A Mind at a Time: America's Top Learning Expert Shows How Every Child Can Succeed by Mel Levine
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.97 You Save: $12.03 (75%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of A Mind at a Time: America's Top Learning Expert Shows How Every Child Can Succeed
Book Review: Overly anecdotal, barely scientific.
Summary: 2 Stars
In his book, Dr. Mel Levine expands on concepts of assessment to outline some different ways in which students' performance might be evaluated in school. He calls testing a "necessary evil" and that "any test format...will discriminate unfairly against certain kinds of minds". Dr. Levine states as a given that "an essay test, a standardized multiple-choice examination, or an oral quiz might be fair to one student and discriminatory against the child seated next to her". (p. 329) It is unfortunate for the reader that Dr. Levine makes his assertion without elaboration or explanation. He would have done well to offer some enlightenment here.
Dr. Levine outlines on pages 269-270 his recommendations for any child undergoing examination for his or her problems in school. Incredibly, Dr. Levine does so on the page of his book immediately after his case to dissuade parents and educators from "wasting their time" in attempts to diagnose the causes of such a child's difficulties. This struck me as unbecoming for a clinician and medical doctor such as the author; one would think diagnosis is crucial in ascertaining the best practices in treating and educating children with difficulties. Dr. Levine asserts "since you can never prove with certainty that any cause was the cause, you should skip the whys and instead devote sensitive thinking to describing and understanding your child's neurodevelopmental status and the best way to care for the profile." (p. 268) My confusion, then, is how the child's profile can be constructed without at least some investigation into the causes. As a man of science, Dr. Levine should concern himself with the causes of a child's difficulties, not only for his own enlightenment but for the education of parents, teachers and clinicians as well.
Dr. Levine states that dyslexia is an "unhelpful label" (p. 132) and that tests for language dysfunction are often "culturally biased" (p. 144); these claims create frustration when we are left to take the doctor at his word. Unfortunately for the reader, Dr. Levine once again puts forth assertions for which he provides neither evidence nor example. However, elaboration is deemed unnecessary by Dr. Levine, and as a result he often fails to convince.
Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
Benefits of this book: Dr. Levine makes what can be difficult concepts to explain, easy to understand. He can cite many examples of kids who fit those concepts. However,.....
Minuses:
At first I was happy to find this book at the library. The table of contents looked interesting. Much of what the book would discuss would be in my area, cognitive psychology, specifically how people read. I went to the back of the book to see who Dr. Levine referenced. I was surprised and dismayed to find that he had not given credit to anyone whose work was the basis for all the concepts he discusses in his book. Dr Levine says "I think it appropriate to write this book based purely on objective clinical observation" (pg.16), and I agree that it is important and useful to cite specific examples to supplement research. Plus, he has worked in this area for many years. However, I think it is also important to give credit to others.
So, why should this concern you? What works for one person may not work for another, but research can tell you what works for most people. If you know who developed certain concepts, you can find out more about those concepts by reading his or her work. If you have references, you can get a second opinion.
I think many people can learn from Dr. Levine's work, but I hope that this review helps to put his work in perspective.
Book Review: Highly overrated
Summary: 2 Stars
Mel gave a presentation at our school a number of years ago. He was am impassioned, motivational speaker. Last year this book was required reading for all the teachers at the school where I am employed. Most of us did not read very much of it because we were put off by the book. In fact, there is a running joke among the teachers that Mel really thinks "there are no lazy students". Other reviewers have mentioned the lack of literature research. Personally, I think that Howard Gardner's work on learning styles is far more useful that Levine's.Book Review: Mel Levine is an idiot
Summary: 1 Stars
I found this book to be insulting to children and to educators. This man obviously has no idea what he is talking about, his ideas are strictly from the deficiency model of student underachievement which has been shown to be a faulty method of explanantion. Any educator who reads this book and takes it seriously should be relieved of their jobs ASAP.
In addition, his physical descriptions of his patients are bordering on perverted.
Book Review: Mel Levine's Medical license has been revoked
Summary: 1 Stars
NC revoked Levine's medical license because there are 51 individuals who have come forward accusing the former Dr of sexually abusing them during his active practice. The former Doctor voluntarily gave up his practice but NC medical board took the step of revoking his right to ever practice medicine again. Please take this into consideration when choosing this book.