Don’t Miss the Bus: Steering Your Child to Success in School

The middle level years are an extraordinary period of our human development. The only other time we grow as much physically, emotionally, and intellectually is form ages zero to two. But early adolescence is much more than just tripping over large feet and calling friends on the phone to discuss who likes whom. The ways we deal with conflict, relationships, and personal development as adults have direct connections to specific experiences we had between the ages of ten and fourteen. We can create a very positive future then, when we provide careful and compassionate experiences for today’s young adolescents.

Cutting edge scientific research has shown that exposure to the right kind of environment during the first years of life actually affects the physical structure of a child’s brain, vastly increasing the number of neuron branches—the “magic trees of the mind”—that help us to learn, think, and remember.

Today’s parents are increasingly concerned about the reading and spelling skills taught in schools and are taking charge of their children’s education. Full of ideas and suggestions — from innovative preschool exercises to techniques that older children can use to increase reading speed and comprehension — Straight Talk About Reading will instantly help any parent lay a solid foundation for their child’s formative educational years.

Groundbreaking and comprehensive, Driven to Distraction has been a lifeline to the approximately eighteen million Americans who are thought to have ADHD. Now the bestselling book is revised and updated with current medical information for a new generation searching for answers.

Through vivid stories and case histories of patients — both adults and children — Hallowell and Ratey explore the varied forms ADHD takes, from hyperactivity to daydreaming. They dispel common myths, offer helpful coping tools, and give a thorough accounting of all treatment options as well as tips for dealing with a diagnosed child, partner, or family member. But most importantly, they focus on the positives that can come with this “disorder” — including high energy, intuitiveness, creativity, and enthusiasm.

See also, Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder.

The author lays out a clear vision of what responsive middle level teaching should be. This is a book for all reasons - help for the novice teacher, support for the mid-career teacher wanting to improve her craft, and inspiration and confirmation for the later-career teacher as well. Part I creates a culture of learning, leading to Part II and many specific ideas on promoting higher student achievement through innovative and accomplished practice. Part III cycles back to the middle school context - effective teams, teacher-student advisories, outdoor adventures, and working with parents.

“Written by school psychologist Michelle Fattig, who herself lives a highly successful life even though she has ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome, A Prairie Day with Annie is novel for young readers featuring a pair of children, Michelle and John, who have Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. They apply their unique perspective and insight to combat crime and evil, and further world peace. Black-and-white illustrations and a large typeface gentle on the eyes distinguish this easy-to-read chapter book and its upbeat message life with ADD and Asperger’s. A handful of black-and-white illustrations by Michelle’s son Josh Fattig, who also has Asperger’s Syndrome and ADD, round out this excellent novel for young readers ready to start on their first ever chapter books.”
—Mary Cowper, Midwest Book Review