Use with caution
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It is a good book, but you need to watch the sections on learning styles. Read the LSDA reports before you base your ideas around any of the contentious stuff.
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Excellent!
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I bought this book as a trainee teacher and now as an NQT, I still use it for lesson ideas especially when trying to use kinaesthetic, visual and auditory activities. It has a host of activities which are then related back to individual subjects and so, doesn't focus as some other books do on the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. I teach French, and the book provided a lot of new ideas for my lessons that I'd never tried before. I don't know what I ever did before this book came along! Buy it!
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An outstanding resource for all teachers
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This is perhaps the best single volume teaching resource I have come across and I only wish it was available when I was an NQT. The book is clearly structured tackling diverse areas, such as educational theory, teaching activities and behavioural management ideas.
Perhaps the jewel the crown in this book are the fifty teaching activities which can be used in many different contexts. Not only are they activities presented in a clear and accessible format, it also allows for suggestions on how they can be applied in the classroom as well as alternative ways the activities can be structured.
I found the educational theory well-presented and gave food for thought as well as directions for additional reading. There were some useful behavioural management suggestions which would particularly be useful for NQT's.
A first-class resource which I would highly recommend. The only down side in buying this resource would be if you used it at school, many of your colleagues would want to borrow it and you may not see it again for weeks!!!
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Some simple ideas wrapped up in spurious theory
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The first 60 pages of this book claim to give a theoretical underpinning to the later material. Anyone instested in substantiated theoretical developments should be worried by the references to such things as "neuro-lingistic programming". A great deal is said about the brain but none of the pratical conclusions depend on this material in any way. It is claimed that "In the past" i.e. before Paul Ginnis "teaching tended to be a hit and miss affair". So much for all the good practice of the past and the insights of the great educators! The mind/brain problem we are told, in all seriousness, has now been solved by biology. This is nonsense on stilts. The later sections of the book give ideas for lessons and class control some of which are of value at the level of hints and tips. If only the author had presented them as such instead of wrapping them up in all that ridiculous "theory".
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Absolutelly essential book for any shelf
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As a trainee teacher I have found this completely vital for informing planning of so many lessons. It contains a wealth of ideas for every teaching and learning style with detailed explanations and justification for each teaching technique. Written and illustrated with passion and vigour, Ginnis conveys an infectious passion for teaching on every page which in itself is inspirational. By explaining the reasoning behind each teaching technique this book becomes a mine of useful tools and not just another book of random activities with no direction. Absolutely brilliant read.
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