In this results-driven era of over-zealous soccer parents and SAT boot camps for kids, The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have offers parents and teachers a fresh and compelling message: a child's character is more important than his or her achievements. The authors are a teacher at and the CEO of the Hyde Schools, a group of private schools dedicated to character development and family growth. The Gaulds leverage their experiences to create a wise and workable manual for balancing character, achievement, and purpose in family life.

The book sharply contrasts "achievement culture" with "character culture" by providing 10 priorities for the development of a child's moral fiber. These include valuing "truth over harmony," "attitude over aptitude," and "principles over rules." Each priority is explored via crisp commentary, vivid stories from Hyde parents and students, family exercises, activities, and journaling assignments. One chapter describes ways for parents to explore their attraction to the achievement bias of our culture. This is a practical and persuasive book--one that will convince readers of the authors' credo: "Character is inspired, it is not imparted." --Barbara Mackoff


From Publishers Weekly
The formation of character is an elusive thing; despite concerned parenting, good schools and all the best intentions, parents worry about everything from insubordination and bad grades to hard drugs. According to the Gaulds (authors, teachers and alternative education proponents), the "biggest job we'll ever have" is developing positive habits of mind and behavior in our young. According to these authors, it is hard, it is doable and it is never too late to achieve "exceptional parenting." This how-to book offers 10 commonsense principles of character education, enlivening them with anecdotes gathered from thousands of parents and children, as well as with their own family stories. The authors accompany each rule with family exercises and activities, some of which seem contrived (e.g., writing down strengths and weaknesses; keeping a log of "mandatory fun activities"). The authors are relentlessly upbeat all the stories here are triumphs, implying that if parents simply apply the Gaulds' formula, they will achieve "personal and family excellence." This book falls into the camp that claims that the problems of society are with individuals, mostly due to flawed parenting. Hence, solutions lie in "fixing" the individuals and their families. What's missing from this perspective (and from this book) is an analysis of the social, economic and cultural factors that may cause the alienation, boredom, underachievement and family dysfunction that constitute "poor character." Scholars and educators hoping for an in-depth understanding of the complex dimensions of character education will not find it here, although families seeking a self-help boost and some informed coaching may find useful tips. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Since its founding in Maine in 1966, the Hyde School has provided an educational alternative for students having difficulty in the public school system. Hyde leaders Laura and Malcolm Gauld here tell the story of the school's success by focusing on the character education at the core of its philosophy and on its commitment to involving the entire family in the educational process. Readers interested in learning about classroom life at Hyde will be disappointed, however, as this book focuses more on the parenting lessons that Hyde provides both on campus and as part of its "Biggest Job" workshops. As the authors write, "parents are the primary teachers and the home is the primary classroom." Hence, this book is more about parenting than it is about schooling. Followers of recent calls for virtue-centric education, such as those by former U.S. Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, may be intrigued by the Hyde model (which has recently been adopted by a public charter school in Washington, DC). It may also prove appealing to the many advocates for an increased role for parents in the education of their children. For all collections. Scott Walter, Washington State Univ. Lib., PullmanCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Expounding on the theme that we are untrained for the most important job most of us will ever do--parenting--the Gaulds, directors of the Hyde School in Bath, Maine, advocate reconnecting family values with education. Parents are a child's first teachers and, as such, are in need of essential skills. The school's successful methods center on establishing 10 priorities to guide parents in developing their skills. The priorities are based on three simple principles: attitude over aptitude, effort over achievement, and character over talent. Part one examines the fundamentals of character building, while part two explores the 10 priorities to developing good parenting skills, starting with valuing truth over harmony. The book parallels the school's parenting program, the Biggest Job, aimed at helping parents recognize the difficulty of parenting, its enduring importance, and the fact that successful parenting is doable. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Patrick Lencioni president, The Table Group, and author of The Five Temptations of a CEO This is one of the most profound and important books I have ever read. If every parent could apply these principles, not only would their children and families be healthier, but so would our society. A must-read for anyone interested in overcoming mediocrity.


Review
Patrick Lencioni president, The Table Group, and author of The Five Temptations of a CEO This is one of the most profound and important books I have ever read. If every parent could apply these principles, not only would their children and families be healthier, but so would our society. A must-read for anyone interested in overcoming mediocrity.


Review
Patrick Lencioni president, The Table Group, and author of The Five Temptations of a CEO This is one of the most profound and important books I have ever read. If every parent could apply these principles, not only would their children and families be healthier, but so would our society. A must-read for anyone interested in overcoming mediocrity.


Book Description
Attitude over aptitude. Effort over achievement. Character over talent. In this groundbreaking book, Laura and Malcolm Gauld draw on their experience as parents and as educators at Hyde -- an organization of award-winning schools and programs -- to argue persuasively that true education springs not just from seeking good grades and achievements but from reestablishing a commitment to character, attitude, and purpose. Offering a new paradigm for reconnecting education with values, the Gaulds focus attention not on the child, but on the child's primary teacher -- the parent. After explaining how enormous a parent's impact is on how children approach education and life, the Gaulds detail the Hyde program's 10 Priorities for meeting life's challenges so that any family can embrace them. Interspersed throughout are dozens of remarkable stories of Hyde parents and students; their funny, moving, and provocative anecdotes reveal that astonishing results are possible and that all children -- and their parents -- can exceed expectations and realize their full potential.


Download Description
For families, educators, corporations, and communities, The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have is nothing less than a new paradigm for reconnecting education with core values. With more than thirty-five years' experience at Hyde, an organization of internationally known, award-winning schools and programs, Laura and Malcolm Gauld argue persuasively that true education for our children springs not just from seeking good grades and achievements but from reestablishing a true commitment to character, attitude, and a sense of purpose. The Hyde program emphasizes ten core beliefs -- the school's 10 Priorities -- that address how families can find the right balance between character and achievement. The results have been nothing short of astonishing: Children of all abilities and from every background have succeeded far beyond any expectations of them, both personally and academically, thanks to what they and their families have learned at Hyde. Unlike other education books that focus on the child, The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have focuses on a child's primary teacher -- the parent. The Gaulds explain that parents have an enormous impact on how their children approach education and life. They describe how parents can enhance their children's education by improving family dynamics and introducing honesty into all aspects of family life. And they detail the 10 Priorities clearly and logically, so that any family can embrace them. But that's only part of this book's appeal. Perhaps its true power comes from the dozens of Hyde parents and students who willingly share their own remarkable stories -- honest, funny, sad, moving, provocative -- that attest to the transformational power of the Hyde philosophy.


About the Author
Malcolm Gauld is the president and chief executive officer of the Hyde Schools, overseeing Hyde's two boarding campuses in Bath, Maine, and Woodstock, Connecticut, and public school initiatives in New Haven, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
When Joe Gauld opened the first Hyde campus in Maine, he believed education should encompass more than the basic academic fundamentals; he wanted his students to develop character. More than two decades later, the Hyde schools have garnered many accolades for helping "problem" students turn around and attend college. This phenomenal success is due in part the curriculum's requirement that parents be deeply involved in their children's academic and moral education. Most parents would agree that they value honesty, responsibility, and accountability in their family life. But are those expectations being met? This is the challenge extended by The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have.

Gauld's son, Malcolm, and daughter-in-law, Laura -- both Hyde teachers -- have outlined the basic Hyde philosophy to help parents and their teenagers learn character together, in the home. Even if you have an idea of what perfect family life looks like, the Gaulds warn that you aren't looking at the big picture. The first step, they write, is to "let go of the Hallmark fantasy."

Each chapter addresses one of the school's Ten Priorities, which include "Attitude over Aptitude," "Value Success and Failure," and "Allow Obstacles to Become Opportunities" and includes family exercises to help these priorities become part of the home. At times, some of their suggestions seem quite rigorous, but the authors state loudly and clearly that "this book will not appeal to the parent seeking a 'quick fix.' Parenting is hard work." And so is building character. Armed with the information provided by the Gaulds, readers will find that becoming a healthier, better-functioning family is certainly worth the effort. And the payoff is raising children who are fully engaged in their education as well as their personal development. (Jessica Leigh Lebos)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

For families, educators, corporations, and communities, The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have is nothing less than a new paradigm for reconnecting education with core values. With more than thirty-five years' experience at Hyde, an organization of internationally known, award-winning schools and programs, Laura and Malcolm Gauld argue persuasively that true education for our children springs not just from seeking good grades and achievements but from reestablishing a true commitment to character, attitude, and a sense of purpose.

The Hyde program emphasizes ten core beliefs -- the school's 10 Priorities -- that address how families can find the right balance between character and achievement. The results have been nothing short of astonishing: Children of all abilities and from every background have succeeded far beyond any expectations of them, both personally and academically, thanks to what they and their families have learned at Hyde.

Unlike other education books that focus on the child, The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have focuses on a child's primary teacher -- the parent. The Gaulds explain that parents have an enormous impact on how their children approach education and life. They describe how parents can enhance their children's education by improving family dynamics and introducing honesty into all aspects of family life. And they detail the 10 Priorities clearly and logically, so that any family can embrace them.

But that's only part of this book's appeal. Perhaps its true power comes from the dozens of Hyde parents and students who willingly share their own remarkable stories -- honest, funny, sad, moving, provocative -- that attest to the transformational power of the Hyde philosophy.

Being a parent and a child today isn't easy; so much that we thought was important simply is not. As parents and educators, Laura and Malcolm Gauld believe that the way to motivate kids and build stronger families is to focus on identifying what is truly important. In The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have, they do exactly that.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The formation of character is an elusive thing; despite concerned parenting, good schools and all the best intentions, parents worry about everything from insubordination and bad grades to hard drugs. According to the Gaulds (authors, teachers and alternative education proponents), the "biggest job we'll ever have" is developing positive habits of mind and behavior in our young. According to these authors, it is hard, it is doable and it is never too late to achieve "exceptional parenting." This how-to book offers 10 commonsense principles of character education, enlivening them with anecdotes gathered from thousands of parents and children, as well as with their own family stories. The authors accompany each rule with family exercises and activities, some of which seem contrived (e.g., writing down strengths and weaknesses; keeping a log of "mandatory fun activities"). The authors are relentlessly upbeat all the stories here are triumphs, implying that if parents simply apply the Gaulds' formula, they will achieve "personal and family excellence." This book falls into the camp that claims that the problems of society are with individuals, mostly due to flawed parenting. Hence, solutions lie in "fixing" the individuals and their families. What's missing from this perspective (and from this book) is an analysis of the social, economic and cultural factors that may cause the alienation, boredom, underachievement and family dysfunction that constitute "poor character." Scholars and educators hoping for an in-depth understanding of the complex dimensions of character education will not find it here, although families seeking a self-help boost and some informed coaching may find useful tips. (Mar. 19) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal