P4C Pocketbook: Teachers’ Pocketbooks, 2012
Extracts from reviews:
“Such a wealth of wisdom, and so many practical strategies, distilled into one small volume. If you are passionate about developing your children's ability to think for themselves, and you want to make your classroom a place where the children ask more questions than the teacher, then you can't afford to miss this book. There is something here for everyone: those who are curious to find out more about P4C, inexperienced and experienced P4C practitioners, and those who simply want some new ideas to refresh and re-invigorate their teaching.
The authors practise what they preach; they provide food for thought, give us examples, and back up their statements with real evidence. The layout is clear and straightforward, and the reader is led through each stage of the enquiry process in a way that enables her to understand the reasoning behind each stage, and how it might implemented. The authors then go on to provide solutions to potential pitfalls, and suggest useful resources to get you started.”
Pauline Hinchliffe, Coordinator for Talent Development, Southwark LA
*****
“The P4C Pocketbook summarises the fantastic practice that Philosophy for Children has inspired in many classrooms across the world. It offers advice, inspiration and practical ideas to all who work with children, from those with very little experience of P4C to experienced practitioners and trainers. This excellent Pocketbook balances ‘easy reading’ (which will of course suit the busy lives of today’s teachers) with the ability to challenge and develop one’s own thinking, and that of the young people we work with. We will certainly be signposting our teachers and others to the P4C Pocketbook.”
Paul Jackson, Headteacher, Gallions Primary School, Newham
*****
"This is the most complete guide to delivering P4C in all schools from Foundation to Secondary. It has the potential to inspire any teacher to make a huge positive impact on pupils' education."
Craig Parkinson, maths teacher, Wath Comprehensive School
*****
The P4C Pocketbook is user-friendly: visual clues make it easy to navigate, language scaffolding models how to add depth to an enquiry, and useful practical tips are offered for moving ‘stuck’ enquiries forward. We found it very useful in improving our delivery of P4C.
Colleen Jackson, Headteacher, and colleagues from Marshfield Primary School, Bradford
*****
Gifted & Talented Pocketbook Teachers’ Pocketbooks, 2009
Extracts from reviews:
“I was blown away by this book! Delighted, tickled, and inspired. I LOVE IT, and can't say enough good things about it. Thoughtful, wise, informed, and responsible, but simultaneously bursting off the page with creative ideas, inspiration, and support for teachers everywhere. I will be recommending it to everyone I know, and expect that it will take off like a rocket. It is an extraordinary new book, as fresh and innovative in its presentation as in its content. Barry Hymer has managed to condense current research findings, theory and wisdom on how giftedness and talent develop, and put it all together in an inspiring teacher-friendly format, stuffed with delightful cartoons and realistic case studies that illustrate and illuminate the complex concepts under discussion. It may well transform how giftedness is understood and fostered – it’s a little work of genius!”
Prof Dona Matthews, formerly Director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Education at the Hunter College, City University of New York
*****
“I have to say it's a marvellous little tool and although I have read it from cover to cover, I find myself, at my desk every morning dipping into it thinking, oooh which delights can I use today!”
Rachel Ward, G&T Coordinator, Moor End Technology College, Huddersfield
*****
“This is a wonderful book. It's fascinating, it's profound, and it's practical!”
Prof Carol Dweck, Stanford University
*****
“Barry Hymer presents a model for gifted and talented education that is truly inspiring and inclusive. He builds on the belief that giftedness is not fixed, but the outcome of robust and independent thinking, where challenge and perseverance are both relished and valued. This book will provide you with compelling supporting evidence and wonderfully simple and effective strategies that you can implement immediately in the classroom.”
Julie Winstanley, Headteacher, Colne Engaine CE VA Primary School
*****
“If you want a treasure chest of ideas and strategies with regard to developing a whole school policy which creates giftedness – then Barry Hymer’s Pocketbook is an ideal text that doesn’t waste a single word!”
Belle Wallace, editor, Gifted Education International
*****
“Easy to read and entertaining, yet succinct and hard hitting. Provocative, questioning, informative, supportive, and, as always, evidenced and respectful. It's also all about you - people can identify with it, so will be intrigued. I can appreciate the hours of thinking and reworking that must have gone into its simplicity.”
Jan Hughes, formerly G&T Adviser, Doncaster LA
*****
“A marvellously lucid and engaging introduction to the 21st century way of thinking about giftedness. Every G&T teacher should have a pocket for it!”
Prof Guy Claxton, Co-Director, Centre for Real-World Learning, University of Winchester.
*****
“At last! A book on G&T that is inspiring. It’s based in sound educational values and fundamental evidence about learning!”
Chris Watkins, Reader, London Institute of Education
*****
“I would like to recommend this book to both primary and secondary lead teachers for G&T who have whole school responsibility for G&T provision. Additionally I would suggest that all subject leaders and coordinators of subject specialisms would find this immensely useful when reflecting on good practice in their particular subject area. They will find clear introductions to several original ways of thinking about this field and it will give many new threads to pick up and develop further. What is distinctive about Barry’s approach is that he is not simply advising on work with gifted and talented young people as an elite group; rather he aims to challenge us to consider a broad philosophical and consequent pedagogical position on education as a whole. This is a great strength and is revealed consistently through all his writings.”
Pat Hannam, County Inspector for RE and History, Hampshire LA
*****
Gifted & Talented Learners: Creating a Policy for Inclusion By Barry Hymer with Deborah Michel
NACE/Fulton 2002
Extracts from reviews:
“A wonderfully holistic and inclusive approach to this area. I do recommend it.”
Roger Sutcliffe, President of SAPERE and ICPIC (International Council for Philosophical Inquiry with Children), and Vice Chair, Values Education Council
*****
“This informed and provocative book … is more than a guide to creating a policy for inclusion – it presents pointers towards a vision of a reflective community of learners characterised by self-questioning attitudes which are modelled in the authors’ own approach.”
Prof. Robert Fisher, Director of the Centre for Research in Teaching Thinking, Brunel University
*****
“The book is an excellent combination of principles, research, practice and anecdote which should do much to enthuse a somewhat jaded teaching profession.”
Prof Colin Richards, St Martin’s College, formerly Honorary Professor, University of Warwick, HMI, Staff Inspector (DES) and Specialist Adviser (OfSTED)
*****
“A sensitive exploration of what kind of educational experiences schools should be developing …. The recommendations are very practical and within the grasp of any school that aims to develop an education based on the best theories of how children learn effectively – and how teachers teach effectively.”
Belle Wallace, Former President of the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE) and Editor of Gifted Education International
*****
“An excellent text. It is good to see argument from (and towards) principles at work again, after the shallow, self-justificatory cycles of outcomes-based education.”
Prof Clive Millar, formerly of Cape Town University’s Centre for Extra-Mural Studies
*****
“This practical yet thought-provoking book is good value for money in terms of discussion material to inform policy and practical structures for the implementation of those policies.”
Helen Paterson, Headteacher, Liphook CE Junior School, Hampshire
*****
“I thoroughly recommend this deeply thoughtful and readable book.”
Helen Wilson, Senior Lecturer, Research Centre for Able Pupils, Oxford-Brookes University