Busy College & University Professors - The Best Books Reviews

This collection of praise and introductory material highlights Brian Tracy's "Eat That Frog!" as a highly regarded guide for overcoming procrastination and boosting personal productivity. Reviewers emphasize the book's practical tactics and its focus on identifying and tackling the most important tasks ("the frog") first. The book is presented as a concise yet impactful resource offering actionable steps to improve time management and achieve greater effectiveness in both professional and personal life. Tracy's other works and resources are also mentioned, centered around themes of success, productivity, and achievement.

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This book, 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam, challenges the common perception of a time-crunched existence by exploring how individuals, particularly successful ones, utilize the 168 hours in their week. Vanderkam analyzes time-diary studies and shares anecdotes to illustrate that everyone has the same amount of time and choices about its allocation. The book advocates for identifying "core competencies" in both work and personal life, minimizing less meaningful tasks through outsourcing or elimination, and intentionally scheduling time for priorities such as career, family, and personal well-being. Ultimately, it aims to empower readers to take control of their time and create more fulfilling lives by shifting their mindset about its abundance.

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Neil Fiore's "The Now Habit" offers a strategic program to overcome procrastination by redefining it not as laziness, but as a response to underlying issues like fear of failure and perfectionism. The book introduces practical tools such as the "Unschedule" to prioritize guilt-free play and structure work into manageable segments, fostering a subconscious desire to be productive. Fiore emphasizes shifting negative self-talk to empowering inner dialogue and cultivating a "producer" mindset focused on starting and enjoying the process rather than fearing the outcome. By addressing the emotional roots of procrastination and promoting self-compassion, the book aims to help individuals break free from the cycle of delay and achieve goals with less stress and more satisfaction. The text also provides insights for managing and supporting procrastinators in professional and personal relationships, advocating for encouragement and clear communication over pressure and criticism. Ultimately, "The Now Habit" guides readers toward a more balanced and effective approach to work and life by harnessing the power of choice and positive habits.

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This document, copyrighted by FranklinCovey, offers a guide to shifting from traditional time management focused on efficiency to a principle-centered approach emphasizing effectiveness and aligning actions with what is deeply important. It contrasts the "clock" of schedules with the "compass" of inner values, advocating for a fourth generation of personal leadership centered on conscience and four human endowments: self-awareness, conscience, creative imagination, and independent will. The text explores concepts like identifying "first things," the importance of mission statements and roles, goal setting based on principles, and the power of win-win interdependence and empowerment. Ultimately, it champions living with integrity by making conscious choices aligned with fundamental principles to achieve a more meaningful and balanced life.

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Robert Boice's "Professors as Writers" (1990) is a self-help guide designed to assist academics in overcoming writing difficulties and increasing their productivity. Drawing on two decades of research, Boice outlines a systematic four-step plan encompassing automaticity, externality, self-control, and sociality to foster a more consistent and enjoyable writing process. The book identifies common causes of writing blocks, such as perfectionism, procrastination, and anxiety, and offers practical strategies including spontaneous and generative writing, stimulus control, and cognitive techniques to address these issues. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of managing setbacks and integrating writing into a sustainable and rewarding part of a professional life.

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This academic book, intended for college instructors, offers a comprehensive, research-based guide to effective teaching practices. It begins by exploring student learning and outcomes-centered course design, then examines various pedagogical methods, including lectures, discussions, experiential learning, and group work. The text also addresses crucial aspects of the learning environment, student motivation, classroom management, academic integrity, and the use of technology. Furthermore, it guides educators on helping students develop learning skills, utilizing visual aids, providing feedback, assessing learning, and documenting teaching effectiveness. Ultimately, the resource aims to equip faculty with strategies to foster deep and meaningful learning in their students.

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Daniel Coyle's "The Talent Code" investigates the origins and growth of exceptional abilities, arguing that greatness isn't innate but cultivated. The book presents the concept of "deep practice," a targeted and often challenging form of engagement that fosters the development of myelin, a neural insulator crucial for skill acquisition. Through diverse examples like the Italian Renaissance, Brazilian soccer, and a unique music school, Coyle demonstrates how specific environments and training methods, termed "talent hotbeds," facilitate this accelerated learning. Furthermore, the text explores the role of "ignition," the motivational sparks that initiate and sustain the intense practice necessary for skill development. Finally, the author examines "master coaching," highlighting the specific techniques and guidance that expert teachers employ to optimize learning and skill refinement in their students.

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"Bettina-L.pdf" presents a critical examination of the educational system in America, particularly its impact on Black students. The text argues that schools often function within a framework of "educational survival" rather than fostering true thriving, perpetuating inequalities rooted in historical and ongoing racism. Drawing on personal experiences, historical context, and critical race theory, the author explores the systemic barriers and spirit-murdering practices faced by dark youth. The document advocates for an "abolitionist teaching" approach that centers Black joy, freedom dreaming, and intersectional justice, demanding a radical reimagining of education. It critiques reform efforts as insufficient, often serving corporate interests, and emphasizes the necessity of community, mattering, and confronting Whiteness to achieve educational equity. Ultimately, the text calls for educators and communities to move beyond mere survival towards creating a system where all students, particularly those marginalized by race, can truly thrive.

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Bell Hooks' "Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom" (1994) examines education as a transformative act. Hooks advocates for an "engaged pedagogy" where teachers and students learn together, emphasizing critical thinking and challenging traditional power structures. The book explores themes of race, gender, class, and culture within the classroom, urging educators to create inclusive spaces that foster liberation and social justice. Through essays, personal anecdotes, and dialogues, Hooks discusses radical teaching practices, the importance of student experience, and the necessity of confronting societal inequalities in educational settings.

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Sarah Rose Cavanagh's The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion explores how understanding and leveraging student emotions can enhance teaching and learning in higher education. The book draws upon affective science research to suggest practical strategies for educators. Cavanagh examines how emotions like interest, curiosity, anxiety, and motivation influence student engagement, memory, and persistence. She provides advice on creating a positive emotional climate, fostering student control and value in coursework, and managing negative emotions and classroom challenges. Ultimately, the book advocates for a more emotionally attuned pedagogical approach to create a more effective and fulfilling learning experience for both students and instructors.

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