Synopses & Reviews
Wanted: A Queen of EducationCandidate must be able to take decisive action, cut through red tape, deflate the bureaucratic bloat, wrestle with the diagnostic nightmare of ADHD, and refuse to sell out her students to the corporate fat cats.Though we have "education presidents" who give lip service to fixing schools—what we really need is a Queen of Education who will get the job done. Anyone searching for such a candidate would put LouAnne Johnson's resume on the top of the stack of likely applicants. LouAnne Johnson is the gutsy ex-marine turned teacher who has wrestled with tough kids and even tougher adults. Her life inspired the movie Dangerous Minds — which was based on her book My Posse Don't Do Homework. Johnson's knack for finding original solutions to intractable problems has not only made her an exemplary teacher but a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
In this engaging book, "Queen" LouAnne offers her down-to-earth advice about fixing schools. Johnson makes no secret about the fact that she is fed up with an educational system that is too quick to label and write off children who don't fit the mold. Among her royal rules for fixing the system: no class shall have more than 20 students, all elected representatives must teach in a public school classroom for two weeks, and the testing frenzy must stop this very second! LouAnne is a passionate advocate for schools that are smaller, healthier, more humane, and more attuned to different learning styles. With humor and good sense, she shows how a compassionate teacher or parent can cut through the red tape and make a crucial difference in the life of a child.
"LouAnne Johnson's book is a blend of common sense, humor, and practical, down-to-earth ideas of how each one of us, as a parent or a concerned citizen, can make a contribution toward improving America's public schools. I highly recommend it."
—Michele Borba, Ed.D., author, Don't Give Me That Attitude!, No More Misbehavin', and Building Moral Intelligence
"As a former student of LouAnne's first 'at risk' class, I experienced firsthand her approach to education. The result was nothing less than a miracle. This book has the power to do for the United States education system what it did for our class; turn a flawed reality into an exemplary system of education."
—Dan Mueller, associate producer and designer, BottleRocket Entertainment Inc.
"LouAnne Johnson writes with passion, humor, and good old common sense about the joys and frustrations of teaching, and the ways in which caring individuals can make a critical difference. Her book is a must read for all who have a stake in the success of our schools."
—Robert R. Spillane, United States Department of State, Office of Overseas Schools, former New York State Deputy Commissioner of Education and former superintendent of the Boston and Fairfax County Virginia Public Schools
Praise for Dangerous Minds
"Johnson shows the importance of basic respect, constant encouragement, and unorthodox teaching strategies for a generation (another generation) of disenfranchised students."
—Kirkus Review
"Remarkable - Johnson proves that unorthodox methods can turn a problem kid into an "A" student."
—Vogue
Review
Johnson (Dangerous Minds), a high school teacher, lecturer, educational consultant, and former marine, has written a commonsense book about how the U. S. public education systems is failing our children and how it can be fixed. Johnson argues that schools are designed for the ease and efficiency of the administration. Large classes based on age, where students are expected to learn at the same rate; huge school buildings housing thousands of students in drab, prison-like surroundings; labeling students to simplify teaching; endless machine-scored testing; and medicating “problem” students all make schooling easier on administrators at the expense of the students. Johnson urges schools to focus on students’ physical and emotional needs, provide more teacher-student interaction, allow students to learn at their own pace, and make sure they get healthy foods and plenty of exercise. This outstanding look at the education system will be useful for academic and public libraries, as well as school media centers that have collections for staff and parents. – Mark Bay, Cumberland Coll.Lib., Williamsburg, KY. (
Library Journal , November 15, 2004)
Johnson, an ex-Marine Corps officer turned high-school teacher whose 1992 memoir, My Posse Don’t Do Homework inspired the movie Dangerous Minds, crowns herself the titular queen and hands down royal edicts in this straightforward, valuable book. Her "rules for making schools work" are grounded in the worthy premise that schools should be designed for student learning, health and development--not for administrative efficiency or corporate profit--and should be places where students actually want to be. Johnson is a keen, empathetic observer of students, especially "at-risk" kids (she prefers the term "disenchanted"), and she’s quick to point out what harms them: labeling ("big business--and a dangerous business"), detention ("creates more problems than it solves"), junk food ("[f]at and failure in school may be linked") and standardized tests ("wrong and pointless"). But she offers more than critiques. In addition to inspiring stories of her own classroom successes, she offers an outline for her dream school, where good funding would allow a gorgeous, high-tech closed campus, a big library and low student-to-teacher ratio, and a shift in thinking would proscribe age-based classes, standardized curricula and competitive interschool athletics. Teachers, administrators, parents and policy makers should take note of Johnson’s simple but compelling ideas. Maybe having a "queen of education" is something to consider. Agent, Alfredo Santana at Santana/Tatsuuma Media Consulting International. (Oct.) (Publishers Weekly, August 9, 2004)
Synopsis
Critical Acclaim for LouAnne Johnson
The Queen of Education
"LouAnne Johnson?s book is a blend of common sense, humor, and practical, down-to-earth ideas of how each one of us, as a parent or a concerned citizen, can make a contribution toward improving America?s public schools. I highly recommend it."
?Michele Borba, Ed.D., author, Don?t Give Me That Attitude!, No More Misbehavin?, and Building Moral Intelligence
"As a former student of LouAnne?s first ?at risk? class, I experienced firsthand her approach to education. The result was nothing less than a miracle. This book has the power to do for the United States education system what it did for our class; turn a flawed reality into an exemplary system of education."
?Dan Mueller, associate producer and designer, BottleRocket Entertainment Inc.
"LouAnne Johnson writes with passion, humor, and good old common sense about the joys and frustrations of teaching, and the ways in which caring individuals can make a critical difference. Her book is a must read for all who have a stake in the success of our schools."
?Robert R. Spillane, United States Department of State, Office of Overseas Schools, former New York State Deputy Commissioner of Education and former superintendent of the Boston and Fairfax County Virginia Public Schools
Dangerous Minds
"?Johnson shows the importance of basic respect, constant encouragement, and unorthodox teaching strategies for a generation (another generation) of disenfranchised students."
? Kirkus Review
"Remarkable?Johnson proves that unorthodox methods can turn a problem kid into an ?A? student."
? Vogue
Synopsis
- A manifesto for schooling, delivered by someone who is both passionate and pragmatic
- Author has a very active speaking and worshop schedule, frequently serving as a keynote conference speaker
- Best known for her book My Posse Don't Do Homework, made into the movie, Dangerous Minds, with Michelle Pfeiffer.
Synopsis
Wanted: A Queen of Education Candidate must be able to take decisive action, cut through red tape, deflate the bureaucratic bloat, wrestle with the diagnostic nightmare of ADHD, and refuse to sell out her students to the corporate fat cats.
Though we have "education presidents" who give lip service to fixing schoolswhat we really need is a Queen of Education who will get the job done. Anyone searching for such a candidate would put LouAnne Johnsons resume on the top of the stack of likely applicants. LouAnne Johnson is the gutsy ex-marine turned teacher who has wrestled with tough kids and even tougher adults. Her life inspired the movie Dangerous Mindswhich was based on her book My Posse Dont Do Homework. Johnsons knack for finding original solutions to intractable problems has not only made her an exemplary teacher but a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
In this engaging book, "Queen" LouAnne offers her down-to-earth advice about fixing schools. Johnson makes no secret about the fact that she is fed up with an educational system that is too quick to label and write off children who dont fit the mold. Among her royal rules for fixing the system: no class shall have more than 20 students, all elected representatives must teach in a public school classroom for two weeks, and the testing frenzy must stop this very second! LouAnne is a passionate advocate for schools that are smaller, healthier, more humane, and more attuned to different learning styles. With humor and good sense, she shows how a compassionate teacher or parent can cut through the red tape and make a crucial difference in the life of a child.
Her edicts address all aspects of the schooling enterprisebad behavior, reading problems, junk food, detention, overcrowding, sub-par facilities, class size, and more. Everyone from parents to presidential candidates should take note of Johnsons "rules for schools" concepts.
About the Author
LouAnne Johnson is a former U.S. Navy journalist, Marine Corps officer, and high school teacher. She is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Dangerous Minds. Johnson is an ESL teacher, author, student advocate, and educational consultant.
Table of Contents
Introduction xi
Acknowledgments xv
The Author xvii
Prologue: The Richest Country in the World—A Twenty-First-Century Fable 1
1. The Queen of Education 15
2. Questions That Keep Me Awake at Night 25
3. The Accidental Teacher 33
4. Memo to the Boss 51
5. Down with Detention 65
6. Dear Miss J 81
7. Truth in Labeling 95
8. Hey Miss J! 111
9. Scotopic Sensitivity 129
10. The Big Fat Problem 143
11. Why I Wouldn’t Give My Own Kid Ritalin 153
12. My Dream School 171
Epilogue: An Open Letter to Teachers 193
Appendix: Two-Minute Reviews 195
Index 213