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41st out of 41 books
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21 voters
Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World
by
Rafe Esquith
One of America's most celebrated educators teaches parents how to create extraordinary children-in the classroom and beyond
In his bestselling book, Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, readers were introduced to Rafe Esquith and his extraordinary students in Hobart Elementary School's Room 56. Using his amazing and inspiring classroom techniques, Esquith has helped thousands of...more
In his bestselling book, Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, readers were introduced to Rafe Esquith and his extraordinary students in Hobart Elementary School's Room 56. Using his amazing and inspiring classroom techniques, Esquith has helped thousands of...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
August 25th 2009
by Viking Adult
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Lighting Their Fires: Raising Children in a Mixed-Up, Muddled Up, Shook Up World by Rafe Esquith is basically as the title promises a guide to upbringing children to be all they can be. I don't have children, but I interact with children on a daily basis, as a student teacher. (I haven't dropped out of the program yet, thank goodness!) Rafe uses baseball to structure his book instead of chapters, there are innings. Anecdotes are used to further illustrate his point. Also each chapter includes a...more
Aug 02, 2011
Cindy
added it
Rafe Esquith sets out to prove to us that he is the best teacher ever, and this book is basically about all the wonderful things he does for students over and above a regular school day in the classroom. Maybe he'd needs to re-read his sections on humility.
Basically his advice boils down to teaching children how to behave, turning off the television, and making sure they have music lessons.
He uses the innings of a baseball game--that, of course, he took students to on his own time--as the frame...more
Basically his advice boils down to teaching children how to behave, turning off the television, and making sure they have music lessons.
He uses the innings of a baseball game--that, of course, he took students to on his own time--as the frame...more
The reviews I read before starting this book tended to note how judgmental the author seems to be, but if that's so, well, then so am I. Perhaps I simply share his values. I, too, bemoan the lack of courtesy, difficulty in delaying gratification, and non-stop attachment to screens (whether it be TV, video games, or whatever) that I see in today's youth and, unfortunately these days, more widely in society. The cautionary tales he told did not surprise me in the least.
I've read his other books ab...more
I've read his other books ab...more
The central theme of the book is that students aren't born extraordinary - they become that way. It takes more than natural smarts and skills to be successful - it takes work on the parts of parents and teachers to ignite in children the drive and determination needed to become more than mediocre.
I liked how the anecdotes, advice and examples were woven around the story of a night at a ballgame with a small group of students. The students learned so many things during their experience and the au...more
I liked how the anecdotes, advice and examples were woven around the story of a night at a ballgame with a small group of students. The students learned so many things during their experience and the au...more
Good, applicable tips for helping your child become all that s/he can be. One good tip Rafe includes is to teach child a musical instrument and also to learn yourself. Learning to play an instrument teaches self-discipline, listening (to yourself play as well as the other musicians around you), time management, and a few other things. The listening part really perked me up because I suck at that and so does my big kid, and surprise, we don't play musical instruments. But we can listen the heck o...more
Superteacher Rafe Esquith uses a baseball game as the framework for a meditation on ways to inspire and teach kids. I like his methods and subscribe to his metaphorical newsletter -- he preaches a potent combination of enthusiasm and high expectations for both scholarship and behavior.
I'm not so nuts about his dismissal of television and video games as worthwhile entertainment. I'd be the first to agree that Americans could benefit from less television and better video games... but I also see th...more
I'm not so nuts about his dismissal of television and video games as worthwhile entertainment. I'd be the first to agree that Americans could benefit from less television and better video games... but I also see th...more
Esquith's final book, written more as advice for parents than his former memoirs. I found this book to be quite repetitive of the others...no real new ideas, just another spin on the others. I did get a sense of superiority from Esquith in this book that I forgave him for in the other books--at times he portrays as the world going to pot around him. As if the only person in society left with any decency is him (& his students, because of him.) Oddly enough, he includes quite a long section o...more
Rafe's first two books inspired many things I use in the classroom. This one is directed more towards parents, but don't waste your time. "There Are No Shortcuts" and "Teach Like your Hair is on Fire" are both much better.
I saw one of his Hobart Shakespearean plays last year, and it was nothing short of spectacular. However, it was disappointing to learn he doesn't follow his own advice about being religiously neutral as a public school teacher. It was pretty obvious that he promotes an anti-Ch...more
I saw one of his Hobart Shakespearean plays last year, and it was nothing short of spectacular. However, it was disappointing to learn he doesn't follow his own advice about being religiously neutral as a public school teacher. It was pretty obvious that he promotes an anti-Ch...more
Written by an award winning teacher. The book is written for parents. He talked about such things as teaching kids: time management, following through with things, importance of learning a musical instrument, the evils of watching too much tv, not being selfish, being humble etc. Many good things to think about. But with all of his "ideas" for parents I did often wonder if he has children of his own not just his students. That's all I'll say about that. Lol. He gave many ideas of movies and book...more
Rafe Esquith is a teacher who has raised the bar for his low-income students in Los Angeles. I totally agree with the principles he gives for raising extraordinary children (or even ordinary, wonderful children). However, I found his commentary to be at times judgmental and leaning a little too much on the classics instead of highlighting some of the great modern juvenile and young adult literature. The principles have to do with things like learning to work hard, delay gratification, be selfles...more
I'm a softie when it comes to inspirational stories for teachers as I am studying to be one. I was given this book by a random stranger on a plane, so how could I give it any less than five stars!? That aside, it is a wonderful book, full of ideas that are easily within the reach of the average person. This is not a go out and buy this product that will make it all better kind of solution, but rather a philosophy of education that makes sense.
The arts are usually one of the first programs to go...more
The arts are usually one of the first programs to go...more
Christmas day was a good day to finish this consistently clear and useful book. Rafe Esquith is obviously writing from his own personal beliefs (level 6) and couldn't have helped us see his mission already in progress any better. Though, better still, he invited us to do the same.
There were times when I was reading though these easily digested pieces of advice that I thought, "Wow. Maybe he's just Type A and likes kids who are Type A." That could be the case now and then, but since his heart is...more
There were times when I was reading though these easily digested pieces of advice that I thought, "Wow. Maybe he's just Type A and likes kids who are Type A." That could be the case now and then, but since his heart is...more
Lighting Their Fires is, as Esquith says in his acknowledgments, about substance over style. I have little doubt that Rafe Esquith is a fantastic teacher. Reading this book gave me great ideas for some things to tackle with my fifth grader next year (specifically, some Shakespeare) and affirmed many of my parenting tenets. The reason it earns only three stars is that I didn't feel like I really learned as much from this book as I would have liked.
I think that is true, in large part, because this...more
I think that is true, in large part, because this...more
Jul 25, 2011
Anna
added it
Felt compelled to read this as an educator and I haven't read his earlier work. Although I'm impressed by what he has accomplished and how far his students have come, it saddens me that we need a book like this to teach us how to parent our children, how to encourage our youth and how to "light their fires." His tips and advice are not rocket science - it's mostly common sense values. What does it say about our society that we need to have a how-to book that talks about the importance of teachin...more
Not sure if he should canonized or if I hate him for setting a bar so high. Should teaching require such sacrifice? Sometimes it makes me feel like teachers are asked for more than is reasonable...not for the money, but because there is an endless pit of need in education and the answer these days always seems to be that I (as the teacher) should be doing more. If education is a partnership, more than one member of the partnership should be chipping in to make this a success.
Rafe Esquith always provides me with enough inspiration and gumption to get my classroom started each year with the soul goal to raise whole children and citizens of the world. This ended up being a more of a parent-guide, and overall I still liked "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" better. But I liked his philosopy on what a child needs to learn in order to become... "extraordinary". This gave me a good framework for future class meetings.
I found this book very interesting with a lot of good points. The author recognizes the difficulty of raising kids and juggling life while at the same time offering ways to do so without using the television or other devices that don't challenge the mind but think for them. Reading his successes and other's successes is inspiring. I wish I lived in his school district!
Rafe is certainly a hero. This book tries to give parents some of his methods that has made his classroom so famous. I wrote several notes of books to read, exercises to conduct and virtues to teach my young ones. Many of his movie recommendations, while they have merit are not what I'd show my kids. But there are some ideas to use Monday so to speak.
I would have like this book a lot more if there wasn't such an ongoing focus on a baseball game throughout the chapters. However, this book is filled with a lot of things to think about for both teachers and parents. Esquith has a lot of good ideas and suggestions for helping children reach their full potential in life despite the world around them.
I liked the principles presented in this book. Raising kids to be respectful and curious. The author, a renowned teacher from CA, struck me as an arrogant know it all. He would also make blanket statements that would often have no basis or proof, they were based purely on his personal beliefs and or judgements. I liked the idea of his book, and coming from another author I may have loved it but he was a little hard for me to swallow at times.
About a year ago I read Rafe Esquith's previous book, "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire" and enjoyed it. This one is much of the same. Excellent ideas for inspiring kids and teaching them not only knowledge and academia, but the importance of life skills and good character. As in the first book, there are some ideas I don't agree with, mostly pertaining to the movies he thinks are required viewing for kids ("Saving Private Ryan", "Wall Street") but there are many, many ideas that I loved and would...more
Esquith is a crackerjack teacher who has inspired lots of kids from tough backgrounds to beat the odds. In this book he offers parents advice from what he's learned over the years in the classroom. While it was helpful and substantive, I definitely need to read it again in 5+ years when the advice will be much more applicable.
I thought this was a pretty good book. I really didn't agree with all of his suggests, but I did agree with most and figured out that I was doing some of his suggests already. I am not sure if and when I become a teacher I will make my students watch the movies he suggested, but he does have good ideas. Nice read.
Read this book because an old friend from high school is now an education blogger / activist and he recommended it. It was a very quick and easy read, that unfortunately simply validated my own personal beliefs about education and raising kids. It also recommended a bunch of classic books and films that I should see.
I think I would have like this book better without the baseball running throughout (of course that was his link :) Lots to think about, good ideas, almost (not quite) makes me wish I could do it again. He's a teacher along the lines of Ron Clark (just saw his story on TV) Enjoyed that too!
This book probably could have been condensed into a short article, but it's still a great read. Lots of good principles, such as the importance of art, music and literature education for kids. Esquith is clearly a devoted teacher, and his anecdotes are a fast read.
Ugh. This book didn't do it for me. There were two things I liked about it: Firstly, he described a hierarchy of what motivates people to do things and I liked his part about how we want to get our kids to do things for intrinsic reasons and not just to avoid punishment or for a reward. And the second thing I (kind of) liked was that he gave a few specific book, movie, game recommendations on how to use those to teach life lessons to your kids. But his voice and tone did not work for me - he's a...more
May 22, 2012
Brad Peuster
added it
As a parent and teacher I found this book to be wonderful. I think back to the things my parents did, not because they are eductors, but because they liked spending time with their children and I see alot of his advice in them.
Jul 21, 2010
Miss G
is currently reading it
I read Rafe's first book, Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire which I LOVED. I'm not totally immersed in this one yet, but I'm hoping it's going to be just as good if not better than the other! Keeping those fingers crossed!!
This is a great book for parents and teachers. It's very motivational--but not in a make-you-feel-guilty way. I don't agree with some of his media selections, but his main points are right on target. Definitely worth reading.
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“Most children, even very bright ones, need constant review and practice to truly own a concept in grammar, math or science. In schools today, on paper it may appear that kids are learning skills, but in reality they are only renting them, soon to forget what they've learned over the weekend or summer vacation.”
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8 people liked it
“These days, many well-meaning school districts bring together teachers, coaches, curriculum supervisors, and a cast of thousands to determine what skills your child needs to be successful. Once these "standards" have been established, pacing plans are then drawn up to make sure that each particular skill is taught at the same rate and in the same way to all children. This is, of course, absurd. It gets even worse when one considers the very real fact that nothing of value is learned permanently by a child in a day or two.”
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6 people liked it
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Jun 01, 2012 05:32pm