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Book Reviews
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Carol Ann Tomlinson, Ed.D., Professor of Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Policy, Curry School of Education
In her Foreword to this book, Intelligent Life in the Classroom, Carol Ann Tomlinson writes: "Karen Isaacson and Tamara Fisher are connoisseurs of young learners, studying and savoring the variety of kids who come their way. I am pleased that they are sharing their wisdom, and humor, with others." |
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David Lee Carlson, Teacher Magazine "As schools scramble to meet the standards associated with No Child Left Behind, it's good to know there are still individuals who take the time to appreciate the qualities of accomplished students. The authors of Intelligent Life use anecdotes of their own and others' interactions with gifted children to illustrate these characteristics... "Getting parents and teachers to communicate at all can be a giant project, so it's no small feat that Isaacson and Fisher--an engaged parent and an experienced teacher, respectively--have written such a cohesive and thoughtful book. Their success stems from an obviously deep admiration and respect for each other and their students." |
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Dina Brulles, Ph.D., President, Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented, and Director of Gifted Education, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Arizona "Intelligent Life in the Classroom gives teachers permission to appreciate and run with their gifted students' idiosyncrasies, interests, and divergent thinking. This practical discourse introduces teachers to the wonderful world of teaching gifted children." |
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Dr. Bonnie Cramond, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology Director, Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development "Rarely do I find an academic book that is a page-turner, but this one surely is! Karen and Tamara have addressed the identifying characteristics of gifted children through anecdotes that make the children come alive. At the same time, they provide excellent information for teachers on how to recognize salient characteristics and address gifted children's needs. This book is immensely readable but addresses the issues in an intellectually honest way. I know that my graduate students will love it, too." |
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Judy Shafter, Lively Times Magazine "Karen Isaacson and Tamara Fisher, movers and shakers in the world of gifted and talented education, offer numerous examples of identifying and coping with the unique mindset of the gifted and talented school-age child. These real-life stories illustrate how the best-laid lesson plans can be tossed aside and spontaneous activity initiated by these bright students. "Isaacson is the mother of five GT children and author of Raisin' Brains: Surviving My Smart Family. Fisher, a GT K-12 specialist in Polson, is a respected and innovative educator and public speaker. Their enthusiasm for inspiring curiosity and elevated learning opportunities sounds loud and clear. Among their tips, they advise educators to maintain a healthy sense of humor because it is your best weapon AND your best tool in the classroom. "After reading this book, I wondered, how can we clone these two women? We need more like them. Parents, teachers and counselors will find inspiration for improvements at all classroom levels in this well-crafted, thoroughly researched book." |
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Marcia Gentry, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Associate Director, Gifted Education Resource Institute, Purdue University "Isaacson and Fisher have contributed a refreshingly welcome perspective concerning the complexities of smart kids and the teachers who reach them. Their lively writing style, attention to important issues, and use of substantive examples offer the reader a wealth of practical knowledge and strategies for working with gifted youth. Quite simply, an enjoyable, enlightening, must read for educators and parents." |
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Robert Heckel, Ph.D., ABPP, Feedback "Several years ago (summer ’03 ), I reviewed the work Raisin’ Brains: Surviving My Smart Family by the senior author, Karen Isaacson. I found the book both practical and entertaining, rich in answers to questions that parents, therapists have regarding the do’s and don’ts in raising gifted and talented children. This work is an outstanding addition to the first work. "The authors present a blending of issues from the standpoint of the child, the teacher and the parents. They provide pathways and courses of action that speak to the goal of uniqueness and individuality while maintaining a healthy environment and quality of life. A tall order for the authors but they succeed in doing this while providing an enjoyable read. "Perhaps the most valuable to the readers is an extensive listing of Gifted Educational Resources, including websites, books, magazines, journals, catalogs and companies providing useful materials, conferences on the gifted, and even national competitions for gifted kids. Fortunately, almost every resource has a website or e-mail address(I checked a number of them). In sum, a very worthwhile and valuable addition to your book collection." |
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Sally M. Reis, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut "This book reminds me of why I became a teacher and why I have spent my professional life advocating for more opportunities for creative and talented children. Reading it is like having a conversation with a dear, old friend about how to inspire curiosity, intensity, humor, and love of learning in all children." |
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Sandra Linke, Gifted and Talented International, August 2008 Issue "This is a very interesting and reader-friendly book (which means it is written in a lively writing style). Indeed, a rarely found page-turner among academic books! "...I can highly recommend this book! But don't just read it--examine the possibilities and supply some of your own examples of best practice. I am sure you can and will enjoy doing so!" |
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Teachers' Evaluation Comments, Teachers' Choice Award 2008 "The book is not instructional but rather inspirational, but yet it offers valuable advice. I think all teachers should read this book and it should be given to any parents of gifted students. I think all parents should read this book when they have very young children. It is a great tool to understand why your child may act strange when in reality they may be gifted and that talent needs to be explored." |
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Teachers' Evaluation Comments, Teachers' Choice Award 2008 "For the rest of the school year I will use the information provided in this book to inspire students...I intend to keep this book on my desk next year and use the resources, anecdotes, and ideas to create a meaningful learning environment all year long. I intend to ask my students many of the same questions found in the 'In their own voice' section of the book. By learning my students perspectives I truly intend to design a classroom environment conducive to their learning needs. This book has brought that into perspective." |
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Tom Hebert, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Georgia
"Karen and Tamara invite us into a classroom to meet some delightful young people. As they share poignant and comical stories of children and teenagers we are able to understand and appreciate the intellectual and emotional lives of gifted students. In describing their experiences, they enable us to reflect on how we might improve our own classroom practice. Intelligent Life in the Classroom serves as inspirational reading for all teachers and counselors working with gifted students." |