Independent Thinking


Book Description

Think for yourself before someone does it for you. The first in a new series by and for people who know how important it is to think for yourself. Written by Independent Thinking founder Ian Gilbert, this book is an invaluable collection of reflections, ideas and insights on the nature of learning, thinking, creativity and, drawing on Ian s experience in three continents, the role education has in changing not only people s lives but also entire societies. Combining articles published in the UK, Middle East and South America plus examples of his controversial online postings and Tweets with new observations and insights and at least 100 Twittered Thunks or Twunks this book is the informed ramblings of a passionate educationalist who has made a significant difference to classrooms for over 20 years and has earned the right to speak his mind.




Independent Thinking on Restorative Practice


Book Description

In Independent Thinking on Restorative Practice: Building relationships, improving behaviour and creating stronger communities, Mark Finnis shares a practical and inspiring introduction to the use of restorative practice in educational settings. For those educators who are uncomfortable with the punitive world of zero tolerance, isolation booths and school exclusions, Mark Finnis - one of the UK's leading restorative practice experts - is here to show you that there is another way. Drawing on his many years' experience working with schools, social services and local governments across the country, Mark shares all you need to know about what restorative practice is, how it works, where to start and the many benefits of embedding a relational approach into any educational organisation that genuinely has people at its heart. Covering coaching circles and the power of doing things with (and not to) children and young people, to moving your values off lanyards and posters and into the lived experience of every member of the school community, this book sets out how restorative practice - when done well - can transform every aspect of school life. The book shares advice on how to put behaviour right when it goes wrong in a more positive, less punitive way, and, more importantly, on how to get it right and keep it right in the first place. Furthermore, it advocates an approach that is collaborative, empowering and positive - and ultimately geared to improve motivation, engagement and independent learning in even the hardest-to-reach young people. Suitable for school leaders, educators and anyone working with young people.




Critical Thinking In A Nutshell: How To Become An Independent Thinker And Make Intelligent Decisions


Book Description

Did you know that 93% of CEOs agree that THIS skill is MORE IMPORTANT than your college degree? Amazon's market cap is 1.7 TRILLION dollars. And it all started when Jeff Bezos used this skill to see a market inefficiency back in the day, before anyone else. During the 1980s "Coke Wars," Coca-Cola and Pepsi went back and forth competing to be America's top soda. But Coca-Cola didn't use this skill at the right time... And their mistake almost completely blew up one of America's oldest and most valuable companies. Having this skill in your back pocket is like shortcutting Malcom Gladwell's 10,000 hours rule to learning something (who's got time for that?). So, what is it? Nothing complex or fancy. But it's the skill Supreme Court justices have in spades (they're the highest legal authority in our country because they can do this thing). It's critical thinking. That's why Thinknetic has finally released Critical Thinking in a Nutshell: How to Become An Independent Thinker And Make Intelligent Decisions. Critical thinking is one of those skills everyone "thinks" that they already have... But most people are anxious, unhappy, doubt their decisions, and aren't where they want to be in life. Sometimes, basic skills aren't so basic. But it's not your fault. Our educational system doesn't teach critical thinking. You can only learn it from the right kind of experiences - and most people never do. In 2011, a study called "It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success" found that 93% of business leaders agreed "a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than [a candidate's] undergraduate major." So, if you feel like you don't have the right diploma or the right skill set to succeed at what you do, don't worry. But if you thought your degree would get you everything you've wanted out of life, you're going to be disappointed. After all, critical thinking has driven countless major innovations in human history. Remember when people thought the Earth was flat? It took a critical thinker to disprove that. The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu said, "know your opponent and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril." You (probably) won't be leading an army into war, but the ability to think clearly will help you keep confident no matter what life throws at you. Here's just a fraction of what you'll discover inside: The critical thinking framework developed by two of the most experienced critical thinking scientists of all time - and how to make it your own The reason VHS became a household name and Betamax became a household joke (Ever heard of Betamax? No? There's a reason for that) How to shortcut the famous Malcom Gladwell "10,000 Hours Rule" to become an expert critical thinker, fast The 7 qualities of a critical thinker - how many do you have right now? What a WW2 pilot and the people of Romania can teach you about critical thinking - this is the KEY to not making huge mistakes How to identify fake news and misinformation - learn this, and you'll have a MASSIVE leg up on almost everyone around you right now How Coca-Cola committed one of the biggest marketing flops of all time, by failing to think critically Actionable, easy exercises to drill home every point covered in the novel. You won't "read and forget" this book ...and much, much more!




Why Men Love Bitches


Book Description

Describes why men are attracted to strong women and offers advice on ways a woman can relate to men and gain a man's love and respect.




Unhomework


Book Description

In a dynamic and ever changing education climate it is important to re-evaluate practice in schools on a regular basis in order to ensure that we are doing the right thing for our children. With questions being raised over the value of homework, Mark Creasy advises teachers and parents on how to get the most out of homework without letting it get in the way of their lives. This book questions the necessity of homework while recognising that most teachers have a statutory duty to provide it. The author provides suggestions for how teachers can make homework more effective, applicable and less pointless; organising classroom learning to allow children to set their own homework and creating opportunities for learning out of everyday situations.




The Independent Thinker


Book Description

Learn to ask the intelligent questions, draw insight, and analyze situations. Independent thinking is critical thinking. And critical thinking is the key to a life examined. Better decision-making, smarter reasoning, and greater mental clarity. The Independent Thinker is a guidebook on how to navigate this world, simply put. Without it, who knows what you'll get caught by. An errant fact? A confusing statistic? A belief that holds dubious truth? We are all subject to these everyday tricks! This book will teach you, from A to Z, exactly how to think. Because the skill of thinking is truly what separates the exceptional from the average. How to make sure that you aren't being fooled, tricked, or manipulated! Patrick King is an internationally bestselling author and social skills coach. His writing draws of a variety of sources, from scientific research, academic experience, coaching, and real life experience. Protect yourself from bad data, inaccurate statistics, and old wive's tales. The 3 levels of independent thought Critical reading, thinking, and even logic What Nietzsche teaches us about finding out for ourselves Why our feelings, emotions, and even memories are not reality The Paul-Elder framework of critical thinking and examination




The Big Book of Independent Thinking


Book Description

In 1992 Ian Gilbert, author of the highly acclaimed Essential Motivation in the Classroom founded Independent Thinking Ltd (ITL). His aim was to 'enrich young people's lives by changing the way they think and so to change the world'. He has done this by gathering together a disparate group of associates specialists in the workings of the brain, discipline, emotional intelligence, ICT, motivation, using music in learning, creativity and dealing with the disaffected. ITL achieve their objective by 'doing what no one else does or doing what everyone else does in a way no one else does'. With a chapter from each of the associates plus an introduction and commentary by Ian Gilbert, this is the definitive guide for anyone wishing to understand and use some of the thinking that makes ITL such a unique and successful organisation. If you're looking for a quick 'How to'guide and a series of photocopiable worksheets you can knock out for a last minute PSHE lesson or because the INSET provider you had booked has let you down at the last minute and you're the only member of the middle management team who didn't attend the last planning meeting so you've ended up with the job of stepping in to fill in the gap, then this is the book for you. As befitting a disparate group of people brought together under the banner of Independent Thinking, these chapters are to get you thinking for yourself thinking about what you do, why you do what you do and whether doing it that way is the best thing at all. This book is meant to be dipped into, with not every chapter being relevant for everybody all of the time. Some chapters are written with the classroom practitioner very much in mind, others with the students in mind, other still with an eye on school leaders. That said, there is something here for everyone so we encourage you to dip into it with a highlighter pen in one hand and a notebook in the other to capture the main messages and ideas that resonate with you. So, does the assembly you're about to give, or that lesson on 'forcesyou're about to deliver or that staff meeting you're about to lead or that new intake parents evening you're planning look like everyone else's anywhere else? If so, then what about sitting down with your independent thinking hat on and identifying how you can make it so that we couldn't drop you into a totally different school on the other side of the country without anyone noticing the difference. Have the confidence to be memorable the world of education needs you to be great.




Teaching Change


Book Description

"This book for educators shows that focusing on relationships, resilience, and reflection can better prepare graduates for the future"--




Gutshot


Book Description

“A bizarre and darkly funny world . . . There are fables, horror stories, absurd stories, and more serious stories about love.” —Ramona Ausubel, The New York Times Book Review A woman creeps through the ductwork of a quiet home. A medical procedure reveals an object of worship. A carnivorous reptile divides and cauterizes a town. Amelia Gray’s curio cabinet expands in Gutshot, where isolation and coupling are pushed to their dark and outrageous edges. These singular stories live and breathe on their own, pulsating with energy and humanness and a glorious sense of humor. Hers are stories that you will read and reread—raw gems that burrow into your brain, reminders of just how strange and beautiful our world is. These collected stories come to us like a vivisected body, the whole that is all the more elegant and breathtaking for exploring its most grotesque and intimate lightless viscera. “Exhilarating and violently creative, these stories are an assault on expectation. Gutshot is a rare, new original, and Amelia Gray is her own startling genre. This is a book to be experienced, to be taught and obsessed over, to live as a prized weapon on your bookshelf.” —Alissa Nutting, author of Tampa “Gutshot is a wild journey through the singular imagination of Amelia Gray, one of the most ambitious and relentlessly inventive writers of our time. The worlds Gray conjures are gorgeous and gruesome and devastating and stone-cold hilarious—but more than anything, these stories are as fearless and original as they come.” —Laura van den Berg, author of State of Paradise “Viscerally wicked.” —Natalie Beach, O, The Oprah Magazine




Mosaic of Thought


Book Description

Straightforward and jargon-free, Mosaic of Thought is relevant to all literature-based classrooms, regardless of level. It offers practical tools for inservice teachers, as well as essential methods instruction for preservice teachers at both the undergraduate and graduate level.