Choose to Learn: Teaching for Success Every Day

by Russell T. Osguthorpe

Discover how the application of eight powerful principles can motivate students, increase every learner′s self-confidence, and encourage individuals to go beyond familiar goals to take manageable risks.

Genres: Teaching

136 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2008

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great book that talks about the power of personal agency and how to apply that to our lives. It talks about how students can use this power to overcome their "addiction to failure" and choose to succeed!
Should be required reading for anyone in education, but Its principles can be applied to anyone or any organization!

[Bryan Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

While generic books about teaching and learning are a dime a dozen, I whole-heartedly recommend reading this one if you are serious about improving in either area. I'm this book, Russ and Lolly synthesize decades of experience as patents, teachers, mission presidents, and more, into a simple set of principles that helped me understand why I make certain decisions regarding my own teaching and learning.

Reading this book was an intuitive and fluid experience. I finished it in only one sitting, which hardly ever happens. The prose and organization worked together to allow me to clearly understand the Osguthorpe's every intention. Their ideas leapt off the page and hit my brain with total clarity. While not all of the ideas were new to me, their organization definitely was.

"Choose To Learn" is an 8-principle (agency-driven) model designed to help everyone become better teachers and learners. The process guides all readers beyond where they have gone before in teaching and learning—doing better than they thought they could do, and helping others to do the same.

My favorite part of the book, and what I most needed to hear, was understanding the differences between urgency and pressure, and how that affects both teaching and learning (Chapter Two).

Truth be told I read this book to distract me from working on a project that I felt tremendous pressure to finish. Naturally, I avoided working on it at all costs. But now I feel an internally-driven sense of positive urgency. (I guess sharpening the saw really does work; thanks Stephen Covey.)

[Zina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book was given Ron and me by the authors as we visited them in their home. It concerns success - from the desire, decision and determination to the resulting success of making it happen. They write the book from their years of personal experience with teaching at the university (Russ) and elementary school (Lolly) levels as well as being parents/grandparents. It involves teaching faith in in oneself and the how-to of being successful. I found the book inspiring. Elder Osguthorpe, by the way, was sustained in April 2009 LDS Conference as the General Sunday School President of the Church.

[Juleseebug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm currently reading this to find ways to motivate my students to become proactive and take responsibility for their own learning. So far, it is very helpful and as a teacher/parent to learn the 3 D's of success: desire, decision, determination in helping children (and oneself) to set goals and relish in achieving them.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read and was especially good because I know the author Russ and was able to see so much of his personality and philosophy in the book.