Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning


Gary F. Marcus - 2012
    Do you have to be born musical to become musical? Do you have to start at the age of six? Using the tools of his day job as a cognitive psychologist, Gary Marcus becomes his own guinea pig as he takes up the guitar. In a powerful and incisive look at how both children and adults become musical, Guitar Zero traces Marcus’s journey, what he learned, and how anyone else can learn, too. A groundbreaking peek into the origins of music in the human brain, this musical journey is also an empowering tale of the mind’s enduring plasticity. Marcus investigates the most effective ways to train body and brain to learn to play an instrument, in a quest that takes him from Suzuki classes to guitar gods. From deliberate and efficient practicing techniques to finding the right music teacher, Marcus translates his own experience—as well as reflections from world-renowned musicians—into practical advice for anyone hoping to become musical, or to learn a new skill.Guitar Zero debunks the popular theory of an innate musical instinct while simultaneously challenging the idea that talent is only a myth. While standing the science of music on its head, Marcus brings new insight into humankind’s most basic question: what counts as a life well lived? Does one have to become the next Jimi Hendrix to make a passionate pursuit worthwhile, or can the journey itself bring the brain lasting satisfaction?For all those who have ever set out to play an instrument—or wish that they could—Guitar Zero is an inspiring and fascinating look at the pursuit of music, the mechanics of the mind, and the surprising rewards that come from following one’s dreams.

Walking Miracle: How Faith, Positive Thinking, and Passion for Football Brought Me Back from Paralysis...and Helped Me Find Purpose


Ryan Shazier - 2021
    But then Ryan was forced to redefine success. Suddenly, it was no longer measured by tackles or sacks, but by purpose and faith.WALKING MIRACLE is the story of this new definition of success, following the arc from December 4, 2017, when Shazier was injured playing the Cincinnati Bengals, to his retirement. For three years, Shazier doggedly pursued a return to professional football. He took small wins as “first downs” on the drive to return to the field: moving his toes, walking, dancing at his wedding, and ultimately running and returning to the team. What Shazier didn’t realize is that along the way, he was preparing himself for another purpose—that of father and husband, philanthropist, and football analyst. The journey was preparing him not for a renewed life as a middle linebacker, but a renewed life after the game.Here we see Shazier overcome childhood alopecia, which caused a great deal of emotional pain, and scoliosis, which nearly robbed him of his dreams of playing college and professional football. We gain insights into legendary coaches Urban Meyer and Mike Tomlin. And we see him star on the field. Shazier was one of the best defensive players in Steeler history—a history full of great defensive stars.WALKING MIRACLE—the message on a bracelet given to him by his godmother—is the story of Ryan’s comeback, but it’s also a book of life’s lessons, challenges, and a love letter to the power of positive thinking.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers: The Michaela Way


Katharine Birbalsingh - 2019
    In this book, over 20 Michaela teachers explore controversial ideas that improve the lives of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Michaela is blazing a trail in education, defying many of the received notions about what works best in schools.Michaela teachers, from founders to classroom teachers to senior leaders, lead readers through different aspects of what makes Michaela unique. The school gets hundreds of visitors a year. So many ask: what's the secret? But the reality is that it isn't only one thing that makes Michaela work.This book raises challenging questions for teachers and school leaders about how they see education. How can we help new Year 7 pupils get their bearings in secondary school quickly? How do we teach pupils to remember rather than forget what they've learned? How do didactic teaching, drill and memorisation boost motivation and academic achievement? How do we get pupils to be considerate, kind and caring to each other? How do we make lunchtime a calm, happy time every day? How do we ensure new teachers are just as respected as veteran teachers? How can we ensure the weakest readers do the most reading rather than the least? How can we make sure all teachers love teaching in our schools, and want to stay in teaching? How can we prevent teachers from overworking and burning out? What do we do about parents that push back against the school's rules? These questions cut to the core of how we educate and how we see the world.

Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments


Debbie Curtis - 2003
    Full-color photographs of actual early childhood programs demonstrate that the spaces children learn and grow in can be comfortable for children, teachers, and parents alike.Margie Carter serves on the adjunct faculty at Pacific Oaks College Northwest, Seattle, Washington. Deb Curtis works as a child care teacher at the Burlington Little School in Seattle. Their other books include The Art of Awareness, The Visionary Director, Training Teachers, Spreading the News, and Reflecting Children’s Lives.

More Than Enough: How One Family Cultivated A More Abundant Life Through A Year Of Practical Minimalism


Miranda Anderson - 2019
    It meant learning to use what they already had and being more creative.Less Stuff, More Adventure became their mantra as they focused on gaining enriching family moments and seeking personal development. Life became about only choosing what truly matters and simply disregarding the rest.With candid narrative of her experiences, insightful discussion of principles, and practical pages to fill in, Miranda s journey will empower the reader to make small, impactful changes to live more intentionally and will show that whatever they have today can be more than enough.

Fluency Made Easy


Ikenna D. Obi
    Learn how to reach fluency in your goal language fast, fun and easily.

Head First: A Psychiatrist's Stories of Mind and Body


Alastair Santhouse - 2021
    They even influence whether we develop symptoms at all. Written with brutal honesty, deep compassion, and a wry sense of humour, Head First examines difficult cases that illuminate some of our most puzzling and controversial medical issues-from the tragedy of suicide, to the stigma surrounding obesity, to the ongoing misery of chronic fatigue. Ultimately he finds that our medical model has failed us by promoting specialization and overlooking perhaps the single most important component of our health: our state of mind.

The Secrets of Top Students: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Acing High School and College


Stefanie Weisman - 2013
    But it wasn't because she was a "natural" or smarter than everyone else -- in fact, she succeeded as a student in spite of an undiagnosed learning disability. What she gradually realized was that her classmates were making mistakes, and lots of them.The Secrets of Top Students is a conversational, down-to-earth guide for high school and college students on how to maximize their learning and get the grades they want. It is full of innovative tips from Stefanie and 45 other top students -- including Rhodes scholars, Goldwater scholars, Fulbright award winners, college valedictorians, Intel Science Fair finalists, a National Spelling Bee champion, and more -- that not only work but have received little or no attention in other books. The Secrets of Top Students will appeal to students of all levels, providing them with the advice they need from a voice they can trust.The Secrets of Top Students includes tips and techniques that every student should know. For example: What is the first thing you should do when taking a math test? What is an often overlooked place for coming up with a thesis? How can you use mantras to get better grades? What music should you listen to while studying? Should you bring your laptop to class? Why is it bad to be a perfectionist? What motivates top students to achieve academic success? What foods should you eat to boost your brainpower? How can sleep, diet, and exercise affect your GPA? How much do top students really study? What are the Top 50 Tips for acing exams? How can you take killer notes? What are three game-changing learning techniques? And much, much more.

Philosophy for Kids: 40 Fun Questions That Help You Wonder...about Everything!


David A. White - 2000
    Open your students' minds to the wonders of philosophy. Allow them to grapple with the questions philosophers have discussed since the ancient Greeks. Questions include: "Who are your friends?," "Can computers think?," "Can something logical not make sense?," and "Can you think about nothing?" Young minds will find these questions to be both entertaining and informative. If you have ever wondered about questions like these, you are well on the way to becoming a philosopher! "Philosophy for Kids" offers young people (ages 10 and up) the opportunity to become acquainted with the wonders of philosophy. Packed with exciting activities arranged around the topics of values, knowledge, reality, and critical thinking, this book can be used individually or by the whole class. Each activity allows kids to increase their understanding of philosophical concepts and issues and enjoy themselves at the same time. In addition to learning about a challenging subject, students philosophizing in a classroom setting, as well as the casual reader of "Philosophy for Kids," will sharpen the ability to think critically about these and similar questions. Experiencing the enjoyment of philosophical thought enhances a young person's appreciation for the importance of reasoning throughout the traditional curriculum of subjects. The book includes activities, teaching tips, a glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading. Grades 4-12

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Young Adult Edition


Gregory Mone - 2013
    Henrietta Lacks was a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cervical cancer cells taken without her knowledge in 1951 treatment, have been vital in fighting polio, cancer, and viruses. Topics are race, bioethics, research, rights, family, and whether we control our cells.

AWS Lambda: A Guide to Serverless Microservices


Matthew Fuller - 2016
    Lambda enables users to develop code that executes in response to events - API calls, file uploads, schedules, etc - and upload it without worrying about managing traditional server metrics such as disk space, memory, or CPU usage. With its "per execution" cost model, Lambda can enable organizations to save hundreds or thousands of dollars on computing costs. With in-depth walkthroughs, large screenshots, and complete code samples, the reader is guided through the step-by-step process of creating new functions, responding to infrastructure events, developing API backends, executing code at specified intervals, and much more. Introduction to AWS Computing Evolution of the Computing Workload Lambda Background The Internals The Basics Functions Languages Resource Allocation Getting Set Up Hello World Uploading the Function Working with Events AWS Events Custom Events The Context Object Properties Methods Roles and Permissions Policies Trust Relationships Console Popups Cross Account Access Dependencies and Resources Node Modules OS Dependencies OS Resources OS Commands Logging Searching Logs Testing Your Function Lambda Console Tests Third-Party Testing Libraries Simulating Context Hello S3 Object The Bucket The Role The Code The Event The Trigger Testing When Lambda Isn’t the Answer Host Access Fine-Tuned Configuration Security Long-Running Tasks Where Lambda Excels AWS Event-Driven Tasks Scheduled Events (Cron) Offloading Heavy Processing API Endpoints Infrequently Used Services Real-World Use Cases S3 Image Processing Shutting Down Untagged Instances Triggering CodeDeploy with New S3 Uploads Processing Inbound Email Enforcing Security Policies Detecting Expiring Certificates Utilizing the AWS API Execution Environment The Code Pipeline Cold vs. Hot Execution What is Saved in Memory Scaling and Container Reuse From Development to Deployment Application Design Development Patterns Testing Deployment Monitoring Versioning and Aliasing Costs Short Executions Long-Running Processes High-Memory Applications Free Tier Calculating Pricing CloudFormation Reusable Template with Minimum Permissions Cross Account Access CloudWatch Alerts AWS API Gateway API Gateway Event Creating the Lambda Function Creating a New API, Resource, and Method Initial Configuration Mapping Templates Adding a Query String Using HTTP Request Information Within Lambda Deploying the API Additional Use Cases Lambda Competitors Iron.io StackHut WebTask.io Existing Cloud Providers The Future of Lambda More Resources Conclusion

Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires: Crack the Code to Greater Wealth, Health, and Happiness


Matthew R. Kratter - 2019
     Discover the different paths that ordinary people took to become self-made millionaires. These are not trust-fund babies. They are just regular folks like you and me. The only difference is that every day they took another step down the path of wealth. Daily action. And the right kind of action. That's all it takes to become a self-made millionaire. In this book, you will learn about: The secrets that self-made millionaires used to grow their wealth The small things you can do that make a big difference The best morning routines and daily habits for success The books that had the biggest impact on these millionaires How to make money by investing in what you know How to create passive income and escape the trap of being an employee How to compound wealth like a savvy investor The one thing you should never do with your hard-earned cash (don't start investing until you read this) And much, much more Whether you are a college graduate, or high school dropout. . . Whether you are a small business owner, or an employee. . . Even if you know nothing at all about business or investing. . . This book will teach you how to build a better life for you and your family. Imagine how your life would change if you knew that you were on the proven path to wealth. Amazon best-selling author and retired hedge fund manager, Matthew Kratter has interviewed the most interesting self-made millionaires that you will ever meet. Are you ready to start down the path of becoming a self-made millionaire? Then scroll to the top of this page and click BUY NOW.

Perform Under Pressure


Ceri Evans - 2020
    Targeting the moments when you are most stressed and uncomfortable, Dr Ceri Evans' red-blue mind model converts his clinical insights into a simple approach that will help you gain emotional control when you need it most.If you want to be better at what you do, pressure is unavoidable. This book will help you feel comfortable being uncomfortable, overcome mental obstacles and unlock your true potential.'We all feel pressure. Ceri just makes it easy to understand so you can deal with it.'STEVE HANSEN, All Blacks coach'Performing under pressure is the platform for a successful career. Ceri helped me clear my mind, focus on decisive matters and strengthen my vision for the team.'ARSENE WENGER, manager, Arsenal FC, 1996-2018

Dad's Playbook: Wisdom for Fathers from the Greatest Coaches of All Time (Inspirational Books, New Dad Gifts, Parenting Books, Quotation Reference Books)


Tom Limbert - 2012
    Empowering fathers to be the best leaders, role models, and life coaches: After all, dads do what the best coaches do—they motivate, mentor, discipline, and love. Author and parenting expert Tom Limbert takes wisdom from John Madden, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda, Phil Jackson, and many more, and applies it to fatherhood.Features many photographs of coaches in actions paired with the brightly colored quotes to help dads keep their head in the game.Includes a foreword written by Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young where he talks about his own family and shares real-life experiences.The compact 6 x 8 inch size is great for keeping on a coffee table or a bedside table for daily reminders.Dad's Playbook is a homerun gift for any new or soon-to-be dad.Tom Limbert earned a master's degree in education with an emphasis in early childhood development from Mills College in Oakland, after which he co-created a children's play space with three San Francisco Bay Area locations. Tom is a Parent Coach and lives in El Cerrito, California, with his wife and son. Steve Young is best known for his time on the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Young was named the Most Valuable Player of the NFL in 1992 and 1994, the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. He holds the NFL record for highest career passer rating and won six NFL passing titles. He has four children.

No More Reading for Junk: Best Practices for Motivating Readers


Barbara A Marinak - 2016
    Pez dispensers. Nerf balls. When we give students junk to reward reading, we are focusing their intention away from the act of reading and from their own independence as readers. Instead, we can create classrooms where reading is seen as its own reward. In this book, esteemed researcher Linda Gambrell provides a research-based context for cultivating children's intrinsic motivation to read and identifies three essential principles, the ARC of motivation:access: giving kids a wealth of reading materials and opportunities to discuss texts relevance: offering high interest, moderately challenging and authentic reading experiences choice: allowing students to self-select texts and reading activities What exactly do those principles look like in action? Reading specialist and researcher Barbara Marinak shares the strategies and techniques that make a difference for student readers' motivation, turning disengaged readers into passionate ones. Pizza and Pez dispensers are short lived, Linda and Barbara write, but confident and empowered readers are likely to remain motivated for life.