This enduring classic of educational thought offers teachers and parents deep, original insight into the nature of early learning. John Holt was th...
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Nov 08, 2007
Malbadeen
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John Holt's basic premise is that "teaching" children anything is unproductive at best. He believes that children will direct their own learning guided by curiosity, need and exposure.
He has an, often recalled, bit on his daughter discovering and becoming enthralled with his type writer.
It's a lovely theory and possibly highly applicable for those with resources and patience to provide a plethora of objects/experiences. What it lacks (and admittedly isn't attempting to p More...
He has an, often recalled, bit on his daughter discovering and becoming enthralled with his type writer.
It's a lovely theory and possibly highly applicable for those with resources and patience to provide a plethora of objects/experiences. What it lacks (and admittedly isn't attempting to p More...
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Oct 19, 2007
Kathryn
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Although John Holt is best known as a "founding father" of the homeschool movement, this remarkable book is a simple but profound collection of his observations about how children learn. It is a much-needed reminder for most "grown-ups" to open their eyes to view the world as children do, if only to better understand the young ones in their life and be a more patient, enthusiastic, warm and empathetic parent/friend/mentor. Most of all, Holt believes that children learn best
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Jun 07, 2008
Natasha
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I was energized as an educator after reading this book. Imagine my delight when I learned my own father read this book when it was first published in my childhood. That explains a lot. (I come from a family where none of us have ever moved off the educational path.) We all love to learn!
John Holt recommends: let learners have the freedom to explore their own tastes. This is particularly important with children. Holt points out that children yearn to do real things with real facts More...
John Holt recommends: let learners have the freedom to explore their own tastes. This is particularly important with children. Holt points out that children yearn to do real things with real facts More...
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Jun 03, 2011
Leif Erickson
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This is kind of a sequel to How Children Fail. In this book, Holt examines how very young children (infants to toddlers) learn, and what that has to tell us about how humans are hard-wired to learn. Holt doesn't spend as much time in this book talking about the specific failings of the educational establishment, but he doesn't need to: the indictment is clear when one considers how humans naturally learn, and then contrasts that with how schools attempt to teach. Holt's theory is that schools, i
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Mar 28, 2011
Razzberry
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When I was first given copies of John Holt's "How Children Fail" and "How Children Learn", I was loath to give them more than a scant perusal. I had read a few articles by and about the man who was probably the first to coin the term "unschooling" and generally considered one of the early instigators and champions of the homeschool movement, but I had, for the most part, distanced myself from reading his works in depth.
Born, raised and schooled in Singapo More...
Born, raised and schooled in Singapo More...
Dec 12, 2009
Karen
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I picked this up at the library to help me improve as a piano teacher- just general psychology or something that will help me better understand people.
The start of the preface got me VERY excited! He states that children are naturally great learners, but the school setting is not condusive to this and they forget how to learn. I FELT THAT WAY! Why did everything come so easy for me in early elementary, but by the time I was in Jr. High and High School, I could remember nothing t More...
The start of the preface got me VERY excited! He states that children are naturally great learners, but the school setting is not condusive to this and they forget how to learn. I FELT THAT WAY! Why did everything come so easy for me in early elementary, but by the time I was in Jr. High and High School, I could remember nothing t More...
May 26, 2009
Tim
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Follow up to Mr. Holt's first book, with much the same subject matter. However, this time the emphasis is not on the learning that takes place in the classroom, but rather on how infants and very young children go about learning about their world. Mr. Holt is an interesting writer, so the book was a pleasure to read, but its conclusions seemed much more forced than in the first book. It felt as if Mr. Holt started out trying to prove that children learn perfectly well on their own, without any a
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Jul 11, 2011
Christie
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I love the idea that children are natural learners. That they are the best judges of what they need to know and when they need to know it. I appreciated the author's respect for children and their abilities and found it to be very contagious. I see now that my job is not to teach my daughter but to facilitate her learning. Otherwise it will be something she does to please me (or something she rebels against!) rather than something she does for herself and can therefore call her own.
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Aug 18, 2009
Angela
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John Holt has some really fascinating observations from working with children that really reflect my own experiences with my kids. Children learn through games and play. They seem to learn spontaneously without being taught (like Holt makes the point...if we taught kids to speak how we teach them to read, they would never learn!)
I learned it's important to sort of "watch myself" and not interfere with my kids learning process. I need to let go and let them discover on thei More...
I learned it's important to sort of "watch myself" and not interfere with my kids learning process. I need to let go and let them discover on thei More...
Jun 27, 2010
Nissa
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Stunning. Read this. It seems like so much common sense but then why does no one figure it out on her own? Well, I mean, it might be hubris but a lot of the stuff in here I already practice intuitively or have figured out on my own; but I already know that one of my strengths is to be able to "read" people so I think I stumbled into these methods just through my own experience. But for someone who has had other child-rearing methods drummed into her and can't see the way out, or wh
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Oct 17, 2009
Excellent! A book my mother found from her bookshelves when she found out I was having difficulty with some of my students. It's out of print as so much excellent writing is (not only great writing but sincere and excellent observation). I found it lovely not only to use it to reflect on my students or any future children I might have but also to use it to consider my own childhood, how I did begin to learn those things I take for granted now, and more over, what skills and attitudes have I fo
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Jan 14, 2012
Basirat
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I give this book a 4 star. As a teacher, this book really helped me understand children better and I have tried a different approach in class room after reading this book and did get some positive result. The whole point of the book boils down to; trust and appreciate a child and he will do wonders.
Even as grown ups, we don't like to be forced into learning or believing something so how can we expect children to do that.
The only little problem I had with the book was it sometime le More...
Even as grown ups, we don't like to be forced into learning or believing something so how can we expect children to do that.
The only little problem I had with the book was it sometime le More...
Aug 01, 2010
Heather
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This book was recommended to me by my husband, a former school teacher.The author, was originally a math and french teacher, but after spending a lot time studying children and education and writing a couple of books went on contribute a great deal to the home school movement. Between reading this and How Children Fail, homeschooling is something that I am contemplating. And if nothing else I will very closely monitor what and how my children are learning. I strongly recommend this book to pare
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Jul 03, 2011
Debbie
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Even though I read the updated edition (sometime in the '80s), most of this book was written in the 1960s and I was amazed at just how "on" John Holt was, even 40 years ago. I was especially impressed at the reading chapter, which I began reading thinking he was missing the mark. Then I remembered that he wrote the book long before all of the research had been done out of New Zealand etc. and realized just how very close he was to nailing it! The guy was clearly ahead of his time.
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Dec 18, 2010
Carrie
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I have mixed opinions on this book.
1. I think John Holt is so intent upon conveying his message, that he paints all school teachers with the same brush.
2. I think John Holt is so intent upon conveying his message, that he paints all children with the same brush.
3. I disagree with both. I do not think that all teachers are controlling, commandeering, and out-of-touch with the needs of their students. I do not think that all children are as disinterested in and/or threatened by adul More...
1. I think John Holt is so intent upon conveying his message, that he paints all school teachers with the same brush.
2. I think John Holt is so intent upon conveying his message, that he paints all children with the same brush.
3. I disagree with both. I do not think that all teachers are controlling, commandeering, and out-of-touch with the needs of their students. I do not think that all children are as disinterested in and/or threatened by adul More...
Apr 22, 2009
Alexis
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This book takes me way outside my comfort zone, which four or five years ago would have been a very bad thing. The Me of the past, upon reading Holt's work, would have confidently launched into a lengthy diatribe indicting Holt for a litany of agregious offenses not the least of which would have included a failure to be pragmatic, academic laziness (re: his utter disregard for quantitative research), and just plain ol' utilitarian naivete. The Me of today, although still resistant to some, if
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Aug 14, 2009
Nicholas
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People as a whole are only as smart as a society is comfortable with.
In prose style "How Children Learn" reminds me a lot of "The Omnivore's Dilemma", in that both present some pretty depressing news with a great deal of compassion and hope. John Holt wrote this in the 60's and revised it in the 80's a few years before his death, and it's alarming how many of his criticisms of education are still applicable decades later. But it never comes off as polemic or divi More...
In prose style "How Children Learn" reminds me a lot of "The Omnivore's Dilemma", in that both present some pretty depressing news with a great deal of compassion and hope. John Holt wrote this in the 60's and revised it in the 80's a few years before his death, and it's alarming how many of his criticisms of education are still applicable decades later. But it never comes off as polemic or divi More...
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Oct 24, 2010
Alba
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I am a John Holt fan and I think he is very right on with his ideas, observations and philosophies about children and education. This book only continued to confirm my thoughts about his ideas, observations and philosophies. Holt gives great real life examples and explains his thoughts in an easy to understand way. The only reason I gave this book a 4 instead of a 5 is because though it is interesting, it is a dry read. It took me a while to get through it and I read other books while reading th
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Apr 29, 2011
Kate
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This book is what finally convinced me I had to home school. (I adamantly refused for many years.)
I just really agree with the philosophy that children (well, all people) learn best when interest drives learning, as opposed to bribes, rewards, threats, or any other type of coercion. And there just seems to be no getting around that in a system with grades, charts, tests, and so forth.
I'm not sure if it was just this book, or a combination of all the things I was reading a More...
I just really agree with the philosophy that children (well, all people) learn best when interest drives learning, as opposed to bribes, rewards, threats, or any other type of coercion. And there just seems to be no getting around that in a system with grades, charts, tests, and so forth.
I'm not sure if it was just this book, or a combination of all the things I was reading a More...
Jan 12, 2010
Jane
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I read this book while wandering Chiayi City during travels in Taiwan. Reflective, interesting, anecdotal. Simple and true.
It's helped me to think about the experience and act of learning as something essential and natural, and to reflect on ways to enrich the role of the 'teacher', which is too often contrived and fabricated. Interesting read.
It's helped me to think about the experience and act of learning as something essential and natural, and to reflect on ways to enrich the role of the 'teacher', which is too often contrived and fabricated. Interesting read.
Aug 12, 2009
Camille
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This book has had the greatest influence on me and my family. My husband and I are striving to stop correcting the kids and have a renewed respect of their ability to learn. No book I have ever read has given me a better direction to provide an environment for learning. Watch out!! Be aware of the "Teacher Devil" in you!
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Dec 14, 2008
Laura
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After reading this book, I want to read the other books written by John Holt. I can see why he had a profound influence on education in America and how he became the modern founding father of Homeschooling. He has a lot of eye-opening observations about how children learn. I found it very refreshing and would highly recommend this book to any parent or educator. One of my favorite ideas from this book is how important and necessary it is to "play around with" something before you c
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Jul 01, 2010
Marcie
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I chose this book specifically for the section on reading so I didn't read the rest of the book. It was ok. It gave me enough insight to lighten up about the fact that my 5-year-old doesn't want me to teach her to read, so for that alone it was worth reading :)
Jan 13, 2010
Bonnie
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Anyone who knows who John Holt is will probably want to read this book just because he wrote it. He was a wonderful researcher and educator who loved children and wanted to find out exactly how they learn best. This book is such a perfect companion to The Thomas Jefferson Education books because it shows us specific examples of how capable children are of learning ON THEIR OWN. Holt even shows us some instances where the direct teaching or explanation of a concept actually detracts from the l
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Feb 03, 2009
Elizabeth
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This is a book that you CAN put down, if you know what I mean. It took me a long time to get through it, but I'm glad I did. The beginning is kinda "iffy" (the first chapter "Games and Experiments"), but once it started going into chapters about reading, talking, math, and etc. it was more interesting. It's a different kind of book to teach about education and children. It's not very instructional, but more personal than anything, since John and other people share their p
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Aug 08, 2010
Kristi
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Did not finish this book (sorry Jill!). I found it really slow and not really my style. Holt had some good points and I found a few very interesting thoughts. But I couldn't keep reading as other books demanded my time. Maybe I will pick it up again later.
Apr 29, 2011
Jarrod
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John Holt's advice to bring the world into your teaching speaks in under 200 pages what many have written in volumes. Learning happens naturally, as a beautiful end in of itself. It begs the questions who are we to get in the way so often?
Nov 05, 2010
Afton
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An amazing book. The author basically relates lots of stories where he just observed children as they discovered and created and explored and he then drew conclusions about their abilities and their natural desire to learn and have an influence on the world around them. I learned a great many things that I hope will help me to be a better guide and facilitator of my children's education. The last chapter of the book was inspiring and definitely had the intent of getting the reader excited and
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Nov 16, 2009
Katie
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This book had lots of interesting ideas to learn from, but did get a bit repetitive. The qualitative research method wasn't exactly scientifically rigorous, but i think this was outweighed by Holt's fascinating philosophy. Worth reading.
Feb 12, 2010
Kristy
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This was the first time I've read a John Holt book, and it was definitley worth it. I'm looking forward to reading How Children Fail next. There was much I marked, and many pages I dog-earned to return to in the future, but I will at least share his ending comment: "What we need to do, and all we need to do, is bring as much of the world as we can into the school and th eclassroom: give children as much help and guidance as they need and ask for; listen respectfully when they feel like ta
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