A+ Teachers

After all those report cards evaluating kids' performance, now it's parents' turn to grade the accomplishments of their children's teachers. Educator Karres offers the opportunity not only for parents to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers, but also to encourage better study habits in their kids. A concluding note to each chapter also suggests how mom and dad can become exemplary parents who foster excellence in both teachers and children. The book, which draws on Karres's 35-plus years of teaching experience, begins most chapters with an in-depth description of a certain skill (e.g., organization). Next it presents suggestions on how to observe teachers to determine their effectiveness, followed by a yes/no quiz in which readers evaluate whether or not teachers fulfill detailed aspects of the virtue. It's an unusual check-list approach to education, and while some parents might bristle at the notion of critiquing their children's teachers, most should find value in Karres's passionate pleas for parents to work with school administrators and parent-teacher associations. The book's mini profiles of model teachers could be of value to educators, too.