Educator Reviews - Barry Hertz, Winner of Canadian Prime Ministers's Award for Teaching Excellence
SW Advantage Science Review
Coverage of topics/suggestions: Very good coverage
Layout/presentation: I have to say that I love the look of this book. It is near “eye candy” rating for me, visually very pleasing. For the most part, it does not appear too busy. I think that Biology and Ecology look the busiest of all the areas but it is the nature of the topics. Biology and Ecology have way more “stuff”—Chemistry and Physics look the best with the least terminology. How does that work, Got to know, and FYI really help students zero in on the important things; too often they can go off on a tangent and miss what they really need to know. Colored subheadings also help in finding what they need.
Additional Comments: In my opinion, there are no big issues with this resource. I just looked through three new high school resources, and they have way too much “stuff” per page. I have found over the last number of years that kids don’t read enough and don’t want to read. Few students actually read enough of their text to understand, so they do poorly…or they come to me [their teacher] to explain it (so they don’t have to read). I think Southwestern Advantage has a resource that can draw students in. That is essential for learning as well as the success of the product.
—Barry Hertz
24 years as a classroom teacher in biology, chemistry, physics, and IB (International Baccalaureate) biology
B. Ed., University of Alberta
M.S. and B.S., South Dakota State University
(Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence; Queen’s University Faculty of Education Teaching Excellence Fellow)
Layout/presentation: I have to say that I love the look of this book. It is near “eye candy” rating for me, visually very pleasing. For the most part, it does not appear too busy. I think that Biology and Ecology look the busiest of all the areas but it is the nature of the topics. Biology and Ecology have way more “stuff”—Chemistry and Physics look the best with the least terminology. How does that work, Got to know, and FYI really help students zero in on the important things; too often they can go off on a tangent and miss what they really need to know. Colored subheadings also help in finding what they need.
Additional Comments: In my opinion, there are no big issues with this resource. I just looked through three new high school resources, and they have way too much “stuff” per page. I have found over the last number of years that kids don’t read enough and don’t want to read. Few students actually read enough of their text to understand, so they do poorly…or they come to me [their teacher] to explain it (so they don’t have to read). I think Southwestern Advantage has a resource that can draw students in. That is essential for learning as well as the success of the product.
—Barry Hertz
24 years as a classroom teacher in biology, chemistry, physics, and IB (International Baccalaureate) biology
B. Ed., University of Alberta
M.S. and B.S., South Dakota State University
(Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence; Queen’s University Faculty of Education Teaching Excellence Fellow)
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