Dad of Divas' Reviews: Book Review - Tao-Centered Schools

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Book Review - Tao-Centered Schools

About the Book
Do you feel like our schools only meet the needs of the compliant, middle-of-the-road child? Do you feel like our schools only value certain talents and strengths? Many of the cookie-cutter policies come from politicians who are more concerned about getting re-elected and less concerned about the thousands of teachers trying to make the best of a bad situation. Using the principles of the Tao De Ching could dramatically change the climate of our schools. Applying those ideals could change the way we look at education and could alone produce remarkable results.

About the Author
As a public school elementary teacher for twenty-five years, Teri watched as politics and money started to have corrupting effects on her students and her school. She struggled daily to provide quality instruction while having to meet the ridiculous, time-consuming requirements of the bureaucracy outside the classroom walls. While reading about the Tao De Ching during one summer vacation, Teri felt frustrated and optimistic at the same time. She set out to change the environment inside her four walls using the principles of the Tao. Teri unexpectedly found herself on permanent disability. She began journaling as a way of coping with the huge life change. The words of the Tao kept coming to mind when Teri wrote about what she dreamed would be the perfect school situation. Teri has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska Lincoln in elementary education, with a minor in human development. She also has a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Chapman University. Reading metaphysical, spiritual, and inspirational books has been her passion for over twenty years. Teri is married with three adult children and two grandchildren. She has lived in Southern California for twenty-four years.

My Take on the Book
This is the type of book that will make you know that there is a surge of change happening in public education right now that will aid in the overall benefit to all of our children who are in public education today and in the future. This book looks at education through a while new lens that I would not have considered in the past. It really brings in many of the tenets that surround patience, love, equality and positiveness to encourage students to achieve more. I think this book would be a great one to use when training teachers to open a dialogue about how they can be agents of change in the future! Beyond new teachers though this would be great to encourage all existing teachers to read too! I highly recommend for all to read!


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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2 comments:

hoopsky said...

Thank you for your kind words and great review. I wish school officials would read this book and look at producing a new model of instruction and includes tolerance, respect, and kindness.
Teri L Hooper

hoopsky said...

Thank you for your kind review. In addition to teachers reading this book, I would LOVE to see school administrators and school boards adopt these principles so that our schools would become places of tolerance, respect and kindness. Teri L Hooper