Free Schools


David Gillespie - 2014
    When it came time to select high schools, he thought it worth doing some investigation to assess the level of advantage his kids would enjoy if he spent the required $1.3 million to send them all to private schools.Shockingly, the answer was: none whatsoever.Intrigued, David continued his research, only to discover he was wrong on most counts - as are most parents - when it comes to working out what factors deliver a great education. He discovered that class size doesn't matter, your kids aren't any better off in co-ed than single-sex schools (and vice versa), composite classes are fine, fancy buildings are a waste of money, the old-tie network won't cut it in the new industries and NAPLAN is misread by everyone so is largely meaningless as a measure of quality.Taking on an ingrained and historical system of vested interests - the unions, the government, our own sense of worth, privilege and entitlement - this book is controversial and absolutely necessary. It is well researched, authoritative and accessible. It is a must-read for parents, as well as teachers and policy-makers.

The Growth Mindset Playbook: A Teacher's Guide to Promoting Student Success


Annie Brock - 2017
    Studies show growth mindset results in higher engagement, better test scores, and all-around greater student success. In this follow-up to widely praised The Growth Mindset Coach, education professionals Annie Brock and Heather Hundley show how to take mindset to the next level with further resources, examples, and ideas. The all new book is packed with detailed lesson plans, hands-on activities, and discussion points for talking with parents and other educators. Featuring up-to-date information on brain science and current mindset studies, The Growth Mindset Playbook shares fascinating research, tips, and strategies that help educators fully understand and implement growth mindset instruction and best practices. They break down the research and studies into actionable steps for building a culture of mindset not only in the classroom, but at the school level as well.

Challenges for Game Designers


Brenda Brathwaite - 2008
    Each chapter covers a different topic important to game designers, and was taken from actual industry experience. After a brief overview of the topic, there are five challenges that each take less than two hours and allow you to apply the material, explore the topic, and expand your knowledge in that area. Each chapter also includes 10 -non-digital shorts- to further hone your skills. None of the challenges in the book require any programming or a computer, but many of the topics feature challenges that can be made into fully functioning games. The book is useful for professional designers, aspiring designers, and instructors who teach game design courses, and the challenges are great for both practice and homework assignments. The book can be worked through chapter by chapter, or you can skip around and do only the challenges that interest you. As with anything else, making great games takes practice and Challenges for Game Designers provides you with a collection of fun, thoughtprovoking, and of course, challenging activities that will help you hone vital skills and become the best game designer you can be.

Reading Without Nonsense


Frank Smith - 1978
    In his extensively revised fourth edition, Frank Smith brings teachers and teacher educators up to date on how reading should not be taught. It is a necessary reminder that reading and learning to read are natural activities.There is a massive assault on the independence of teachers of reading, mandated under the No Child Left Behind legislation, which regards reading as an unnatural act requiring contrived systematic instruction. Now more important than ever, Reading Without Nonsense, Fourth Edition provides the evidence and arguments that teachers need to resist this mechanistic view. As Frank Smith emphasizes, the act of reading has never changed despite all the changes in materials, procedures, and methodology proposed by people with an interest in how reading is taught.Reading Without Nonsense remains one of the most authoritative, influential, informative, and accessible texts on reading and learning to read. This bestseller is popular with classroom teachers and university professors as well as administrators, parents, and everyone concerned with literacy and education.

Buddha in the Classroom: Zen Wisdom to Inspire Teachers


Donna Quesada - 2011
    Rather than give into her frustration, she reached for Buddha’s teachings—the Zen wisdom that formed the basis of her own longtime spiritual practice. She survived the semester and gradually rediscovered the joy of teaching that had been progressively declining. In this wonderful book, she shares the lessons she learned—lessons that reveal time and again: No matter the situation, it’s always about getting your head in the right place first. Resolution begins in our own minds. Some days, some semesters, and even some years will be more challenging and more wearisome than others, she warns. But in Buddha in the Classroom, Quesada offers a lasting source of encouragement and inspiration. Although the book draws from Eastern teachings, the wisdom is for everyone, regardless of personal background, creed, or faith. With elements of The Last Lecture as well as Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul, this is the perfect gift for teachers—but also for anyone needing inspiration.

Killing Monsters: Our Children's Need For Fantasy, Heroism, and Make-Believe Violence


Gerard Jones - 2002
    From Pokémon to the rapper Eminem, pop-culture icons are not simply commercial pied pipers who practice mass hypnosis on our youth. Indeed, argues the author of this lively and persuasive paean to the power of popular culture, even trashy or violent entertainment gives children something they need, something that can help both boys and girls develop in a healthy way. Drawing on a wealth of true stories, many gleaned from the fascinating workshops he conducts, and basing his claims on extensive research, including interviews with psychologists and educators, Gerard Jones explains why validating our children's fantasies teaches them to trust their own emotions and build stronger selves.

Innovate Inside the Box: Empowering Learners Through UDL and the Innovator's Mindset


George Couros - 2019
    Every educator faces constraints—from budget restrictions to predetermined curriculum to “one-size-fits-all” mandatory assessments. The question is, how can you, as a teacher or administrator, ensure that regulations and limitations don’t impede authentic learning?In Innovate Inside the Box, George Couros and Katie Novak provide informed insight on creating purposeful learning opportunities for all students. By combining the power of the Innovator's Mindset and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), they empower educators to create opportunities that will benefit every learner. Couros and Novak show you how to . . . Leverage the Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning with a focus on developing meaningful relationships. Develop the 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset in your students—and yourself. Use UDL to proactively design learning experiences that foster voice and choice while addressing barriers that impede learning. Create learner-driven, evidence-informed learning experiences that provide all students with options and choices to maximize success. “If you’re looking to bring creativity to student learning amid all the constraints educators face, this is the book for you.”—Daniel Pink, author of Drive“No one articulates a more compelling, a more urgent, or a more motivating vision of education—for both teachers and their students—than George Couros. No one articulates how that vision can be reached—for every student and teacher—more daringly, more practically, and more inclusively, than Katie Novak. Having them together in one book not only helps us reimagine the goals and practices of education, it reminds us of why we ever wanted to be teachers at all.”—David Rose, PhD, CAST's cofounder and chief education officer, emeritus“An incredible book! Innovate Inside the Box speaks to educators who are the change agents in their sphere of influence.”—Sarah Thomas, PhD, founder of EduMatch“George and Katie's combined talents as spectacular storytellers drive this book. You will feel like you are flying through it and then realize how deeply you are learning.”—Loui Lord Nelson, PhD, author of Design and Deliver, and podcast host of UDL in 15 Minutes

The New World, 1956 (A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Book 2)


Winston S. Churchill - 2013
      In the “wilderness” years after Winston S. Churchill unflinchingly guided his country through World War II, he turned his masterful hand to an exhaustive history of the country he loved above all else. And the world discovered that this brilliant military strategist was an equally brilliant storyteller. In 1953, the great man was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for “his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.”   This second of four volumes exploring the history of this great nation explores the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the power struggles of the Tudor and Stuart families, the growth of the monarchy, the Protestant Reformation, England’s Civil War, and the discovery of the Americas. A History of the English-Speaking Peoples remains one of the most compelling and vivid works of history ever written.   “This history will endure; not only because Sir Winston has written it, but also because of its own inherent virtues―its narrative power, its fine judgment of war and politics, of soldiers and statesmen, and even more because it reflects a tradition of what Englishmen in the hey-day of their empire thought and felt about their country’s past.” —The Daily Telegraph

Communication in Marriage: How to Communicate with Your Spouse Without Fighting


Marcus Kusi - 2015
     Many couples (including us) have had to deal with these communication problems at some point in marriage. And it’s not fun! The yelling, shouting, anger, frustration, rejection, resentment, interrupting, blaming, insults... It can definitely be overwhelming. It could even destroy your ability to not only communicate effectively with your spouse, but also enjoy your marriage. The lack of communication in your marriage can even lead to a divorce. But don't worry. No matter what communication problems you struggle with, you can learn how to communicate effectively with your spouse today. Whether you feel you are not being heard, cannot hear your spouse, or want to communicate better with your spouse without fighting or yelling, this book will show you how. For the past 7 years, we have used these proven communication skills to go from arguing and fighting whenever we communicated to communicating effectively without fighting, calling each other names, and being disrespectful. As a result, we now have a better marriage. In this Communication in Marriage book, you will learn: 1. How to communicate effectively with your spouse without fighting. 2. Why trust is essential for effective communication in marriage. 3. Clearly understand why we all communicate differently. 4. How to improve communication in your marriage. 5. How to communicate through conflict, even with a difficult spouse. 6. Our tested, simple and proven step-by-step plan for effective communication in 7 days or less. 7. How to communicate through difficult emotions. 8. How to prevent communication problems with your spouse. 9. Why your past experiences affect the way you communicate with your spouse. This book will show you proven communication skills married couples need to communicate effectively with each other. We have tested and continue to use these effective communication skills in our marriage every single day. And they work! Whether you feel like you cannot communicate with your spouse, or improve communication in your marriage, you can become a better communicator in your marriage by reading this book today. You don't need another fight or argument! You can communicate better with your husband or wife. How would your marriage be different if you had no communication problems? Scroll to the top to download your copy of this communication in marriage book for couples today. Click the BUY NOW button at the top of this page.

The Secret of Literacy: Making the implicit, explicit


David Didau - 2014
    In the Teachers' Standards it states that all teachers must demonstrate an understanding of, and take responsibility for, promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy, and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher's specialist subject. In The Secret of Literacy, David Didau inspires teachers to embrace the challenge of improving students' life chances through improving their literacy. Topics include: Why is literacy important?, Oracy improving classroom talk, How should we teach reading? How to get students to value writing, How written feedback and marking can support literacy.

The Kobold Guide to Board Game Design


Mike Selinker - 2011
    Author Mike Selinker (Betrayal at House on the Hill) has invited some of the world's most talented and experienced game designers to share their secrets on game conception, design, development, and presentation. In these pages, you'll learn about storyboarding, balancing, prototyping, and playtesting from the best in the business.

Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Learning Habits and Attitudes in 21st Century Learning


Angela Maiers - 2008
    But how do you work those skills into the curriculum? Learn how to use the content you already teach to challenge students to think critically, collaborate with others, solve new problems, and adapt to change across new learning contexts. Help students build the seven habitudes habits of disciplined decisions and specific attitudes they need to succeed."

The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education


Sarah-Jayne Blakemore - 2005
     Pioneering book in emerging field from two leading authorities Reviews in an accessible style what we know about how and when the brain learns Draws out the implications of this knowledge for educational policy and practice Covers studies on learning during the whole of development, including adulthood Looks at what we can learn from brain research about children with learning difficulties, and how this can inform remedial education

Meal Prep for Weight Loss: Weekly Plans and Recipes to Lose Weight the Healthy Way


Kelli Shallal - 2019
    Eat for a week. Lose weight for the long term. Losing weight can be as easy as cooking one day per week. Meal Prep for Weight Loss equips you with the knowledge to properly prepare balanced meals ahead of time, so you can lose weight and keep it off. No crash diets, no spending hours in the kitchen.Balanced meals lead to better energy levels and fewer cravings, which lays the foundation for sustainable weight loss. And it’s easier to make these meals consistently if you plan ahead. Meal Prep for Weight Loss shows you how, with 3-recipe and 6-recipe weekly meal plans, accessible ingredients, and a wide range of fun, flavorful, batch-friendly recipes.Meal Prep for Weight Loss offers: Take back control—With meal prep, you are always in control of what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat. Everything you need—Get started right away with detailed shopping lists, and instructions for cooking, portioning, storing, and reheating. Customizable plans—Switch up the different plans with a variety of tasty, meal prep ready recipes. Shed weight the healthy way—with full meal prep plans for well-portioned meals every day of the week.

BE A HUMAN CALCULATOR


Rajesh Sarswat - 2016
    However, the techniques that you shall find in this book have been tested and used (not only by the author but by countless other people) in examinations time and again.Many techniques mentioned in other books are pretty impractical and sometimes completely unusable. This book is not a package of magic. It is rather a package of methods that if practiced and persevered with can churn up magical results! This book could be a great resource for various competitive examinations and students in middle and senior school. It could help the reader in myriad ways depending upon his or her needs and scope for practice. At the same time one could figure out as to which technique would work for one and which would not, again depending upon one’s set of circumstances and needs. By reading this book, the students will be able to:(a) learn quicker methods by observing some simple techniques;compare various techniques available on each topic;(b) know the limitations of each technique;(c) save some precious minutes in various competitive and school examinations by employing the quick calculation techniques;(d) develop their own tools in the field of quick calculations.