The Excellent 11

Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children

By: Ron Clark

Narrated by: Ron Clark

Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

After publishing the New York Times best seller The Essential 55, award-winning teacher Ron Clark took his rules on the road and traveled to schools and districts in 49 states. He met amazing teachers, administrators, students, parents, all kinds of people involved in bringing up great kids. In the best of these people, he noticed the same qualities that he'd observed in so many of the teachers, children, and parents he'd worked with during his time teaching in North Carolina and Harlem. These are the qualities he describes in The Excellent 11.

Ron Clark pinpoints what it takes to make a great student and shows that the qualities apply to both educating children and becoming a great teacher or parent. You'll find out what the characteristics are, why they work, and how you can incorporate them into your classroom, home, and life.

As he did with The Essential 55, Ron has filled this book with hundreds of suggestions, stories, and wonderfully funny anecdotes. You'll be smiling as you read and finding the inspiration to change lives, one student at a time.

Click here to listen to Ron Clark's The Essential 55.

©2004 Ron Clark (P)2004 Hyperion Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Advice that all teachers, but especially inexperienced ones, will find valuable and thought provoking." (Publishers Weekly)

loved it!!

Great matter of facts says to engage parents, kids and administrators at your school. Great strategies!!

Love it

I love everything about Ron Clark and this book left me inspired like all of his other work!

Such a great read to start the year!

I’ve seen Ron Clark at a conference so I’ve been inspired to read his books. I agree with his attitudes and philosophy. These kids deserve our best and to give our best we need to keep a balance, too. Just started school in Florida. I’ve put in so much time and this weekend I relaxed and rested. Loved the audible version!!

wonderful!

Great tips and inside views of all areas of teaching children, the parents view, teachers, and the principal and administration have been covered and well considered in their rolls.

Very Helpful

Easy to implement next year when school starts. Can’t wait to share with my colleagues.

... for elementary ed

What did you like best about The Excellent 11? What did you like least?

I understand that Ron Clark works in an elementary environment but I was hopeful that I would glean a few ideas to use in secondary ed. Not a whole lot that I'm either not already doing or just wouldn't work in a high school classroom.

What three words best describe Ron Clark’s voice?

slightly annoying

Was The Excellent 11 worth the listening time?

I suppose

The Excellent 11

As a teacher, I am always on the lookout for books that will help motivate and inform me - this book looked like a good "read". And initially it is. The stories are heartwarming and show what can happen when everything works right. Ironically, it is the overwhelming "happiness" quotient of this audiobook that becomes its downfall. Clark does not really deal with the tough issues of the classroom and indeed parenting. His examples have happy endings where children are always succeed. Is this the real world? I don't think so. I like Clark's basic message but he needs to temper it with overcoming failure - how does one move past a situation where nothing has worked? Clark's message, at its heart, is useful but needs to reach beyond the 1950's rose-colored glasses.

Audio doesn’t match the book

Audio and book don’t match. Disappointed!! I Loki yo listen in my car and I notice there were paragraphs the audio missed.

Not realistic for the modern day teacher

Any additional comments?

Administrations are enforcing stricter guidelines for what teachers can do with their students and their classrooms. Some of these "out of the box" ideas are fun and great, but my principal would never let us paint our own walls or furniture. I would use some of his ideas, but very few.