The Knowing and Caring Profession

Teaching has always struggled with its identity. Is it a profession? A vocation? Something that people who can’t do anything else fall into? A safety net or a career?

Is it a walk in the park? All those holidays. Something anyone can do, let’s face it, we all went to school.

Or is it a complex, challenging, somewhat maligned and misunderstood profession made up of exceptional and perhaps not so exceptional members. How would we know?

The Knowing and Caring Profession takes a look behind the rhetoric and rigmarole, to explore education and more specifically the education profession through a variety of lenses.

Phil Lambert’s approach to education, teaching and the broader profession is at times confronting, challenging and controversial. At its heart, it is an exploration of education by a teacher, a bureaucrat, an academic, a leader and a parent, all rolled in to one.

Phil brings a different perspective to many of the complex and challenging facets of education. From curriculum and class sizes to teacher education and student learning outcomes, Phil distils what can be polarising and emotive topics into easy to digest, fascinating and, at times, funny anecdotes and examples for non-educators.

Anyone who has even a passing interest or involvement with the education system will gain significant insight and understanding of what is truly at its very core, a knowing and caring profession.

The Graduate Book

“It’s a tough world out there for graduates—and students definitely

 know it. As a result, we’re seeing more and more that they’re preparing

 for post-graduation life early. The Student Book and The Graduate Book

 are invaluable resources, showing them exactly how to get ahead of

 the game whilst still at uni, and what to do if they’ve left their career

 planning until the very last minute! From a real-life success story, it offers

 crucial advice in an engaging and light-hearted way. An essential

 wherever you are in your university career or graduate job search!”

 Lucy Miller, Senior Editor – The National Student

 “We talk and interview with literally thousands of students every year

 and less than 5% of them really know what they need to do to land that

 vital first job. These books should be compulsory reading for every

 student and new graduate.

 We highly recommend it.”

 Jack Catherall, Managing Director Wiser Elite and Wiser Digital.

The Future Knowledge Compendium

Thriving in the 21^st Century

Humans have a unique capability to both understand their situation in the world and to envision and act to realise their aspirations in the emerging world. And most of us would welcome knowing how we can become ever more skilful at both understanding, and shaping the future of, our emerging world, so that we can thrive in it. The 21^st century is very different from the 20^th century. Globalisation, the greatest economic prosperity uplifting machine humanity has ever invented, and mass education, are combining to sweep humanity into an emerging interdependent global village. It is creating a global educated middle class that will number 5 billion in 2030.

In this emerging world, a world where our future prosperity will be increasingly based on metaphysical wealth, on what we know, 20^th century nation-first, competitive, win/lose, mindsets and agendas can no longer work. These now yesteryear mindsets will instead undermine our best endeavours, including making our future ever more climate and pandemic safe.

Humanity is now beginning to learn that it now has no option but to adopt planet-first, collaborative, win/win values and mindsets, if it wishes to shape our emerging global village so that it can become liveable for all: ever more prosperous, harmonious, inclusive, sustainable, healthy, and secure. Meeting these challenges successfully will require that humanity innovates for itself a new future knowledge curriculum so that it can economically thrive in a sustainable and humane manner.

Peter Ellyard has asked the question: what would be the contents of such a curriculum? In The Future Knowledge Compendium: A Curriculum for Thriving in the 21^st Century, he has sought to answer this question.

The Complete A-Z of German Verbs

I think I know which verb to use….but can I use it in this context….? I have a verb in my mind that I think should be used, yet is it the one used by German speakers themselves? How can I find out?!

Does this sound like you? As a fellow linguist and Translator, I completely empathise. This was the question I asked myself for many years. The world of languages can be a tricky one indeed. Countless days of learning verb tables and endings and running through verb after verb; this may seem like an impossible feat, yet is one commonly undertaken by dedicated linguists.

My book, The Complete A-Z of German Verbs, seeks to break down this confusing process, providing students with a guide to help understand the multiple uses of German verbs in different scenarios. Upon reading this book, you will gain an insight into morphological patterns that may have eluded you in the past and will guide you on your path to becoming a talented German linguist. Are you ready? 

The Agile Coach's Cookbook

“With this coach’s cookbook, Jon has managed to create a thing of both great simplicity and immense value. A must read for the coaching community, this is an easily referenceable guide to coaching excellence, full of handy hints, tips, tools and techniques. As a coach, no matter your experience, expertise and specialism, this is a resource you will all want in your back pocket.”

— Gustav Bjorkeroth, CEO at Radtac

“There are so many self-proclaimed-and-promoting agile experts, and best-selling agile authors. It’s challenging to decipher who’s right, who to engage with, or who to follow. Then there’s Jon Ward of Beneficial Consulting. Jon’s pragmatic and catalytic approach nullifies these challenges. Within the world of ‘agile transformation’, transitioning from ‘waterfall to agile’, Jon stands up and out providing practical advice based on successful recent experience. This book provides an essential read for agile coaches who wish to make a difference.”

— Alan Gedye, Head: People Change Management and Enablement, Absa Johannesburg

Stillness in Preschool and School

This is a hands-on report on how to find calm in the most stressed out and turbulent of worlds today – preschools and schools. Not a calm out there, but the calm inside all of us, closer than our thoughts and as natural as the air we breathe.

25 years of experience with the Dream of the Good in preschools and schools in all parts of Sweden show very good results. The grown-ups did not believe the kids would take to it.

But the message is, it can be done, and kids of all ages like it – if the practices are simple and natural. Their teachers often didn’t think it was possible, but once they learn they also benefit. Research confirms the positive results: less stress, less psychological problems and better self-image.

Practice Makes Improvement

Teaching is an amazing career and if done properly can change lives forever.

Everyone remembers that one teacher who inspired them and made them believe in themselves and their particular talents.

This book examines all the theories and popular approaches to teaching. It breaks down all the theory into actual approaches to be used at the classroom level.

Teacher-pupil interaction is the crucial element to a child developing in all aspects of their life.

All children are born with wings and a good teacher helps them to fly!

Parenting is (Not) Child's Play

Most parents would say that they love their children, passionately. They might also admit that at times they experience frustration, anger and even disappointment because of disobedience and a lack of cooperation from their children.

Parenting is (Not) Child’s Play deals with the ‘Special Play Time’ method, a revolutionary and proven tool that empowers both parents and children. During a 40-minute weekly play session, parents learn, not only clear and practical skills in setting boundaries, they also gain a deeper understanding of the emotions and worries of their children. They discover how to encourage positive behaviour, too and thus increase the self-esteem of their children.

Within a short time, parents notice positive changes in the home. While enjoying mutual fun and play, they regain their parental authority and notice an increase in the emotional and social abilities of their children.

Orit Josefi Wiseman is a non-directive play therapist with an M.A. from the University of York in the United Kingdom. She has a clinic in Israel and has rich and extensive experience with parents and children using this method. She has also established trainings for families and professionals in the field of education in order for them to improve their communication with and empower the psychological robustness of children.

During her work, Orit has met many parents who have learnt parental skills but could not implement them in real time. Her book is written for all those parents. Having a deep faith in the efficacy of the method, Orit wishes to share her knowledge and make it accessible to every household with children.

Neuroscience and Teaching Very Difficult Kids

Teaching students whose behaviour is so ‘out of control’ is a challenge faced by all teachers in modern schools. Contemporary approaches have focused on dealing with the presenting behaviours and attempting to control those. This approach may deal with the problem in the short term but creates no long-term solution.

This work accepts that the majority of extremely dysfunctional behaviour is carried out by children who have suffered early, persistent trauma and/or neglect. Disruptive conduct can be explained by the effect their early childhood environment has had on the neural construction of their brain. These children are not ‘born bad’ but behave this way because of the ‘parenting’ they received in their early life. These are the children who have graduated out of these dysfunctional environments.

Recognising this provides the key to understanding how to deal with these kids. Because the social conditions created these problems, if we change those conditions, over time these children will develop different behaviours to get their fundamental needs met. The solution lies in the fact that everyone acts to get their needs met in the environment in which they live, so it makes sense to present an environment that demands different behaviours to satisfy these needs.

The book provides a description about how the early childhood environment creates the neural scaffold that drives dysfunctional behaviour and how developing a well-defined classroom environment will make a positive contribution to changing that behaviour.

Mundane Insurance

Manufacturing industries are a common knowledge as are the likes of the motor car, television, foodstuffs and electrical goods that exist around us every day and are forcefully advertised. Banking too but it is only true to a lesser degree regarding insurance because if canvasing the average person in the street about insurance they would think only about their life insurance, health insurance, motor cover, house and contents, pet plan insurance and so on. Put like that, it is all very wearisome and therefore hardly a subject worth writing about, or is it? That was certainly the author’s impression of insurance even up to the point of moving into the financial sector from manufacturing industry.

Pursuing the subject a step further, hazarding a guess, if those very same people were quizzed regarding the types of people they imagined are employed in insurance they would probably describe their insurance broker or simply a voice at an insurance call centre. This account therefore will, in all probability, dispel the notion that all insurance dealings are routine and in the main, predictable as did an international group of young insurance delegates at a Middle East seminar, many of whom were totally unaware that the insurance industry’s activities were so diverse.

Monologues and Duologues for Young Actors

This collection of scenes offers drama teachers a wide range of topics to explore through characterisation of the moment. There are scenes based on the historical past, these could be linked to cross-curricular activities. Those set in the present seek to draw young actors into a setting with which they can identify and emotionally explore. The author believes that young actors often wish to explore comedy. With this in mind, many of the scenes reflect comedic values. Some of these fun situations hold deeper resonances which the drama teacher would be able to explore with the actor. Each scene contains many different levels for the actor to identify with and emotionally develop. As the words are brought to life, the actor should imagine that they relate to a given set of circumstances; each scene is directly linked to the human situation. A young actor's motto should be: "I will live the words I learn."

Leak Testing Made Easy

Leak testing has become a major aspect of many processes in a wide range of industries, from castings to crisp packets. But it seems it is often shrouded in “secret formulas” and specialist knowledge, known only to the leak test manufacturers.

Have you ever asked:

· What is my leak specification?

· Can I set up my air pressure tester myself?

· How do I check/calibrate my leak test machine?

· Would a helium test be better?

· Why is my leak test failing good parts?

· What are the problems I need to be aware of?

· Who can I ask for honest help and advice?

Many of you will already know the wealth of knowledge the author brings to this subject, and how he makes even the complicated easy to understand. Now retired from industry, Barry wanted to share his knowledge with anyone who wants to be an expert in this field or simply has an interest and wants to know more.

With this easy-to-follow guide, you can call on all of Barry’s vast experience in all aspects of leak testing, including air under water, pressure decay, flow measurement, helium leak testing, gas sniffers and many more.

The book guides you through all you need to know, from the basic mathematics, through developing your leak specifications, selection and setting up your leak test, right through to fault diagnosis and effective maintenance.

Leak Testing Made Easy does exactly what it says, taking the mystery of the subject, and making it simple and practical to understand, with many pictorial examples, along with lots of practical analogies to common-day things that you already know about.

Packed with look-up tables and charts, this book is a must for any specifiers and users of leaks and leak testing equipment, or simply for those who would like to know more.