An essential book for parents and teachers that explores how childrens individual strengths create success
With this groundbreakin... read full description
With this groundbreakin... read full description
reviews
May 18, 2011
David
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I found this book a fascinating look at how schools are falling short in getting kids to understand their strengths. Too often, Fox says, school operate from a weakness standpoint, showing kids what they can't do rather than helping them discover what they can do. This book is a useful read for those interested in helping children figure out not jsut what they are good at, but the type of activities that excite them and energize them. You can be good at something but not like to do it, and th
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Jan 18, 2009
Joni
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This just reinforces all our philosophies about raising children. Children need empathy and respect and it isn't helpful to focus on failures and punishment. It is also interesting to think about my own strengths and what things make me thrive.
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Mar 01, 2010
Lisa
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I really identified with this book (another education book, albeit one that can be applied to other arenas) but it talks about in our current educational system we tend to be focused on our weaknesses so that we can overcome them and learn. However this book sets out the premise that it would be better to help our students (and children) to identify their strengths (those things that make them feel alive and energetic) so that they can use their strengths in other arenas and so that they can eve
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Sep 05, 2009
The school system teaches from an archaic place and does not recognize strengths of individual as a rule. Parents and teachers have to work together to foster this type of learning. Early on, children may get diagnosed with a LD or learning disorder. This may enable the child to receive more attention in school but does not address the real issue, which is that children are engaged in learning when they are learning from a strength standpoint and understand how the content selected by teacher co
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Oct 23, 2008
Elimoore
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So far amazing...can't wait to get to the practical discoveries.
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Feb 11, 2008
Boulder Book Store
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Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 7:30pm at the Boulder Book Store.
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Sep 29, 2011
Emily
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What a great read for parents and teachers. It takes the opposite approach of the current system of finding children's fault's and then trying to fix them, and instead focuses on finding their strengths and developing them. It was a good reminder that children do not have to excel at every subject. Their strengths are things that interest, energize, and enliven them (and not simply, I am good at soccer, but I enjoy working with a team or figuring out strategies). The process of discovery is
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Jul 15, 2008
Julie (jjmachshev)
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What an excellent book for parents, educators, and just about everyone else too. "Your Child's Strengths" by Jenifer Fox is a well-structured, logical, and methodical plan for bringing out the best in children, while inculcating resiliance and responsibility to help them face the ups and downs ahead of them.
Fox uses well thought-out plans, exercises, and examples to help her target audience learn how to re-focus their senses to work WITH children rather than trying to work More...
Fox uses well thought-out plans, exercises, and examples to help her target audience learn how to re-focus their senses to work WITH children rather than trying to work More...
Mar 07, 2010
Esmeralda
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As a professional with experience as a teacher and administrator, Fox provides background and practical suggestions to improve education. The point of the book is to make learning relevant to kids. There are exercises teachers and parents can use to incite a spark to the individual learning in the classroom.
Nov 28, 2010
Why: most of my son's friends have such definite intellectual interests and are self-driven to spend hours pursuing them. My son's strongest interests and skills are social. He's only 6 1/2, but I'm interested to find out what this book has to say about a child like mine.
Mar 10, 2009
This book will probably be on my 'currently reading' shelf for many months. The third section of the book which is where I am currently is a guided project to help you discover your and your child's strengths. So, if you see this book here awhile, that's why.
Sep 06, 2011
Reggie
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Great book. Fascinating perspective. Important topic and we're only beginning to hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a child's potential. Jennifer's insights in this book make a valuable contribution to the direction we should be going in education.
Feb 03, 2009
Maren
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The first half of the book was pretty much a waste of my time. I mean, seriously, I picked up the book, so obviously she was preaching to the choir. But I give it 4 stars because of the workbook pages in the back to help children, particularly adolescents figure out how they learn, what makes them happy, and how they can best contribute to a group. I'll definitely be referencing this again.
Feb 17, 2012
Marina
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One more parenting book I keep close for reference. I like when a book helps you to see good and special in your child and not makes you look for his/her imperfections.
Jan 14, 2010
April
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This was an intriguing book. I loved the creativity and optimism presented. The end has a lot of great activities you can try on either a student or your own child.
Feb 17, 2012
April
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I had high hopes for this book, but she hadn't gotten to the 'meat' of her theory by the 7th chapter. So I didn't finish.
Aug 08, 2011
Laura
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The focus (at home and at school) ought to be on a child's strength's, not their weaknesses. Every child learns differently.
Aug 27, 2011
A friend told me this book will really affect a person's parenting tactics.
Jun 20, 2010
Maya
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This was a tough book to get through for some reason. It's meaty and has good information but after I got too far into realized that it's meant for kids over the age of nine. It still has lots of practical ideas that I know we can take into account with our son but for ages 4 and younger and through elementary school it's more of reflecting on your child's likes, etc. and documenting those for later use as they go through the discovery process later in life. I might pick it back up again once ou
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Feb 15, 2011
Heather
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I am in the middle of reading this book & am realizing that I need to buy my own copy b/c this is one of those really helpful resourceful books that I know I will come back to time & time again. I haven't even gotten to the part of the book where it helps you not only identify your child's strengths but also your own. Another dually healing purposeful book that I can see by focusing on our strengths we can accomplish & be anything.
Nov 02, 2008
This is way more powerful than I ever suspected. I can't put it down and caused quite a conversation at my son's baseball game today. Jennifer Fox is brilliant. I only picked it up because Marcus Buckingham wrote the intro (I secretly have a crush on him), but now I'm realizing all that is wrong with our schools. I hope Barack Obama has read this book. Clearly, Bill and Melinda Gates have! Can't wait to learn more.
Jan 09, 2009
Rachel
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I loved this book! I thought I was reading it for my kids, but honestly I needed it for myself. I highly recommend this to anyone with kids of any age. In fact, though I don't yet have teenagers, her chapters on teenagers were my favorite. The last fourth or so of the book are workbook style exercises that reinforce the principles in the first part of the book.
Feb 28, 2011
Patti
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This book changed the way I saw myself, by giving me a better understanding of why I struggled in school. Read this book as a gift to your child,
Jul 18, 2009
Tara
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I liked this book, though I didn't feel like the entire thing was completely applicable to my two small children. I took some good information out of it that I hope to use as I raise them. Maybe I'll read this book again once I have the perspective of being a mother of pre-teens and teens.
Jun 10, 2008
Jan
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I wish I owned this.
I found it at the library.
It is actually exactly what I need right now.
It is helping me to understand my children's unique gifts when sometimes all there seems to be are struggles. It literally helps "week things become strong".
I found it at the library.
It is actually exactly what I need right now.
It is helping me to understand my children's unique gifts when sometimes all there seems to be are struggles. It literally helps "week things become strong".
Dec 23, 2009
Nausheena
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So far, this is a great book to understand strengths for kids. Its more for pre-teen and teenaged kids but gives you options on how to apply it to younger kids. I'm reading through the workbook and am going to try some of it on my daughter.
Jun 22, 2008
Carrie
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I had the honor of speaking with Jenifer on my author interview Internet talk show, Words To Mouth. Come check it out. Her ideas and movement are already being implemented in many schools and making a positive change. www.WordsToMouth.com
Jun 18, 2008
Lkohn
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the evolution our our current public school policy. How to discover your childs (and your own) strengths and apply them to learning. reinforces positive teaching/coaching. Good mix of theory, background and practical application.
