This section is for questions and queries from readers; Jean will do her best to answer, and input is also warmly welcomed from others 
On Thinking
Thinking skills- for thinkers, homeschoolers, all educators, …
This section is for questions and queries from readers; Jean will do her best to answer, and input is also warmly welcomed from others
4 responses so far ↓
1 Jean // Jul 18, 2009 at 3:17 pm
BY LIA:
Hi Jean, This site came up when I googled Junior Great Books in New Zealand. I was hoping you could help me understand what they are. I found them recommended in an article in the Tall Poppies magazine and went onto thier website, but still am very vague as what they are exactly. I m not sure if they are readers or books for helping my son learn to read or if they are more for reading together and using as a guide for the other curriculum subject areas. I am presently working on my excemption for homeschooling and would love to know the answer to this, as I would really like to follow the guide in the mag: Individual Instruction Plan Menu for the Gifted Child . The recommendation camr under the subject readind . The article goes on to recommend more things and does this in each subject area individually.
Thanks for your help, and your site looks great, something I know I will be using again and again.
Cheers
Lia
2 Jean // Jul 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm
ANSWER:
Hello Lia
Glad to help! The Junior Great Books are a wonderful (but not inexpensive) series of books, with audiotapes also available if needed; they provide a framework for teaching reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing, all in the context of students/parents/teachers sharing their ideas about great literature. Lots of excerpts from famous literary masterpieces, plus questions, discussion points and activities. See if you can find some secondhand ones- the old 1992 series are just as good as the later ones!!
Here’s their website:
http://www.greatbooks.org/programs-for-all-ages/junior.html
Glad you found the blog and the ThinkShop sites helpful too!
Cheers
JEAN
3 Lia // Jul 29, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Thanks Jean
Sorry it has taken me so long to check your answer, I wasn’t sure if I would receive an email or if I had to go back onto the site to check the answer. I will look into it, thanks so much, it sounds great. Do you know if the questions, discussion points and activities are in individual books or in a separate book? Last question, do you know if they are religious at all?
Thanks again so much, you really have been the only one who has answered my queries.
Cheers
Lia
4 Jean // Jul 29, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Happy to help
If I’m thinking of the same series, they’re thick books packed with lots of stories/excerpts from great reads, with questions/activities after each excerpt/story. Not religious base. More classical ideas, values, and deep thinking…
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