Book Reviews:

“Pauline Hawkins‘ book, Uncommon Core, is a book that should be in every household that is bringing up children.  Her discussions centered on the subjects of bullying (a behavior that has defied time and attention and remained, unfortunately, a part of school life), trust, honesty, kindness, respect, compassion, and empathy generally receive some but not enough attention in our classrooms.”

-Sid Glassner from”Inside Education”

“In Uncommon Core: 25 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in a Cookie Cutter Educational System, Pauline Hawkins shares stories from her 11 years of experiences as a high school English teacher to help parents and students prepare for the American school system.  The tales range from the touching and uplifting to the surprisingly poignant, and they encompass the full spectrum of teen-age students:  the bullies and bullied, the confident and shy, the producers and drifters.  Hawkins forcefully connects with the reader—as she did her students — by laying herself bare, showing her vulnerability, honestly recounting her experiences, good or bad, and imparting what she has learned in the process.  . . . Soulful and wise, Uncommon Core is an important read for all parents or teachers who want to prepare themselves or their children for the current public school experience.”

-Dennis McCarthy, Author of Here Be Dragons: How the study of animal and plant distributions revolutionized our views of life and Earth and George North s A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels

“Uncommon Core: 25 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed In a Cookie Cutter Educational System is a down to earth guide to helping young people develop the life skills they need for success in school, the work place, and in their personal relationships. . . . Through her recollections, Pauline Hawkins fills in the spaces between how parents experience their children and how their teachers do. . . . She reminds us that no amount of curriculum design, dynamic teaching, student practice, studying, or extra tutoring will substitute for teaching children about listening and communicating effectively and respectfully,  valuing themselves and others, practicing patience, compassion, and honesty, or taking responsibility when it comes to growing up to be happy and successful. . . .  We must never forget that children learn wherever they are, and Pauline translates the wisdom she acquired in the classroom and as a mother into practical advice for parents, teachers, and students themselves.”

-Karyn McWhirter, high-school English teacher (basic to advanced placement courses), yearbook sponsor.

“This book is nothing short of phenomenal! Even though the audience is meant to be more so for parents with kids still in elementary/middle/high school, as a college-age student I was able to relate to quite a few of the chapters (21 and 22, in particular). My favorite aspect to this book is that it centers around life lessons rather than some tired “one size fits all” formulaic approach I’ve seen in most other books. Ms. Hawkins further elaborates her ideas by sharing her own experiences both as a mother and a teacher, and even offers up suggestions on how to build up these skills in your own children. I couldn’t recommend this more highly– it’s a quick and simple read, but the impact it carries is unprecedented.”

-Lauren, Amazon review