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Begin your counseling career on the right foot

Get Started in Counselling is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of counseling.It is essential reading if you want to learn vital counseling skills, are about to embark on a counseling course, or you are already a trained and experienced counselor. The book details a wide range of counseling skills and examines the origins and different models of counseling. The 2010 edition has been fully updated to include recent developments within the counseling field, notably the increasing popularity of online and telephone counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy.This book demystifies the jargon and uncovers a wide range of skills and approaches.

You can also visit teachyourself.com for tests, extension articles and a vibrant community of like-minded learners. And if you don't have much time, don't worry--this book gives you one-, five-, and 10-minute bites of learning to get you started.

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“This book is a testament to the extraordinary depth, powers, and resiliency of children’s spirits.” —Marion Wright Edelman, president, Children’s Defense Fund

If I Get to Five is a one-of-a-kind book by a one-of-a-kind human being. The medical world knows him as Fred Epstein, M.D., the neurosurgeon who pioneered life-saving procedures for previously inoperable tumors in children. His patients and their families know him simply as Dr. Fred, the “miracle man” who has extended them both a healing hand and an open heart.

Throughout his career Epstein’s young patients have been his most important teachers and trusted guides. They are children who—often by sheer force of will—have refused to relinquish life and all its gifts. In this inspiring book, these children teach us the lessons we all need to learn in order to live life to the fullest—lessons about seizing the moment and facing our deepest fears, about embracing the joy and wonder of everyday life. Most of all, they teach lessons about uncommon courage—the courage to do what’s hardest, to believe in what we don’t understand, to love without boundaries.

If I Get to Five takes us inside a world unlike any other, from the high-stakes, high-tech operating room where life and death are separated by a heartbeat to the sickrooms and recovery rooms where parents discover the limits and power of their faith. But most compelling of all is the journey inside the hearts, minds, and souls of the wisest children you will ever encounter.

No one who reads this remarkable book will ever look at children—or adversity—in the same way.
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Customer Reviews (14)

Trivial and Trite Timewasting Dross
Sick and tired of audio or paper books that spend their time retelling boring stories, repeat aka read verbatim from equally dull in conclusive research articles, and give such brilliant statements such as "every child is special". If pediatric neurosurgeons are brilliant it doesn't show here, and sorry ignorant sops all religions are not equal.

There is absolutely NOTHING of use of value here for the person interested in or the person that has someone with pediatric tumors. Make them send you $20 to painfully read through this.

Surprises You
I had to read this for a class. Thing is, I went in thinking it was too fluffy and idealistic. But for some reason I couldn't stop reading, and when I was half way through it I realized that I was actually being affected by the readings. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys inspirational stories, who are going through hard times with a medically fragile child, or who need to be reminded why they got into the health profession in the first place. He writes about many of his patients, the lessons each one taught him about life, how he deals with pain and loss, and explains medical jargon. I enjoyed this book and would gladly recommend it to anyone who asked about it.

One of my favorite books because
your heart feels every emotion. You can read this book in one day you will not want to put it down. Page to page you want to know what is going to happen to Dr. Fred. Not often can learn of someones struggles, and ask the hard qusetions to yourself. The "whys" in this man's life are hard to understand. Until you know that to him living is enough. This book will make you laugh, cry, never want to give up.

Courage and Character
During the summer or 2004, I was at a junction in my professional path where I found myself in desperate need of encouraging words.I went into the hospital bookstore and found this.The book is simple, the narrative is not as flamboyant as John Stone's "In the Country of Hearts", but it strikes a chord, confirming a fact that we already know to be true:children are much more capable of opening their hearts and minds than adults.To capture the stories of these patients requires a man of courage and character, and I get the feeling that it's exactly what makes Fred Epstein a very special man, and physician.

On a side note, this book was instrumental in finding a neurosurgeon for my niece's classmate.I had just read the book, and gave it to my mother to read.Just two weeks after she got the book, we heard that this little girl had a tumor and had been flown to see some specialists in Miami.After communicating with that family, they were able to get a consult from Dr. Epstein, and she is now recovering, although her prognosis still remains uncertain.

Whimsical clichés about sick children, but no real depth
Fred Epstein is some sort of folk-hero of a man: Moved by righteous anger to battle against the evil cancers that threaten the lives of innocents, he performs miracles, curing "inoperable" tumours in his bespoke Neverneverland kids hospital.

Whilst parents of a sick child may find solace or interest here, this book (and I appreciate that this view will be unpopular) did nothing for me.

The narrative reads across between a religio-medical manifesto and a self-help book. For every hundred words of anecdote about a child who fought cancer, there's another hundred of pop-philosophising. There are glimpses of the children's brilliance, and one can appreciate the resilience that Epstein is trying to convey, but there is just too little detail here to do more than produce a colour-wash of feeling. It is this that fails to portray the depth of the situation, as any parent could easily empathise and little more understanding is offered by this book. Rather than giving a true insight into the life of a paediatric neurosurgeon, or any more than a superficial glimpse into the lives of his patients and their parents, this comes across as a pseudo-religious pick and mix of ideas, faith and assertions set against a candy-floss coated spiel about the courage, pluck and strength of children.

Whilst there are undoubtedly some amazing stories here - not least Epstein's own as he struggles to recover from a brain haemorrhage with the distant hope of operating again - they are glossed over and whilst any individual's story would be fascinating, these soundbite snippets and clichés form an insubstantial whole that fails to do justice to Epstein or his charges.

Epstein is clearly writing from the heart and to not enjoy his book is not to denigrate the fantastic work he has done for these children and their parents. For parents of children facing surgery, this may be a valuable support and readers who appreciate this tale might also like Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie. For other readers interested in the processes of treatment and recovery, but not fans of the self-help platform, I recommend instead McCrum's My Year Off, Diamond's C: Because Cowards Get Cancer Too and Vertosick's When the Air Hits the Brain.


dr_sasp
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The right kinds of tests, correctly applied, can help every teacher become a better teacher. But unless you know the nuts and bolts of effective test design and application, you may be collecting the wrong data; misinterpreting data; and drawing off-base conclusions about what students know and can do, what to teach next, and how effective your instruction has been.

In Test Better, Teach Better, assessment expert W. James Popham explores the links between assessment and instruction and provides a jargon-free look at classroom and large-scale test construction, interpretation, and application. Featuring sample items, testing tips, and recommended resources, this "crash course" in instructionally focused assessment includes

* The four types of instructional decisions that testing will illuminate.
* What you really need to know about measurement concepts like validity, reliability, and bias.
* The advantages and disadvantages of various test formats and experience-based rules for creating great items in each.
* The benefits of assessing student affect and guidelines for doing it in your own classroom.

In addition, Popham offers practical advice for dealing with today's myriad testing targets and explains how standards-based achievement tests currently don't (but could) provide both accountability evidence and useful instructional information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enthusiastically recommended reading for classroom educators
Test Better, Teach Better: The Instructional Role Of Assessment is an informative guideline by W. James Popham (Professor Emeritus, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies) to using test data to improve classroom instructor's ability to educate children and prepare them for the future. From the often-misused value of standardized achievement tests; to applying tests judiciously in order to clarify one's curriculum; to minimizing bias and taking it into account, and more, Test Better, Teach Better is enthusiastically recommended reading for classroom educators dedicated to utilizing every means at their disposal to improve the academic abilities of their students regardless of the subject matter being taught. Also highly recommended is the Association For Supervision And Curriculum Development website at www.ascd.org ... Read more

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In today's global village, the ability to relate to people from other cultures is becoming increasingly important for all those involved in education. Designed for teacher trainers, this book will help in shaping and assessing teacher preparation programmes from a global perspective. The book offers: a clear conceptual framework for the exploration of global perspectives; an insightful guide for establishing goals, objectives and rationale; a working definition of global education; and a rich collection of case studies that can be translated into a variety of settings. ... Read more

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How should a student's learning be measured and assessed? Standardized tests identify the most knowledgeable child, whereas student portfolios can identify the knowledge level of each individual child. In The Power of Portfolios, Elizabeth A. Hebert offers a practical and imaginative approach for using portfolios with elementary level students and shows how the portfolio process can serve as a powerful motivational tool by encouraging students to assess their own work, set goals, and take responsibility for future learning. Throughout the book Hebert relates stories that illuminate the lessons learned -- by the students, teachers, and principal -- from a school that has used portfolios for more than a decade. Rather than prescribing what the portfolio should contain and how it should be assessed, she offers practical guidance, including classroom exercises, for making the portfolio experience a success for the students, the teachers, and the school as a whole. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful method
Teaching using portfolios makes life so much easier! Teachers and students alike can view the progress a child has gone through the years in a way that encourages the student, giving them positive feedback. ... Read more

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This important memoir of professional development in action follows bestselling author Selma Wassermann from her dismal beginnings, struggling for control over her students, to enjoying the kind of teaching in which teacher and students are truly partners in the process.This is the story of learning to respect students, to allow them choices, to engage them in their own self-discoveries, to relinquish control, to make informed diagnoses of individual learning needs and create teaching strategies to address them, and, ultimately, to stand up for what one believes is right and good in the education of children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Un-Putdownable!
I am currently studying to become an elementary school teacher, and I devoured this book!

It is honest and inspiring, as well as intelligently and humourously written!

Selma's love for children and for learning really shows through. I was inspired to learn that school does not have to be dull and repetitive. I have gained new appreciation for the courage it takes to 'teach outside the box'.

It has made me so excited about teaching.

Thank you, Selma!

Un-Putdownable!
I am currently studying to become an elementary school teacher, and I devoured this book!

It is honest and inspiring, as well as intelligently and humourously written!

Selma's love for children and for learning really shows through. I was inspired to learn that school does not have to be dull and repetitive. I have gained new appreciation for the courage it takes to 'teach outside the box'.

It has made me so excited about teaching.

Thank you, Selma! ... Read more

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A companion volume to "Using Assessments to Teach for Understanding", this guide provides analysis, discussion questions and teacher notes to help the reader use the cases in its companion volume in teacher education classes and in professional development workshops. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Using Assessments to Teach For Understanding: a casebook for Ed.
Excellent book with real life happenings in the classroom.

Fast delivery with 2-day delivery! ... Read more

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Opening with a comprehensive tutorial on study skills, this text then guides the student through each of the eight content areas: language arts and reading, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, health and physical education, and theatre arts. Illuminated through sample lesson plans, lesson plan prompts, classroom observation forms, and practice questions, each content area is concretely applied to classroom practice.  This concise guide also helps students understand many of the basic theories and methodologies behind best practices for each content area. The book concludes with preparatory information on ESL supplemental certification.

Customer Reviews (10)

Worth every penny
I purchased this book exclusively for the ESL portion. The authors did a very good job covering the competencies in detail but not to overwhelming. However, I did have to purchase additional material just so I can have practice exams. Overall, I do give this book an A. After all, it did help my pass my ESL supplemental exam.

Not very helpful
Apparently anyone can write a book these days, and editors must have gone on strike. This book had one or two helpful things in it, but it had SO MANY ERRORS.It was definitely not worth it. A lot of the answers were wrong. I was planing on putting all of the wrong answers and typos here, but there are just too many. Just don't buy this book. I studied and memorized the book front to back, but when I took my test, NOTHING that I studied was there. I passed the test with flying colors, but I don't think I needed the book for that. All you need to do is think the way Texas wants you to, and go over the free online study guide. There are plenty of websites that give you helpful tips. What I got out of those sites was that you have to answer the questions like Texas thinks you should, not the way a rational, real-world person would. Don't buy the book, and don't worry too much about memorizing terms. Just know the basics and study the free manual. If you got your degree in education, you should have NO problem. I took and passed the test before ever taking any education classes. Don't spend money on this worthless book.

Very helpful book
I though this book was great.It really went in to detail and explained what I needed to know for the exam!I recommend it.

Great preparation book!
This book provided a good review for the TExES exam. I only needed the ESL section; so I had more information than I needed. However, I read through other parts of the book just for review. It is well-written, has good examples and test questions, and covers much of the information on the tests. This was the only book that I could find that contained ESL review material.

Very helpful and very broad!
I took the Generalist EC-4 Exam in May 09' and it was probably one of the hardest exams I have taken and I have my bachelor's degree already. (I did pass though!) This book was extrememly helpful in getting your mindset prepared for the test, especially if you have no experience in teaching or have not taken any pedagogy courses.
The book overall is a great BROAD review, which is great because the test is set up the same way. Some of the questions on the test completely took me off guard. I studied for 2 months or so and I definitely needed all of that time. Study all you can and this book is a great resource to passing! ... Read more

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ABCTE Mathematics Exam Secrets helps you ace the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Exam, without weeks and months of endless studying. Our comprehensive ABCTE Mathematics Exam Secrets study guide is written by our exam experts, who painstakingly researched every topic and concept that you need to know to ace your test. Our original research reveals specific weaknesses that you can exploit to increase your exam score more than you've ever imagined. ABCTE Mathematics Exam Secrets includes: The 5 Secret Keys to ABCTE Exam Success: Time is Your Greatest Enemy, Guessing is Not Guesswork, Practice Smarter, Not Harder, Prepare, Don't Procrastinate, Test Yourself; A comprehensive General Strategy review including: Make Predictions, Answer the Question, Benchmark, Valid Information, Avoid Fact Traps, Milk the Question, The Trap of Familiarity, Eliminate Answers, Tough Questions, Brainstorm, Read Carefully, Face Value, Prefixes, Hedge Phrases, Switchback Words, New Information, Time Management, Contextual Clues, Don't Panic, Pace Yourself, Answer Selection, Check Your Work, Beware of Directly Quoted Answers, Slang, Extreme Statements, Answer Choice Families; A comprehensive review for the Professional Teaching Knowledge exam, which every candidate must demonstrate mastery on, in addition to their specific subject exam: Effective Instructional Design & Strategies, Classroom Management & Organization, Assessment, Parent Communication, Working with Diverse Students, Written Essay on School Related Issue; Along with a complete, in-depth study guide for your specific ABCTE test, and much more... ... Read more

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ABCTE Special Education & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System uses repetitive methods of study to teach you how to break apart and quickly solve difficult test questions on the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Exam. Study after study has shown that spaced repetition is the most effective form of learning, and nothing beats flashcards when it comes to making repetitive learning fun and fast. Our flashcards enable you to study small, digestible bits of information that are easy to learn and give you exposure to the different question types and concepts. ABCTE Special Education & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System covers all of the most important topics that you'll need to know to be successful on test day. ... Read more

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ABCTE Elementary Education/Multiple Subject & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System uses repetitive methods of study to teach you how to break apart and quickly solve difficult test questions on the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Exam. Study after study has shown that spaced repetition is the most effective form of learning, and nothing beats flashcards when it comes to making repetitive learning fun and fast. Our flashcards enable you to study small, digestible bits of information that are easy to learn and give you exposure to the different question types and concepts. ABCTE Elementary Education/Multiple Subject & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System covers all of the most important topics that you'll need to know to be successful on test day. ... Read more

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ABCTE General Science Exam Flashcard Study System uses repetitive methods of study to teach you how to break apart and quickly solve difficult test questions on the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Exam. Study after study has shown that spaced repetition is the most effective form of learning, and nothing beats flashcards when it comes to making repetitive learning fun and fast. Our flashcards enable you to study small, digestible bits of information that are easy to learn and give you exposure to the different question types and concepts. ABCTE General Science Exam Flashcard Study System covers all of the most important topics that you'll need to know to be successful on test day. ... Read more

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ABCTE United States History & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System uses repetitive methods of study to teach you how to break apart and quickly solve difficult test questions on the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Exam. Study after study has shown that spaced repetition is the most effective form of learning, and nothing beats flashcards when it comes to making repetitive learning fun and fast. Our flashcards enable you to study small, digestible bits of information that are easy to learn and give you exposure to the different question types and concepts. ABCTE United States History & Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam Flashcard Study System covers all of the most important topics that you'll need to know to be successful on test day. ... Read more