I would say it's geared more the college student, to help them get a good start on how to educate themselves better, but regardless of the focus, it contains great information to get you started, or you help you assist your children to become more effective thinkers. (in fact I think I'm going to make me a chart to help me remember some of the key details).
My first attempt at reviewing this book can be found here. I have another one somewhere but can't find it! So be that as it may, let's get on with this review eh? :)
Earth - Understand deeply
Fire - Make mistakes
Air - Raise questions
Water - Follow the flow of ideas
The Quintessential Element - by mastering the above skills you will change.
Four Elements, with the additional one of needing to transform yourself into a person who thinks more effectively.
Lots of practical ideas and advice, good examples through in. Each element breaks down into smaller nuggets of information.
HEY! You know what I just discovered! The author has a youtube channel! He talks about the different elements and everything. Haven't watched them all.. but that's just a neat discovery. GO HERE.
One of the aspects of this book I appreciated was the summary chapter at the end of the book. Such a great way to pull the whole book together, so if I want to brush up my memory about something I can just go there and just enough is written to help me recall the rest.
Anyways, watch the videos, learn a bit there, and then go out and get the book or borrow it from the library. Become a more effective thinker, it takes time, but it's worth it don't you think?
Chapter one: Learn your subject well. Don't skimp on learning those first basic steps.
Chapter two: Not being afraid of mistakes, in fact one should let their mistakes teach. Mistakes are an important source of information.
Chapter three helped me realize the value in practicing for things that will happen later in life, like teaching my lad how to take a timed test, how to write an essay in a given amount of time, and such like.
Chapter Five presented the idea of not just looking at the answer you get, but thinking about how you GOT to that answer.
A concise book at 157 pages, written by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird.