Review/Giveaway: Light Up Your Child's Mind

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Light Up Your Child's Mind: Finding a Unique Pathway to Happiness and Success

Author: Joseph Renzulli, PhD, and Sally Reis, PhD, with Andrea Thompson

Genre: Parenting/educational

How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.
Entry deadline: January 25, 2010
Restrictions: Open internationally

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway. Please note: we are giving away our review copy! It is a paperback ARC and is rather dog-eared, as this is one of the best, most inspiring books I've read when it comes to parenting and education..
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Excuse me if I gush about this book a little. See, I am really big on researching education and making learning fun for my 2-year-old - we do preschool together and started on "alphabet school" when she was 15 months. You can read all about it on our personal blog - links in right sidebar. I have every intention of homeschooling her, as I want to be as involved as possible in her education - and this book is all about parental involvement in learning. (Though it is geared towards the parent of a student in a traditional school setting, and how to get the most out of that setting or enhance the education outside of the school.)

Light Up Your Child's Mind is written by Joseph Renzulli, PhD, and Sally Reis, PhD, with Andrea Thompson. This 304-page hardcover book is published through Hachette Book Group and has a list price of $25.99.

Here's how the publisher describes the book: "Based on the renowned "Renzulli Method," which has been adopted in schools all over the country, Light Up Your Child's Mind presents a practical program to help children fire up a love of learning to last a lifetime. World-renowned experts Drs. Renzulli and Reis illustrate the crucial role parents can play in their children's development and address how they can work with teachers to enhance their children's education. They uncover the hidden potential of daydreamers, rebels, and one-track minds, arguing that gifted behavior--basic smarts, high levels of task commitment, and creativity--can be fostered in bright children, even unmotivated ones."

This book may be written by PhDs, but it doesn't read like a dry doctoral thesis! It is full of illustrations, examples, and practical applications. If you've got kids and you're interested in their education, you're sure to find something relevant and useful in this book.

The book introduces the three attributes important in giftedness, or what you might define as "success:" ability, task commitment, and creativity. Most school programs focus on developing and testing ability, yet the other attributes are vital as well. Part Two of the book addresses ways to develop that giftedness.

To add to the practical application of this book, there are scores of resources listed in the back that can be used by kids to develop their creativity. There is also a chapter for parents of children with learning disabilities or other exceptional circumstances.

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

1. I really had a paradigm shift - from seeing education as academic learning to seeing it as a pathway for my child to succeed in life. Our homeschooling will definitely have more practical, hands-on experiences as a result. I'd like to help my daughter identify and pursue her passions, whatever they may be, and see her make a difference in the world through that pursuit.
2. I know the computer/internet will be a big part of our education - it's like having access to a gigantic library, for starters. There's a discussion checklist on evaluating and reviewing websites with your child.
3. There's a chapter on "Guide-on-the-Side" - or guiding your child through the process of learning rather than instructing too much. Lots of practical stuff here that made me rethink my own role with my daughter.
4. And there's a section on being a role model for my child, demonstrating the type of creative behavior I'd like for her...

Overall, this is just a really great resource for parents, as well as an interesting read.

Thanks to Anna at Hachette Book Group for the review copy of this book.