Claire N. Rubman

Parenting/Cognitive Psychology/Education
Passionate about applying the research that she teaches in the classroom to make a real difference in the world.

Claire N. Rubman

Parenting/Cognitive Psychology/Education

Dr. Rubman earned her Ph.D. in cognitive, and developmental psychology and has taught for the last 30 years. As a professor and a parent, she is passionate about applying the research that she teaches in the classroom to make a real difference in the world. She has given numerous lectures and workshops across the country on topics such as:

• how children actually learn through play
• discipline that really works
• technology and “tots”, childcare
• kindergarten readiness
• the importance of a risk-free environment for children
• childhood obesity
• the magic formula for reading success

Beyond lecturing, Dr. Rubman has:

• published parenting magazine articles
• served as the “ask the expert”
• conducted workshops for the Child Care Council in the “Distinguished Speaker Series” in New York
• served as a consultant for a graduate school online degree program for teachers
• edited textbooks for McGraw Hill on topics such as adolescent development and culture & diversity
• she is really proud of the “best paper award” that she won for a paper and lecture on “The 21 st Century Brain & Other Stories”!
• been awarded the 2023 National Parenting Product Award for her book “This May Be Difficult to Read”
• received a gold-level Mom’s Choice Award

In her free time, she loves to laugh, play chess, discuss books at her neighborhood book club, kayak, walk her dog and complete puzzles! She also loves to spend time with three grown children who bring her endless joy…

BOOKS:

This May Be Difficult to Read (2023)

Your biggest literary influences:

David Elkind, John Bransford, Malcolm Gladwell, Roald Dahl, Jeffrey Archer

What readers will take away from your book:

•  They will be more knowledgeable about 10 facts or myths that relate to children’s reading and they will be able to explain the research behind each one and its implications for learning.
• They will learn how their child’s brain develops from birth through childhood which will allow them to better understand many of their child’s actions and reactions on a daily basis.
• They will be able to change their perspective to see life through their child’s eyes which may improve the quality of their interactions with their child.
• By engaging in 15 research studies within the book, they will see reading from their child’s perspective, replete with all its shortcomings and limited cognitive capacity.
• They will be able to reinvent their interactions with their children to promote literacy as part of their daily routine in a fun, engaging, lively process.
• They will be able to create a “need to read” in their home that gives reading a purpose beyond the rote memorization of the ABCs.
• They will have the opportunity to take away a blueprint for literacy that will change their home environment into an ecosystem that promotes reading comprehension success.
• They will be able to act as a catalyst for change by shifting the focus from letters and sounds to more purposeful literacy and reading for meaning.
• They will have fun while simultaneously taking away a myriad of suggestions to improve their child’s literacy and future academic success.

What is your ideal target audience?

Parents, teachers, grandparents and anyone who reads with children!

If you had to describe your book as a cross between two well-known books, what would you say?

This is where Malcom Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” intersects with David Elkind’s “Miseducation”

The book that changed your life:

David Elkind’s “Miseducation” felt like someone had emptied the contents of my head onto a sheet of paper!

If your protagonist could befriend any character from literature, who would he or she choose?

My protagonists are all children everywhere, so I’d love them to meet Mary Poppins for a fun adventure!

If you could write a retelling of any book (classic or modern) and put your own spin on it, which book would you choose and why?

John Bransford’s “Human Cognition: Learning, Remembering and Understanding” I wish I had written that book. It is genius. Pure genius. It is so much fun to read! I wouldn’t change a thing, I’d keep it exactly as it is but I wish I had conducted that research!

Your favorite literary character:

Christopher Gardner in Chris Gardner’s “The Pursuit of Happyness”. It is such a compelling and gut-twisting story that reminds you to appreciate everything that you have in life from your material belongings to your health and happiness.