How Children Fail (Classics in Child Development)

I don't know where to start. This book changed me on a fundamental level. It started kind of slow for me, but by the end my understanding of children, learning, and school were forever changed. I read this book eleven years ago when my oldest was an infant. I had already fallen in love with the idea of unschooling, although I didn't truly understand it back then. I didn't make significant progress in deschooling until my oldest was about 8 or 9. The longer I unschool and deschool, the more this book speaks to me. John Holt understood how children fail, and he did a brilliant job of slowly unpacking that knowledge in the form of this book so the rest of us could not help but see it, at least those of us who want to see it. Start with this book first. Then read all of Holt's other books. You're perspective on children and learning will be more rooted in reality.

I recommend getting this book over How Children Learn, which is great but not as good. This book is phenomenal, life changing, one of the best books I've ever read (I'm an avid reader) and THE BEST anti school book out there. I worried this book would be irrelevant in today's era, but no it is spot on. The author provides plenty of examples to illustrate his thoughts. It all makes sense and everyone should read this before having kids. I wish I had. If you have any doubts or fears about homeschooling, unschooling, whatever you call it, then you especially need this book.Even if you don't have kids, this book is enlightening. I'd recommend everyone read it, but if you have kids or work with them, consider this book mandatory. It will help you understand children in ways you've never thought of.

Having studied education and seen first hand the detrimental affect teacher-centered classes have on a child's potential, I have to say it's refreshing to read a THINKING person's view on pedagogy in the 20th century. Sadly, I'm not sure we've improved much in the close to 50 years since this book/journal was written. Though the journal thoughts in the first part of the book show the direction Holt's thinking is leaning, the section on "Real Learning" is where the real gems are to be found. In fact, it has spurred me on to purchase "How Children Learn" as my preference is to approach education positively and constructively. This is a definite classic and I think new educators as well as old should be encouraged to read it and use to rethink their approach to teaching.

This book is a must read for all teachers and parents. John Holt provides great insight into how kids respond to schooling which must be distinguished from genuine education. Schooling consists of pointless dull and often stressful rituals that children develop various strategies to cope with. Testing, grading, and judging students creates a fear of failure in children that becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy for far too many. For Holt, real learning is the work of the learner not the teacher.

I'm a fan of John Holt's work, but I'm finding it hard to enjoy the Kindle version of this book due to the numerous typos. My advice would be to purchase the print version of this book.

This will make you think, evaluate how you teach ( everybody teaches) and point out things you know but dont tealize until it is pointed out to you.

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What is it about?Mostly it’s about how children cope with the stress of school, and how these methods are not conducive to real learning.Was it good?It was relatable and felt true, but I did not care for the fact that it was a bunch of memos he had written before he ever thought to write a book. As such, it is not nearly as fluent and organized as some of his other books.

An eye opener.Everything in it makes sense and I didn't realise until my 4th child struggled with the school system. I now know why!

I didn't buy this at first because I wanted to hear how children succeed but I was wrong to dismiss it, it is fascinating and far more instructive than I imagined. I love everything John Holt writes. It sounds totally daft but realising he'd died before I was born one day, I cried my eyes out that he's lost to the world and am so, so grateful he wrote these books.

Fantastic book. Some parts have to be taken in historical context, but Holt's empathetic insights into the relationship between power, fear and intelligence still ultimately ring true, even, in my opinion, in situations far removed from schools and children.

We all need to be informed so we can make informed decisions. Knowledge is power and this book is what i call brain food lol

An excellent book for all teachers both new and experienced.