A Mind at a Time

A Mind at a Time

By: Mel Levine  

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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

"Different minds learn differently," writes Dr. Mel Levine, one of the best-known learning experts and pediatricians in America today. Some students are strong in certain areas and some are strong in others, but no one is equally capable in all. Yet most schools still cling to a one-size-fits-all education philosophy. As a result, many children struggle because their learning patterns don't fit the way they are being taught.

In his #1 New York Times bestseller A Mind at a Time, Dr. Levine shows parents and those who care for children how to identify these individual learning patterns, explaining how they can strengthen a child's abilities and either bypass or help overcome the child's weaknesses, producing positive results instead of repeated frustration and failure.

Consistent progress can result when we understand that not every child can do equally well in every type of learning and begin to pay more attention to individual learning patterns -- and individual minds -- so that we can maximize children's success and gratification in life. In A Mind at a Time Dr. Levine shows us how.

Description:
Recognizing each child's intellectual, emotional, and physical strengths--and teaching directly to these strengths--is key to sculpting "a mind at a time," according to Dr. Mel Levine. While this flashing yellow light will not surprise many skilled educators, limited resources often prevent them from shifting their instructional gears. But to teachers and parents whose children face daily humiliation at school, the author bellows, "Try harder!" A professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School, Levine eloquently substantiates his claim that developmental growth deserves the same monitoring as a child's physical growth.

Tales of creative, clumsy, impulsive, nerdy, intuitive, loud-mouthed, and painfully shy kids help Levine define eight specific mind systems (attention, memory, language, spatial ordering, sequential ordering, motor, higher thinking, and social thinking). Levine also incorporates scientific research to show readers how the eight neurodevelopmental systems evolve, interact, and contribute to a child's success in school. Detailed steps describe how mental processes (like problem solving) work for capable kids, and how they can be finessed to serve those who struggle. Clear, practical suggestions for fostering self-monitoring skills and building self-esteem add the most important elements to this essential--yet challenging--program for "raisin' brain." --Liane Thomas

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2003-01-07

Customer Review: 2 out of 5
Overly anecdotal, barely scientific. - 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.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Ignore Dr. Levine's uncertain circumstances and read this book - If you have a child with special needs, you must read this book. The previous reviewer who suggested that a reader not buy the book because of the accusations against Dr. Levine is overlooking the fact that many, many parents and teachers have found his books very helpful and hopeful. He has already volunteered to revoke his license and is no longer seeing patients. But what he has to say about children with learning differences gave me insights to both my children who have their own individual struggles. Instead of focusing on their inability to spell or memorize where the states are, I see two very creative children with their own gifts. Would I bring my children to see him? Not a chance. But I would recommend this book to another parent of a child with special needs in an instance because what it says is that important.

Customer Review: 1 out of 5
Mel Levine's Medical license has been revoked - 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.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Great book - This is a wonderful book that emphasizes the need to look at the individual needs of students.

Customer Review: 5 out of 5
A MIND IN TIME & A LIGHTHOUSE IN HAPPY VALLEY -
A MIND IN TIME came highly recommended for people like (all of) us who face certain uncertain challenges. Ourselves & our dear children & friends. I bought it for my partner in these tasks. She read it & found it very helpful. I will read it next. Because MEL LEVINE's work on the 8 neurodevelopmental mind systems seems to put an important focus on a vital view. Because it appears he's also worked up some practical strategies.

From my experience & study I do believe that we ARE what we think, among other considerations. So HOW do we think, how do we LEARN to think, how do we THINK about all this ? There is much we can learn.

A salute to MR. LONDON & all who labor in these fields ! A million thumbs up to all who struggle here ! There is much we can do NOW to make our lives & our children's lives much happier & healthier ! Let us ALL be encouraged, with good reason ! Even knowing that this is very difficult work & that we sometimes (often) do NOT get the results we may want or need & in fact suffer immensely !

I may have more to say after I read A MIND IN TIME. I expect it will be a very valuable read.

We got A MIND IN TIME from LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS, an excellent AMAZON partner. A "new" copy retailed for $ 15 @ BORDERS by The Water Tower on Michigan Avenue in Chicago but was out of stock there. LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS had it "used" in stock for $ 1. LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS's copy was in even better condition than described. Just as good as "new." Shipping was several days quicker than promised or expected. LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS is an unusually effective & highly economical resource for booklovers. HAPPY VALLEY ? That's where they live !

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