze" which represents the work world. If you are looking to read into a story and seek out the metaphor, this book probably isn't for you: the metaphor is clearly spelled out and described every step of the way. The discussion that followed for team IDE after reading this book centered around the question, "what is our cheese?"

The Schools Our Children Deserve, by Alfie Kohn

Alfie is an educational reformer with some strong roots. This book is well-researched: nearly 1/3 of this 300 page long book is citations of studies and research. The first half of the book is a primer on educational philosophy, where Kohn explains how our current educational system does not support learning theory and that the widespread reforms that are said to threaten our schools' strength are not all that widespread. The second half of the book includes discussion on classroom issues, how we might start to rectify some of the problems that our educational system has enforced and strengthened. While much of the book seems very idealistic, Kohn ends the book with the recognition that while many things he condemns are detrimental to the educational process, they are very much a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. This is a book worth reading whether your slants are traditional or less so, if only for the thought provoking ideas that Kohn forwards for discussion.

The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-Line Pioneers, by Tom Standage

The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage is the remarkable story of the eccentrics and oddball engineers, scientists, and venture capitalists who created the precursor to today's Internet, the electronic telegraph. It may seem shocking to know that our entire society was challenged by the telegraph in much the same way that we are today by the Internet: information traveled nearly instantaneously, money was transferred within minutes, new relationships flourished through the airwaves, a different vocabulary emerged, and cyber-crime began to take advantage of unsuspecting electronic travelers. We may think that we're all going through something completely new - and yet, as you read this historiography, you begin to realize that we are not the pioneers we think we are. Our 19th century brothers and sisters have already traversed this uncomfortable plane, and they have some very good advice as to how to handle the superfast transfer of information and all it involves.

Leadership and the New Science, by Margaret J. Wheatley

Newtonian physics implies that there is a rational order to everything; that we can predict the events of any system if we are able to plug in enough variables. The idea behind "chaos theory" is that we can predict what systems might do, but we cannot be sure. Everything exists as a series of possibilities. In Leadership and the New Science, Margaret Wheatley explores how the concepts of chaos theory can explain the way organizations work. For example, teachers do not exist as separate entities, but are affected by the relationships that exist within schools. While some of the ideas in Wheatley's book may seem like common sense, others shed some light on how we can deal with and understand how things in our classrooms, schools, and entire communities are interrelated and all reflect in some manner upon each other. If you have ever been curious about chaos theory, or if you are struggling with trying to understand the changes going on around you, this book may be for you. It is a relatively easy read, but full of ideas that you will want to reflect on and think deeply about. There are several reviews available at Amazon.com (type in the book title, click on the book link, and then scroll down to see what other readers have said about the book).

Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom, by Lisa Delpit

In this compelling look at multicultural education, Lisa Delpit examines the ideas and practices of white teachers and how they affect students of different cultures. Delpit traces her growth as an African American educator struggling to see through her own "cultural lenses" in order to understand the role of power both in our society and our educational system, and to consider avenues for finding solutions to the problems resulting from misperceptions, miscommunication, and power imbalances in the school setting.

Brainstorms and Lightning Bolts: Thinking Skills for the 21st Century, David Thornburg

In Brainstorms and Lightning Bolts: Thinking Skills for the 21st Century, author David Thornburg examines the incredibly rapid changes occurring in our society. Concentrating on events most likely to impact the short-term future, Thornburg identifies several skills that students will need for survival in a world moving at the speed of light. These include being able to find information and solve problems, distinguish relevant from irrelevant information, verify the accuracy of the information found, coalesce and make meaning from the information, and communicate effectively and demonstrate learning in the context of a specific problem being solved. Included in the book are several activities designed to help the reader navigate through these times of change.

Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform, Michael Fullan

In Change Forces, Michael Fullan examines the forces of change at all levels of society, focusing on their impact on educational reform. Fullan purports that the future of the world is a learning future, and what will be needed for success is, "...the individual as inquirer and learner, mastery and know-how as prime strategies, the leader who expresses but also extends what is valued enabling others to do the same, team work and shared purpose which accepts both individualism and collectivism as essential to organizational learning, and the organization which is dynamically connected to its environment because that is necessary to avoid extinction as environments are always changing." Drawing on research from successful organizations in business and education, Fullan identifies eight basic lessons about why change is seemingly chaotic and what those seeking reform can do about it.

Failure to Connect, Dr. Jane Healy

Jane Healy examines the potential misuses of technology in our schools resulting from society's willingness to blindly embrace it, and questions the impact computers may have on children's health, creativity, brain development, and social and emotional growth. Healy visited classrooms, labs, and homes across America in researching her book, and is concerned that, "While some very exciting and potentially valuable things are happening between children and computers, we are currently spending far too much money with too little thought. It is past time to pause, reflect, and ask some probing questions." (p. 18).

Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation, Don Tapscott

Tapscott purports that the Net Generation, or "N-Gen," is developing and imposing its culture on all of us, and is thereby changing the way both individuals and society as a whole interact. According to Tapscott, "The N-Gen is transforming the new media from a cult enclave to a cacophonous cauldron of millions. Through their massive demographic muscle and unconstrained minds, N-Geners are creating a new world." (p. 304). Using data from discussions held on the Net with about 300 youngsters between the ages of 4 and 20, he examines the characteristics of N-Geners as well as their role in this "new world," and discusses the implications of technology and the N-Gen on our changing culture.

A review of this book can be found at: www.home.inreach.com/cisler/tapscott.html.