alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

Very useful, but..., 01 Sep 2008
I had been using this book in careers class to help me decide which universities I was going to apply to, and this book was exceedingly helpful for this task.
This book gives a league table of universities and also ranks them by each subject for example, Law or History. Another important aspect of this book is that it describes the universities making it truly invaluable to any A-Level student.
However, I only gave this book four stars because the vast majority of information is available online - in the Times website and also through the universities' websites.
Overall I would say that this book is very useful and definitely needed for any student who wants to make the right choice of university - after all it is one of the most important decisions you will make!


Excellent, 23 Jan 2007
Required reading for anyone considering or planning to go to University in the UK. A mass of well-researched, well-analysed data and information that helps one make much better informed judgement on one of the most important decisions of one's life.

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

Very useful, but..., 01 Sep 2008
I had been using this book in careers class to help me decide which universities I was going to apply to, and this book was exceedingly helpful for this task.
This book gives a league table of universities and also ranks them by each subject for example, Law or History. Another important aspect of this book is that it describes the universities making it truly invaluable to any A-Level student.
However, I only gave this book four stars because the vast majority of information is available online - in the Times website and also through the universities' websites.
Overall I would say that this book is very useful and definitely needed for any student who wants to make the right choice of university - after all it is one of the most important decisions you will make!


Excellent, 23 Jan 2007
Required reading for anyone considering or planning to go to University in the UK. A mass of well-researched, well-analysed data and information that helps one make much better informed judgement on one of the most important decisions of one's life.

Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.

This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.

I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.

Honest and useful, 28 Aug 2008
This book comes across as an honest account of Delves Broughton's experience of, and reaction to, the Harvard Business School MBA course. Delves Broughton highlights well some of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution and the course, though the recent departure of the Dean (Kim Clark) will probably already have lead to changes in the mix.

I would particularly recommend the book to UK readers considering applying to a 'top-tier' US business school, not least because the author highlights some of the cultural differences that hit a British student most forcefully and can come as a bit of a surprise. Delves Broughton's experience also provides a useful reality check. Contrary to the author's apparent expectations, graduation from a business school of this type does not guarantee entree into the well-paid specialised world of hedge funds, private equity, investment banking or consulting. Many of the businesses in these industries have built into their business models recruitment from HBS and other similar schools, but they are looking for a very particular profile and the MBA badge is only one small component. If you don't fit more broadly you probably won't get the job. The author's criticisms of the cost to personal lives entailed in careers of this type are also worth thinking about hard.

For the general reader, Delves Broughton provides a useful flavour of the mindset and approach taught at these kinds of institution. Don't expect to come away with more than a vague impression though - this is not a primer of what they teach at Harvard Business School (title notwithstanding). He raises concerns that this 'business' mindset leads to problems when applied to other arenas of life, particularly if used naively or by people lacking decent ethical standards. (If HBS alumnus George W. Bush had shown any inclination to use this kind of approach in his decision-making, he would have made an easy stick with which to beat the institution). Whatever the merits of his argument, it's something that the HBS faculty (and many companies) worry about a lot, even if their attempts to discuss such ethical issues lead to stomach churning management-speak. Encouragingly, most of his fellow students seemed to take the point, though, even at this early stage in their careers.

One point of criticism of this book (and others of its kind). By publishing it Delves Broughton has arguably betrayed a tacit contract of confidentiality that exists between participants (faculty and students) in such institutions. 'Betrayals' of this kind are an everyday occurrence for daily newspaper journalists and this is perhaps why Delves Broughton seems unaware of this aspect; a couple of the professors in particular might feel justifiably aggrieved.

Great book praises, criticizes Harvard Business School, 21 Aug 2008
As a Harvard graduate (not HBS) I loved this book. Fantastic writing, lots of anecdotes, and very clear explanations of what they really teach at Havard Business School. But it's more than that. It's a trip through one man's attempt to find what he wants to do with his life. Delves Broughton was a very successful journalist, and he walked away to spend two years doing an MBA, which cost him $170,000. He finds that he isn't like most of his fellow students, who are obsessed with money. When the author goes to cover an anti-globalisation march, he sympathises with the protestors. Instead of writing an analysis of Time Warner, he choses a organic blueberry farmer. When his fellow students are off working over Spring break, he's at home in Boston working on a novel. It made me wonder: why did he go to business school? Ultimately, Delves Broughton is critical of the school, and gives good reasons for being so.
In response, the school has been mildly critical of the book, apparently arguing class-room conversations should be private. I think this probably stems from him revealing some of school's rorts, including one relating to financial aid. In all, the book is a 300-page ad for HBS and can only drive up applications.
But Delves Broughton's experience punctures one of the myths about HBS: that it creates business leaders. (STORY DISCLOSURE HERE.) He is the only member of his class not to get a job, mainly because he doesn't have any experience in finance or consulting, even though his grades were good and he clearly he could cut it in the classroom (although he is unlucky to miss out on a markeing job at Google.) It seems that no matter how many brilliant classes they have at Harvard, business recruiters want people with business experience.
It will be interesting to see if HBS admits many more journalists in the future.




Very amusing indeed, 14 Aug 2008
Very dry and witty - Delves Broughton brings alive all the madness and hype of the American MBA system. He half makes you want to enrol, and half to avoid the place for the rest of your life.

What is particularly good is that it is full of interesting business theory from the MBA course, which is very stimulating.

No doubt this book will make HBS very irritated - which is a good reason to buy it, I think!!


An inside look at the economic elite, 11 Aug 2008
Philip Broughton went into the Harvard MBA like an anthroplogist goes to live with an obscure jungle tribe - this book works on the same principle of outsider wisdom, of the newcomer able to see just how strange the social norms of these hard-to-access cultures can be. Marvel at these elite MBA-ers and their language of "creating a developmental agenda for leveraging their reflected best-self"! Puzzle at the strong emphasis on business integrity and moral judgment, when fact is everyone's really there to learn how to make a lot of money. But, however odd, the Harvard MBA programme indubitably produces global business & economic leaders who shape a substantial portion of our lives, and so it's in everyone's interests to understand how this elite are taught to think.

'What They Teach You At Harvard Business School' is not just a guide to the economic and management concepts the MBA students study. Broughton does talk about these topics, giving examples of the Harvard study system of analysing hundreds of case studies. This method seeks to teach the students how to handle the chief challenge in business: making good decisions with inadequate information. It's no substitute for the actual course, largely because none of the examples' statistics are published in this book, but as a non-economist I definitely learnt a lot regardless.

But of wider relevance is Broughton's discussion of the 'hidden curriculum' of Harvard Business School, the assumptions it inculcates in its students and the distorted beliefs they already hold about work & the economy. What do they think is the value of the money they'll be earning, when will they know that they've made enough? "When you've got your own jet." Even the pre-arrival guide says, "Don't bring that guitar... Don't bring any books from literature or history classes... Don't bring your cynicism. Do bring all the diverse rest of you." Interesting notion of diversity, right? The idea that future business leaders are being trained to dismiss history and cynical judgments is telling, and Broughton, a former journalist with the Telegraph, is never able to buy in to this culture. Instead of getting a high-flying job like his coursemates, he remains a writer - but the strength of this book is that he's not bitter about this. It's not a rant, not really an expose (no truly horrific secrets are uncovered) - just an insider's look into a world most of us won't enter.

The compelling narrative is Broughton's own decision-making about his future career: Harvard forces him to confront the values that really matter to him, makes him question deeply what it is that he really wants out of life. This is something a lot of university graduates and prospective MBAs could benefit from reading - I know I was fascinated.

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

Very useful, but..., 01 Sep 2008
I had been using this book in careers class to help me decide which universities I was going to apply to, and this book was exceedingly helpful for this task.
This book gives a league table of universities and also ranks them by each subject for example, Law or History. Another important aspect of this book is that it describes the universities making it truly invaluable to any A-Level student.
However, I only gave this book four stars because the vast majority of information is available online - in the Times website and also through the universities' websites.
Overall I would say that this book is very useful and definitely needed for any student who wants to make the right choice of university - after all it is one of the most important decisions you will make!


Excellent, 23 Jan 2007
Required reading for anyone considering or planning to go to University in the UK. A mass of well-researched, well-analysed data and information that helps one make much better informed judgement on one of the most important decisions of one's life.

Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.

This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.

I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.

Honest and useful, 28 Aug 2008
This book comes across as an honest account of Delves Broughton's experience of, and reaction to, the Harvard Business School MBA course. Delves Broughton highlights well some of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution and the course, though the recent departure of the Dean (Kim Clark) will probably already have lead to changes in the mix.

I would particularly recommend the book to UK readers considering applying to a 'top-tier' US business school, not least because the author highlights some of the cultural differences that hit a British student most forcefully and can come as a bit of a surprise. Delves Broughton's experience also provides a useful reality check. Contrary to the author's apparent expectations, graduation from a business school of this type does not guarantee entree into the well-paid specialised world of hedge funds, private equity, investment banking or consulting. Many of the businesses in these industries have built into their business models recruitment from HBS and other similar schools, but they are looking for a very particular profile and the MBA badge is only one small component. If you don't fit more broadly you probably won't get the job. The author's criticisms of the cost to personal lives entailed in careers of this type are also worth thinking about hard.

For the general reader, Delves Broughton provides a useful flavour of the mindset and approach taught at these kinds of institution. Don't expect to come away with more than a vague impression though - this is not a primer of what they teach at Harvard Business School (title notwithstanding). He raises concerns that this 'business' mindset leads to problems when applied to other arenas of life, particularly if used naively or by people lacking decent ethical standards. (If HBS alumnus George W. Bush had shown any inclination to use this kind of approach in his decision-making, he would have made an easy stick with which to beat the institution). Whatever the merits of his argument, it's something that the HBS faculty (and many companies) worry about a lot, even if their attempts to discuss such ethical issues lead to stomach churning management-speak. Encouragingly, most of his fellow students seemed to take the point, though, even at this early stage in their careers.

One point of criticism of this book (and others of its kind). By publishing it Delves Broughton has arguably betrayed a tacit contract of confidentiality that exists between participants (faculty and students) in such institutions. 'Betrayals' of this kind are an everyday occurrence for daily newspaper journalists and this is perhaps why Delves Broughton seems unaware of this aspect; a couple of the professors in particular might feel justifiably aggrieved.

Great book praises, criticizes Harvard Business School, 21 Aug 2008
As a Harvard graduate (not HBS) I loved this book. Fantastic writing, lots of anecdotes, and very clear explanations of what they really teach at Havard Business School. But it's more than that. It's a trip through one man's attempt to find what he wants to do with his life. Delves Broughton was a very successful journalist, and he walked away to spend two years doing an MBA, which cost him $170,000. He finds that he isn't like most of his fellow students, who are obsessed with money. When the author goes to cover an anti-globalisation march, he sympathises with the protestors. Instead of writing an analysis of Time Warner, he choses a organic blueberry farmer. When his fellow students are off working over Spring break, he's at home in Boston working on a novel. It made me wonder: why did he go to business school? Ultimately, Delves Broughton is critical of the school, and gives good reasons for being so.
In response, the school has been mildly critical of the book, apparently arguing class-room conversations should be private. I think this probably stems from him revealing some of school's rorts, including one relating to financial aid. In all, the book is a 300-page ad for HBS and can only drive up applications.
But Delves Broughton's experience punctures one of the myths about HBS: that it creates business leaders. (STORY DISCLOSURE HERE.) He is the only member of his class not to get a job, mainly because he doesn't have any experience in finance or consulting, even though his grades were good and he clearly he could cut it in the classroom (although he is unlucky to miss out on a markeing job at Google.) It seems that no matter how many brilliant classes they have at Harvard, business recruiters want people with business experience.
It will be interesting to see if HBS admits many more journalists in the future.




Very amusing indeed, 14 Aug 2008
Very dry and witty - Delves Broughton brings alive all the madness and hype of the American MBA system. He half makes you want to enrol, and half to avoid the place for the rest of your life.

What is particularly good is that it is full of interesting business theory from the MBA course, which is very stimulating.

No doubt this book will make HBS very irritated - which is a good reason to buy it, I think!!


An inside look at the economic elite, 11 Aug 2008
Philip Broughton went into the Harvard MBA like an anthroplogist goes to live with an obscure jungle tribe - this book works on the same principle of outsider wisdom, of the newcomer able to see just how strange the social norms of these hard-to-access cultures can be. Marvel at these elite MBA-ers and their language of "creating a developmental agenda for leveraging their reflected best-self"! Puzzle at the strong emphasis on business integrity and moral judgment, when fact is everyone's really there to learn how to make a lot of money. But, however odd, the Harvard MBA programme indubitably produces global business & economic leaders who shape a substantial portion of our lives, and so it's in everyone's interests to understand how this elite are taught to think.

'What They Teach You At Harvard Business School' is not just a guide to the economic and management concepts the MBA students study. Broughton does talk about these topics, giving examples of the Harvard study system of analysing hundreds of case studies. This method seeks to teach the students how to handle the chief challenge in business: making good decisions with inadequate information. It's no substitute for the actual course, largely because none of the examples' statistics are published in this book, but as a non-economist I definitely learnt a lot regardless.

But of wider relevance is Broughton's discussion of the 'hidden curriculum' of Harvard Business School, the assumptions it inculcates in its students and the distorted beliefs they already hold about work & the economy. What do they think is the value of the money they'll be earning, when will they know that they've made enough? "When you've got your own jet." Even the pre-arrival guide says, "Don't bring that guitar... Don't bring any books from literature or history classes... Don't bring your cynicism. Do bring all the diverse rest of you." Interesting notion of diversity, right? The idea that future business leaders are being trained to dismiss history and cynical judgments is telling, and Broughton, a former journalist with the Telegraph, is never able to buy in to this culture. Instead of getting a high-flying job like his coursemates, he remains a writer - but the strength of this book is that he's not bitter about this. It's not a rant, not really an expose (no truly horrific secrets are uncovered) - just an insider's look into a world most of us won't enter.

The compelling narrative is Broughton's own decision-making about his future career: Harvard forces him to confront the values that really matter to him, makes him question deeply what it is that he really wants out of life. This is something a lot of university graduates and prospective MBAs could benefit from reading - I know I was fascinated.

Primary English book review, 24 Feb 2003
This book is particularly useful for those doing any teaching degree, but particularly for those who are doing the Ba ed primary teaching with QTS. This book has a range of information on giving knowledge and understanding to those who wish to find out about all the different components of teaching primary English. Such topics that are covered include spellings, early writing, shared writing of fiction and non fiction and aspects of reading, listening and speaking and grammar. This will help any teaching student in their assignments on the teaching of English to primary schools. It also provides comprehensive background information for those who are not aware of all of the aspects of teaching primary English. Soooooo it's definitely worth buuying to get your top marks in your english assignment and to acheive good teaching in schools!

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

Very useful, but..., 01 Sep 2008
I had been using this book in careers class to help me decide which universities I was going to apply to, and this book was exceedingly helpful for this task.
This book gives a league table of universities and also ranks them by each subject for example, Law or History. Another important aspect of this book is that it describes the universities making it truly invaluable to any A-Level student.
However, I only gave this book four stars because the vast majority of information is available online - in the Times website and also through the universities' websites.
Overall I would say that this book is very useful and definitely needed for any student who wants to make the right choice of university - after all it is one of the most important decisions you will make!


Excellent, 23 Jan 2007
Required reading for anyone considering or planning to go to University in the UK. A mass of well-researched, well-analysed data and information that helps one make much better informed judgement on one of the most important decisions of one's life.

Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.

This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.

I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.

Honest and useful, 28 Aug 2008
This book comes across as an honest account of Delves Broughton's experience of, and reaction to, the Harvard Business School MBA course. Delves Broughton highlights well some of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution and the course, though the recent departure of the Dean (Kim Clark) will probably already have lead to changes in the mix.

I would particularly recommend the book to UK readers considering applying to a 'top-tier' US business school, not least because the author highlights some of the cultural differences that hit a British student most forcefully and can come as a bit of a surprise. Delves Broughton's experience also provides a useful reality check. Contrary to the author's apparent expectations, graduation from a business school of this type does not guarantee entree into the well-paid specialised world of hedge funds, private equity, investment banking or consulting. Many of the businesses in these industries have built into their business models recruitment from HBS and other similar schools, but they are looking for a very particular profile and the MBA badge is only one small component. If you don't fit more broadly you probably won't get the job. The author's criticisms of the cost to personal lives entailed in careers of this type are also worth thinking about hard.

For the general reader, Delves Broughton provides a useful flavour of the mindset and approach taught at these kinds of institution. Don't expect to come away with more than a vague impression though - this is not a primer of what they teach at Harvard Business School (title notwithstanding). He raises concerns that this 'business' mindset leads to problems when applied to other arenas of life, particularly if used naively or by people lacking decent ethical standards. (If HBS alumnus George W. Bush had shown any inclination to use this kind of approach in his decision-making, he would have made an easy stick with which to beat the institution). Whatever the merits of his argument, it's something that the HBS faculty (and many companies) worry about a lot, even if their attempts to discuss such ethical issues lead to stomach churning management-speak. Encouragingly, most of his fellow students seemed to take the point, though, even at this early stage in their careers.

One point of criticism of this book (and others of its kind). By publishing it Delves Broughton has arguably betrayed a tacit contract of confidentiality that exists between participants (faculty and students) in such institutions. 'Betrayals' of this kind are an everyday occurrence for daily newspaper journalists and this is perhaps why Delves Broughton seems unaware of this aspect; a couple of the professors in particular might feel justifiably aggrieved.

Great book praises, criticizes Harvard Business School, 21 Aug 2008
As a Harvard graduate (not HBS) I loved this book. Fantastic writing, lots of anecdotes, and very clear explanations of what they really teach at Havard Business School. But it's more than that. It's a trip through one man's attempt to find what he wants to do with his life. Delves Broughton was a very successful journalist, and he walked away to spend two years doing an MBA, which cost him $170,000. He finds that he isn't like most of his fellow students, who are obsessed with money. When the author goes to cover an anti-globalisation march, he sympathises with the protestors. Instead of writing an analysis of Time Warner, he choses a organic blueberry farmer. When his fellow students are off working over Spring break, he's at home in Boston working on a novel. It made me wonder: why did he go to business school? Ultimately, Delves Broughton is critical of the school, and gives good reasons for being so.
In response, the school has been mildly critical of the book, apparently arguing class-room conversations should be private. I think this probably stems from him revealing some of school's rorts, including one relating to financial aid. In all, the book is a 300-page ad for HBS and can only drive up applications.
But Delves Broughton's experience punctures one of the myths about HBS: that it creates business leaders. (STORY DISCLOSURE HERE.) He is the only member of his class not to get a job, mainly because he doesn't have any experience in finance or consulting, even though his grades were good and he clearly he could cut it in the classroom (although he is unlucky to miss out on a markeing job at Google.) It seems that no matter how many brilliant classes they have at Harvard, business recruiters want people with business experience.
It will be interesting to see if HBS admits many more journalists in the future.




Very amusing indeed, 14 Aug 2008
Very dry and witty - Delves Broughton brings alive all the madness and hype of the American MBA system. He half makes you want to enrol, and half to avoid the place for the rest of your life.

What is particularly good is that it is full of interesting business theory from the MBA course, which is very stimulating.

No doubt this book will make HBS very irritated - which is a good reason to buy it, I think!!


An inside look at the economic elite, 11 Aug 2008
Philip Broughton went into the Harvard MBA like an anthroplogist goes to live with an obscure jungle tribe - this book works on the same principle of outsider wisdom, of the newcomer able to see just how strange the social norms of these hard-to-access cultures can be. Marvel at these elite MBA-ers and their language of "creating a developmental agenda for leveraging their reflected best-self"! Puzzle at the strong emphasis on business integrity and moral judgment, when fact is everyone's really there to learn how to make a lot of money. But, however odd, the Harvard MBA programme indubitably produces global business & economic leaders who shape a substantial portion of our lives, and so it's in everyone's interests to understand how this elite are taught to think.

'What They Teach You At Harvard Business School' is not just a guide to the economic and management concepts the MBA students study. Broughton does talk about these topics, giving examples of the Harvard study system of analysing hundreds of case studies. This method seeks to teach the students how to handle the chief challenge in business: making good decisions with inadequate information. It's no substitute for the actual course, largely because none of the examples' statistics are published in this book, but as a non-economist I definitely learnt a lot regardless.

But of wider relevance is Broughton's discussion of the 'hidden curriculum' of Harvard Business School, the assumptions it inculcates in its students and the distorted beliefs they already hold about work & the economy. What do they think is the value of the money they'll be earning, when will they know that they've made enough? "When you've got your own jet." Even the pre-arrival guide says, "Don't bring that guitar... Don't bring any books from literature or history classes... Don't bring your cynicism. Do bring all the diverse rest of you." Interesting notion of diversity, right? The idea that future business leaders are being trained to dismiss history and cynical judgments is telling, and Broughton, a former journalist with the Telegraph, is never able to buy in to this culture. Instead of getting a high-flying job like his coursemates, he remains a writer - but the strength of this book is that he's not bitter about this. It's not a rant, not really an expose (no truly horrific secrets are uncovered) - just an insider's look into a world most of us won't enter.

The compelling narrative is Broughton's own decision-making about his future career: Harvard forces him to confront the values that really matter to him, makes him question deeply what it is that he really wants out of life. This is something a lot of university graduates and prospective MBAs could benefit from reading - I know I was fascinated.

Primary English book review, 24 Feb 2003
This book is particularly useful for those doing any teaching degree, but particularly for those who are doing the Ba ed primary teaching with QTS. This book has a range of information on giving knowledge and understanding to those who wish to find out about all the different components of teaching primary English. Such topics that are covered include spellings, early writing, shared writing of fiction and non fiction and aspects of reading, listening and speaking and grammar. This will help any teaching student in their assignments on the teaching of English to primary schools. It also provides comprehensive background information for those who are not aware of all of the aspects of teaching primary English. Soooooo it's definitely worth buuying to get your top marks in your english assignment and to acheive good teaching in schools!

WOW! what a way to improve your knowledge!, 22 Oct 2007
This book was a fantastic find, as I thought i was lacking a little in general Science subject knowledge. This is by far the most thorough and descriptive book that includes everything you need to know about each individual topic and what each Key Stage needs to know. It gives questions to answer whilst reading down the margin, along with a self-assessment at the end of each chapter to check understanding. This book was very useful to me as a student, so I believe this will be the same to any student worrying about having a sufficient knowledge of the Science Curriculum. This is the 3rd edition, fully revised for the new 2007 Standards. WOW!

Complete guide to teaching science at primary level., 21 Apr 2004
Wynne Harlen has done a great job with this book.

It is a comprehensive guide to teaching science in terms of;
teaching and learning styles,
assessment methods,
use of resources and ICT to help childrens' learning,
how best to use practicals (SC1) in science lessons,
helping children to question and think scientifically for themselves,
good cross curricular links.

I am a primary science specialist PGCE student at the moment, and was given a long list of course text books for science and didn't have a clue as to which one to choose.
Take it from me, choose this one, as my copy is well thumbed after only 6 months of my PGCE course.

Very useful book for all trainee teachers!, 17 Nov 2002
This book has to be one of the most useful books, which already supported me during my QTS course.

I would recommend it to any trainee teachers, since the book provides you with scientific information at an understandable level and presents common misconceptions, which pupils and adults/teachers may likely to show.

The book provides numerous ideas of teaching ideas, which the teacher can use in the classroom.

My vote: 5/5

Very good support for teachers of primary science., 05 Oct 2001
If you are worried about your subject knowledge for teaching primary science this book is an excellent foundation upon which to build it. The book is clearly written, well organised around themes and well linked to primary practice, describing what is to be taught at each key stage. In terms of trainee teachers the book is explicitly linked to current standards for achieveing Qualified Teacher Status. Each chapter is built around these links, lays out the subject knowledge needed to meet the standards and also discusses research into children's ideas in that particular field of science. As a reader I appreciated the self evaluation questions that were contained in each chapter which made me reflect on the text and apply it the 'real world'. The best book of this type I have seen to date, I would only quibble with minor points which will probably be eradicated in a second edition. Great value and well thumbed on my desk.

alphabet, 18 May 2008
This is the book to buy on teaching this subject. It is clearly written, beautifully laid out and provides self assessment exercises to work through in order to clarify what has just been read. There are more provided on the cd rom at the back of the book too. If you are teaching this subject for the first time, moving up or down years or simply want to refresh your knowledge and rekindle your enthusiasm then this is the book for you.

A lifesaver, 13 Apr 2008
This book is a must for trainee teachers lacking confidence with their maths knowledge and teaching. The author empathises with the trepidation of maths, and offers clear and simple explanations. The chapters are clearly divided for when you need that quick knowledge top-up when lesson planning, and the self-test questions are a great confidence boost! The book also offers techniques that complement the new NNS teaching strategies (e.g. partitioning, multiplication grids etc).

compulsoray buy, 19 Aug 2007
A book from the reading list for Uni of Glosc. I great book! It has opened up my mind to the thinking of first time learners. It's simple and easy to understand with quick references and no jargon. Credit to Derek Haylock. I wish all other QTS books were like this one!

Superb!, 24 Nov 2006
After teaching primary maths for 14 years, and being the KS2 maths subject leader for 13 of those, I have no hesitation in rating this easily the best book I have ever read on the subject. Forget all those expensive courses, and trying to negotiate the endless tweaking of the NNS, save money by using this book to deliver a series of INSETs. Unbeatable value!

Simply Fabulous!!, 04 Oct 2006
When I was told at the start of my teacher training course that I would need to buy this maths text book, I let out a big groan. I remembered all of those maths textbooks from when I was actually AT school and remembered how utterly boring they were. But since working through this book and completeing the end of chapter self-assessment questions, my confidence in maths has soared! A must have for teachers-to-be, especially those who are a bit shakey on their maths knowledge!

Three Cups of Tea, 27 Aug 2008
The most wonderful book I've ever read. I would like to repeat Mrs. Scarrott's review. If you only read one book in your lifetime let it be this one. This book has really taught me what it means to be a humanitarian. There are so few people in the world like Greg Mortenson and I hope his story will inspire more to follow his lead. Please read this book and understand a little more about these inoffensive people who desperately need to be educated and supported.

Amazing!, 21 Aug 2008
This book is a must have. It's inspiring and fascinating - I was gripped within the first page. It opened my eyes to another side of the 'War on Terror' and I shall be purchasing copies for friends and family for them to be equally enlightened. I cannot recommend this book enough and urge you to buy it!

Inspiring, 07 Aug 2008
What a fantastic book! Its got all the markings of an excellent novel - gun fights, love story, opium traffickers, mountain climbing tragedies; it's nerve wracking, engaging and inspiring. But this is no novel, it's REAL. Amazing. Greg Morenson - I salute you.

Buy it ! Read it ! Then encourage others to do the same., 02 Aug 2008
This is an inspiring book about an amazing man, and a revealing portrait of the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can learn much about Islam here - Greg Mortenson encounters both the dangers of extremism and the Saudi-financed madrassas, but also the goodness and hunger for education found among so many Muslims who welcomed him as their friend. This is not an openly political book, but does act as a powerful reminder of the blindness of American policy in the region, of missed opportunities and broken promises, and that extremism is best defeated by education and development not by often indisciminate bombing. Above all, one man giving selfless service can make a difference ! A book to recommend without reservation. It deserves the widest possible readership.

Brought me to tears..., 22 Jul 2008
I've learnt so much from this book its unbelievable....i've already got 5 people lined up asking for my copy and i've just finished!
I really admire Greg as he went into an area like Pakistan with the right mind-set and the right intentions. I loved the fact that he gave an honest opinion about what he saw without being judemental at all. I myself come from Attock which is a northern city close to Peshawar in Pakistan. Too often the media only ever depicts the negative aspects of the Muslim religion and culture. furthermore, too often people judge Islam and Muslims by the 'bad apples'. Please read this book it will enlighten you.

Its ok, 31 May 2007
This book is recommended by the Bristol PGCE. The book is ok, with some useful information - but it is quite dull. I did find it useful when writing all the essays for the PGCE course.

Learning to teach in the secondary school, 08 Aug 2006
Book recommended by Cambridge PGCE reading list. Some valuable information but I always find that the subject specific books in this range are of far more use

too much text, 06 Feb 2006
really helpful book to refer to if u need some help with something in particular. i personally found it quite difficult to read- lots and lots of text got a bit tiresome.

A good core text but could be improved, 25 Sep 2004
The book is of reasonable use, with tips and advice for student teachers as well as subjects that you are likely to study throughout your course. Useful for assignments too. It would have been better if there was a book for each subject that would relate examples directly to your specialism, rather than unrelated or vague examples. There are books related to english, maths etc but not all secondary subjects.

A comprehensive guide to becoming a seocondary school teache, 02 Jan 2004
This book is a comprehensive guide for those who wish to undertake teacher training to become a secondary school teacher. Not only does it cover the main issues in teaching such as lesson planning and behaviour management but it also give a useful yet concise guide to other important aspects of teaching such as details on the national curriculum, the psychology of pupils and how to maximise learning for your pupils taking in to consideration different learning styles and abilities.
The most useful aspects were the suggested exercises and issues to consider in order preparing oneself for school placements.

Very useful, but..., 01 Sep 2008
I had been using this book in careers class to help me decide which universities I was going to apply to, and this book was exceedingly helpful for this task.
This book gives a league table of universities and also ranks them by each subject for example, Law or History. Another important aspect of this book is that it describes the universities making it truly invaluable to any A-Level student.
However, I only gave this book four stars because the vast majority of information is available online - in the Times website and also through the universities' websites.
Overall I would say that this book is very useful and definitely needed for any student who wants to make the right choice of university - after all it is one of the most important decisions you will make!


Excellent, 23 Jan 2007
Required reading for anyone considering or planning to go to University in the UK. A mass of well-researched, well-analysed data and information that helps one make much better informed judgement on one of the most important decisions of one's life.

Takes you inside a top MBA, 01 Sep 2008
Having just finished an MBA myself from London Business School, I saw this book at Heathrow on my way out of the UK and bought it with curiosity. I wanted to see whether my experience at London Business School would have been significantly different from that at a top American school; Harvard, of course, as far as MBA brands go, being number one in my opinion regardless of what competitors or any rankings say.

This book can be recommended to those interested in applying to Harvard or a comparable top MBA program to see if they have the right expectations of an MBA program; as well as to graduates of other programs to see how the experience at their schools compare against the holy grail of MBAs. It really goes inside what the MBA culture is about in general, especially at elitist schools, and at Harvard in particular. Broughton is not the only MBA who feels like this. The unreal world, the pressures, the tendency to go with the herd... despite having studied at a school across the atlantic, I continuously kept on smiling at the commonalities.

I disagree with the notion that this book disses the school, or the MBA in general. It just points out very well some of the absurdities of the program for all those who are not financial crackheads.

Honest and useful, 28 Aug 2008
This book comes across as an honest account of Delves Broughton's experience of, and reaction to, the Harvard Business School MBA course. Delves Broughton highlights well some of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution and the course, though the recent departure of the Dean (Kim Clark) will probably already have lead to changes in the mix.

I would particularly recommend the book to UK readers considering applying to a 'top-tier' US business school, not least because the author highlights some of the cultural differences that hit a British student most forcefully and can come as a bit of a surprise. Delves Broughton's experience also provides a useful reality check. Contrary to the author's apparent expectations, graduation from a business school of this type does not guarantee entree into the well-paid specialised world of hedge funds, private equity, investment banking or consulting. Many of the businesses in these industries have built into their business models recruitment from HBS and other similar schools, but they are looking for a very particular profile and the MBA badge is only one small component. If you don't fit more broadly you probably won't get the job. The author's criticisms of the cost to personal lives entailed in careers of this type are also worth thinking about hard.

For the general reader, Delves Broughton provides a useful flavour of the mindset and approach taught at these kinds of institution. Don't expect to come away with more than a vague impression though - this is not a primer of what they teach at Harvard Business School (title notwithstanding). He raises concerns that this 'business' mindset leads to problems when applied to other arenas of life, particularly if used naively or by people lacking decent ethical standards. (If HBS alumnus George W. Bush had shown any inclination to use this kind of approach in his decision-making, he would have made an easy stick with which to beat the institution). Whatever the merits of his argument, it's something that the HBS faculty (and many companies) worry about a lot, even if their attempts to discuss such ethical issues lead to stomach churning management-speak. Encouragingly, most of his fellow students seemed to take the point, though, even at this early stage in their careers.

One point of criticism of this book (and others of its kind). By publishing it Delves Broughton has arguably betrayed a tacit contract of confidentiality that exists between participants (faculty and students) in such institutions. 'Betrayals' of this kind are an everyday occurrence for daily newspaper journalists and this is perhaps