Oh, barf.

[Jenny]

My husband is taking a child development class at the local community college as a prerequisite for the nursing program.

Some of the books on their extra credit reading list? To Train Up a Child. Shepherding a Child's Heart. Pretty much anything by Dobson.

:sick

He's not too happy about it. :shifty

[Domina]

As an example of what not to do? :shifty

[ruhama]

Um, WHY are they having people read CHRISTIAN books? Is this a Christian community college??? Those have absolutely ZERO business in a classroom setting other than a "this is what parents are reading and here's how to counter this information" situation.

Can he raise a stink about it?

[Jenny]

As an example of what not to do? :shifty

That would be nice.

He says the list includes a note that the Pearl book is "very controversial."

[ruhama]

Oh, I see you are also in Tennessee. That's unfortunate. That means it's more likely these are prescriptive suggestions as opposed to illustrations of what not to do. Seriously - complain majorly. None of those authors have any authority in a classroom setting.

[Jenny]

Um, WHY are they having people read CHRISTIAN books? Is this a Christian community college??? Those have absolutely ZERO business in a classroom setting other than a "this is what parents are reading and here's how to counter this information" situation.

Can he raise a stink about it?

No, it's not a Christian school. I don't know the purpose of the extra credit books yet; he's just reading syllabus info online and doesn't start the class until next Wednesday.

I'm totally encouraging him to write a scathing review of some of these books.

---------- Post added at 10:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 AM ----------

The list also includes three books by Maria Montessori and Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Along with several other books whose titles and authors I didn't recognize.

[ruhama]

No, it's not a Christian school. I don't know the purpose of the extra credit books yet; he's just reading syllabus info online and doesn't start the class until next Wednesday.

I'm totally encouraging him to write a scathing review of some of these books.

Definitely. And also complain to the professor and then the department head and then whoever is above that person and then if they still don't change it put in several online reviews about how unprofessional, religious and non-research-based this course is. :mad :mad :mad :mad :mad

[ArmsOfLove]

Colleges have you read books to make you think. They want you to interact with them, to have an opinion about them. My guess is that they know these are the books he's going to have to deal with parents from these philosophies and they want him to be able to recognize them and know the concerns from a health and welfare standpoint. I actually think this is a great thing! Nurses do need to recognize the obvious signs of Pearlites and know to look for injuries that might be less obvious than some drunk guy just abusing his children in the shed.

[Jenny]

Colleges have you read books to make you think. They want you to interact with them, to have an opinion about them. My guess is that they know these are the books he's going to have to deal with parents from these philosophies and they want him to be able to recognize them and know the concerns from a health and welfare standpoint. I actually think this is a great thing! Nurses do need to recognize the obvious signs of Pearlites and know to look for injuries that might be less obvious than some drunk guy just abusing his children in the shed.

That is an excellent point! :ty I'll pass that along to him, for sure. Even if that turns out not to be the teacher's point, I think it would be great for dh to approach the books from that standpoint. :rockon

[Domina]

Definitely. And also complain to the professor and then the department head and then whoever is above that person and then if they still don't change it put in several online reviews about how unprofessional, religious and non-research-based this course is. :mad :mad :mad :mad :mad

I would agree if the school were presenting all of those books as equally valid approaches, but it sounds like this is more of an awareness builder. A survey of books currently influencing thought in child care for different groups. A well-designed course will explain the purpose of the reading assignments and encourage discourse on where these books support and do not support scientific evidence on healthy child development.

[chasingbutterflies]

Colleges have you read books to make you think. They want you to interact with them, to have an opinion about them. My guess is that they know these are the books he's going to have to deal with parents from these philosophies and they want him to be able to recognize them and know the concerns from a health and welfare standpoint. I actually think this is a great thing! Nurses do need to recognize the obvious signs of Pearlites and know to look for injuries that might be less obvious than some drunk guy just abusing his children in the shed.

I would usually agree with you - but having lived near that area...it is entirely possible the professor agrees with these books. quietly. :shifty the Pearls only live a couple hours from that area and there are a lot of Pearl followers. (I hope this isn't too specific Jenny about location, if it is, I'll delete)

If I were your husband, I'd quietly ask the professor why those specific books are on the extra credit list and then go from there. It could be that he is a conservative Christian who agrees with that stuff...or it could be he is much more thinking along AOL's lines, you know?

[WaitPatientlyOnTheLord]

My husband is taking a life-span development course right now too. I think I'll ask what sort of other material is being suggested. He's kinda impressionable sometimes. Thankfully right now he seems to mostly agree spanking is unbiblical.


When I took this class there were no books like that suggested. And it was also for a pre-nursing program. Hopefully, taking the class in "The People's Republic of Connecticut" (as my dad affectionately refers to our state :rolleyes) will prevent such literature from being endorsed in my husbands classroom. :sick

[newday]

"The People's Republic of Connecticut" (as my dad affectionately refers to our state :rolleyes)

:spit :giggle

[mom2boys]

I never had any parenting books recommended in the child development classes I had to take. It was all purely scientific/research based.
Then again, when I mention parenting books/philosophies to anyone not in my homeschool circle, I get this: :scratch We just don't talk about that stuff in my state. And nobody ever knows the pearl's, unless, again, they are part of my homeschool circles. :rolleyes

[BarefootBetsy]

At least they recognize and admit that the Pearls' book is controversial...

[bclemons84]

Some of the books on their extra credit reading list? To Train Up a Child. Shepherding a Child's Heart. Pretty much anything by Dobson.

I haven't read any of James Dobson's books but what is wrong with them? My family growing up was really into supporting Focus on the Family, so I'm really curious. Thanks! :)

[ruhama]

I haven't read any of James Dobson's books but what is wrong with them? My family growing up was really into supporting Focus on the Family, so I'm really curious. Thanks! :)

He equates child-rearing with abusive dog training. Advocates the same methods for both. :mad

ETA: He's left FotF to pursue his punitive ways without hindrance. I'm not a fan of either though. My family loved them too and we got those letters from Dobson. :-/

[CrunchySeaSalt]

He equates child-rearing with abusive dog training. Advocates the same methods for both. :mad

Oh yuck and ick :sick:mad:(

[joystrength]

Maybe he can recognize something not so "religious" __ maybe a Sears book?:lol

[ruhama]

Colleges have you read books to make you think. They want you to interact with them, to have an opinion about them. My guess is that they know these are the books he's going to have to deal with parents from these philosophies and they want him to be able to recognize them and know the concerns from a health and welfare standpoint. I actually think this is a great thing! Nurses do need to recognize the obvious signs of Pearlites and know to look for injuries that might be less obvious than some drunk guy just abusing his children in the shed.

I REALLY want to believe that & I agree that it makes sense for that to be the direction they want to take (that's honestly a direction I would consider myself), but like I said, I cannot trust that's what they plan to use it for, especially not here in TN.

It does seem more likely that this is the case with the addition of the other books suggested. Sounds like a project may be to critique those popular (both good and bad) books with the information they learn in the class (an awesome project :rockon).

[WI Mama05]

I just finished three early childhood development certificates in the last year. Every class I took was very thought provoking, HOWEVER focused on recent research pertaining to the brain and developmental theories. We never had any discussions about child training "gurus" :no. One of our assignments required that we choose a theorist and do research and share :shrug but NEVER would I consider pearl, ezzo, etc. in that category.

(and my prof is a friend from my church who likes John Piper and the like :shifty. She NEVER brought that kind of thing into it :no)

I would be very concerned about the purpose of the course without explanation of those "resources". :think It's one thing that would have me contacting the prof right away for clarification. *If* those books are, in fact, being used as part of the scope of "child development" I would drop the class immediately (that's just me though :shifty) and look for a more reputable FACT based program.