Genesis: Another Chance for Parents, Teachers and Anyone Involved in Education

by David J.P. Murray

Some things in life change. Some things don t: a good education, human values, right and wrong, and the right way to do something. In this unique volume, educator David Murray offers a series of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1933271116
• ISBN13: 9781933271118
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Circle Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great book, Pity about the content

I think that if you've read the Gospel, and if you have kids, you might like to give this a whirl. It might help.

Random and Fun at Times, but Solid and Useful

David Murray is a nut, which makes "genesis" a really fun read. He is also a nut gifted with common sense and a knack for reaching teenagers. Genesis is all about how educators of all kinds -- teachers, parents, coaches, babysitters, older siblings with baseball bats -- can and should help teenagers to grow into their full stature as human beings by growing in the standard virtues and values that we all appreciate in others but do not always possess ourselves. Murray is writing from the context of a Catholic pedagogy that is both realistic and eminently positive-- fully aware of the reality of the human person's weaknesses, and yet also attentive to the promise of his potential greatness. He is also writing from the standpoint of over 20 years of experience as an educator who has been successful and effective. This is not a sociological study; it's a guidebook based on Catholic principles joined to personal experience. Which makes it quite an interesting and entertaining read, especially when Murray brings out the do's and don'ts from real-life experiences of himself and co-workers. It's kind of a hybrid mix between a reference book and a "how-to" book-- which is what most of us really need, anyhow. It's down to earth. Murray is the real deal. The book itself is organized into five main parts, each of which has several sections, which are further subdivided into "topics". Part I, entitled "Background Concepts," addresses "Answers that Need Questions." This is a good chapter for people who would like to get a clearer and more extended explanation of what a virtues-based human formation tries to achieve. True to its title, the second part, "The Four Steps to Integral Formation" presents four formation steps that the educator has to bear in mind: first, it is helpful to step back and ask oneself, "What is the ideal model that we should be striving for?" Once he has that ideal in view, he has to evaluate the reality of the specific child in front of him--which involves getting a sense of his or her strengths, weaknesses, and "gift qualities". Third, he has to make a plan of goals and means to help that child overcome his weaknesses and optimize his strong points. Last but not least, he has to know how to motivate and inspire the child to want to grow into his full potential. This entails some knowledge of psychology, plenty of observation, and a skillful way of leading the person without getting in the way. Part III, on "Matters Related to Formation," is highly practical. Every educator struggles sometimes with controlling rowdy teenagers in a group, or knowing how to deal with the nuts-and-bolts techniques for supervising, disciplining, punishing, and guiding children in a balanced, fair, and firm way. This third part offers practical guidelines that all of us will find highly relevant and useful. Part IV on "The Educator Qualities" is a must-read. Those who teach and form children often find themselves in need of guidance and education