The Excellent 11: An Award-Winning Teacher's Guide to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Kids

The author speaks of his personal experiences a lot, but if one is a teacher who wants to give students classrooms that can teach them to have confidence in themselves and be lifelong learners long after leaving a classroom, this book is a keeper. Gives great points about what can motivate the inner student so that they will be excited about learning and become lifelong thinkers & learners.

We used this as a jigsaw exercise for our staff professional development sessions at the beginning of our school year. All staff members, including teachers, paraprofessionals, office staff, administration, and substitute teachers worked together in teams to present each chapter "Ron Clark" style. It was a great opening and staff expressed their appreciation for the book and the method we used to introduce it to everyone. It is an easy read, packed with great ideas .

Ron Clark does it again. If you haven't read his first book yet (The Essential 55), I would recommend that you read that one first. This guy makes me want to be a better teacher. It is evident that he cares about what he does. He cares about his students. He comes up with ways to make them want to come to school. To respect him. To make them keep coming back for more of what he has planned for them. The entire school is a part of this great community that he has built from the ground up.

Make notes as you go. Highlight key things .. You will find techniques and how to have long term respect with your class or child. I love this book easy read.. It just gets better and better.. I made notes in the back with page number reference. This is in my opinion a resource of knowledge that is priceless esp. working with children For Administrators who are at a loss how to help a new or even experience teacher to find a way to get to the heart of a child and make they enjoy and have a love for learning. Self-esteem buildinging relationships etc.

This is the second book I have read by Mr. Clark. I also watched his movie while searching for inspirational teachers. There is definitely a lot of helpful information in his book. He seems like a very kind gentleman despite his almost obsessive rigidity. I don't quite understand how he manages to find time for teaching with all his counseling, rules, and trips. So, I have to question how practical his approach really is in a real-world classroom. Maybe I just need to see him in action, but I remain somewhat skeptical of his overall teaching method.

It is a great read for aspiring teachers or just parents wanting another perspective. I got it for a college education course and really enjoyed it and was grateful it wasn't boring.

I'm a student studying to be a teacher, and this book has been very helpful in giving me good expectations as to what I should seek to do as a teacher. Very entertaining and informative!

I read the Essential 55 and loved it! I've used the OEQS for years, and my special education children are writing essays . Even the lowest functioning child can write simple sentences that are specific to topic. It takes almost 9 weeks, but I see the positive results. My children can express themselves through writing! This books narrows down the most important. Worth the read for all teachers!