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Marcia R. (Fargo, ND)
(12/13/09)
Really? Skip the SAT!
I wish that this book was available 15 years ago when my children were in middle school. The educational system in the US needs to re-boot. This book goes the extra mile in informing educators, students, parents and grandparents on new approaches to traditional education. The author did all the research and experienced a global education with her family to make the decision a little easier for the student who would like to get off the treadmill and become a global student. A book worth reading!
Pam W., Alternative School Teacher, VT
(12/05/09)
The New Global Student
I have worked with kids outside the traditional school system for years, and I appreciate all the resources and ideas put together in this book. It's a great start for people looking for something more out of education, and includes a lot to inspire. I had a problem with the assumption that making education more truly "global" was the only way to improve it, as her suggestions would do very little to improve education in the math and sciences. I also found the book's tone to be kind of irritating--too many exclamation points, cliches, and bold type--she was trying a little too hard to convince.
Susan H. (Charleston, WV)
(12/02/09)
The New Global Student and I Want to go too!
I haven’t read a book like The New Global Student by Maya Frost ever. Ms. Frost’s book is an exceptionally inspirational parenting book for the 21st century. I was a bit skeptical about finances for an international education, but with the reliable web resources and other tips, those doubts have disappeared. This book is a friendly, enjoyable, and personal read while promoting the concepts and advantages of a global education. I highly recommend it to school and public libraries for purchase. I have recommended it to my friends and family with kids who want the broad life experiences of a non-traditional educational route. Thanks and kudos to the author and her family for sharing their global experiences and guiding others to this adventure.
John G. (Steilacoom, WA)
(12/01/09)
The New Global Student
While certainly not for everyone, there is some great advice for anyone interested in pursuing educational alternatives outside the typical U.S. path: high school to college to grad school/professional school, all in this country.
Maya Frost has identified parental fear as the main roadblock to getting out of this pathway and allowing your children to experience the world, and offers advice for getting past this.
There are excellent sections on finding year long opportunities for high school students to live and study abroad as part of exchange programs and for college students to study abroad outside the American university system.
Many testimonials/success stories are presented including the author's own. To emulate the Frosts moving the entire family outside the U.S. to study and work is obviously not for everyone. It is a great overview of the possibilities available for anyone so inclined.
Shannon R. (Sunburst, MT)
(11/24/09)
Some Really Good Ideas
Traditionally in the United States there has been one route to college and then to career employment. Maya Frost offers an alternative. I think there needs to be more "thinking outside the box" when it comes to education. Maya and her family have done this and while her way not be the right way for everyone--she dares you to think of your own alternative. Very interesting read! Thank you!
Teresa G. (Larue, TX)
(11/21/09)
Great for Younger Students but Not for Old
This book is excellent for those who wish to create for their children an alternative form of learning about the world than the options available through traditional means. It takes a lighthearted and sometimes humorous view of how to implement this new form of learning.
The only disclaimer I would provide would be that this is aimed more towards people with children in middle school or high school. As a senior adult student, I was searching for alternative ways to provide further education for myself; in that regard, this book was not practicable for someone my age. That does not mean, however, that it is not the right one for many others.
David L. (Taft, CA)
(11/15/09)
Old Schooler Converts to Bold Schooler
The skeptic in me immediately wanted to “pooh pooh” Maya Frost’s notion of taking a nontraditional path towards international scholarship. I tried a nontraditional path and ended up adding decades to my completing my degrees and creating a mountain of debt that spelunkers have contacted me about climbing.
I am glad I turned the cover of this book. While I was not immediately buying into Frost’s argument that traditional American high school experiences are not preparing students for global competition, I was hooked by Mark Twain’s quote. This turned out to be one of many of the marvelous features in this book. Ms. Frost has liberally sprinkled her pages with pith and sassiness to wake up the stodgiest of readers. The physical layout of the pages pulls the reader along unobtrusively while the material she presents sinks into the brain. Her constant plays upon and inventiveness with words (I loved “FEGO!”) kept me reading far longer in a sitting than I had originally intended. Several chapters later I found that my skepticism had disappeared and was replaced by incredible enthusiasm and strong commitment to support my students and their families in their global quests for college credits abroad.
The premise of the book is well supported. It is entirely possible for today’s young people to say “Good-bye, old school” and “Hello, bold school” in their quest for international scholarship and getting “sizzling 21st-century skills” without debt. Maya Frost thoroughly documents her family’s journeys and enlists the stories of dozens of others to confirm her assertion. Most convincing are her daughters’ tales of initial concerns yielding to unique experiences that have shaped all of them into multi-talented young women in great demand by many international firms. It is hard to argue with success.
Jan S. (Saratoga, CA)
(11/13/09)
An approach that is not for the weak of heart
I wanted to really love this book, but for me it came up a bit short. I have a daughter in her junior year attending a Waldorf High School who would like to study abroad as a full-fledge university student in another country. While I found some of the stories encouraging, I felt that most of the students (and especially the author's daughters) were over-achievers. They make my daughter seem meek in comparison.
Ms. Frost does give some good practical tips on how to look for colleges abroad and some skills you will need to be successful in a foreign university. I especially liked the frank talk she gives parents. There are also good tips that can serve high school students well even if they do not choose to study abroad.
This book is defiantly not for mainstream America, but if you are thinking about college choices outside the standard American university, I recommend it.