Jessica R. (jesse-mcrae) reviewed Fires in the Mind: What Kids Can Tell Us About Motivation and Mastery on + 3 more book reviews
I have been teaching high school English for eight years, and as any teacher, I struggle with motivating some of my students. I was hoping to find some new ideas in this book. However, that was not the case.
I would recommend this to any teacher who is just entering or who has recently entered the field, as it does explore "motivation and mastery" through the words of adolescent learners and could be useful in finding the spark in students. For veteran teachers, it may be a good reminder, but for the most part, I found myself skimming to find information I did not already know.
That being said, the chapter regarding homework is very insightful and includes a checklist to evaluate how you use homework. The suggested projects seemed manageable, but not very practical for teachers outside urban areas.
Overall, swap it. Don't buy it!
I would recommend this to any teacher who is just entering or who has recently entered the field, as it does explore "motivation and mastery" through the words of adolescent learners and could be useful in finding the spark in students. For veteran teachers, it may be a good reminder, but for the most part, I found myself skimming to find information I did not already know.
That being said, the chapter regarding homework is very insightful and includes a checklist to evaluate how you use homework. The suggested projects seemed manageable, but not very practical for teachers outside urban areas.
Overall, swap it. Don't buy it!
