Product reviews for Obstetrics for Schools

Writing in a fluid style within an excellently structured text, Rachel Macfarlane hooks the reader into a thought-provoking and evidence-based journey highlighting practices that go a long way towards eliminating failure and ensuring the safe delivery of all learners. The book features an excellent bibliography alongside guidance for reflection and a variety of practical strategies to help schools get to the root of the problem of learner underachievement – which all make for stimulating and challenging reading. Those readers with experience of working in challenging educational environments or in communities of economic and/or social deprivation will find the sections on making a positive impact very supportive. I particularly enjoyed the section on ‘the elephant in the room’ and the in-depth analysis of outstanding work by growth mindset advocates such as Carol Dweck and Martin Seligman. It is significant that Rachel emphasises the benefits gained by replacing the word ‘ability’ with ‘attainment’ to promote learner feedback and self-belief, with the emphasis on raising the bar of attainment even higher with coaching terms such as ‘you’re nearly there’. Obstetrics for Schools is an excellent and practically formatted book which provides opportunities and guidance for team building based on the author’s valid experience and case studies to make higher attainment possible and rapidly motivate learners to reject any form of limiting mindset. Highly recommended for schools, colleges and teacher training centres.