Top of the Class: How Asian Parents Raise High Achievers--and How You Can Too
Stressing involvement, encouragement, discipline and more involvement, the authors reveal the 17 "secrets" Asian families use to create straight-A-earning, Ivy League-bound children, though some readers may balk at the generalities the book treats as facts. (The opening sentence reads: "Have you ever sat next to an Asian student in class and wondered how she managed to consistently get straight A's while you struggled to maintain a B-minus average?") That said, much of the advice isn't, contrary to the book's title and tone, culture-specific and is just as likely to be overheard at parent-teacher conferences in Dubuque as read about in this book: be enthusiastic when your child asks for help, set goals and reward positive performance. The book employs a we vs. you tact, and many readers will find the implied superiority off-putting or snide. Readers willing to separate the substance from the hollow pomp will find helpful tidbits (extracurricular activities are good, but in moderation) mixed with mercenary exhortations ("Forget the 'Do Whatever Makes You Happy' Mentality"), but wading through the stereotypes might be too much to ask.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.