This collection consists of theoretical discussions, personal reflections, research reports, and policy suggestions sourced in the experiences of our most vulnerable students with an eye to making schools places all students might love rather than hate. The essays take up these issues from the perspectives of poverty, gender, race, ethnicity, ability, language, and religion among others. These essays also provide practical advice for teachers and administrators—both practicing and pre-service—for making classrooms and schools spaces that would encourage our students to say, “I love school.” Perfect for courses in: Introduction to Education, General Methods, Social Foundations of Education, Diversity, Management/Assessment, Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, Educational Research, Educational Administration/Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Curriculum Theory, and Curriculum Development.

Introduces the concepts of developmental placement and school readiness, and discusses the differences between developmental and chronological age.

Some students enter classrooms with an “I dare you try to teach me” look on their faces, and others bounce into class excited to learn and anxious to please the teacher. We know we can’t automatically blame teachers or schools when students don’t want to learn. But we also know that sometimes teachers and schools don’t always set students up for success, and they don’t always help them love what they’re learning. Why Kids Love (and Hate) School: Reflections on Practice investigates some of the school and classroom practices that help students love school—and some that send students in the opposite direction. Intended for classroom teachers, teacher education students, and school administrators, chapters in the book investigate a variety of topics: how schools can build effective school cultures, the “struggle” students encounter in learning, practices of other countries that help students love school, testing practices that cause students to hate school—and much more. Perfect for courses in: Introduction to Education, General Methods, Management/Assessment, Educational Research, Educational Administration/Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Development.

Includes tips for home schoolers.What do you do when your child hates school?When little Sarah cries herself to sleep at night, when Johnny has tummy aches in the morning, something is clearly wrong. An occasional problem at school is one thing. But what do you do when school is the problem? When your child hates school because school doesn’t like your child, you’ve got to act. Don’t let a one-size-fits-all educational system steal the joys and riches of learning from your son or daughter. Your child is unique, with a personal learning style that needs to be understood and respected. In this groundbreaking book, learning expert Cynthia Ulrich Tobias shows how you can work with your child’s school and teachers to tailor an education your child will love, not hate. Here are practical ways to craft an approach that draws out your son or daughter’s giftedness and minimizes the things that frustrate.Filled with practical applications and insights as commonsense as they are revolutionary, I Hate School includes a Learning Styles Profile Summary on which to base your plans and actions. So don’t waste time. Today, starting now, you can take steps toward an education for your child that will replace the words “I hate school” with “Is it time to go to school yet?”

A veteran educator tackles the many difficulties kids face in school—from bullying to lack of motivation—with strategies to help your child love learning. Is your child depressed, unmotivated, resentful, or angry when it’s time to go to school each morning? Does your child come home with stories of being bullied or made fun of? Does your child possess unusual talents that go unrecognized at school―or, worse, is he or she seen as strange by teachers or peers? If you answered yes to any of these questions, help has arrived. HELP! My Child Hates School cuts to the root of your child’s school issues and shows you practical ways to turn the situation around, getting your child out of misery and back to thriving. Along the way, Mara Linaberger, an educational innovator with more than twenty-five years of experience, will share stories, tips, and tricks to help instill a love for learning in your child! If your child can’t last another day in school, and you’ve had it with the fighting, crying, and coercing, HELP! My Child Hates School is for you.

This project was originally designed as a teaching tool to be used by parents, teachers, students, and other professionals who have the wonderful opportunity to work with kids with special needs. It tells about the difficulties that students face in school and with peers from the perspective of the student. It is the perfect preparation tool for creating a welcoming environment for all learners. I can see it as a valuable tool for classroom teachers who are welcoming students with special needs in disability awareness training for all of the students in the classroom. I hope to decrease the difficulties encountered by students with and without disabilities in social and academic interactions.