The Essential 55 - by Ron Clark (Paperback)

About the Book

From the Disney Teacher of the Year and " New York Times"-bestselling author comes the classic guide to bringing out the best in students, revised and updated for today's teachers featuring a new Foreword from the author and a fresh take on his classic rules.

Book Synopsis

When Ron Clark walked into his fifth-grade class in rural North Carolina, he was confronted with a tremendous challenge. The children had little interest in learning, and were sorely lacking in guidance. How would he transform a group of apathetic kids into disciplined, thoughtful, and curious students? He quickly realized that they needed to learn some basic rules.

Clark compiled a list of 55 lessons, and soon, his fifth-grade students--who once struggled to read at the third-grade level--were reading at the sixth-grade level . . . and loving it. What's more, they were gaining something crucial-self-respect. Those 55 lessons evolved into what Clark calls The Essential 55 -- guidelines for living and interacting with others.

The Essential 55 will prepare parents and educators to teach students the rules for life -- everything from knowing how to say thank you, to acing an interview.

Review Quotes

"The Essential 55: rules for a lifetime."--EducationWorld.com

"Ron Clark's approach to classroom management is clearly a three-legged stool made of high expectations, an unmistakable belief that children can succeed, and a support system that makes students want to do the right thing. All three ingredients are a must for the magical recipe we see in this book."
--Frank Buck, former Editorial Advisor to the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Principal Magazine

"The winner of the 2001 Disney Teacher of the Year Award presents some revolutionary ideas for the classroom: manners, industriousness, and accountability.... [Ron's] rules go beyond simple politeness: they promote respect for self and others, and help foster a mature and responsible way of living in the world.... [H]is cogent explanations about why he created his rules and his closing tips on dealing with parents and children offer plenty of ideas and much-needed support...this book is a definite winner... Clark's slim but valuable volume will make a welcome addition to any teacher's library."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Ron Clark is the New York Times bestselling author of The Essential 55, which has sold more than one million copies in the U.S. and has been published in twenty-five different languages. He has been named "American Teacher of the Year" by Disney and Oprah Winfrey's first "Phenomenal Man." He founded The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, which tens of thousands of educators from around the world have visited to learn about the extraordinary ways that teachers and parents of RCA have helped children achieve great success.