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Product reviews for The Monkey-Proof Box
Lisa Pegman, Deputy Head Teacher, Simonside Primary School
The Monkey-Proof Box is thought-provoking, hilarious and, more importantly, a real -˜game-changer' - I genuinely think every person involved in education should read this book. Aside from the fact that it is incredibly well-written and based on thorough research, perhaps the fact that Jonathan is a practicing teacher makes the content even more credible; you know that it is tried, tested and achievable. Teachers and leaders will also benefit from the fact that potential pitfalls are identified throughout.
The informal tone makes the book so easy to read that it's difficult to put down, and it is rare that a text based on sound educational research can actually create laugh-out-loud moments - yet I found myself doing so on a number of occasions. The anecdotal references and witty one-liners are things that all experienced teachers can relate to, and for those who have missed the days of the -˜inspirational QCA units' the handy explanations will be very useful, too! The way in which the theory is seamlessly intertwined also aids the book's readability, and I think it's fair to say that - for the most part - you don't actually realise that you're reading theory/research, but it is definitely there. These are not just -˜pie in the sky' ideas designed to look pretty and make learning -˜fun'; make no bones about it, there's real grit and substance here.
For me, reading The Monkey-Proof Box was a true -˜light bulb' moment - I have completely changed the way I view a whole host of everyday practices within our school! Everything Jonathan says makes perfect sense and probably reflects what the majority of teachers know they should be doing but are, quite possibly, too scared to try; however, what Jonathan quite rightly points out in the book is that we owe it to the children that we teach to be brave enough to step away from -˜tradition' and do what's right for them.
If you have any involvement with learning in your school, this book is a must. After all, who wouldn't want to hear how to create a culture in our schools that enables learners to become -˜trapped in a cycle of brilliance that's impossible to escape'?
The informal tone makes the book so easy to read that it's difficult to put down, and it is rare that a text based on sound educational research can actually create laugh-out-loud moments - yet I found myself doing so on a number of occasions. The anecdotal references and witty one-liners are things that all experienced teachers can relate to, and for those who have missed the days of the -˜inspirational QCA units' the handy explanations will be very useful, too! The way in which the theory is seamlessly intertwined also aids the book's readability, and I think it's fair to say that - for the most part - you don't actually realise that you're reading theory/research, but it is definitely there. These are not just -˜pie in the sky' ideas designed to look pretty and make learning -˜fun'; make no bones about it, there's real grit and substance here.
For me, reading The Monkey-Proof Box was a true -˜light bulb' moment - I have completely changed the way I view a whole host of everyday practices within our school! Everything Jonathan says makes perfect sense and probably reflects what the majority of teachers know they should be doing but are, quite possibly, too scared to try; however, what Jonathan quite rightly points out in the book is that we owe it to the children that we teach to be brave enough to step away from -˜tradition' and do what's right for them.
If you have any involvement with learning in your school, this book is a must. After all, who wouldn't want to hear how to create a culture in our schools that enables learners to become -˜trapped in a cycle of brilliance that's impossible to escape'?
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22/02/2019 00:00
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