Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
​
Review Rating: 5 Star 　　
Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World by Valter Martins explores the role of education in shaping human conduct and creating a better society. The book dives deep into understanding why people act the way they do, focusing on behaviors that lead to happiness and social harmony. Education that cultivates kindness, respect, and empathy underscores the importance of promoting positive actions and shaping beliefs and habits that lead individuals to make better choices for themselves and their communities. Additionally, it examines how this transformation requires educators and policymakers to play a critical role in guiding generations toward a more harmonious future. Inspiring positive actions through education lays the groundwork for a happier, more harmonious society—one generation at a time.
Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” That quote embodies this inspiring book, Positive Actions. As an educator who truly cares about children and creating an optimistic environment for learning, this really resonated with me. Valter Martins writes in a clear, accessible style that makes complex ideas about human behavior and learning easy to grasp without feeling overwhelming. What I liked most is how he connects theory to practical outcomes, showing that teaching good values isn't just nice to have but is essential for developing well-rounded, happy individuals who contribute to a better world. It is a call to action for all educators, with a strong message that what we teach and model matters profoundly. Every teacher should read this book to better understand how to inspire positive change in their classrooms and beyond. By the end, I felt hopeful and motivated about the future of education.
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite.
​
Review Rating: 5 Star 　　　
In his book Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World, Valter Martins explains that human behavior produces consequences affecting people. He states that actions result from innate drives, learned habits, beliefs, and emotions in continuous interaction. Martins emphasizes that education shapes beliefs, values, and habits, which guide positive and negative behaviors. He says knowledge and critical thinking are essential components of effective education for improving decisions. Martins observes that early education strongly influences beliefs and values that affect future actions and choices. He notes that schools, families, and society must model positive behaviors for children to learn effectively. Martins describes programs like Values-Based Education that teach cooperation, honesty, empathy, and respect within school environments. He argues that education should aim to produce adults who act responsibly and contribute to societal well-being.
Valter Martins’ Positive Actions is an outstanding and insightful read, and as a parent, I am always on the lookout for books on how education can meaningfully shape children and whole communities for the better. This book is excellent whether you are a parent, guardian, educator, or student of any type. Martins use of concrete examples, such as ethical decision-making in financial situations or programs that nurture empathy and cooperation in schools, illustrates the practical impact of his ideas and strengthens the book’s message. The approach is easy to understand and, more importantly, actionable. I especially appreciate how Martins speaks on the generational passing on of culture. Overall, Positive Actions is a guide that offers a strong understanding of the influence of knowledge applied with intention, and for the ways that early and ongoing education can encourage constructive, lasting outcomes for all. Very highly recommended.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
　
Review Rating: 5 Star 　　　
Understanding human behavior is key to bringing positive change in the world. Educators and leaders play a crucial role in developing policies that foster a deeper understanding of human behavior. In Positive Actions, author Valter Martins explains how educators and policymakers can lead the way for societal change among individuals at various stages of development within the populace. The book explores the consequences of human behavior, how our needs and instincts are aligned with one another, how we perceive the world around us, and the core values that drive human behavior. You will also learn about the three different kinds of feelings, how to keep your emotions in control, fostering empathy, the role of education in shaping our beliefs, the cultural impact on human behavior, acquiring knowledge, and much more.
I found Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World relevant to the times we live in today. With the increasingly polarizing geopolitical climate around the world, books like these remind us to consider the factors that drive our emotions and actions, guiding our behavior at a societal level. Using personal anecdotes and examples, author Valter Martins presents a captivating handbook that highlights the importance of education and its role in the progression of society and humanity. Martins particularly appeals to educators and policymakers to embrace their roles and become the primary drivers of change in these turbulent times. This book is for anyone who wants a better future for humanity. Each topic is thoroughly explored and presented in an engaging and accessible writing style that will resonate with readers from all backgrounds. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite
​
Review Rating: 5 Star　　　　
Education is a vital element that moulds our society. Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World by Valter Martins is an exploration into human behavior. He points out that some individuals seem predisposed to causing harm to themselves and others through their own actions. Improved education can provide solutions, and children could be better prepared for the cycles of life that lie ahead of them. While society and parents have a role to play, the school system seems best placed to promote positive values. The author evaluates the processes that determine our actions, and evaluates the consequences, whether intended or otherwise, and their impact. Consequences can be positive, negative, or neutral. Education can change this through creating awareness that leads to positive actions. Human genetics and the nervous system are described in detail, as is the decision-making process. Our genetic heritage and experiences shape our lives. We are driven by needs and instincts, our senses, memories, and consciousness. Knowledge can be innate or learned. Our views are influenced by our perceptions, but are these accurate? The author concludes that knowledge is what we acquire through our life experiences, and that education provides an additional opportunity to learn and cultivate improved habits.
Positive Actions is the culmination of 30 years of research by Valter Martins, in which he explores the reasons behind our behavior, instincts, feelings, sensations, emotions, desires, habits, beliefs, and values. The role of culture, science, and consciousness is also dissected. The author asserts that education must involve imparting knowledge and encouraging critical thinking. Proper education promotes positive actions by passing on authentic beliefs and values. Solutions are outlined and expanded upon. I particularly liked the table of ideal values, which provides a basis for value formation by readers. This is a plea for a change in behavior and a shift to a values-based education (VbE) system. The process has already begun, and some relevant organizations are featured. A major strength of this work is that the writing is clear, concise, and provides everyday examples to illustrate the points being made. The book is aimed primarily at educators and policy makers, but is suitable for a much wider audience that includes parents and caregivers. It is written in layman’s language that can be readily absorbed, providing valuable insights into principles that can be readily applied. It is inspiring, a strong motivator for change, and is highly recommended.
Reviewed by Diana Lopez for Readers' Favorite　
​
Review Rating: 5 Star　　　　
People's happiness depends largely on their experiences and the decisions they make throughout their lives. This is why we need an education system that promotes positive values and attitudes. This will allow new generations to live together harmoniously. To achieve this change, Valter Martins shares Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World. He begins by analyzing the human body from genetics to the nervous system to help us understand our most basic reactions. He then explains behavior patterns, perceptions, and sensations as a reflection of the environment that influences us. By doing so, we can adopt a new mode of being, breaking free from taboos and false beliefs. This will allow us to foster healthy and empathetic attitudes in ourselves and in children.
Positive Actions: Transforming Education, Shaping a Better World is aimed at professional educators. However, it is also beneficial reading for parents and caregivers, as Valter Martins expresses his thoughts in a clear and engaging way. He explains deep topics without technical terms and uses everyday examples. That's why I liked it when he talked about controlling emotions, because it helps us see that we tend to act on instinct or preconceived notions. We can improve by seeing things from new perspectives. Valter Martins shows that values are important in early childhood education because these develop critical thinking. He also reminds us that if the education system included topics such as kindness and empathy, society would be more prosperous. But he maintains a realistic perspective by stating that it is impossible to be happy all the time. Even so, we must take advantage of every opportunity we have to do good.
Reviewed by LoveReading4Kids’ Ambassador​
In intriguing look into how we think, learn, form beliefs and behaviours with opportunities to revolutionise the classroom.
​
The purpose of Positive Actions is to provide a call-to-action for educators to be a part of transforming the educational landscape to a value focused system. However the style of this book means that it is an educational and informative read even for those outside of the education sector. Starting from the very beginning with needs and instincts before working through the biological process of “seeing” the world around us right through language, behaviour and emotions, Psychopedagogue Valter Martins provides an easy to understand explanation of how our values and behaviours take shape. With helpful examples such as The Green Mile to explain how perceptions of a situation can cause reactions to a scenario of someone being frustrated with their neighbour's dog we see how many different factors can impact how we see the world and how we react to it. By having a solid foundation of understanding as to what motivates human behaviour, educators are then in a strong position to promote positive behaviour which leads to more social harmony “making the lives of people better, more peaceful, successful, happier, with greater achievements in life—people who can live together in a serene and cooperative way, care for each other and for their environment, and act in responsible ways”.
​
Positive Actions is an enlightening exploration of human behaviour that anyone reading can learn something from. I think that this book will be of benefit to the education sector and beyond if read by parents, family members, teachers and school staff - anyone in a prime position to influence the behaviour of children and young people. The point raised in the book that the teaching of positive values can’t always be left to the parents as the parents themselves may not have had their own education really for me emphasizes that this book would do good in as many hands as possible. The highlight that any means of communication (books, TV, Radio, film, social media etc) can be used to promote both proper and unsuitable values, depending on the education of the people creating them further drives home the point. In short, this is an encouraging call-to-action that is much-needed in this divisive time, that living peacefully and successfully together is not only possible but teachable in the classroom and beyond.