Star Teachers of Children in Poverty

By Djanna A. Hill, Maureen D. Gillette, Martin Haberman, et al.

Book Overview

In his groundbreaking work, Martin Haberman identified key dispositions of "star" teachers that help them work successfully with students in poverty. More than two decades later, Maureen D. Gillette... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0912099089
• ISBN13: 9780912099088
• Release Date: June 1995
• Publisher: Kappa Delta Pi
• Length: 100 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

very useful (if a little depressing)

I bought this book after struggling - with increasing sense of failure and doom - for a few months in a 100% free-lunch classroom in a very low-income area in Chicago. It is very helpful: it tells me EXACTLY in great and very specific detail - with support from research, interviews, and anecdotes - what I need to be doing to be an effective teacher to these students. It is also a bit depressing, because it shows me all my failures in great and specific detail, and makes no effort to make me feel ok about these failures. This is not a "you can do it" book - it is not something anyone will ever hand out at professional development, because it is not encouraging, supportive, or friendly. I suspect this is why it is out of print. The key, though, is that while it may not be a "you can do it" book, it is an "it can be done" book. As such, it is EXTREMELY helpful. First, if you are a teacher and you are the type to say "well, if it can be done, I am going to figure out how, and I'm going to do it," then this is what you need. Second, it is useful for anyone who really wants to know why most teachers fail in these settings - and what they could be doing to succeed. As far as I can tell, this is the only book available that answers these questions honestly, directly, succinctly, and based on research rather than speculation and opinion. Third, it also functions as a wonderful vindication and defense of the intelligence and limitless potential of children in poverty, and as such, is a potentially powerful tool against bigotry and racism.

Please read if you're considering being an urban teacher

I am currently in the process of leaving New York City schools after a mere six months of bureacratic hell; I think if I had read this book, I wouldn't have taken the position. Please take a look at this book before deciding to take the plunge. It does an extraordinary job of painting an accurate picture of what it's like--and what it means--to be a star teacher of children in poverty, and instead of appealing to theory or meaningless data, it takes real examples of teachers who are actually effective. It is the one part of my emergency certification training that really touched me.

On the mark

One of the other reviews says that Haberman has mised the mark, I think the other review has mised the mark. Haberman's book really comes down to one thing relationships. Teaching really comes down to one thing, relationships. Teaching is not about "technology". Haberman's book is a great read for anyone in or out of the classroom.

Humane Teaching

Having taught and mentored in inner city Minneapolis for over 30 years, I would recommend this book to anyone who works in an urban school district. Mr. Haberman clearly did see the trends that corporate America has set.Clearly this man has "been there!"

A must read for all educators!

I heard about this book at a middle school conference, and since the school where I teach has a large percentage of children in poverty, I thought I should read it. And, I was right. Haberman writes from years of experience and research in a straight forward, engaging manner. He divides his book by the qualities that he found in these star teachers and makes it easy to see the model unfolding. Along the way he provides many concrete examples that can be put to use right away. I would also highly recommend this book for any young person considering a career in teaching, regardless of where you plan to teach. The qualities of these star teachers apply to all teachers, not just those who deal with children in poverty.