Book Description

Breakthrough innovation is a prerequisite for success in almost anyorganization, yet the actual management of innovation has onlyrecently begun to receive the attention it deserves. Here, innovation thought leader Elaine Dundon offers a "how-to" prescription for building creative andstrategic innovation skills at all levels of an organization (rather than focusing on decision-making levels only) -- and explains how to produce measurableresults that translate directly to the bottom line.

Using field-tested concepts and practical examples, and featuring easy-to-apply processes and concrete thinking tools, this straight-talking book provides abroadly applicable guide to innovation -- one that's not limited to a specific industry sector. Today's most comprehensive, one-stop innovation resource,it describes:

* The three necessary components of innovation -- creative, strategic, and transformational thinking * Methods for applying innovative thought to existing products, processes, and business models * 90 great innovations and 90 trends to consider ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Gives the reader real innovation techniques to use
Innovation is an overwrought, overused word/topic with many books written about it. You are reading this review because you are seeking thinking tools and techniques to apply to your version of Innovation, whether for an organization, community, or to be used personally. This book provides you, the reader/user, with an excellent and sensible framework to define, understand, develop, and implement processes that empower and support environments where "innovation" can happen (you still need to do the work). Dundon defines innovation as "the profitable implementation of strategic creativity." Whether your "profit" is quantified in money or good will, this book gently instructs you in the finer arts of achieving real innovative results by taking a holistic 3 innovation-dimension views on your challenges. I have purchased 20 copies of this book and given them to professional colleagues, the book is that rewarding. Innovation is not creativity, which is a very common misperception. More information can be found at www dot seedsofinnovation dot com I higly recommend this book as one of the most important books in its field ever written.

Relevant, Practical, Good Tool
Innovate or stagnate. Or, put another way, innovate or stand helplessly and watch your competitors eat your lunch! Wise leaders stimulate, encourage, reinforce, and reward innovation. If you're not doing this in your organization, now is the time to start...and this book will show you the path.

The book is organized into three parts: The Seeds of Creative Thinking, The Seeds of Strategic Thinking, and The Seeds of Transformational Thinking. Dundon, a consultant and speaker on innovation, takes us out of the proverbial box. The process starts with an introductory chapter that delivers an introduction to innovation management. In this presentation, the author sets the stage nicely for the value of the balance of the book.

Each aspect of thinking is essential to making a difference in an organization. Dundon explains the what, the why, the how, and provides examples in a very instructive text. Each chapter addresses skills and strategies to generate creativity, a strategic approach (big picture and visionary), and practical how-to ideas to support innovation in organizational settings. Reading the chapters alone is worthwhile, but we're not done yet. Following the eleven chapters are five appendices, a recommended reading list, and an index.

The appendices provide an explanation of the nine step innovation process, a list of probing questions to energize innovative thinking, 99 innovations and 99 trends. Readers will find it valuable to go through the list of trends and consider their influence on how their organization does business...and will do business in the future. As a futurist by profession, I can vouch for this being a comprehensive and highly usable list. The additional criteria section, while not too long, offers even more thought-provoking insights to check your work, stimulate more discussion, and refine the product of your synergistic thinking.

Readers will find this book valuable as a cover-to-cover read, but then highly effective as a tool to achieve significant results.

Timely and well written - Dundon reveals real insight
The Seeds of Innovation: Cultivating the Synergy that Fosters New Ideas comes at a critical time in the quest for new ideas and breakthrough efficiencies by corporations, small businesses, universities and governments.

It is a tour de force of how to inspire and manage innovation. And this is the great value of Elaine Dundon's work -- she presents "how" to inspire and manage innovation based on real experience and valuable research. I highly recommend this book.

Readable, well-researched and very useful
I liked the approach taken in this book. The author combines easy-to-understand ideas for creative thinking with some solid advice on how to make these ideas more 'strategic' or useful. I also liked the advice on how to 'sell' your idea because this is where the real challenge is in most organizations.

Lola Rasminsky, Director, Beyond the Box™ ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive guide describes practical interventions for virtually every major behavioral problem that students may exhibit from kindergarten to grade 12. It focuses on promoting a healthy and social school environment in which all children can learn and grow.

... Read more

Book Description

B> This classic market leading title in instructional leadership and supervision continues to challenge the conventional purposes, practices, structure, and language of successful education. This ground breaking book, now in its fifth edition, further challenges and bridges the boundaries of Supervision, Instructional Leadership, Educational Change, and School Success. The change in title to Supervision and Instructional Leadership signifies the need and reality of viewing school improvement as a whole, accounting for complexity, paradoxes, and shifting reforms. This book once again pushes into new frontiers of thinking and practice. For those involved in Leadership positions. ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by David D. Thornburg

"I would like to see this book become required reading for every teacher or administrator before they break for the summer. Its simplified descriptions make it easily understood by non-technical people. I will make sure that all of my classes read it!"
Shirley Campbell
Director, Computer and Curriculum Inquiry Center
University of Pittsburgh, PA

"McCain and Jukes build a case that the Information Age has not yet peaked and awaken us to the challenge of the dramatic technological changes we will surely see within our life time."
Frank Buck, Principal, Graham School
Talladega, AL

"Windows on the Future summarizes key developments and concepts making them readily understandable. Though I’ve been a member of the World Future Society and an avid reader of books for over 30 years, I am not aware of any other publication like this for practicing educators. This would be very valuable for professional development study groups."
Karen L. Tichy, Associate Superintendent for Instruction
Catholic Education Office
St. Louis, MO

Get prepared to help your students move into the technological future!

The world as we knew it ten years ago no longer exists. Ten years from now, today’s world will have recreated itself many times over. Windows on the Future shows educators how to help students cultivate the attitudes and skills necessary to leverage this monumental change for their benefit.

Windows on the Future was designed to help the educator cope with changes created by technology and embrace a new mindset necessary to access the burgeoning technological advances. The goal is to keep schools and students relevant in the 21^st Century, and McCain and Jukes offer new paradigms and frameworks to accomplish that.

Critical issues explored include:

• Key trends for the new millennium
• The power of paradigm
• Education in the future
• New skills for students
• New roles for educators
• The need for vision

Reviews (2)

Good book for teachers
While I liked the book, and certainly agreed with much the authors said, I found little new (but I'm a techie, so others shouldn't be turned away from it on that account.). It's a really good book for teachers who are being inundated with technology and feeling a bit uncomfortable with that. The authors share their wisdom and experience, for our benefit.

An easy, informative read
This book is excellent. I had to read it as part of the teacher credential program. It is a really easy, plain English book. The content is excellent. It describes where we have been, where we are, and where we will be in terms of technology and how that will impact education. It is not about teaching technology to our students, but about changing the entire way we think about education and using technology to our best advantage. It is about our responsibility to our students to prepare them for the rapidly changing world in which we live. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in education. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning
Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life is a real eye opener.

This is where integrity begins. I consider Tools to be one of the most significant exposes on the human condition ever written.

Whether you are a teacher, a student, a parent, a professional developer, a curriculum designer, a lawyer, a scientist, a politician, a reporter, a business person, or a citizen at large, understanding the intellectual standards and best practices by which quality integration of ideas, concepts, and principles come together -- in teaching, in learning, in life -- is the fundamental prerequisite for all other information processing, understanding, problem solving and decision making. This foundation for learning is also pivotal to understanding, updating, reconciling, and validating individual belief system. Our intellectual integrity defines not only our beliefs but also our character as learners, integrators, visionaries, leaders, followers and doers throughout life. Tools is the best place I've found to start this journey of discovering and validating what I think as I think.

Dr Elder and Dr Paul have provided us with a masterful anthology of thought. Tools dissects, defines and lays out the fundamentals for self-examination as a basis for overcoming our irrational tendencies. It explains the stages of development, elements of thinking, universal intellectual standards that govern quality constructs for critical thought within which all ideas, concepts, beliefs, positions, and decisions are examined, understood, and validated and reconciled. It emphasizes the inherent humility, openness and independence of the critical thinking process as it leads readers through a matrix of self examination, demonstrating techniques for self-evaluation, for asking essential questions, for assessing their learning, and for ultimately taking charge of their irrational tendencies. This is also a book of discovering - clearly - the components of thought and for examining everything one thinks they think and believe. As ambiguity and self-deception clouds what we believe, critical thought clarifies, elevates, and leverages our ability to learn better, deeper, and faster. Personal integrity demands critical examination of clear, accurate, diverse, ideas and dialectic constructs. Left to the consequences of our natural, human, non-critical tendencies, we all have a lot to learn. In my opinion, there is really no better place to start than here. I recommend Tools to anyone and everyone with a conscience. I will tell you, this is the one book that everybody -- no matter who they may be -- needs to read next.

Well-intentioned but unfocused
I paid hard money to fly this book from the USA and wish I had got it from the library. This topic does not lend itself to un-putdownability, but repeated attempts got me only to Chapter 3. I finished it in annoyance by speed-reading key paragraphs of each chapter and put it on the shelf.

Good points: literate and covers a breadth of good ideas, plus some nice-sounding exercises and challenges. I like the intellectual values chapters.

Bad points: No AHA! moments. No argument mapping. Diagrams that do not pull their weight and text that should be diagrammed. Woolly, wordy discussions of social conditioning and Milgram studies, that don't go near Cialdini's 'Influence' for impact. Exercises and quotes that speak of Noam Chomsky's idea of fairness.

This book's intention is to open a new (presumed redneck) student's mind so wide that the wind blows through, dusting it with the enlightened prejudices of his college environment.

Even Smart People Can Get It Wrong
Weak and terribly incomplete. Since when did "critical thinking" overlook the need for objective truth? Unfortunately this glosssy book, written by deeply sincere people, is worse than that.

Relativistic presuppositions doom this work to the category of new age silliness. As a book about trying to be smart and positive it's interesting but there's not much about critical thinking in here. The authors depend heavily on modern psychology to present theories of "critical thinking" that redefine reasoning as a thoughtful journey of introspection.

Worse, the use of worn-out psychobabble (overcoming our biases, etc.) and the undertone of mystical leftism, like using "thinking" to overcome larger human/societal problems, are essentially religious. For example, critical thinking is offered as a way of overcoming societal problems like "waste, suffering, and injustice". Worthy goals, no doubt, but can thinking cure moral problems? It's simply repackaged positivism. Turns out the authors even have a Center For Critical thinking in Northern California to promote their way of "thinking". And they speak in public high schools to evangelize the lost!

Let's be honest, the religious/moral assumption behind this approach is that we can uncover "truth" inside of us if we think long and hard enough. It's an incorrect assumption no matter how many smart people believe it.

Don't get me wrong, the authors are clearly bright people and they present their material in a fascinating way. But their presuppositions are essentially moral and spiritual and they pretend otherwise. The human mind is seen as the potenital savior of humanity This is the religion of humanism packaged as "thinking". Shouldn't be a surprise this came out of Northern California.

Take charge of your life.
Caught in the maelstrom of life? Looking for a way to make sense of the chaos enmeshing you? Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life provides a method for unraveling the complexities of life and reweaving them into an integrated tapestry which gives meaning and purpose to the life of the individual and his/her relation to others.

This book is a natural correlative of a previous book by Paul: Critical Thinking: What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. However, the current book is not about 'survival' but about 'taking charge'. It deals with the fundamentals of critical thinking and their necessity and applicability in making the decisions which give direction to one's life. It's a book of questions, not answers,-- questions about one's thinking which as Paul and Elder state in a graphic, pg. 45, "your thinking controls your emmotions and your decisions". This book not only presents a mirror in which to see oneself through questions, but also presents the challenge to look honestly into the mirror with a view to improving the image.

Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life is written in a readily understandable and easily readable style. This a book for Everyman. It is a book to be not only read, but lived. ... Read more

Book Description

"This book is so valuable! I would recommend it to any educator or parent. Elaine McEwan hits all the important points, supports them with research, and still makes the book reader-friendly!"
Jeannie Wanzek, Research Assistant
Texas Center for Reading and Language Arts
University of Texas, Austin

    
"Teach Them ALL to Read examines the top ten fallacies in current reading instruction that contribute to reading failure in our schools. It gives me insights into current research, effective strategies and the piece of the literacy puzzle that must be in place so that every child in school learns to read."
Kathy Ryan, Reading Specialist
Rockwood School District
Ellisville, MO

Reach even the most reticent and challenged readers in your classrooms!

In this insightful and practical new book, noted educator and reading authority Elaine K. McEwan offers teachers at all levels the understanding and motivation they need to teach children to read—especially those students who need help the most. Administrators at site and district levels will find invaluable data on creating a reading culture that leads to marked improvements in achievement scores.

Teach Them ALL to Readprovides educators with the most current reading research about how students learn, regardless of age or grade, and helps educators understand that learning to read is only the first step. Students must also develop fluency, acquire cognitive strategies, and continue to "read-a-lot" to enrich knowledge and comprehension.

Important features include:

• Step-by-step information on developing an action plan
• Graphic organizers throughout
• Brief sidebars that prompt reader reflection
• Glossary of technical terms
• Comprehensive list of phonetics readers
• Checklist of "Fifty Strategies to Build a Reading Culture"
• Easy-to-read samples, forms, and templates

No student has to fall through the literacy cracks, and Elaine McEwan shows how practitioners can keep it from happening in their schools.

Reviews (1)

Best Book Available about How to Get All Students Reading
Before I coordinated an early literacy project for inner city students, I knew that improving the reading achievement of students in high-poverty, low-performing schools was going to be difficult and take every resource and skill my colleagues and I had. Even knowing that reality, it wasn't until a year after we'd rolled up our shirt sleeves and started working in three urban schools, that we TRULY understood the effort behind maintaining fine-tuned curriculum coordination, retaining the ability to duck sudden blockades from administration, and motivating teachers to keep employing the continual academic press needed to develop students' reading and language skills.

Elaine McEwan's new book, "Teach Them All to Read: Catching the Kids Who Fall Through the Cracks," is the first book I've come across that truly captures all the necessary ingredients needed to create a reading culture where every student learns to read. I always enjoy McEwan's vivid metaphors and chatty practical tips which won't disappoint in her latest book. Thematically, McEwan uses jigsaw puzzle imagery to help the reader understand the necessary role of phonological awareness, phonics, spelling, reading a lot, a reading culture, language, fluency, knowledge, and cognitive strategies. But wait - this is far more than a book providing information about effective teaching of reading.

In addition to her years as a principal who dramatically increased reading performance in her school, McEwan draws upon her years of experience crisscrossing the country to consult with school districts attempting to turn around their reading programs surround by a mishmash of misinformation from the reading establishment that hurls at them from all directions. A strength of this book is her intimate experience with Best Practices that often have no research substantiation.

I should mention that I'm not totally impartial about this book and have been eagerly waiting for it to come out in print since our literacy project was used as one example of a comprehensive program, with interview quotes from some of our staff. Those of you who enjoy reading Consumer member Nettie Griffin's commentary and descriptions of her teaching, will also find a section of this book highlighting her teaching.

These are my three favorite sections of the book:
1. The section that identifies common fallacies in the teaching of reading that frequently surface, boldly exposes myths that have no research basis. I wish that my local whole language curriculum director would read about two of her favorite myths: "The Three-Cueing System: A Genuine Urban Myth" and "The Fat Cat Sat on the Rat is Borrrring and Bad for Kids"

2. The comprehensive chapter entitled: "Fluency: The Forgotten Piece of the Puzzle" is a must-read!

3. "Why Can't we Just Drop Everything and Read?" details what McEwan calls "reading in the zone," or the intersection between (a) reading a lot and (b) reading at an appropriate or somewhat challenging level of difficulty, and (c) reading with accountability.

McEwan set forth the following goals in the preface and these should provide more information on the book in its totality:
1. To give you a short course in the most current reading research regarding how students learn to read, regardless of age or grade, so that you can make informed decisions about curriculum and instruction.
2. To help you understand that learning to read is only the first step: students must also develop fluency, acquire cognitive strategies, and continue to read a lot to deepen their knowledge and understanding.
3. To focus your attention on the variables at work in your school and district that can be altered to create a reading culture and make a huge difference in reading achievement-especially for those students who are currently falling through the cracks
4. To convince you of the power that rests in you and your colleagues to teach every child to read.

Read and enjoy. Mary Damer ... Read more

Book Description

Published in Association with the USA Group Foundation

"This book is a 'must-read' for higher education leaders or those who aspire to become higher education leaders. Only Bob Dickeson, with his many years of higher education experience, could have incorporated so much information in such a concise and informative manner."
--James E. Walker, president, Middle Tennessee State University"Will reassure those who are in the process of institutional review."
--Continuing Higher Education Review

Written in clear, straightforward language, Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services outlines a step-by-step method for effectively reallocating resources. Robert C. Dickeson, a former university president, guides academic leaders through the process of ranking programs according to such critical factors as enrollment size and relevance to institutional mission. The book also includes successful strategies for suspAnding programs that hover on the margins of productivity and affordability.

This flexible, essential resource will help administrators on any college or university campus determine which programs and services are the most efficient, effective, and central to institutional mission. Robert Dickeson draws from thirty-five years of experience as higher education administrator and consultant to offer useful techniques for overcoming barriers to prioritization, implementing program decisions, and achieving strategic balance and fiscal responsibility. This book's concise format is ideal for group use, including members of governing boards and public officials concerned about reform in higher education. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Maximizing Resources with Program Prioritization
Dickeson's book is a comprehensive manual for academic administrators at all levels who need to maximize resources because of cutbacks. Since the most likely source for needed resources is reallocation of existing resources, he suggests a means to prioritize programs so administrators can make well-informed decisions. Dickeson's ideas have a firm basis in practical applicaitons. He has served as a university president and is currently president of a consulting firm that has guided hundreds of colleges and universities through program prioritization. This book contains checklists at all stages of the planning process plus samples of actual priortizing plans and is a very useful resource not only at the institutional level but for any program undergoing review. ... Read more

Book Description

Find out what actual resiliency-building schools look and feel like. Learn how you and your teachers can provide a caring, resiliency-building environment for your students. Read these stories of schools that are "fighting for their students' hearts and souls," and translate the ideas into a plan to build a resilient learning community in your school. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Resiient Schools
Krovetz haas written a book that will help those involved in thinking about how to make our schools work for all children. The idea is that if we create a nurturing yet academically challenging culture, we can provide a climate in which all chiildren can flourish. Through the case studies we see how each school has encated the ideas, bringing them to life, and showing us the possibilities as well as the difficulties.

A thoughtful and practical resource for educators
Fostering Resiliency: Expecting All Students to Use Their Minds and Hearts Well, is a well written and easy to read resource for teachers and administrators.Martin Krovetz provides concrete examples of schools whichhave developed into resilient learning communities for both students andstaff. It will leave you with a deeper understanding of what a "goodschool" does and hopefully, the inspiration to take on the work ofmaking your school a more resilient community.

A next handbook for restoring vital meaningful education.
Martin Krovetz published "Fostering Resiliency" with subtitle "Expecting All Students to Use Their Minds and Hearts Well."As a retired administrator and teacher I see his book striking at the heart ofwhat all educators should be doing.This San Jose State U. professor givesnarrative with examples of students and happening schools, and heintegrates first lists and step-by-step procedures for winning overstudents of all ages so that they can be taught.The book has incredibleimport for balancing vital aspects of our children's education.No aspect,e.g. curriculum, assessment, nurturing, can be isolated in schools forstudents nor all other adults in students' lives.Mr. Krovetz builds thecase for fostering resiliency in everyone.It could be the next handbookfor restoring a full education to students, including the"basics" which is on everyone's wish list these days.It is abook to be studied.Is it on the shelves at Amazon?

Easy applicable to schools you know well
As the author, I hope that you will find Fostering Resiliency to be the book for l999 that makes you reflect deeply on the public schools you know well and that helps you ask why the schools in your neighborhood are notmore like the seven schools described in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

If you work in a business, a nonprofit organization, or for the government, chances are you’ve considered getting a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree. If you want to get ahead in your organization or just do a better job, obtaining an MBA is one of the best ways to do just that. But is it the degree that makes a difference, or is there something else at work here? Although that piece of paper with your name and the words “Masters of Business Administration” mean a lot, what’s even more important are the things that you learn during the course of your MBA studies.

The Complete MBA for Dummies is full of useful information, tips, and checklists that you can use to lead, manage, or participate— at a high level of competence —in any business. And if you already have your MBA, you’ll find that this book is a handy refresher and reference that can be used wherever you go.

Written in a fun, easy-to-access format, The Complete MBA for Dummi es presents and explains the very same information that you would encounter in a typical MBA program in any high-quality business school today. Whether it’s strategic planning, management, accounting, finance, marketing, negotiation, or any other core MBA topic, you’ll find it here. For a fraction of the amount you would pay to get your MBA, this book provides you with an easily understandable road map to today’s most innovative and effective business techniques and strategies, including how to:

• Motivate employees and build great teams
• Understand financial fundamentals
• Create effective marketing plans
• Come out ahead in negotiations
• Examine management trends
• Make the Internet work for you
• Apply effective risk management techniques in business

Reviews (8)

SmallBizBargains.com gives it a moderate thumbs up.
As mentioned in other reviews, this is not the reference that will substitute for doing an MBA program. However, for those of us that need a quick reference to a variety of topics, this book fits the bill. We at SmallBizBargains.com often refer to it when giving simple advice for basic business issues. It definitely covers a broad range of topics - from Accounting and Finance to Marketing, and even Negotiation Skills. Again, not for the advanced academic, but a good resource for a lot of basic information.

Does not cover basic cocepts from an MBA program
I have an MBA and I was looking for a basic reference book that would cover some of the information that I had learned. This book does not cover two of the most basic concepts that every student learns during their MBA program: NPV & IRR (net present value and internal rate of return)

I recommend "the complete idiot's guide to MBA basics." That book covers more of the calculations that one learns during an MBA program.

Another thing to note: the above-mentioned books should only be used as a quick reference book. If you really need to understand a concept, then you need to find a subject matter book for that topic. For example, there is no way to truly understand the 5 p's of marketing by reading 3 to 5 pages. You need to grab a marketing textbook and read couple of chapters that cover the 5 p's of marketing. Then, you can use "idiots" or "dummies" books as a reference guide.

Great business resource - One of the best!
I suspect that trying to jam everything you ever wanted to know about business but were afraid to ask is a difficult task, even when you've been given 400 or so pages to complete your task. One thing I know for sure, the authors of The Complete MBA for Dummies have done a far better job completing this task than any other business book I've ever read (and I've read a LOT of business books!). Kathleen Allen and Peter Economy really know their stuff, and it shows loud and clear on every page of this extremely well-written and comprehensive book. While the tone is humorous (fun, actually), it never veers onto the thin ice of sillyness that plagues other books of this type.

If it's covered in a typical MBA program, you'll find the topic you're looking for here: dealing with change, information technology, global business, strategic planning, management, leadership, motivating employees, recruiting and retaining high quality employees, building teams, accounting, finance, marketing, negotiation and much, much more. Lots more interesting (and up to date) than any textbook you'd ever buy in an MBA program, and far less cost. This book packs a heck of a bang for the 16 or 17 bucks you'll pay to buy it.

Highly recommended.

Agree with other about being over-rated
I find that there are some good points to be made within the book, but the overall rating is only about a 3.5 (I gave them the benefit of doubt with the 4 stars)

The only truly good information came in at the sales and marketing, but I have yet to see the idea of the customer is the boss in any business course (I have three degrees in business related fields). And I have never seen any manager or executive with this philosophy. Even here in the book I think they could have done this simple idea more justice.

I also have to say that I have read about 20 of the "For Dummies" books, and this one is in the bottom few for quality.

Does not Live Up to the 5-STAR Rating
This Book is overly rated with 5 stars. So far, I have read the 10-day MBA, this book and the Idiot equivalent. I read these introductory books because of my job and before going into more advance books. I have found this book less useful than the ten-day MBA and the Idiot equivalent. Moreover, I believed that some of the chapters are long-winded. I will only give it 3 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

A revised edition of the popular classic, this title features updated topics to build MBA knowledge. Students and managers alike will learn about management skills, business operations, financial statements, marketing, product development, customer service, strategic planning, information management, and quality management.

Updated coverage includes global and international business, knowledge management, e-commerce, supply chain management, sales channel management, and financial integrity and ethics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great and easy book!
Covers basics and most important things to get you started. The rest you will forget anyway

VERY HELPFUL TO MBA BASICS
the fast way to teach mba basics

Better than the Dummies Equivalent
This book covers a lot of ground and is easy to follow (sometimes too easy). A lot of the contents can be redundant for those with a background in marketing, finance, etc. but it is well rounded. I compared it to the Dummies equivalent and found this one to be a better read (I usually buy Dummies though - this is my first Idiots guide).

Good Book, but too basic
Read this book, if you are absolute dummy with English and Maths. It is a great book for beginners with no background in maths. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a bridge from learning the theory of school administration to the practical problem solving in which school principals and other leaders engage. This book continues to be based on the research indicating linkages between educational leadership and productive schools, especially in terms of outcomes for children. It supports the understanding that formal leadership in schools is a complex, multi-faceted task that requires continual learning and that effective school leaders must be strong educators focused on the central issues of learning, teaching, and school improvement. School leaders must also be moral agents and social advocates for the children and communities they serve while working with community stakeholders to create learning communities that value and care for others as individuals and as members of the educational community. For those aspiring to become principals or hold leadership positions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Practical Ideas
I used this book in my classroom. The reading was easy and the ideas were very practical. I was able to understand the difference between managersand leaders. ... Read more

Book Description

"The most helpful and practical resource I own! It has aided me in increasing my efficiency and therefore my confidence in the classroom. This is a must-read for all first- year teachers!"
Jennifer Jackson, First-Grade Bilingual Teacher
Landels Elementary School
Mountain View, CA

"A blockbuster book for the beginning teacher—chock-full of practical and imaginative suggestions. A source book of fine educational practices."
Mary B. Roberts, Principal (retired)
University of San Francisco College of Education, CA

"Kathleen Jonson has designed an excellent road map to guide new teachers during theirbeginning years."
Gail Adams, Program Administrator
Curriculum Improvement and Professional Development
San Francisco Unified School District, CA

The ultimate how-to reference—here’s expert teaching advice at your fingertips anytime you need it!

An invaluable companion for any beginning teacher, this definitive resource has been updated to offer even more tried and true techniques to foster triumphant teaching. Drawing upon more than 27 years’ experience as an educator, the author highlights the most effective strategies that lead to powerful results in the classroom.

The New Elementary Teacher’s Handbook Flourishing in Your First Year, second edition, provides desperately needed, yet often unavailable, practical advice. This easy-to-read, jargon-free guide empowers new teachers with the tools necessary not only to feel prepared, confident, and comfortable, but also to succeed, maintain enthusiasm, and remain committed to the profession. It is teeming with helpful hints, red flags to watch for, examples of best practices, and time-saving solutions for some of the most common questions and concerns practitioners face.

Among the numerous strategies and survival skills the book promotes are time and stress management, effective organization, quality lesson plans, and professional development. It deals with such issues as assessment, preventive discipline, homework, and motivation. Jonson offers sound advice on building positive relationships with parents and conducting school events, including a parent conference, open house, and back-to-school night. Resources include sample homework and behavior contracts, model letters to parents, and examples of programs for students with special needs.

This enhanced second edition offers the following new features:

• Classroom-tested techniques for overcoming the challenges of a multicultural, demographically diverse student population, including limited-English-proficient students
• Tips for maximizing technology
• Twelve additional "Resource" sections that provide quick-reference ideas easy to implement in any classroom
• Tactics for coping with—and even embracing—the pressures of accountability, high standards, and high-stakes testing

Resources include sample homework and behavior contracts, model letters to parents, and examples of programs for students with special needs.

Reviews (1)

Gives you the REAL advice!
This book gives you real, sensible and very useful advice. It is not fluff or idealistic, but gives ideas that work. As a first grade teacher, this book has helped me very much. It has strategies on everything....fitting in with others, keeping organized, management, planning, discipline prevention, assessment strategies, parent tips and more! It even has some useful reproducibles to help implement these strategies. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

"Business demands innovation. There is a constant need to feel around the fringes, to test the edges, but business schools, out of necessity, are condemned to teach the past.'

-- Mark H. McCormack, from "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School" published by Bantam Books.

Mark McCormack is the founder of International Management Group, a multimillion-dollar, worldwide corporation that is a consultant to fifty Fortune 500 companies, a major producer of television programming and credited as the single most important influence in turning sports into big business.

Listen to McCormack as he tells you how to -- read people -- create the right first impression -- take the leading edge -run and attend meetings -- the secrets of successful selling and moving up within the organization.

McCormack shares his experience, technique and wisdom, his street smart insights and skills, in a practical, how-to manner. Business will never be the same! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Good book, but lacks a key content
This is a great book that gives good insights on business acumen and common sense. Where the book falters, however, is at the central theme of the book. He claims "selling" is what they don't teach you at Harvard Business School. It is obvious that the author does not know whole lot about selling either. He tries to teach sales techniques that are amateurish and perhaps what they DO teach at Harvard Business School. Otherwise, it is a good book.

Some nice tricks
This book is somewhat over-rated. Some of the chapters are just common sense. But there are also some tricks in 'sales'. The book emphasizes on silence and importance of the silence in negotiation.

WASTE OF MONEY
This is a story book! I usually give books the benefit of the doubt but this book flat out sux. All this guy talks about is how he is some hot shot sports agent and the lessons he supposedly learned through the years. Let me tell you something, this book got old after the 2nd chapter. Every F'in paragraph has to do with one of his golf clients and bla bla bla. Its ridiculous. The title is true, they dont teach this at Harvard because they're stories of an individuals life which completely put me to sleep. But im not going to leave without giving some positives, like saying you should check out Automatic millionaire and the 12 critical factors books. Those are worth reading. Peace in the middle east!

What is bigger, national debt or author's EGO??
The book is full of nonsense that should be simple common sense to anyone that has worked in the business world. Mostly this book is a chance for the author to talk of his many "high level" meetings and for him to boast about all of the execs and sports figures that he knows. This book is rather entertaining, but you will not gain much from it in the way of business or management knowledge.

Give Yourself a Psychological Edge Over Others
This means reading people from the moment that you see or hear them, while you slow down, and place yourself fully in the moment, as you anticipate the future.

To do this you must have a good grip on who you are, and be more than okay with that.

While you have that, it's important to know the players involved in your business interaction - those present, and those not present. So, do your homework.

My favorite message, from this book, which I have used as a quote in published articles is, "If you alienate your peeers, you won't have to worry about corporate enemies."

Read this book to balance being yourself, and being a person amongst business people. ... Read more

Book Description

Education is a hot topic. From the stage of presidential debates to tonight's dinner table, it is an issue that most Americans are deeply concerned about. While there are many strategies for improving the educational process, we need a way to find out what works and what doesn't work as well. Educational assessment seeks to determine just how well students are learning and is an integral part of our quest for improved education.

The nation is pinning greater expectations on educational assessment than ever before. We look to these assessment tools when documenting whether students and institutions are truly meeting education goals. But we must stop and ask a crucial question: What kind of assessment is most effective?

At a time when traditional testing is subject to increasing criticism, research suggests that new, exciting approaches to assessment may be on the horizon. Advances in the sciences of how people learn and how to measure such learning offer the hope of developing new kinds of assessments-assessments that help students succeed in school by making as clear as possible the nature of their accomplishments and the progress of their learning.

Knowing What Students Know essentially explains how expanding knowledge in the scientific fields of human learning and educational measurement can form the foundations of an improved approach to assessment. These advances suggest ways that the targets of assessment-what students know and how well they know it-as well as the methods used to make inferences about student learning can be made more valid and instructionally useful. Principles for designing and using these new kinds of assessments are presented, and examples are used to illustrate the principles. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also explored.

With the promise of a productive research-based approach to assessment of student learning, Knowing What Students Know will be important to education administrators, assessment designers, teachers and teacher educators, and education advocates. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

decent
This book is not terrible and provides a good overview and introduction to assessment. The previous reviewer of this book could not have been more wrong about grades. Actually, research shows grades are a horrible predictor of success when controlling for other factors (income, socio-economic status, etc.). Research also shows there is *no* link between a grade and what someone has learned. This is because grades are relative and measure an individual's performance at one time, although I will admit that using multiple methods and more numerous testing will increase the validity of grades. If tied to the learning goals of a course, grades can be effective. But as a policy making tool or measure of what someone has learned, grades really don't say much, if anything at all.

An argument for fudging the data
The thesis of this book is that (1) tests of educational assessment are increasingly being looked at by politicians (2) this has implications for the employment of educators and (3) being very clever, we teachers should be able to come up with new wasy of measuring student performance that won't actually test what the students have learned.

Okay, perhaps that's a bit overly cynical. But not by much.

Politicians are indeed looking closely at student performance, and for the first time in a long time, thinking about grading how well the public school are performing. And to be fair to the teachers, the intent often has as much to do with individual political aims as it does with education. So teachers repsond in kind, ganing the system, teaching to the exams and so forth. The only parties being left out of this game are the students themselves.

Assessment is needed, both to judge how well students are doing, and to judge how well the schools themselves are doing. The finny thing is that there is a measure that's been ignored in all of this. It's called grading.

Countless studies have been done over the past 50 years to determine what the best indicator of college performance is. People have looked at SAT scores, socioeconomic status, personality and dozens of other measure, and the one measure that consistently explains most of the varience is undergraduate grades. That's it. Even given the grade inflation of the past few decades, grades are still a pretty reasonable indicator. ... Read more

Book Description

This innovative text addresses the most current issues in children's literature, particularly cultural diversity and multiculturalism. It seeks to define, compare, contrast and apply various genre as it can be integrated within a regular elementary curriculum setting. The emergence of children's literature that is multicultural is clearly explained while connections to theories of child development are made. Also included are various curricular applications of multicultural literature in lesson plan format, which are activity based and student-centered. ... Read more

Book Description

Taking the California Highway Patrol Exam? Give yourself the Exclusive LearningExpress Advantage

Competition for a job as a State Traffic Officer with the California Highway Patrol is tough. You need all the advantages you can get. That's why LearningExpress has created this easy-to-use guide Exclusively to prepare you for taking the test and winning a State Traffic Officer job in California.

Only LearningExpress shows you how to prepare for success on the California highway patrol exam

including:
-- Practice exams based on official California Highway Patrol Tests
-- Hundreds of sample questions with full answer explanations
-- How to answer questions in crucial exam areas:Vocabulary and Spelling, Writing, Grammar, and Reading Comprehension

How to Get Hired, Step-By-Step

with exclusive information on:
-- All requirements and qualifications for California State Traffic Officers
-- How and where to apply
-- Who to call for information
-- Salary and benefit information
-- Sample application

Plus prepare-for-success information to help you organize your study time, and expert advice on the personal history statement, physical ability test, and oral interview. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Made the difference between "PASS" and "FAIL"
This book was a tremendous help to prepare for the CHP test. The tests provided were very similar to the ones on the actual test. The whole study program outlined in the book was excellent. All the information provided was very helpful in my success in passing the test on the first try. I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about taking the CHP test. Thanks for the help.

If you want to pass the test the first time!
If you want to pass the California Highway Patrol's written test, buy and study this book! I bought it in August and took and passed the test at the end of August! The examples in this book mirrors what is on the C.H.P. written test. Also, if you plan on taking the written test, start doing crossword puzzles. You'll find out how that will help you when your taking the test! Good luck-

An Absolute MUST for the CHP Exam!!!
This book is incredible! I took one previous police test before buying this book. I completely bombed that test. This study guide helped me turn my attitude and aptitude around and I believe I did much better on the CHP test! The 2 practice exams in the book gave me almost an exact replica of the actual CHP exam! I was completely confident with all of my skills. This book helped me with the reading comprehension, writing, spelling, vocabulary, fill-in-the-blank, and essay. It even tells you as the reader what exactly to do to get hired. I have absolute confidence now and thanks to this book I believe that I have a chance to become a CHP Officer!!! I recommend this book to anybody who wishes to succeed in the CHP testing process!!! It is exactly like having the test in advance!!!

I cheated!
Who did they bribe to get the material for this book. The practice exams in this book are identical to the actual exam. It's like you're cheating. This book gives even the ideal canidate a huge advantage. It not only tells you what you should know prior to taking the exam, but it also familiarizes you with the exact format of the exam so you know what to expect, saving you a lot of precious time. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a book geared to the practical concerns of educators involved in the education of students with behavior disorders.The book identifies the specific problem behaviors (e.g. hyperactivity, aggression, etc.) as the primary points of reference to set the stage for a discussion of intervention alternatives. The book also briefly reviews the characteristics of students with behavior disorders and develops the link between assessment and intervention. For professionals educating students with behavioral disorders. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide develops critical reading skills with material that is challenging, age-appropriate, and high-interest. Eighth graders learn how to ôread between the linesö as they choose main ideas, analyze and interpret passages, decipher vocabulary, and make inferences. Practice tests allow students to measure their abilities and progress. 8th Grade Reading Comprehension Success will help students meet the challenges of middle school, high school, and beyond ... Read more

Book Description

Plan, conduct, and evaluate effective internship experiences!

School administration internships are a central ingredient in any preservice program, and they can be very effective if they are well-organized and well-designed. Capasso and Daresh have created a blueprint for an effective internship program that can turn preservice administrators into transformational leaders, not simply organizational survivors.

The School Administrator Internship Handbook is written for the intern, to both understand the internship program and the roles of all of the participants in the program. The book helps the intern self-assess leadership ability, challenge one’s commitment to the field, become a reflective practitioner, and collaborate with the field mentor and the university faculty member to make the internship a rich and valuable experience.

Internship directors will find that the handbook addresses them as well, providing opportunities to assess students’ abilities to take theory to practice, develop community outreach programs, and assess the effectiveness of the entire preservice program. And mentors will get a clear understanding of their role in facilitating the intern’s experience.

 Other key topics include:

• Examining current practices
• Establishing goals and objectives
• Defining internship standards
• Preparing project proposals
• Developing leadership skills
• Understanding the roles of the participants
• Evaluating and assessing the participants and the program
• Moving beyond the internship

Finally, an effective blueprint for preservice programs! This practical guide is designed for everyone involved in the school administrator internship, especially the men and women who will be stepping into assistant principalships, principalships, and other administrative roles.

Ronald L. Capasso is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey. He has spent 30 years in public school education, having served twelve years as a superintendent of schools in Pennsville, New Jersey and five years as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Ramsey, New Jersey. He has also served as a consultant and speaker for the U.S. Office of Education, the New Jersey State Department of Education, and various government agencies and school districts.

John C. Daresh has spent more than 20 years in higher education, having served as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Northern Colorado, Ohio State University, and the University of Cincinnati. He has also worked as a consultant and speaker for school districts, universities, and state departments of education across the United States and in England.