Book Review: Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon

http://www.amazon.com/Steal-Like-Artist-Things-Creative/dp/0761169253

I am a year behind on this amazing artist/writer and this book, but I am so glad I did not miss it completely. I loved this book. It was the inspiration and thought process I needed. As I am working to write my own book and struggling to do so for the last two years, this book really gave me some shape about how to craft my own story as well as thinking about life in different ways.

Once again, this book is not about education, but there is so much to be gained as an educator. As I have stated in previous book reviews this book provides ideas to help us(ourselves) learn to find our voice and ideas. By doing this we can enhance our teaching.

Since reading this book I have continued to push myself by expressing my thoughts via my notebooks and practicing writing #newspaperblackout poems from his other book(review coming).

If you have not checked out his website you need to - http://austinkleon.com/

This book is worth your time to read. It is one to keep at your bedside to revisit from time to time. It is a good book to own because you can go back and read passages over and over again.

For example, one piece does discuss education

School is one thing. Education is another. .......it is always your job to get yourself an education whether in school or not.

I love this! It is so true and something that as an educator we are always trying to help students understand.

To learn more about this amazing book check out the blogger kit 

So.... track this book down, read it, buy it, revisit it, and most importantly apply the principles to your life!

Book Review: Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day by Todd Henry

Buy the book from Amazon.com

Back in September I came across a book titled Accidental Creative which was a book by Todd Henry. I fell in love with this book and when I finished reading it I became a fan of Todd Henry. When I went to check out his website I noticed at the time that Die Empty was available for pre-order and I bought it right away.

If this book was half as good as Accidental Creative, then I knew it would be worth the money.

I was not left disappointed.

Todd Henry offers another dose of material that is very worthwhile. It is not a tough read, but offers so many great pieces of advice, ideas, and tools to use to really answer the essential question of

"Did the work I did today really matter?" 

This is what I believe is at the heart of this book. Ideas and techniques to make sure that that you answer yes to this question.

The one passage that stands out to me over the rest and is one I continue to reflect upon is that idea that if you were videotaped all day for a documentary to showcase your day how would you behave and act? What things would you cut out of your "regular" day? So, with this in mind why do we not live that way and spend time wasting moments?

I think I honestly highlighted more words than words not highlighted. There is just so many great pieces of advice and wisdom laid out. 

It does not matter your business, lifestyle, age, or goals in life. This materials applies to all of us and that is why this book is successful. You don't need a successful company, you don't need money, you don't need connections. What you need is a change in your mindset which we are all capable of doing. 

I have already begun to test out some small experiments to improve my productivity. The goal is to end each day answering yes to the question above and leaving nothing in my tank! I don't want to be mediocre. 

This is a must read to help get your mind right with not being too preachy. Toddy Henry has delivered again! This book is worth your time, your application of the ideas, and money to buy the book. 

One of the top 10 reads of the year so far!

I want to drink coffee with @alexisohanian ! Book Review Without Their Permission

Buy the book on Amazon

This is a light read. It is not intense. It comes across like a conversation with Alexis. I think many people were hoping for a clear cut path of lists and bullet points to plot out how to do "X".

Instead this is far from this. What I took away from this book is more of the style and personality of Alexis that has allowed him to be successful.

As always I took down notes into Evernote that I found interesting and tried to convert the ideas to the platform of education.

Reading many reviews online I think that had Alexis crafted a plan on how to live without permission would go against the grain of the essence of the book. The idea is go for it and had he laid out a plan, then you would have received permission.

Here are some key parts of the book that stood out to me.

1. Global connectivity is not just changing the way we do business, it is changing the way we think of value. 

This holds true even more so after watching the 60 Minutes segment on Amazon.com and Amazon Air and their drones.

2. You have go to be willing to disrupt and be disrupted. 

We have to remember that once we make statement people will disagree. This is what causes a lot of fear in people. We have to be strong and believe in our change.

3. These three questions are perfect for education and the classroom. When we talk with students about their work/projects these are great conversation pieces to have.

1. Why is your idea something that people want?

2. How will you sell it to your intended audience?

3. How you will do this better than your competitors?

4. When I find myself doing something that I know the normal person is not doing, then I know I am on to something.

In education we cannot all be alike. Teachers must develop projects and learning opportunities for students to shine and students must embrace the chance to celebrate who they are. We don't need test taking robots. We need innovators and creators. Time to celebrate the disruptors.

5. "The only advice that I can give that I guarantee is true is that you will never succeed unless you try. Just please start. You don't need anyone's permission."

This is my mantra for life. Ask for forgiveness, not permission.

6. Here is the thing about ideas: ideas are worthless. Execution is everything.

This is something I am working on along with helping educators and students. We must begin to act. Talking is no longer enough. Discover, develop, and dive in to make ideas happen.

I liked this book. After reading this book I really want to meet Alexis. I would love to have him on my podcast. I look forward to following his journey. The book is one you can read quickly and take away some key tips. Don't expect a game changer and don't expect specific strategies. That is for you to develop and create!

Prototype of App Review Template. Seeking Feedback and Logo Design

I am in the midst of adding reviews for apps that I am testing out, reading, evaluating, using, etc.

As I continue to write up my reviews I feel like a broken record spewing the same phrases over and over.

Nobody has time to read these phrases and descriptions.

This weekend I came up with a new plan. This plan will be simple, easy to read, easy to digest, and take little time while providing honest feedback.

I sketched out a basic template in my Stimulus Queue book that I was going to share for feedback, but my 2 year old decided to do some of her own artwork.



I am in the process of developing an icon for each category. Each category will then have a very short description of honest feedback. Simple phrases and words.

Here are the categories

1. App Icon
2. Color/Layout of book/app/design
3. Ease of use
4. Overall Feel
5. Good
6. Not So Good
7.Yahoo or Boo
8. Hall of Fame
9. Price
10. Use It Again

Each one will be graded on my own biased feedback.

What do you think? Thoughts on these categories. Do you think this will be helpful? Should I eliminate or add?

I will be sampling these 10 categories with the next few app reviews. In the meantime I will be working on designing a logo icon for each category. If you want to create one and submit it to me I will gladly use it and make sure you are given credit.

Carry on my coffee consuming legion!

Book Review: The Passionate Teacher by Robert Fried #coffeechugPLN #bookreview

Title: The Passionate Teacher

Author: Robert Fried

It would only make sense that I read any book that deals with passion and education being that this has been a major platform of mine this year.

Doing some research into the merits of passion and how far you pursue this mindset lead to this author Robert Fried.

I had never heard of him or any of his work. I was lucky enough to find a copy of this book at one of the libraries here in the state of Iowa. The book is 12 years old, but was such a breath of fresh air to my mind.

This book brought a lot of new ideas to my mind and challenged some of the things that I was developing on my own.

I found this book to be quite important to my reading and development as an educator. What I liked best about this book is that he offered practical ideas, units, and forms to use to help transform our thoughts and teaching.

As I work to develop my own book on education I realized that I must do the same. If I am going to challenge a system, I must come up with how I would actually go about making the change.

I took about a half of a legal notepad full of notes. I would be willing to share my thoughts and ideas. If interested let me know and I will send the link to my Evernote.

At the end of the day, there has to be a balance between the passion of the teacher and the interest of the students. If your passion is in education, then the role of student voice must play a part.

This book drove home many new ideas for me, but more importantly it reinforced some key concepts that I have been focused on personally.

To have passion grants us a way of honoring our life's work. We must show our students what it means to be passionate learners. 

We are role models for what we are still learning, not what we already know. This is a monster mind shift for many educators.

Teachers wear success so hesitantly. We need to broadcast and share. Students need us to help them discover the right questions.

Change must be quality and not just a trend.

Teachers need to go for it. It is time to go with our hearts and gut instinct and make it happen.

How are you going to be stay out of trouble? This should be the question for teachers. We should be experimenting more and testing out new ideas and ways of teaching. If we feel safe, then we are not really pushing ourselves as learners and teachers.

Challenge yourself as a learner so you stay passionate

In closing this was a great read. One that I am so happy I found. Rarely do I go back and read books more than a few years old, but this one exception made me realize that perhaps I should change this reading rule. If you are looking for some ideas about changing your ways and more insight on passion driven teaching, then this one must be on your nightstand.

Innovator's DNA Book Review with a lens towards Education

Here is another book review with perspective with how the content can be applied to education. This is how I always read my materials.

On with the review.

Book website: www.innovatorsdna.com

This book was another fascinating read. I have been blessed to have read many great books in a row. This one is another one that all people should read.

The authors conducted an eight year study that established 5 Skills that all innovators possess.

1. Association

2. Question

3. Observe

4. Network

5. Experiment

When I think of these five skills I don't think of successful people despite that many have these skills, but I instantly think of kids. All kids have these five skills. The key idea that I left this book with is that schools and society must change to quit killing these skills in youth. My young children possess these skills, but as they get older I fear they will lose these vital skills to be successful in life.

It is hard to innovate when structure does not change and even more so in schools with such limited scope when educators are forced to fight for obedience instead of learning.

The authors mention that large companies typically fail at disrupting innovation because top management team is dominant by people with delivery skills, not discovery skills. I think this holds true in some regards in education as well. The schools that deliver have administration that get it and work for discovery and testing the edge of chaos.

If we want this to change then I think the honest question must be

How does your company/school reward and promote discovery skills?

I am not suggesting that we just go wild fire and leave things completely wide open without restriction. Creativity loves constraint. We must remember that questions alone do not produce innovation. They are necessary, but insufficient. We need those people that can deliver. You need big ideas, but you need those who work through the details to get it done. In schools I think it would be amazing if we took time to assemble teacher teams divided up by these skills. You need teams with a variety of skills and abilities. Discovery driven people are not all that matters

The book talks about people who would be good for teams and innovation. I like these skills for educators as well. I often wonder if colleges prepare student teachers for these skills and more importantly are schools screening teachers with these skills. If not, then I think this is something that needs to be addressed. The skills are 

1. Show a track record that demonstrate discovery skills

2. Possess deep expertise in at least on knowledge area and show breadth in a few others (T shaped knowledge)

3. Display a passion to change world and make a difference

If we know that innovators and creators are going to be the face of change and the future of business, then we as educators and schools need to shift how we teach and the values we express. I think we are in a pivotal time that we must begin to change some things up. Not everything is broken, but we are in need of an update.

This book was an essential read that left me with many great ideas to think about and items that I need to address. My current goal as a result of this book is to create a place for teachers to come tinker, explore, question, observe, and experiment. I am calling it Tinker Time and it starts this week. I will continue to push myself as an educator to allow more of these 5 skills to develop in my classroom and school.

Book Review: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry

“Todd Henry has spent years breaking down the secrets of highly effective creatives. Read this book and prepare to ramp up your brilliance!”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The Art of Nonconformity
 
Many of us assume that our creative process is beyond our ability to influence, and pay attention to it only when it isn’t working properly. For the most part, we go about our daily tasks and everything just “works.” Until it doesn’t.
 
Adding to this lack of understanding is the rapidly accelerating pace of work. Each day we are face escalating expectations and a continual squeeze to do more with less. We are asked to produce an ever-increasing amount of brilliance in an ever-shrinking amount of time. There is an unspoken (or spoken!) expectation that we’ll be accessible 24/7, and as a result we frequently feel like we’re “always on.”
 
Now business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to unleash your creative potential. Whether you’re a creative by trade or an “accidental creative,” this book will help you quickly and effectively integrate new ideas into your daily life.


MY THOUGHTS

BUY THIS BOOK! One of the best books I have read ever. This book focus on creativity in a very informative and engaging manner. I found myself taking copious notes and applying many of the ideas suggested.

This book give examples and many levels of research talking about research. What is intriguing is the notion that despite all the research that shows strategies for engaging and new ideas our society continues to neglect the information. I read this book and realized that I have some serious self development to help myself stay fresh and develop new ideas. I was reminded about the important of organizing my life, my thoughts, and to take time to get away. 

The ideas are practical and easy to implement. The key is to actually implement the ideas. I have already started to do some basic structure with my notebooks of ideas, creativity sessions, and projects to explore.

Todd Henry is becoming my next big addiction. I cannot get enough of his ideas and thoughts. You need to follow this guy, listen to his podcasts, and read this book. I will be reading his new book Die Empty starting tonight!

Love, love, love this book because it will help me get to the goals that I have set for myself.

Check the book here

http://www.accidentalcreative.com/

Required Reading: What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World by Tina Seelig

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20: A Crash Course on Making Your Place in the World by Tina Seelig

Book Description

Major life transitions such as leaving the protected environment of school or starting a new career can be daunting. It is scary to face a wall of choices, knowing that no one is going to tell us whether or not we are making the right decision. There is no clearly delineated path or recipe for success. Even figuring out how and where to start can be a challenge. That is, until now.

As executive director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Tina Seelig guides her students as they make the difficult transition from the academic environment to the professional world, providing tangible skills and insights that will last a lifetime. Seelig is an entrepreneur, neuroscientist, and popular teacher, and in What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 she shares with us what she offers her students—provocative stories, inspiring advice, and a big dose of humility and humor.

These pages are filled with fascinating examples, from the classroom to the boardroom, of individuals defying expectations, challenging assumptions, and achieving amazing success. Seelig throws out the old rules and provides a new model for reaching our highest potential. We discover how to have a healthy disregard for the impossible, how to recover from failure, and how most problems are remarkable opportunities in disguise.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 is a much-needed book for everyone looking to make their mark on the world.

I have not posted about the books I have been reading and realized it is time to share some great titles with you.

Today I would like to suggest that you read this book by Tina Seelig. Tina is quickly becoming another one of my favorite people who I go to for information, new ideas, and fresh perspective. This book has been around a few years, but it is not one to miss.

I always know I have a book of greatness when I have to stop highlighting and just fold the corner of the pages because there is just too many great ideas. I fond myself doing this with this book. When this happens I always give the book a few days rest after reading and then go back to the book to see if the material I marked still stands out to me. If it does, then I record my thoughts and book ideas into Evernote. This book required some serious typing because there were so many great ideas.

I have done an online MOOC with Tina and read this book. What I like about her is that not only does she give popular culture examples(we always have to read about Apple and Google), but she provides her classroom examples as well. There are two ideas that I plan on using with my students this year when discussing brainstorming and group work. 

This is the essence of great books. Information that challenges our thinking, but also providing practical ideas that can be implemented right away. 

On a personal level, I am huge right now on presenting and reading up on passion. One section of this book really challenged my thinking on passion and actually helped me to put into words ideas I have been grappling with. I am able to chew on her thoughts a bit to find my personal vision of using passion in the classroom and life.

I have my Evernote folder loaded with content. I am always willing to share. I know that some of her ideas from this book are going to roll over to this blog and my teaching. I feel like I learned more about myself and how others operate.

Please read this book. This is another one to add to your shelf.

4 Essential Ideas Coffeechug Learned From Reading Start Something That Matters #coffeechugPLN

I read another book that I feel you should read. It is by Blake Mycoskie which many of you don't know the name, but you know his company TOMS shoes. This is a story about his journey along with what he believes are the keys to getting started with your own goals.

Below are my 4 key ideas that really stuck with me and my own personal thoughts. You can read the book to hear what he has to say along with many other ideas. These are not his key ideas, but were key to me with where I am in life right now.

1. How do you define success? I don't know the real definition, but I have come to realize that success goes beyond status and money to include the idea that we should be working on something that enhances the world while living a life that fits your own terms and ideas.

2. The Power of Stories - Reading this book is a story. It grips your emotions and forces you to connect. Stories are much more powerful than facts or data. Numbers don't connect on an emotional level. You can use data mixed in with stories to connect them. Think of your favorite teachers and you probably remember stories and not the content. This is true with life in general and yet we often times forget the story part when we teach.

3. Don't fear the unknown - embrace and find out what is on the other side of the door. As you do this you will make mistakes, but remember that life goes on. Reading this story reminded me of the current journey I am on with a new job with many unknowns. Additionally, the unknown of writing my first book has left me slowing up the process. This book made me realize it is time to take the risk and throw it out there. What do I have to lose? Nothing!

4. Keeps things simple. Don't over complicate matters. I personally do this all the time and is something I am working on everyday. Another idea that mixes in this mindset is you don't need a lot of money. Use what you have around you to get started. There are so many free tools, websites, and discarded materials all around that we can find what we need to get started. We think we must have all these resources to get started, but being crafty and simplifying things will make life easier.

Once again I have another book that has empowered my mind to go after my goals. I have taken a bit of time of writing my book. Yes, I have made those excuses of being too busy presenting, going back to school, etc. They are excuses. There is never a perfect time to write.

Reading this book has inspired me to get back on track to accomplishing what I feel will help others. Please give this book a read and know that 50% of the proceeds goes to a funding program to help programs that will help others.

This is another must read that I recommend to everyone. Thanks to Coach Norm for telling me to read this book. I might make this a must read for my students on my robotics team and sports team as well. Great message that really inspires.

Coffeechug learns 4 key ideas from the book by David Novak #coffeechugPLN

Taking People with You by David Novak is a read that has left me reflecting on how to become a better person, educator, and leader. I blogged about the intro a few days ago thinking about how much I depend on my wife for many things.

I read the book and took away many key ideas. As always I applied the information to education and parenting instead of business. Here are my key takeaways, but keep in mind there are many more that I took notes on.

1.Develop quality insightful questions for self and others

Most of my notes are the questions that were shared in the reading. I believe that a missing ingredient in most discussions and conversations are the quality questions that push people beyond the limits of their comfort zone. Reading this book I was able to capture some really deep questions that I will be using with my new job as an instructional coach. We have to go beyond the surface to really find out what we are seeking. It is time to quit being superficial and get to the root of the topic. Many of my notes were simply questions that I can modify to provoke thought. I know that attending the #WCGTC13 conference this happened all the time and was a major reason I left with much to ponder and think about. Don't be afraid to poke the box!

2. Educators must think like marketers

This idea is not new to this blog or me, but as I was reading this book and how Novak works his magic in the business world I once again was reminded that educators must think like marketers. We have to know our intended audience, what makes them tick, how they operate, and decide how to gain their attention. We cannot think like educators. We have to think like students and work from their point of view. It is all about appealing to their needs and wants. Sometimes they don't know that answer, but as professionals we know what they need. Bridging these two ideas together will enhance education.

3. Have a plan and think BIG

Don't settle. Create that impossible goal and figure out how to achieve it. It reminds me much of what Tony Wagner spoke about in his speech to the the Gallup(youtube.com/watch?v=w9s4BB…. Create many goals to achieve and even if you don't reach them all you will reach more than just looking a few steps ahead.

The key here is to keep reality in the forefront and understand what is needed to accomplish the goal. Personally, I will be working very hard to make sure teachers actually work through their projects themselves before unveiling to students. We must see the course first. You can connect this idea to your own situation.

4. Let people discover their own solutions

There are an abundance of experts, books, charts, graphic organizers, etc. that we can go look at to find answers. However, the answers are worthless if we don't discover it for ourselves. As educators we must provide some guidance, but leave it to students to find the path to learning. As educators we cannot simply copy directly from someone else. We have to infuse our passion and knowledge to make it our own. This requires believing in ourselves and trusting in the process. If you do the other steps above this can happen.

In the weeks to come I will be blogging specifically on some of the specific takeaways from this book. However, I do recommend you read this book. There are some really great things to read, learn, and adapt to whatever you do in life. Like anything, you have to act upon it if it is going to mean anything. I will share out later what happens when I act upon the things I learned from the book.

Here is a link to the book in case you are interested in reading for yourself.

What Coffeechug thinks of the book Think Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess

Book Description

Based on Dave Burgess's popular "Outrageous Teaching" and "Teach Like a PIRATE" seminars, this book offers inspiration, practical techniques, and innovative ideas that will help you to increase student engagement, boost your creativity, and transform your life as an educator. You'll learn how to: • Tap into and dramatically increase your passion as a teacher • Develop outrageously engaging lessons that draw students in like a magnet • Establish rapport and a sense of camaraderie in your classroom • Transform your class into a life-changing experience for your students This groundbreaking inspirational manifesto contains over 30 hooks specially designed to captivate your class and 170 brainstorming questions that will skyrocket your creativity. Once you learn the Teach Like a PIRATE system, you'll never look at your role as an educator the same again.

Coffeechug Thoughts

This is not going to be so much of an review of a book, but more of how I have applied the principles to my life. This is a MUST READ. If you have not read this book then you are missing out. This book is taking off like a pirate ship at sea going 50 knots. The buzz online via the #tlap hashtag on Twitter and the countless book clubs based on this book is insane. I am planning a book club in August and I feel like I won't have much of an audience because every teacher will have read the book already.

Here is why the book works. First, he is a teacher. He is not removed from the classroom and speaks to teachers. There is no talking down and there is none of the typical ideas that sound great on paper, but fail miserably in the classrooms of 30+ students. The ideas are classroom tested and student approved.

Second, he is not stuffy. He writes normal and at a level that makes sense. It is practical. I would not say that anything is particularly earth shattering in the book(this is not a slam), but the ideas are ones that any teacher at any level could use or modify to make their own. I did not need a dictionary pulled up to define every other word while reading.

Third, I was excited to mark in my book. I am reader who hates marked books. This book I highlighted everywhere and wrote notes in the margins. Great little taglines and thoughts to reinforce what many of us already do. As I was reading his examples and stories I was able to relate to projects I have done or stories of my own as a teacher. I was able to connect and we all know how important connections are when it comes to teaching and learning.

Last, it was just the right read at the right time. The material helped to reignite some excitement to teaching. As stated before his ideas are great and wonderful, but are nothing that we couldn't all do. The keys are his three ideas of passion for teaching. He loves what he does. Passion has been my big summer topic and therefore when I read the book and could feel his passion I knew it was going to be some great stuff.

This is a must read for any teacher. One of the better education books I have read. It has motivated me to create a poster with one of his sayings which you can see here that allowed me to connect with new educators I never worked with before and added augmented reality. It has inspired me to get ready to buy a bulk of these books to hopefully have a school book club to share and discuss as well as online on Twitter. It has allowed me through #tlap to meet so many amazing educators who have a passion for what they do. The book has gone beyond just reading, but impacting my PLN and what I continue to learn beyond the reading. When that happens you know have something special and that is what Dave Burgess has been able to create. If he can do that with a book, then I can only imagine what he does with the minds of his students.

Here is his link on Twitter: https://twitter.com/burgessdave
Join and follow the hashtag #tlap
And here is his website: http://www.daveburgess.com/

Who else wants to be a Purple Cow for Education? #coffeechugPLN

This post started out as a book review for Seth Godin's book Purple Cow, but morphed into something much more. If you have read Purple Cow, then this post will resonate. If you have not read Purple Cow, then read this post and then go read the book.

This book is over 10 years old and yet it still speaks to me on many levels. Like all the other marketing business books I have read this summer I read the material through the lens of education. Instead of worrying about how to make money, I read these books to figure out how to appeal to students and improve education.

This book is spot on. The book discusses the markets of companies. I feel that the market for students is no different. Society today has over-saturated the minds of our youth. They have so many outlets, apps, people, communities, etc. pulling for their attention that it is almost beyond absurd. Reading this book about being a purple cow made me think even more about how teachers brand themselves. I hate to say it, but we are in the market of our students. We are fighting for their attention. What will we do as teachers to stand out for their time?

The frustrating thing is how many teachers don't feel this is their obligation. They don't think they should have to appeal to students. It is not their job to entertain or grab their interest. They believe the students should conform to them. I know it is not professional to say, but I want to ask them what planet do they live on? When we were kids we did not conform either. We might not have gotten into trouble, but it was not that long ago that we were young and begging to get out of school. It is our duty to be a game changer. It is what we do. It is our job. Why else would you be in the occupation if not for the kids. You want your own children to have teachers who go above and beyond so make sure you do the same.

Teachers today have to connect with students. We have to be better than very good. As Seth states in the book, "The opposite of remarkable is very good. Very good is an everyday occurrence and hardly worth mentioning." Teachers today have to go above and beyond. Stand out. Make your teaching brand known. Not only do we have to stand out among the buzz of society, but even among the teachers in the building we teach in.

I cannot help but think of several years ago when I was one of four teachers in the district who received a SMARTboard. It was mind blowing to students. Everyone wanted to be part of the action. Teachers wanted one and students were so excited to be part of the journey. Now every classroom has a SMARTboard and nobody cares. Following the leader only leads to very good. You have to create your own niche. The SMARTboard is now a chalkboard of today. Not one kid cares about the technology. What are you doing to separate yourself?

I have typed up my notes to Evernote which you can view here. I have taken the context of the material and tried to rewrite it to fit education. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

Despite the book being a decade old, the material is still fresh. Yes, his examples of the the digital camera no longer work as they have been replaced by smart phones, but the ideas are as strong as ever. We are in an age where we have to stand out. Safety is in the risk taking.

Working on my own teaching and craft this summer I am really trying to brand myself. I want to be "me" aka Coffeechug. I don't want Coffeechug to look like anyone else. Would I love the following of Dave Burgess and #TLAP? Yes, he is everywhere right now. I am learning from him and his community like no other, but I cannot be just another person. I have to apply, adapt, modify, and make things my own. Coffeechug has to be a Purple Cow in education.

Last, in order for this to happen I have to shake things up. Schools need to quit being factory mode learning institutions. I know we have preached that for years, but very little has changed. Desks are still in rows and we still expect students to fill in worksheets perfectly to our standard. Let your uniqueness as a teacher spill over to students. Let them be unique. Let them chart their own path with your guidelines. We are not linear by nature and our classrooms should not either. It is time schools become a Purple Cow and move beyond very good to remarkable.

Thank you Seth Godin for giving me more fuel to my fire to pursue my passion of being a remarkable educator. This is a must read if you have not already read this book.

Book Review: CTRL ALT DEL by Mitch Joel

Book Description

The DNA of business has changed. Forever. You can blame technology, smart phones, social media, online shopping and everything else, but nothing changes this reality: we are in a moment of business purgatory. 

So, what are you going to do about it? 

Mitch Joel, one of the world's leading experts in new media, warns that the time has come to CTRL ALT DELETE. To reboot and to start re-building your business model. If you don't, Joel warns, not only will your company begin to slide backwards, but you may find yourself unemployable within five years. 

That's a very strong warning, but in his new book, CTRL ALT DELETE, Joel explains the convergence of five key movements that have changed business forever. The movements have already taken place, but few businesses have acted on them. He outlines what you need to know to adapt right now. He also points to the seven triggers that will help you take advantage of these game-changing factors to keep you employable as this new world of business unfolds. 

Along the way, Joel introduces his novel concept of "squiggle" which explains how you can learn to adapt your personal approach to your career, as new technology becomes the norm. 

In short, this is not a book about "change management" but rather a book about "changing both you AND your business model."

Book Description

Another marketing book that I read while filtering all content through the eyes of an educator. Once again I have found a business/marketing books to be quite helpful when thinking about education. These people are cutting edge and Mitch Joel is right there among the best. Since reading this book I have been listening the podcasts he creates and learning so many new ways of thinking.

As I read through all my notes in Evernote that I jotted down I think one of my biggest takeaway ideas was how we look at things or ideas. I don't know if that was the central idea, but I found myself constantly writing down ideas and questions about viewing things through the mind of a consumer or someone who is actually going to use the product.

I finished this book excited to pioneer new ideas. I am going to embrace the squiggle and see what develops. Life is not linear and therefore it can get messy sometimes. Life is too short to not go out and make things happen. There is no need to wait for someone to tell us what to do. Take charge and do it!

The book is a great read. I am not going to go into his key ideas and triggers as you can read those for yourself. What I will tell you is that you will find great resources to other people who will challenge your thinking as well as take away key ideas to make yourself better. In terms of education the ideas fit. Shift your ideas and mind and don't wait around. Get out of your comfort zone and push the envelope. That is what great businesses and innovators do and therefore teachers should be doing the same.

Another must read. You have to be willing to take from the book what you want. For me it was thinking and challenging my ideas and beliefs as an educator. This book did just that.

Book Review: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman

Book Description

Release date: June 15, 2010

A thought-provoking, accessible, and essential exploration of why some leaders (“Diminishers”) drain capability and intelligence from their teams, while others (“Multipliers”) amplify it to produce better results. Including a foreword by Stephen R. Covey, as well the five key disciplines that turn smart leaders into genius makers, Multipliers is a must-read for everyone from first-time managers to world leaders.

My Thoughts

The book description is spot on. I read this book as part of my summer PD. I am trying read as much as I can on leadership, mindset, and marketing. I want to take the ideas gained and apply them to the field of education and my job.

This book was a great read. As the reader consumes the knowledge between a Multiplier and a Diminisher they have no choice but to self reflect and figure out what type of person/leader they are. I consumed the information and am now figuring out how to become better. 

The underlying idea that I took away is that everyone who you work with has something valuable to give and offer. A Multiplier will help them find ways to use their talents and gifts to improve the overall business. In terms of education I keep thinking about helping teachers find what they are good at and help them use their gifts to enhance education. With so many issues plaguing education some teachers have lost their vision of what they do well and need to get back to the core level of quality teaching.

This was a quality book. This book applies to any discipline or job. My Evernote page is loaded with notes and ideas that I took away from the book. I will be spending the rest of my summer working towards becoming a Multiplier. I want to be able to work with others and multiply our productivity. I want to help others find their gifts. I want to work on the five disciplines of a Multiplier which are

The five disciplines

1. Talent Magnet - attract and optimize talent

2. Liberator - require best thinking of people

3. Challenger - extend challenges

4. Debate Maker - debate decisions

5. Investor - instill accountability

This is another must read. I found this book to be quite helpful. As always I read the book from the lens of an educator. Instead of thinking of making money and increasing business I reframed the content in my mind as increasing learning and excitement in the classroom. 

I will be following the research and materials of Liz Wiseman because she is on a path that many of us can learn from.

The most important thing you can do when reading this book is to be open and honest with yourself and analyze what type of person you are and what you can do to change. We all have room for improvement. This book forced me to rethink my mental approach of what I am going after in my career and more importantly why I am attaining these goals. This is a deep question that only we can answer when open with ourselves. 

This book would be a great course or professional development. 

Book Review: Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2013

Chip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, tackle one of the most critical topics in our work and personal lives: how to make better decisions.　
   Research in psychology has revealed that our decisions are disrupted by an array of biases and irrationalities: We’re overconfident. We seek out information that supports us and downplay information that doesn’t. We get distracted by short-term emotions. When it comes to making choices, it seems, our brains are flawed instruments. Unfortunately, merely being aware of these shortcomings doesn’t fix the problem, any more than knowing that we are nearsighted helps us to see. The real question is: How can we do better?

   In Decisive, the Heaths, based on an exhaustive study of the decision-making literature, introduce a four-step process designed to counteract these biases. Written in an engaging and compulsively readable style, Decisive takes readers on an unforgettable journey, from a rock star’s ingenious decision-making trick to a CEO’s disastrous acquisition, to a single question that can often resolve thorny personal decisions.

   Along the way, we learn the answers to critical questions like these: How can we stop the cycle of agonizing over our decisions? How can we make group decisions without destructive politics? And how can we ensure that we don’t overlook precious opportunities to change our course?　

   Decisive is the Heath brothers’ most powerful—and important—book yet, offering fresh strategies and practical tools enabling us to make better choices. Because the right decision, at the right moment, can make all the difference.

My Thoughts

Another must read! This was another good summer read. This book opened my eyes to the process of decision making. We all make decisions thousands of times a day so in many ways we are experts. However, what I like about this book is that it helped me to understand decision making process and what goes into our every decisions.

The authors go into the system on how to make valid decisions. They walk you through the steps of how to make a proper decision and how to identify the the issues that can cause us to make incorrect decisions.

I took down a ton of notes on my Evernote page. I look forward to having a Twitter chat on this book and the ideas. I have found this book to being pivotal at a time in my life when I had a major decision to make. Using the tools and questions provided I feel that I made the right choice.

If you have read the other books by these authors, then you know what you are going to get. Quality writing with useful ideas that anyone can implement.

Another solid read and will be using these skills and tools over and over and again!

Book Review: Rebecca by E.F. Ballard.......a former student on mine!

How amazing is this? Not only am I going to be able to talk about a very engrossing and fascinating read(this is w/o bias my friends), but I am also going to be doing my first book review that is from a former student of mine.

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 2013

The story of a girl made completely of confusion and the inarticulate.

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My Thoughts

Before I read this book I was nervous. I was nervous for several reasons. First, I know the author. She was a former student of mine who I just think is amazing. She has been writing for years and now that she is in high school she has published her first book. Before publishing the book she asked me to read the book and give feedback. I felt honored to give some guidance. But my nerves kicked in because I was worried I might not like it or think it was good. How would I handle that situation? Would I tell her it was bad or lie and give false hope?

Thankfully, she is talented which makes me quite jealous because I have yet to start my book. Her story was addicting. Once I started I had to finish and because it was not a massive book of 1000's of pages I was able to absorb it all in one reading and go back and read it again.

This book tells the story of a girl trying to find herself through a chaotic swirl of life and choices. I read it needing to know how things would play out. I read the draft version and the final version based on the feedback she was given. She did an amazing job.

If you want a story that will hook you right away, make you appreciate your own life, and not let go until the end, then please read this book.

I also urge you to support a young author as she navigates the world of publishing. Here she is writing a great novel while not even being able to drive yet.

I could not believe the insight she had into family dynamics and thoughts. It was amazing to see a student understand the progression of life the way she did.

With and without bias you will enjoy this book. Give it a try and let her know what you thought. It will only make her a stronger writer which will lead to even better stories down the road.

E.F. Ballard, you always impress me. Stay true to yourself and keep on rocking it girl!

Rebecca - click the link to purchase from Amazon

Book Review: Platform by Michael Hyatt

Platform book on Amazon

Michael Hyatt, one of the top business bloggers in the world, provides down-to-earth guidance for building and expanding a powerful platform.

To be successful in the market today, you must possess two strategic assets: a compelling product and a meaningful platform. In this step-by-step guide, Michael Hyatt, former CEO and current Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, takes readers behind the scenes, into the new world of social media success. He shows you what best-selling authors, public speakers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and other creatives are doing differently to win customers in today’s crowded marketplace. Hyatt speaks from experience. He writes one of the top 800 blogs in the world and has more than 100,000 followers on Twitter. His large and growing platform serves as the foundation for his successful writing, speaking, and consulting practice.

In Platform, Hyatt will teach readers not only how to extend their influence, but also how to monetize it and build a sustainable career. The key? By building a platform. It has never been easier, less expensive, or more possible than right now. . .  The book includes:

• proven strategies
• easy-to-replicate formulas
• practical tips

Social media technologies have changed everything. Now, for the first time in history, non-celebrities can get noticed—and win big!—in an increasingly noisy world.

MT THOUGHTS

I was not really sure what I was going to think of this book. I have tried to read other business marketing books in the past and just could not do it. I have a hard time applying the ideas to teaching and education. I recently discovered his website and decided to give it a try. 

I am so glad I read this book. It is geared for businesses and people looking to make a mark. I am not selling anything, but I am currently going through my many pages of notes to clean up and enhance my brand as an educator. I found many of tips and ideas very applicable to anyone. If you are trying to figure out how to best showcase yourself online, then this book is a must read. Based on this book I have two pages of notes for further people to study and books to read. I am working on creating my social network to be more enticing and professional looking.

I read the book as more of a workbook. I would read a section, reflect, and make a note of things that I felt needed to be tweaked in my own personal. life. So many great ideas.

It is easy to read and well structured. Going back and preparing for this review and studying my notes I decided to put some ideas in place. I have changed my email signature, worked on my About Me page,and am getting ready to work on some other tips provided. 

This is a book that would a great group study to compare how we make changes and learn from one another.

Another book that I feel is a must read if looking to enhance your brand and who you are.