Reviews of my books

(The ones that appeared on the Amazon websites)

Education Conferences

Neil Rickus Great for new and experienced conference attendees

14 August 2017

A great read from Terry Freedman, which will be useful to both newcomers and those used to regularly attending conferences. The book can be read in one sitting, or specific sections referred to as required.

I found the chapters regarding what to do before and after the conference the most useful, with the follow up activities particularly comprehensive, as it is all too easy to simply forget all those things you promised to do, research, investigate, etc.

W Lau Well-written and informative

28 April 2017

I learned many of the lessons in this book the hard way, over a decade of attending conferences. Terry is an excellent writer and whilst reading his book, I frequently had moments of "I never thought of that". I was reading the Kindle version which did not have a table of contents but was still very enjoyable to read by dipping into certain sections as Terry advises in his intro. Given the price and Terry's experience and expertise in this area, I have given this a 5 star review.

Mr Russell Prue Stunning - must read for Educators

1 February 2017

Stunning in every detail, you won't want to miss this from Terry. A must read for those deepening their understanding of 'Learning & Teaching' by attending conferences. Lovely book and highly recommended.

Mango A "must buy"

30 January 2017

We work at shows throughout the year and recognise how much more visitors can get from a show if they follow certain steps.

For teachers, the cost of leaving school for a day can be substantial so they need to justify the benefits. Terry outlines the important, significantly valuable processes to go through, to ensure your visit results in a good return on investment. It's well written and easy to follow.

For the cost of the book, it is a no brainer. If' you go to events or are considering going, I'd invest in this book today!

Karl Beecher so it helps to go in with a good idea of what you want to achieve

5 January 2017

This book is a guide for those who want to attend educational conferences, but are lacking experience. It presents the author's advice as a series of tips based on his own long experience.

Although there are a lot of individual tips here (hundreds, in fact), the author has done really well to organise them in a clear and logical manner, structured as they are into three 'before', 'during' and 'after' parts. They are further organised within each part into chapters with helpful titles such as 'Sample questions to ask suppliers' or 'Must-have conference apps'.

To me, this book is for someone who knows their own mind but lacks a lot of conference experience. The book is structured around goals, so it helps to go in with a good idea of what you want to achieve. The advice is also not written using a preachy or overbearing style - it is left to the reader how best to apply the advice.

The author has clearly been attending teaching conferences for a long time and seen all they can throw at you. In fact, many tips apply to conferences in general. They are varied and comprehensive, meaning you will definitely not be left wanting for advice, although a small handful of tips are admittedly very brief, reading more like vague suggestions. Still, the book is richer for their presence.

All-in-all a very worthwhile read for anyone aiming to attend conferences, educational one or not.

Gerald Haigh Don't just let the conference happen to you. Take control.

4 January 2017

In common with other reviewers I've been to many conferences, often in order to write about them for the educational press. Indeed it's at such events that I've usually bumped into Terry Freedman. .The need to produce a report taught me to get around at conferences, not tying myself too firmly to a seat being lectured at -- all of which is part of Terry's advice. I suppose his key message is not to just fill in the application and then wander through the even feeling just behind the loop. You have to take control -- of the process of convincing senior leadership that you should go; of making the best of what's on offer; of using the experience when you're back at school. Terry's book is a great read. A must read in fact, for new conference-goers and veterans alike,

Lady Abash A good guide to Educational Conferences

19 December 2016

I have been reading Terry's newsletters for years so welcomed this guide to attending educational conferences.

1. It was very interesting reading especially as I don't think many teachers have a strategy for ensuring that they are able to attend conferences etc.

2. The ideas and suggestions were sound and in some cases common sense.

3. Some of the suggestions were - ones I have probably ignored when they have come to mind. It is very easy reading and very accessible to the reader

5. I think you could have expanded on some of the ideas - in general, I wanted more.

6. I wasn't sure about the 'public transport' bit. It seemed too obvious. I guess it is a very valid insertion given the cancellations etc. of recent months.

Well done Terry! Good luck!

William F. Gibbon "Important points that seasoned conference-goers so often forget"

15 December 2016

I've always enjoyed Terry's writing, which is plain, simple, insightful stuff and this ebook is no different. It covers a lot of ground and re-inforces many of the important points that seasoned conference-goers so often forget. Even someone like me, who has been attending (and organising) conferences for more than 30 years, can find something as a useful reminder, or as a nice way of recalling when you wish you'd had a book like this to help because so many things went wrong! I have to admit I read it from start to finish in one go - which is not what it's intended for - as I was intrigued by the range of content and the depth to which Terry takes some of his reasoning. Take it in stages - use the relevant bits you need as you consider, apply, pack, attend and review your conference. You'll enjoy your conference much more for having done so. I hope he might do a detailed follow up for conference organisers too …

Amazon Customer A very high quality and detailed guide to getting the best from educational conferences 14 December 2016

As a regular visitor to education conferences I was intrigued to see what advice could possibly fill a whole book and I was pleasantly surprised. The clear nature of the tips made for an easy, accessible read. The wide range of tips is impressive. With suggestions such as taking students/digital leaders would be a welcome suggestion to many school staff reading the book. The detail and depth is also worth a mention - taking the level of detail down to the inclusion of web links to travel alerts shows how well researched the book is. We have a lot to learn from Terry in terms of making the most efficient and rewarding use of educational conferences and this is a great start. It will certainly change how I approach preparing for a conference from now on.

amazon user Just Fabulous!

13 December 2016

Terry Freedman draws on over 40 years experience of attending education conferences to produce this excellent, accessible and essential guide to making the most an education conference.

In these difficult times when budgets are tight and work schedules are often overwhelming it can be difficult to convince ourselves, and our headteacher, that there are real benefits to attending a conference. This affordable guide will undoubtedly help you understand how to make the most of a conference and includes simple things like checking transport routes and also handy tips you may not have considered such as; take a high capacity USB, spare phone battery, and Terry’s list of ‘must have apps’ to record and access details about products and speakers.

This is the kind of resource I think should be available to leaders and teachers in all schools. As someone who has attended conferences for over 25 years I will be sure to use this fabulous guide as part of my preparations for attending BETT in January 2017.

Maria Brosnan A good, quick guide.

12 December 2016

I bought this book as I'm exhibiting in the new year and was keen to pick up any tips from the other side of the fence! It is a very quick read and gives some good suggestions. These are broken down into subheadings that make it easy to navigate.

C. Ratcliffe Before your next conference, read this book!

12 December 2016

Not only is this a brilliant read, but it must be required reading for anyone wanting to attend a conference.

Broken up into three core sections of: before the conference (including travel, how to convince the SLT to allow you to go etc.) during the conference (ways to get the most out of the exhibition area, 17 things to take with you etc.), and after the conference (feeding back to the team and SLT).

The detail is fantastic, and well worth reading!

Mr. M. V. Norwood If you are going to a conference (or want to) then spend a tiny bit more and buy this book.

11 December 2016

I am lucky enough to regularly go to education conferences so I feel well qualified to comment on this book. Despite what your colleagues may think or suggest, going to a conference isn't 'a day off' or easy. In fact, I always find attending conferences a great deal more exhausting than a day's teaching (and I am a behaviour specialist teaching children with severe behaviour problems!). So anything that makes your life easier has got to be good.

If you are going to a conference then it is going to cost money even if the conference is 'free'. There's the cost of you having a day off and the cost of transport for a start, so investing a little money in this book to help you get more out of the experience is something I wouldn't hesitate to do.

I think this book will really help me prepare for my next conference even though I'm a bit of an old hand. It is full of excellent advice and much of it is stuff that I haven't necessarily considered before but even the obvious stuff is very very useful to have in one handy book as it serves as an invaluable checklist for before, during and after the conference.

If you are sitting there thinking how lucky I am to get to go to conferences all the time as your management never let you then you have even more reason to buy this book. It will give you all the ammunition, arguments and persuasion you need to make the case for attending a conference.

Finally, this is not a dusty tome that is a chore to read but an easy, quick and light read that is perfect for a busy teacher.

Amazon Customer Going to an education conference? You need this book of 350 hints and tips....

5 December 2016

It is difficult for teachers to get the funding and the time to attending education conferences. Often they are tiring when you are there and disappointing if you did not cover as much ground as you had hoped.

If you have ever had those feelings you must read Terry Freedman’s new book, Education Conferences. This is such a comprehensive book that, as an inveterate conference delegate and speaker myself, I found plenty to think about. For those starting out this book will be invaluable if you want to get the most out of this kind of professional development activity. Terry also mentions ways in which useful information can be found without putting time and money into conference and how to choose which ones will be the most rewarding.

For the newbie in the education conference world, Terry covers key subjects like how to justify going to a conference to your school; how to make the most of your visit; questions for the suppliers and how to look beyond the hype. He includes ideas for questions for speakers as well as notes if you are presenting. And if you have liked a product and want to bring it into school he gives some tips for presenting your case when you return.

But as well as the big topics Terry’s book is full of common sense reminders like collect information not paper, take a USB stick, don’t forget your business cards and buy a bottle of water outside the conference hall where it will often be cheaper.

There are more than 350 tips and ideas in this book at just £2.99. Get someone to buy it for a stocking filler for Xmas as you will definitely need to read it before BETT17 which is January 25th – 29th at Excel in East London. More reviews on the MirandaNet Fellowship website [...]

Danny Nicholson Great advice for teachers

28 November 2016

Educational conferences can often be overwhelming - fighting your way past hoardes of exhibitors or negotiating a mass of competing talks and seminars. Terry's book helps you to make the most of any educational conference. From convincing your school to allow you to go, to planning your time and maximising the impact of attending. There's plenty of useful tips here for everyone, even the most seasoned BETT attendee.

DS A must read, from a master in the education business...

26 November 2016

Terry Freedman offers common sense, practical hints and tips to help take the pain out of education conferences. Go armed with insightful hints and tips from one of the most experienced conference attendees around. This book is a must.

Nik Peachey Great for the first time conference goer or the world weary conference junkie

25 November 2016

I've always been a bit sceptical about how much people really get from going to conferences. I often think it's mainly a boost of adrenaline and motivation to carry them through the next year, but Terry's book is packed full of useful ideas and tips to really encourage people to make the most of the opportunity. It's well structured with pre, during and post conference tips and for those who aren't great at networking it even has some tips for questions to ask the various people you might bump into.

This is a really useful publication - great for the first time conference goer or the world weary conference junkie. Best of all, as an ebook I'll have it with me on my iPad the whole time.

Welsh Amazon Buyer! Honest review

19 November 2016

I loved this book! So many excellent tips and I can assure you I will be taking lots of them on board and implementing then in my school! The book certainly removes the stigma around attending educational conferences and that 'oh no not another boring conference!' I will endeavour to make much more of them with your suggestions! Thank you!

Ready Steady A must-have guide for attending education conferences!

15 November 2016

If you consider education conferences as either boring or a waste of time then this book will inspire you.

If on the other hand, you really enjoy conferences but feel you need to compile compelling reasons to justify going then this will be your handbook - especially the section on Good Reasons to Attend

If you're big on productivity (or the Principal is!) then you shouldn't be without this book. It is bursting with information & ideas from somebody who is obviously well versed in attending education conferences & somebody who extracts maximum value from them.

I can almost guarantee that some of the items he lists in this guide you won't have considered but you'll put them into practice once you've read them.

I feel as if I could go on and on but I'll spare you my waffling

Whether you're attending your first education conference or you class yourself as a seasoned pro, I would certainly recommend reading this book!

ShellTerrell An excellent guide for conference goers! 

May 17, 2017

Terry Freedman is known for sharing excellent tips for teachers. His latest book is filled with great tips for having an incredible conference experience where you connect with other like minds and learn together!

This is DTP!

Jonathan Bishop Makes DTP Simple and Easy

2 July 2002

This book shows you how to transfer dull-looking essays into works of art using packages like Microsoft Word and Quark XPress. It takes you through the basic skills you need, the main design principles of DTP using projects and examples.

Managing ICT

Amazon Customer a life saver

22 October 2000

what a useful book to any ICT co ordinator. Like many ICT co-ordinators I acquired the position by being confident enough to use computers with the children in my NQT year. I was duly appointed in my first year as the ICT co-ordinator. I had to review the Policy and Scheme of work in a subject that I had received litlle advice from my training insititute. This book rescued me and has become an invaluable resource. A must have to experienced and frightened co-ordinators looking for advice on Schemes and resources. thank you Terry