Fabulous or Not?

Book Review: Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind

Once again, Phillip Done goes directly to the head of the class with his latest year-long memoir about teaching third graders.  A veteran teacher with over twenty years of experience in the classroom understands children on a level unparalleled by most.  A heart-warming, hilarious and touching book, it should be required reading for all new teachers and parents. 

Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind  takes the reader back to the elementary classroom, complete with bulletin boards covered in colored paper and scalloped borders to the mysteries of what kids keep and lose in their desks to the wonders of recess and spelling errors -- be careful when you spell o-r-g-a-n-i-s-m, he reminds little Melanie, the N and the I are very important. 

I relived my own elementary days, my favorite teachers, the special dress-up days, picture day when they handed out those little combs!, the celebrations of half-birthdays and lost teeth.  I laughed out loud about spelling errors!  (Don't read that chapter in bed while your husband is sleeping!) Done writes so glowingly and magically of his experiences with children that it makes me jealous that I won't experience all those crazy, annoying, special, and priceless moments with my own children -- but, those moments are meant for teachers, they are not meant for parents.  Perhaps I need to go back and get a Masters in Education and become a teacher? Done is clearly a master teacher and this books shows he is also a master of the written word.

I think one of the many things that makes Done so successful as a teacher and a writer is that he is fully invested and committed to his work. In a world where you often hear more negative than positive this is a refreshing read, it makes you believe in teachers, our American school system, the wonder and joy of third grade and it makes you believe that with teachers like Phillip Done, every kid does have a chance at a lifetime of success. 

I wish every kid at least one Mr. Done in their school years.  Done, it rhymes with Phone.

This book is available from Amazon.com

Click here to read more about Phillip Done and his first book, 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny.

Book Review: It Started with Pop-Tarts

This book review is cross-posted with my book discussion on my main blog, The Fabulous Miss S.  I am posting here as a review because I found this book to be informative, enlightening and hard to put down.  This is a must read for anyone dealing with eating disorders of any kind, themselves or someone they know, or anyone looking for ideas and options to better self-understanding and introspective.  A friend of mine once said, when you stop evolving it's time to go, and Lori Hanson shows us exactly how she has done just that.  We can all gain a little inspiration from this book.

Lori Hanson's It Started with Pop-Tarts really spoke to me as a woman, a friend and as a parent.  This book literally fell into my hands at a rather precarious moment in my life. I have a friend from high school in a battle for her life right now with a severe case of bulimia.  She has been sick for over fifteen years and I recommended this book to her. What if Lori's story gives her the hope she needs to rebuild? Anything is possible and this book reminded me of that simple fact.    I'm feeling so much conflict right now with different aspects of my life and I am going to use her positive-thought-affirmation/positive-energy seeking ways to find solutions for myself.  Hanson wrote a remarkably candid memoir chronicling the more difficult parts of her life. She confesses to mistakes with men, partying, drinking too much, and some behaviors that would send even the most centered and self-assured asshat into temporary hiding.  But that is just it; in order to overcome, learn, and evolve, you have to face reality and understand why you are who you are before you can be who you want to be. 

On one level I can relate to the self loathing and over-analyzing of her body and weight because most of us have been there, but I started to really find interest and intrigue at how she committed and recommitted to searching out a more peaceful life for herself.  I am on a mission to find the same freedom that Lori did in letting go of control.  Lori has spent years committing and recommitting to her search for authenticity. Her story made me realize that, so what, I haven't worked out weeks, but that is okay, because tomorrow can be the first day of the rest of my life. 

I have to admit, I am on the fence when it comes to "natural" cures and "nontraditional therapies" because I like my vaccines and antibiotics for bad infections, antidepressants and the occasional Xanax, and I have never met a post-surgical painkiller I didn't like.  That said, I am a strong believer in talk therapies, massage, organic eating, getting in touch with your authentic self, and if that involves someone who can feel your energy or prescribe a diet to help your colon flora rebalance itself, who am I to judge, I might need that sort of therapy myself one day and what if, just WHAT IF, that is what works for you? 

Lori is a remarkably driven person and I'm feeling motivated and inspirated to try new techniques in my own evolution.  I have written a bit lately about feeling unbalanced and over stressed and I need to stop.  And refocus. 

A lot of Lori Hanson's self-doubt and need to control stems from her less than loving childhood where she was harshly criticized and repeatedly unaccepted by her parents.  Hanson explains how this type of parenting led her to grow up with distored images of herself and unhealthy habits in relationships.  I am a mother, and vaguely new to motherhood at that.  As Noah gets older I am increasingly aware of how my actions/choices/decisions as a mother will effect the person he becomes.  I feel reminded of how important it is to make your children feel accepted, adequate and successful.  Family relationships and dynamics have the potential to land you on a one-hundred-twenty-dollar-an-hour-leather-sofa anyway so couldn't we all learn a little from these intimate confesions of Lori Hanson?  I am going to love Noah, accept Noah, challenge him and make sure he knows that I love him unconditionally.

This book review is cross-posted with my book discussion on my main blog, The Fabulous Miss S.  I am posting here as a review because I found this book to be informative, enlightening and hard to put down.  This is a must read for anyone dealing with eating disorders of any kind, themselves or someone they know, or anyone looking for ideas and options to better self-understanding and introspective.  A friend of mine once said, when you stop evolving it's time to go, and Lori Hanson shows us exactly how she has done just that.  We can all gain a little inspiration from this book.

Lori Hanson's It Started with Pop-Tarts really spoke to me as a woman, a friend and as a parent.  This book literally fell into my hands at a rather precarious moment in my life. I have a friend from high school in a battle for her life right now with a severe case of bulimia.  She has been sick for over fifteen years and I recommended this book to her. What if Lori's story gives her the hope she needs to rebuild? Anything is possible and this book reminded me of that simple fact.    I'm feeling so much conflict right now with different aspects of my life and I am going to use her positive-thought-affirmation/positive-energy seeking ways to find solutions for myself.  Hanson wrote a remarkably candid memoir chronicling the more difficult parts of her life. She confesses to mistakes with men, partying, drinking too much, and some behaviors that would send even the most centered and self-assured asshat into temporary hiding.  But that is just it; in order to overcome, learn, and evolve, you have to face reality and understand why you are who you are before you can be who you want to be. 

On one level I can relate to the self loathing and over-analyzing of her body and weight because most of us have been there, but I started to really find interest and intrigue at how she committed and recommitted to searching out a more peaceful life for herself.  I am on a mission to find the same freedom that Lori did in letting go of control.  Lori has spent years committing and recommitting to her search for authenticity. Her story made me realize that, so what, I haven't worked out weeks, but that is okay, because tomorrow can be the first day of the rest of my life. 

I have to admit, I am on the fence when it comes to "natural" cures and "nontraditional therapies" because I like my vaccines and antibiotics for bad infections, antidepressants and the occasional Xanax, and I have never met a post-surgical painkiller I didn't like.  That said, I am a strong believer in talk therapies, massage, organic eating, getting in touch with your authentic self, and if that involves someone who can feel your energy or prescribe a diet to help your colon flora rebalance itself, who am I to judge, I might need that sort of therapy myself one day and what if, just WHAT IF, that is what works for you? 

Lori is a remarkably driven person and I'm feeling motivated and inspirated to try new techniques in my own evolution.  I have written a bit lately about feeling unbalanced and over stressed and I need to stop.  And refocus. 

A lot of Lori Hanson's self-doubt and need to control stems from her less than loving childhood where she was harshly criticized and repeatedly unaccepted by her parents.  Hanson explains how this type of parenting led her to grow up with distored images of herself and unhealthy habits in relationships.  I am a mother, and vaguely new to motherhood at that.  As Noah gets older I am increasingly aware of how my actions/choices/decisions as a mother will effect the person he becomes.  I feel reminded of how important it is to make your children feel accepted, adequate and successful.  Family relationships and dynamics have the potential to land you on a one-hundred-twenty-dollar-an-hour-leather-sofa anyway so couldn't we all learn a little from these intimate confesions of Lori Hanson?  I am going to love Noah, accept Noah, challenge him and make sure he knows that I love him unconditionally.

Book Review: 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny, Life Lessons From Teaching, a memoir by Phillip Done

This book will warm your heart and make your soul smile. Every child in this world deserves at least one Mr. Done in their school years.

Twenty-year veteran elementary school teacher, Phillip Done has written an awesomely heart-warming memoir about his years as a teacher.  

Within the first thirty pages I had two thoughts "... career change?"  and "I would give or pay anything to ensure that my son has 12 years of teachers who are THIS dedicated, THIS connected and THIS devoted to children."  Phillip Done is a funny man.  He is the teacher we all loved, the teacher we all remember forever, ...the teacher who made us believe in ourselves. 

Phillip Done paints a sarcastically humble and adoring portrait of his time in the classroom with children.  Many of us would not look back on the day a child released a bag of ladybugs into the classroom with humor, however, Done keeps tracks of the best Shareday (Show-and-Tell) stories, often relating them to his friends for extra humor value.  By embracing the utterly unpredictable nature of children, he allows each child the space they need to discover who they are as individuals, imagine within their world and grow into thoughtful people. He challenges, he engages and most of all he just ... loves what he does and it shows. He doesn't let a little spilled glue or glitter get in his way.  He teaches by practice that life is about the journey and that learning is fun.

At a time when all we seem to hear on the news is that another budget is being cut and class sizes are increasing, Done makes it clear that he adores teaching and makes efforts to think about how the children he teaches view him. He cherishes the childlike moments in life and speaks to kids in ways they understand.  

This is a great book for teachers, for one, but as a parent I think it is good to understand the way teachers think, especially the good ones.  I am more encouraged now to be involved and active in my kid's school, when my children go to school.

Phillip Done is to teaching what George Washington was to the Presidency.  The first; a model to which all who follow should aspire to emulate.

You can read more about Phillip Done on his website.

PURCHASE LINK: AMAZON