teach

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 18
$9.99
The copy I received was flawed. It could never go past the "ty" lesson even though I tried using several players' names. I read several other reviews afterwards and noted that other buyers had technical problems as well. I would suggest you buy this where you can easily return it. I ended up buying another brand at a local store. (Wish I could have given it a no-star rating but the lowest I could give was one star. Doesn't deserve even that when the product is faulty.)

Teach with Your Strengths: How Great Teachers Inspire Their Students
$24.95
Do not bother to waste your money on this book!

The book claims to help an individual learn to "teach with his or her strengths." However, the book really shills the highly questionable "TeacherInsight" assessment from Gallup which may be a contributor to the significantly high rate of teacher turnover that school districts are experiencing. Save your money. The book and the assessment are not just questionable but may be harmful to your intellectual health!

What is "TeacherInsight"? Applying for a teaching job at a large suburban school district after years of highly successful teaching at another district, I was directed to take an online assessment entitled "TeacherInsight." Having also been an executive of an assessment company years before and being well versed in psychometrics as well as also having directed the assessment company's online initiative, I was dismayed at not only how poorly "TeacherInsight" is constructed but at the poor quality of its implementation online.

Later I researched the assessment and realized that contrary to the theory on which talent assessments are based, "TeacherInsight" is not a tool for prospective teachers to determine if they possess the interest, workstyle, and capabilities for a particular job; but it is a tool to winnow out prospective job candidates. Assessments, such as "TeacherInsight," are developed, based on interviews with individuals considered exemplary in a particular field. The theory is that using this profile can help people determine if they are a good fit for that particular job. In others words, what is the likelihood that they will not only succeed but thrive and gain enjoyment and fulfillment.

Too often these tests, such as "TeacherInsight," are now used as gatekeepers by HR personnel and others given the responsibility for hiring and advancing people. The tragic aspect of this is that, at least with "TeacherInsight," there is no solid data that the teachers hired based on a score on this test are superior to those who were never considered. The result is that many dedicated and highly effective teachers are never considered for a position.

With the extremely high turnover in teachers who remain less than five years in the profession and the extreme cost associated with teacher turnover ($6,000 per lost teacher in a small district and upwards to $25,000 per teacher in a large district), relying on such assessments as "TeacherInsight" may make the screening process easier, but in the long run not only more expensive in teacher turnover but also in lower student achievement.

School districts using "TeacherInsight" are remiss if they do not demand that Gallup, the company that developed and markets "TeacherInsight," permit a comprehensive evaluation of the assessment by a reputable third party research company in order to document the validity, reliability, and impact of "TeacherInsight."

In the meantime, purchasing this book only validates the theory and puts money into the pocket of those how help perpetrate this folly.

I Will Teach You To Be Rich
$13.95
I've been reading Ramit Sethi's blog for a while, but never really implemented any of his solutions. This book inspired me. It details everything you need to know to free yourself from the burden of worrying about money.

It covers:
* Conscious Spending - You'll never hear him tell you "Don't buy that! Stop buying lattes! Stop wasting your money on frivolous things!". What Ramit says is: Figure out what you enjoy in life. Then set up your budget so that you're spending money on that, and not on impulse buys. If you wanna spend $700 a week on going out -- Here's how to do it intelligently, and guilt-free.
* Easy budgets - Use the internet, and automatic transfers, in order to NOT think about your money. You spend a few hours over a couple months to get everything setup, then spend literally a couple minutes every few months to just check on things.
* Investing basics - Any comprehensive budget needs to plan for the long-term. This book explains exactly what you need to know, then gives you the option of going more in-depth.
* Haggling - Scripts to get yourself out of bank fees, ask for a payraise, etc.

Overall, I feel like every late teen - early twenty-something...heck, even into late 20s, should read this. I'm about to start loaning it out to my friends. It's the perfect book young people if you want to be smart about your money.

Technics Crates teach them well T-Shirt- Charcoal, Large
$23.95