What to Look for in a Classroom and Other Essays (Hardcover)

"No issue is safe from Kohn's scrutiny. He asks difficult questions and is candid when he does not agree with the conventional wisdom. Nevertheless, his criticism is clear, concrete, and constructive. Informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking, this is recommAnded for both school and academic libraries." — Library Journal

"Renowned educator Kohn delivers an important, comprehensive collection of essays built around one central message: respect children and allow them to learn.... Kohn's message, if heeded, could inspire a productive revolution in America's fatigued regime of public education." — Publisher's Weekly

"Of the dozens of 'experts' on what's wrong (and right) in U.S. schools, only a handful are truly worth reading; Kohn has long been one of the soundest. His willingness not simply to challenge conventional answers but also to examine whether we're asking the right questions gives his work a genuinely eye-opening quality." — Booklist

"[Kohn is] provocative and strong. He forces teachers and leaders to ask hard questions about the character of human beings, about learning, about schools, and about the purposes of education." — ChristianSchool Administrator

"Thought-provoking, visionary, and radical.... The book is ideal for the reader who enjoys skipping about, selecting topics of interest randomly.... It is essential reading for all teachers who aspire to help their students develop into caring, confident individuals and self-directed, curious life-long learners." — The Orff Echo

"Alfie Kohn is a must. . . .This book is for people who take our schools seriously and who are willing to see some sacred cows challenged." — Susan Ohanian, longtime teacher and author of Who's in Charge? and Ask Ms. Class

"These well-written essays are noteworthy for their incisive criticisms of our schools. Anyone who has an interest in children and schooling will find this book provocative." — Seymour B. Sarason, professor emeritus of psychology, Yale University

"[Alfie Kohn is] now recognized as one of the most original thinkers in education." — --C.M. Charles, author of Building Classroom Discipline

––Educational Leadership Through his writings and speeches, Alfie Kohn has been stirring up controversy for years, demonstrating how the conventional wisdom about education often isn′t supported by the available research, and illuminating gaps between our long–term goals for students and what actually goes on in schools. Now What to Look for in a Classroom brings together his most popular articles from Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, and Education Week––and also from The Atlantic Monthly, the Boston Globe, and other publications.

From self–esteem to school uniforms, from grade inflation to character education, Kohn raises a series of provocative questions about the status quo in this collection of incisive essays. He challenges us to reconsider some of our most basic assumptions about children and education. Can good values really be instilled
in students? What, if anything, lies behind the label of attention deficit disorder? Are there solid data to support our skepticism about watching TV? Might such allegedly enlightened practices as authentic assessment,
logical consequences,
and Total Quality education
turn out to be detrimental? Whether he is explaining why cooperative learning can be so threatening or why detracking is so fiercely opposed, Kohn offers a fresh, informed, and frequently disconcerting perspective on the major issues in education.

In the And, his critical examination of current practice is complemented by a vision of what schooling ought to be. Kohn argues for giving children more opportunity to participate in their own schooling, for transforming classrooms into caring communities, and for providing the kind of education that taps and nourishes children′s curiosity. Through all these essays, Kohn calls us back to our own ideals, showing us how we can be more effective at helping students to become good learners and good people.