Just Read This...
Title: One Child
Author: Torey Hayden
Genre: Psychology, drama, non-fiction
Approximate length: 300 +/-
Rating: 8
Summary: One teacher's account of her struggle with the disturbed but extraordinary child Sheila.
Assessment: Written much along the same lines as Virginia Axline's Dibs in Search of Self, One Child is a no-holds-barred account of Torey Hayden's experiences teaching a class of disturbed children, and in particular the account of her time with Sheila. This was a book I read to satisfy my own interests as a psychology major and a hopeful for a counseling/therapy career path. However, even taken as just a novel, it is quite the read. I wouldn't go in expecting to be vastly entertained, as this is a real-life account and thus has none of the quirks and fun twists and turns a fictional novel does. However, it is endearing in its realness, its openness, and above all, its honesty. Hayden has a way of looking inward and facing her own shortcomings that is something to aspire toward as a human, no matter your career path. Because she can recognize these shortcomings, she is actually made stronger for them, and connects in a very honest way to a child who has not often been told the truth. Inspiring would be the best way to describe this book; it is a tribute to the strength of the human spirit.
Author: Torey Hayden
Genre: Psychology, drama, non-fiction
Approximate length: 300 +/-
Rating: 8
Summary: One teacher's account of her struggle with the disturbed but extraordinary child Sheila.
Assessment: Written much along the same lines as Virginia Axline's Dibs in Search of Self, One Child is a no-holds-barred account of Torey Hayden's experiences teaching a class of disturbed children, and in particular the account of her time with Sheila. This was a book I read to satisfy my own interests as a psychology major and a hopeful for a counseling/therapy career path. However, even taken as just a novel, it is quite the read. I wouldn't go in expecting to be vastly entertained, as this is a real-life account and thus has none of the quirks and fun twists and turns a fictional novel does. However, it is endearing in its realness, its openness, and above all, its honesty. Hayden has a way of looking inward and facing her own shortcomings that is something to aspire toward as a human, no matter your career path. Because she can recognize these shortcomings, she is actually made stronger for them, and connects in a very honest way to a child who has not often been told the truth. Inspiring would be the best way to describe this book; it is a tribute to the strength of the human spirit.