THE PASSIONATE LEARNER: How Teachers and Parents Can Reclaim the Joy of Discovery for All Children

How do preschool children, full of natural inquisitiveness and a passion for learning, turn into apathetic or angry teens with a profound dislike of school? Why do so many kids "see school as the enemy of what's interesting, fun, and worthwhile"? The answers lie in well-intentioned educational reform efforts that emphasize accountability and efficiency rather than genuine learning. Fried, an associate professor of education at Northeastern University, leads readers step-by-step to a deep understanding of the forces inhibiting learning, widening the achievement gap and diminishing teacher professionalism. His is no mere critique. Filled with classroom narratives, curriculum ideas and practical suggestions, Fried's counterpart to his The Passionate Teacher is a wise, realistic treatise on the prospects of reclaiming children's engagement with learning. One excellent section addresses how teachers try to meet the conflicting demands of engaging students in authentic learning while carefully measuring student achievement. In trying to conform to accountability measures, they often sacrifice "deeply held goals for teaching and learning excellence." How can teachers find their way out of this and other traps? Fried is inspirational and practical as he considers possible solutions to such educational problems. His ideas will encourage and guide both teachers and parents in the important work of creating learning environments in which students recapture their earlier joy in learning, become confident readers, writers and orators and rediscover the passion of discovery and accomplishment that is their birthright. (Nov. 15)