Learning Resources

Books on Education by John Holt
Innovators in Education Series

Adolescent Depression: A Guide for Parents by Francis Mark Mondimore, M.D. -  Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Francis Mondimore helps parents understand that serious depression in adolescents is an illness—an illness that can be effectively treated. He describes the many forms of depression and the many ways it can appear in young people—from intensely sad feelings to irritability, anger, and destructive rages. And he answers parents' questions, including: What are the danger signals of serious depression in teenagers? How are mood disorders diagnosed? How do medications work? What about talking therapies? How does depression relate to other problems, such as drug abuse, ADHD, and eating disorders and other self-injurious behavior? Of the one in five adults who go through a period of serious depression during their lifetime, many had their first experience of depression as teenagers.

This comprehensive and compassionate guide detailing the symptoms, treatments, complications, and causes of adolescent depression provides parents with the information they need to ensure that their children receive the best possible treatment and become happy and healthy adults.

Paper, 304 pages. 5.9"x8.9"x.8".

#0651 $22.95 $12.99 One copy available.

Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2nd edition by Jaquelyn McCandless, MD - In the midst of a worldwide epidemic of autism, ADD, and ADHD, this book is a message of hope to parents embarking on the challenging journey of finding proper medical care for their Autism Spectrum Disorder children. Genetic susceptibility activated by "triggers" such as pesticides and heavy metals in vaccines can lead to immune system impairment, gut dysfunction, and pathogen invasion such as yeast and viruses in many children.

Paper, 312 pages.

#7100 $29.95 $18.99 Out of print, one copy available.



Empowering Underachievers: How to Guide Failing Kids (8-18) to Personal Excellence by Peter A. Spevak, Ph.D. and Maryann Karinch - Dr. Spevak is noted psychologist and a former underachiever who has brought over 2,000 students to success. He explores how problems such as emotional immaturity, low self-esteem and poor self-confidence contribute to children's underachievement. Focusing on four types of underchievers - distant, passive, dependent and defiant - Dr. Spevak helps readers identify which type their underachiever is and reveals his unique and successful method of specific interventions, actions, and exercises to get these children "unstuck" and on the road to emotional growth and academic success.

Paper, 248 pages.

#1954 $15.95 $9.99 Out of print, one copy available.



The Essence of Parenting by Anne Johnson & Vic Goodman - Inspired by the national correspondence course of the same name, this guide helps parents trust their own hearts and experience parenthood as spontaneous and joyful. The essence of parenting, say the authors, lies not in what we do but in who we are. Their book helps parents to realize what they already know and to become the parents they long to be: loving, spontaneous, fun. The secret is not in mastering techniques, but in cultivating one's own inner contentment, acceptance and happiness.

Paper, 178 pages.

#5072 $14.95 $8.99 Out of print, one copy available.

Everyone is Able: Exploding the Myth of Learning Disabilities - Susannah Sheffer, ed. True stories from parents and LD specialists make us challenge our prevailing ideas about L.D. and offer alternative ways for helping people learn. Includes a section on LD jargon commonly used in school and what it truly means. This booklet is a collection of stories, some of which were published in Growing Without Schooling Magazine and others that were written just for this publication. The focus is limited to "perceptual difficulties and exceptions to the accepted developmental timetable which the learning disability now covers." Booklet, 15 pages. #268JH $4.95

Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens by Earl Hipp - Stress is something we all experience. But research suggests that adolescents are affected by it in unique ways that can increase impulsivity and risky behaviors. While eliminating stress from life isn’t realistic, young people can learn to control how they respond to it.

This book offers proven techniques that teens can use to deal with stressful situations in school, at home, and among friends. They’ll find information on how stress affects health and decision making and learn stress-management skills to handle stress in positive ways—including assertiveness, positive self-talk, time management, relaxation exercises, and much more.

Filled with interesting facts, student quotes, and fun activities, this book is a great resource for any teen who’s said, “I’m stressed out!”

Paper, 154 pages. 8.9"x6"x.4". 1995 edition.

#3808X $10.95 $9.99

Free Schools, Free People: Education and Democracy After the 1960s by Ron Miller - The first historical account of the free school movement of the 1960s documents the formation of hundreds of small, independent schools across the United States that marked a turning point in American education. The book revisits and interprets the radical democratic educational vision behind those schools through the works of some of the authors of that time such as John Holt, A. S. Neill, Paul Goodman, and George Dennison. These authors--and the thousands of educators, parents, and young people who took part in the free school movement--passionately advocated for students' intellectual and psychological freedom, and for their autonomy and individuality in a society they say as increasingly standardized and corporately managed. Paper, 220 pages. 9"x6"x.5". #4207X $24.95 $22.99

Getting thru to Kids: Problem Solving with Children Ages 6 to 18 by Phillip Mountrose - Learn the five key steps to problem solving with children, improving trust, honesty, school attitude and friendships. By helping children understand how to change negative emotions and beliefs to positive ones, both children and adults are empowered. "This wonderful little book offers a simple and effective method to create peace and harmony in the home and high self-esteem in your children", says Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series. A Parent Council selection.

Paper, 152 pages.

#8772 $11.95 $6.99 Out of print, one copy available.



The Golden Rules of Parenting: for Children and Parents of All Ages by Rita Boothby - Warm, wise, tough, and funny, The Golden Rules of Parenting asks readers to consider the question, What might help me if I were that child? Instead of rigid should-dos, this gentle guide invites parents to choose solutions to behavioral problems based on both the individuality

#3517X $17.95 $9.99

Guerilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids A Real Education With or Without School by Grace Llewellyn and Amy Silver. The author of the popular, The Teenage Liberation Handbook, has joined fellow author, Amy Silver, to write a book offering parents ideas on how to take care of their family's education despite the restrictions of traditional schooling. There are exercises and projects to do with children of all ages to help children unleash their innate creativity and other abilities. They realize that not everyone will homeschool their children, and they wanted to reach out to kids and parents who want something better than what they are getting. That said, there are lots of good ideas for homeschoolers too. Paper, 206 pages. #9607 $15.95 $9.99 Sale - while supplies last!

Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. With recommendations for prescription drugs, nutraceutical therapy, cognitive reprogramming, parenting and educational strategies, biofeedback, self-hypnosis and more, Dr. Amen’s approach provides a treatment program that offers sufferers of ADD to a normal, peaceful, and fully functional life.  

Paper, 448 pages.

#3270 $14.95 $9.99

How Rude! : The Handbook o Family Matters for Teens, Avoiding Strife in Family Life by Alex J. Packer, Ph.D. - When family life is full of strife, what can a poor teen do? This book covers the basics of creating the civilized home—a place where people talk instead of yell, pick up after themselves, respect each other, and fight fair. And it’s not all about the traditional family. Tips also cover the blended, shaken, stirred, and mixed (or mixed-up?) family, with special advice for teens whose parents are divorced. Paper, 128 pages. 6.8"x5.1"x.2". Young Adult. #1631 $9.95

How to Stock a Home Library Inexpensively, 3rd edition by Jane A. Williams is a convenient guide that includes an appendix of book resource guides, author's recommendations of books and resources to include in a home library, a separate directory of resources for buying books conveniently and inexpensively. Paper, 96 pages. 11"x8.5"x.5". #7185 $14.95 $13.45

In Their Own Way: Discovering and Encouraging Your Child's Multiple Intelligences by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. As a learning specialist, Dr. Armstrong has come across many children who have been labeled as underachievers or learning disabled. With this book "he shows that in most cases these children are individuals with distinct learning styles (linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, etc.) and explains how to help them acquire knowledge according to these sometimes extraordinary aptitudes."

Paper, 288 pages.

#0514X $14.95 $13.99

Kids Are Worth It! : Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline by Barbara Coloroso - The author's message is that good parenting begins with treating kids with respect. It means giving them a sense of power in their own lives, and offering them opportunities to make decisions, take responsiblity for their actions, and learn from their own successes and mistakes. Rejecting the "quick fix" solutions of punishment and reward, she uses everyday family situations - from sibling rivalry to teenage rebellion - to demonstrate sound strategies for giving children the inner discipline and self-confidence that will help them grow into responsible, resourceful, and resilient adults. Paper, 253 pages. 8"x5"x.5". #9549 $12.50 $8.99 Out of print, one copy available. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families: Building a Beautiful Family Culture in a Turbulent World by Stephen R. Covey, forward by Sandra Merrill Covey - No family is free from challenges, from its own members or from the outside world. In this book, Covey shows how the seven habits create a powerful framework of timeless, universal and self-evident principles that enable family members to effectively communicate their problems and resolve them. He also shows how families can move from a problem-solving to a creative mind-set, focusing on accomplishing goals and contributing together in meaningful ways. Sharing experiences from his own life and also from the lives of many families who are striving to live these principles, Covey teaches you how you can: become an agent of change in your family; create a family mission statement - a compelling, unifying expression of shared vision and values; make family a priority, even in the midst of a turbulent world; work together effectively to come up with new, third-alternative solutions; and shift your focus from survival (barely making it yourselves) to significance (making a real difference in your family and in the world). Covey demonstrates how the principles of the habits can be used to build the kind of strong, loving family that lasts for generations. As Covey says, "When you raise your children, you are also raising your grandchildren". He shows that building a strong family is not a matter of nature or nurture, but of choice. Hardcover, 400 pages. #0087 $25.00 $17.99 Out of print, one copy available. A Life in School: What the Teacher Learned by Jane Tompkins - Here one of our leading literary scholars looks back on her own life in the classroom and discovers how much of what she learned there needs to be unlearned. Jane Tompkins' memoir shows how her education shaped her in the mold of a high achiever who could read five languages but had little knowledge of her self. A painful and exhilarating story of spiritual awakening, Tompkins' book critiques our educational system, while also paying tribute to it. Paper, 229 pages. 8"x5.5"x.8". #7996 $12.00 $9.99 One copy available. A Mind at a Time: America's Top Learning Expert Shows How Every Child Can Succeed by Mel Levin, M.D.- renowned learning expert Dr. Mel Levine explores the wide diversity of learning styles and shows parents how they can observe and understand their children's minds and strengthen their abilities. "Consistent progress can result when we understand that not every child can do equally well in every type of learning and begin to pay more attention to individual learning patterns - and individual minds - so that we can maximize children's success and gratification in life. Paper, 352 pages. 8.3"x5.5"x.9". #2236 $14.00 $9.99

The Lives of Children by George Dennison is the deeply inspiring story of the First Street School, where twenty-three children, black, white, and Puerto Rican, all from poor families, and many with severe learning and behavior problems, came together with five teachers who believed that "the business of a school is not, or should be, mere instruction, but the life of the child." It includes a 13 page introduction by John Holt in which he writes: "This book must be seen also as a destroyer of alibis and excuses. We cannot say any longer that we do not know why we are failing, or that we do not know what can be done instead, or that we cannot afford to do it. If we go on failing much longer, stunting and wrecking as we have the lives and spirits of millions of children, it can only be because for peculiar and dreadful reasons of our own that is what we really want to do." Part of the Classics in Child Development series. Paper, 309 pages.  Limited quantities. #4831 $19.50 $15.99

Mindstorms: Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas by Seymore Papert - Mindstorms has two central themes: that children can learn to use computers in a masterful way and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else. Even outside the classroom, Papert had a vision that the computer could be used just as casually and as personally for a diversity of purposes throughout a person’s entire life. Seymour Papert makes the point that in classrooms saturated with technology there is actually more socialization and that the technology often contributes to greater interaction among students and among students and instructors. Paper, 248 pages. 1980 edition. One copy available. #6746 $12.99

The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart by Jan Hunt, Peggy O'Mara (Foreword by) - The Natural Child makes a compelling and passionate case for a return to attachment parenting, a child-rearing approach that has come naturally for parents throughout most of human history. In this insightful guide, parenting specialist Jan Hunt links together attachment parenting principles with child advocacy and homeschooling philosophies, offering a consistent approach to raising a loving, trusting, and confident child. Paper, 202 pages. 8.9"x6"x.5". #4401 $14.95

Raising Your Spirited Child, revised edition by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. Learn new ways of viewing your intense, perceptive, sensitive and persistent child. The author describes each trait and ways of coping with them. Help your child accept their one-of-a-kind personality, and learn how to give them the skills to work with their temperament to get along in the world. My friends who have "spirited" children recommend this book.

This is the new, updated version, with the most up-to-date research.

Paper, 480 pages.

#9669 $14.95 $13.45

The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids: How to Understand, Live With, and Stick Up for Your Gifted Child by Sally Yahnke Walker -  What does it mean to be "gifted"? What's good - and bad - about the label? What makes gifted kids so special? How can you make sure your child gets the education he or she needs? What should you do with a child who's an underachiever, a perfectionist, or a "nerd"? How can you be the best possible parent to your bright, talented, and sometimes exasperating child? And where can you find help and support for you?

This book is a guide to help you with your challenging child that is inviting, encouraging, fact-filled and fun.

#3280 $12.95 $5.99 Out of print, one copy available.

The Teenagers' Guide to School Outside the Box by Rebecca Greene - For some teens, the traditional four-year high school curriculum is just what they need. Others would benefit more from nontraditional learning experiences—if they knew how to find them and what to do next. This practical, inspiring book explores the world of alternative learning, giving teens the knowledge and tools they need to make good choices. It’s not a directory of programs; there are many of those available already. Instead, Rebecca Greene introduces and describes a world of possibilities, from study abroad to internships, apprenticeships, networking, job shadowing, service learning, university coursework, and independent study. Then she tells teens where to look for opportunities, how to decide which ones are right for them, how to overcome potential barriers (cost, distance, time), how to prepare, and what kinds of benefits they can expect to take away from their experiences. Paper, 272 pages. 6"x9". Ages 13+. #0872 $15.95 $12.99 They Can But They Don't: Helping Students Overcome Work Inhibition A workable solution for the millions of children trapped in the vicious circle of academic underachievement. Distinguishing work inhibition from intellectual impairment and explaining why it often affects the brightest children, Bruns outlines strategies to help children become successful, self-motivated learners. Paper, 240 pages. #2296 $15.00 $9.99 One copy available.

Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window  by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi Translated by Dorothy Britton Illustrated by Chihiro Iwasaki  - This engaging series of childhood recollections tells about an ideal school in Tokyo during World War II that combined learning with fun, freedom, and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars for classrooms, and it was run by an extraordinary man-its founder and headmaster, Sosaku Kobayashi—who was a firm believer in freedom of expression and activity. In real life, the Totto-chan of the book has become one of Japan's most popular television personalities—Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She attributes her success in life to this wonderful school and its headmaster. The charm of this account has won the hearts of millions of people of all ages and made this book a runaway bestseller in Japan, with sales hitting the 4.5 million mark in its first year. Paper, 240 pages. 7.3"x5"x.7". #0673 $11.00 $9.99 Understanding Those Who Create by Jane Piirton, Ph.D. - This award-winning edition is Dr. Piirto's most recent revision of her critically acclaimed research regarding creativity and talent development. This very readable book has been expanded to include biographical material and life patterns of the creatively gifted, such as artists, writers, scientists, musicians, entrepreneurs, actors, and dancers. Dr. Piirto also provides ways for parents or educators to enhance and stimulate creativity, particularly in children. Adults who struggle with creativity in their children or themselves will find help in this thorough, down-to-earth book. Paper, 463 pages. #7278X $27.95 Out of print - one copy available. The Unmotivated Child: Helping Your Underachiever Become a Successful Student by Natalie Rathvon, Ph.D. offers a look beneath a child's surface behavior. The author discloses beliefs that influence an underachievevr's attitude and actions and pinpoints the warning signs to watch for in elementary, middle and high school students. The Unmotivated Child focuses on the roots of underachievement, the world of the underachiever, and pathways to achievement. Some solution include: guidelines for supporting the student through the change process, including dealing with setbacks; seven strategies for overcoming the homework trap; eigh practical techniques for working with teachers to encourage a new approach to learning and school behavior; five methods for communicating constructively with an underachiever. While the focus is on children in a school setting, there are ideas here for helping any learner. Paper, 240  pages. Spiral bound. It's a trim booklet. #3062 $15.00 $9.99 One copy available.

The Well-Trained Mind: a Guide to Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer - This guide seeks to help parents supplement their child's education at home. It instructs the parent on how to give the child an academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through to high school. Instruct your child from preschool through high school in all levels of: reading, writing, history, geography, mathematics, science, foreign languages, rhetoric, logic, art and music. Hardcover, 764 pages. 9.4"x6.3"x1.6". 1999 edition.  #7520 $35.00 $15.99   One copy available; jacket has a wrinkle and tear on inside flaps. Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher with Annie Gottlieb - The impossible dream is no longer impossible with this innovative source book to career changing and life enhancement. Exercises and games show the reader how to brainstorm to turn ideas into action, use daydreams to define goals, diagram paths to achievements and more. You'll learn how to: discover your strengths and skills, turn your fears and negative feelings into positive tools, chart your progress day-to-day, diagram the path to your goal, and much more! Paper, 304 pages. 8.1"x5.2"x.5". 1979 edition, page edges are yellowing. #0892 $12.00 $8.99    Out of print edition, one copy available.

Books on Education by John Holt

 

How Children Fail by John Holt - First published in 1964, this book has helped many parents and teachers over the years understand what actually happens in the classroom. John Holt was a keen and astute observer of children, with a passionate conviction that our children deserve much better. His writing is very clear and accessible, and makes so much sense. Paper, 298 pages. #4021X $16.95 $11.99

How Children Learn by John Holt - John Holt opens our eyes to the amazing ways pre-school children learn so many things. His writing is clear, concrete, down to earth and based on his observations of children and how they learn from what interests them. What I like about John Holt's writing is his constant curiosity about learning. It will get you thinking about both your child's learning and your own. Paper, 320 pages #4048 $16.00 $11.25

Learning All the Time: How Small Children Begin To Read, Write, Count, and Investigate the World, Without Being Taught by John Holt. John was working on this book before his death, and it was completed using his articles in Growing Without Schooling and other previously uncollected writing. As with all of his books, this work exhibits the great respect he had for children and insights into how they learn. John explores how children learn and think and demonstrates that children can and do pick up "the basics" (reading, writing, math) from the world around them. I find many of his ideas very practical, not just theoretical, and every so often I pick up and skim this book to help remind me that my children are, indeed, learning all the time. Paper, 169 pages.  #0911 $15.00

Innovators in Education Series
 

top of page