Your Child in School: The Intermediate Years...

Your Child in School: The Intermediate Years Grades Three Through Five by Tom and Harriet Sobol (Arbor House: $18.95).

The years between 8 and 11 are “the golden years of childhood, the years of Cub Scouts and Brownies, of Little League . . . of family trips,” say Tom and Harriet Sobol, who are, respectively, commissioner of education of the state of New York and an experienced teacher and children’s books writer. Though their initial comments seem a mite unrealistic in view of today’s post-nuclear family, they’ve written a distinguished book that not only explains the structure, staffing and curriculum of a typical school but also serves as a home-tutoring guide.

What is current educational theory? What does IQ actually mean and how accurate are commonly administered tests in predicting a child’s academic future?

The authors answer such questions and reassure parents that traditional assessment of a child’s potential is limited at best, citing Churchill and Einstein as examples of poor students who turned out rather well.

But the heart of “Your Child in School” summarizes the skills a child is expected to master for grades three through five, with emphasis on specific information and sample lessons in math, reading, science, social studies and art.

This splendid guide can be used by caring parents to create a positive learning environment as well as supplement formal pedagogy.