The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

I'm always a sucker for a book that takes place in a bookshop or a library. Words like "witty" and "charming" were used to describe this novel, and I thought I was in for a lovely, summery, light read.  

It wasn't quite like that, although I did like the novel. It was certainly slower in pace and more solemn that I expected. Loveday Cardew is a young woman working in a second-hand bookshop. It is her refuge from a past that left her living in foster homes and being on her own for most of her life. She's very private, and no one knows her past as a happy little girl with two loving parents, before it all went horribly wrong when she was ten years old. Now 25, she's found her small slice of contentment, and a family with the shop's owner, Archie, a delightfully charming man who seems to know everyone and has done everything. 

Enter Nathan, who stops in the bookshop after losing his book of poetry near the bus stop. Loveday found it, and posted a note about it on the community board in the bookshop. Nathan is a magician, a poet, and knows how to give Loveday her space, while at the same time edging her towards a relationship. Rob, an ex-boyfriend of Loveday's, is a creep. He's stalking her, and won't leave her alone. As the story progresses, Loveday's relationship with Nathan slowly moves forward, as we get the history of her short relationship with Rob, and the background of her life in Whitby, a seaside town where she lived happily with her parents.  Until happily ever after came crashing down in a horribly tragic moment.

I wasn't sure what to make of this novel. Loveday is pretty prickly and withdrawn, and Nathan really is a gem: he knows when to push, and when to stand back. He's exactly what Loveday needs, and I was so relieved that she had enough sense to realize that, even if she felt she wasn't worthy of a good relationship. Her growing confidence in reading her poetry during poetry nights at the local pub, along with her unfolding relationship with Nathan, are the two plot points that keep the story moving forward. Also, I was curious as to what exactly happened to Loveday's family. It wasn't hard to figure out, but I had to wait until 3/4 of the way through the novel to finally get the full story. I also appreciated Loveday standing up to Rob, after realizing she played right into his hands. Jerk. Physical abuse is a big part of the novel; and Loveday's thoughtful insight into her experience with it explains the mindset of women who don't always leave at the first slap, and find a way to explain it away. But is also shows that sometimes, that abuser won't leave, even when a woman does stand up to them and take back their power. 

I can't say this was a charming novel. It wasn't. It was thoughtful, and a bit dark, and, for me, a bit sad. I'll leave it to you to read and discover Loveday's journey, and the role books play in her life. The ending will satisfy all who are cheering Loveday on in her journey. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that surprised me with themes of domestic abuse, stalking, and bullying; what they do to us as adults, and how we cope. The power of books to provide comfort, and remind us of the best things in life, are the backbone of this novel. I liked the story, but had hoped for a frothier read! Not the fault of the author, but of my expectations. Would make a good book club selection. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio

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Car Financing: Buying a Used Car

Car financing when buying a used car. For most people, a car is the second most expensive purchase they will make in their lives, next to a house. While you can always find great bargains on new cars, it might be a smart financial move to purchase a slightly used car instead. Remember, a new car depreciates by thousands of dollars the moment you drive it off the lot. If you buy a car that is a couple of years old, it will still depreciate, but less quickly as the first owner already took the big initial hit.

Whether you plan to pay with cash upfront or use car financing, here are some things you should do before you buy a used vehicle:

1. Do your research

Make a list of things you want from a car. Think about if you want a big or small car and the features you can’t live without. When you have determined these things, do your research to see which car best suits your needs. Also, look at ads from varying dealerships to get an idea of what you should expect to pay for similar vehicles in your area.

2. Set a budget

Determine how much you can afford to spend on your purchase based on your financial situation. Your budget should include funds for the car as well as any taxes and fees plus the cost for inspection and minor repairs, if necessary. When you set your budget, do not allow a salesperson to persuade you to go beyond this limit to get a car you cannot afford. Never reveal your budget to the salesperson. This will give you more room to negotiate.

3. Check the car’s history

Before you purchase a used car, check the history to shed light on the details of the car’s life. You may read about the car’s history on sites such as CarProof and CarFax. You want to find a car that is only around 2 years old with less than 30,000 miles on it.

4. Test drive the vehicle

Always test drive a used car before you buy it. You should try to drive the vehicle in a variety of situations such as on the highway and up and down hills, for example. If you test drive the vehicle and anything seems off, do not be afraid to walk away.

5. Get a car inspection

When you plan to buy a used car, you must have the vehicle inspected by a trustworthy mechanic. While there are some things you may check for yourself, you will need a mechanic to look under the hood and run basic tests. It is also a good idea to buy a used car from a dealership that offers an extended warranty on certified used vehicles.

6. Always shop around

Never walk into a dealership or to a meeting with a private seller with the intention of purchasing the car that same day. If you are too eager, it could cause you to settle for a car that is not ideal or one that may have many issues down the line.

Do you need car financing to purchase a used car?

If you need to access car financing to purchase a used vehicle, Credit Now offers you the easiest way to get approved for the vehicle you want, regardless of your financial situation and credit background. So, contact us to speak with a member of our team today.

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Log Home Kit vs Custom Build: What’s the difference?

As you look into building a log home, you’ll see some constructed from log home kits while others are custom builds. However, you might not be able to tell which is which from the photos alone. Both construction styles create beautiful, personalized properties but there are differences in the time it takes to build them, the design freedom, and their budgeted costs.
Log home kits allow you to select from a wide selection of pre-designed rooms and styles for your home, including vaulted ceilings and open concept kitchens. Builders then deliver the home in pre-assembled sections that you can easily construct yourself or with a builder.

This is a great option for those who want the experience of building a log home without the time, design, and other costs involved in a completely custom built home.

Custom built log homes can be designed entirely from scratch. You, your architect, and your engineering team have complete freedom with every detail. All building materials are cut and selected specifically for your home to be constructed by a builder on site. This is the best option for those who want to be more hands-on with the project, who need more design flexibility, and who have more space in their time and budget.

To help you decide which option is best for you, here are in-depth overviews of the time, budget, and building differences between log home kits and custom built homes.

Log Home Kit Overview

Building Time

Log home kits are easy and fast to design. You look at a variety of styles available and select those which best fit your vision. You simply need to mix and match the sections to make your log home, your own.
When building a home from a kit, the sections are pre-assembled prior to delivery. Thus, you don’t have to wait for the raw materials to be cut and the sections can be assembled quickly on site.

For instance, our average log home takes about three days to assemble and another day to install the roofing. This means that it can be completed and weather tight within a week!

Log Home Kit Costs

Log home kits take less time in design, labour, and material costs. Your architect and engineer need little input, as the parts of the home itself have already been constructed and their structural integrity and design pre-approved.
Building materials for a log home kit are cut and assembled in advance, which decreases the time needed by the log yard and during the build itself. Time is major factor in why log home kits are a great way to build a stunning log home at a lesser cost.

Personalizing A Kit Home

You may not know it from the name but log home kits allow you to select between a large selection of home styles. For instance, our most popular designs include open concept kitchens and vaulted ceilings. You may actually need a bit more time to decide between your favourite designs.
Unless you have a very specific vision for your home in mind, you’ll likely be able to find a log home kit that fits your needs, wants, and personal taste.
Note: Log home kits are often confused with modular or prefab homes. The big difference between them is in the degree of customization available. With a log home kit, there are many more options for personalizing the style and structure of a property than with other pre-assembled homes types.

Construction

You log home kit will be pre-assembled at the log yard in segments and delivered to the site. After it arrives, the sections will be connected and joined together to complete your home.

If you are a “do-it-yourselfer,” our log home kits are very user-friendly. We will have pre-cut all your window and door openings, your siding slots and drywall slots, and include a comprehensive “how-to” guide so you can finish your log home properly. You shouldn’t even have to bring a chainsaw to the site to build it!

Custom Built Log Home Overview

Building Time

Custom homes require more time upfront for you to envision, create, and have your home design approved with your architect and engineer team.
The raw materials, including logs and beams, must be custom cut and the entire home assembled in the log yard before being dismantled and shipped to you. When it comes to building, all parts of a custom home are typically constructed on site from scratch. This takes longer but is the best option if you have a specific vision for your home and more flexibility in your building timeline.

Custom Build Cost

As mentioned above, custom homes require more time from your design and building team to layout, ensure structural integrity, and build the home piece by piece. This makes the labour costs higher than with a pre-assembled log home kit.
Also, since the materials used need to be custom cut and purchased specifically for your home, the material costs will be higher.

Personalization Your Custom Home

Custom built homes leave the design completely up to you, your architect, and engineer. It’s your chance to build your own unique dream home!
Alone or with a designer, you are able to pick every element of your home’s style and customize it exactly to your liking. The only confines you’ll face are the laws of physics, building codes, and your budget.

Construction

We first build your entire custom home in the log yard. That way, we ensure sure all of the raw materials needed are present, cut, and that the design is perfect. Then, we take it down and ship it to your location piece by piece, placing sections of your home into containers so it’s most efficiently assembled on-site.

Whether the home of your dreams comes from a log home kit or is a custom build simply depends on your budget, timing, and the degree of personalization you’re seeking. No one option is better than the other so have some fun and see where your vision takes you.
If you have any questions about our turn key log home kits or custom log home projects, please contact us.

What is the difference between prefab and a custom log homes

How much do log homes cost?

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PMP:118 Growing Leaders Takeaways – Crucial Conversations About Students

The other morning, I woke up early in a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then it dawned on me that I was presenting that morning at a Growing Leaders Principal Roundtable event hosted by Dr. Tim Elmore. I dressed, grabbed my laptop bag and headed downstairs […]

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Hiring an assistant principal? Reading suggestions for new leaders! #cpchat

My amazing assistant principal was named principal of another school here in our district this past week. (!!!) We are SO excited for her, but that means I’ve got an incredible opportunity to bring on a new partner in crime. A new leader is bright…shiny…full of energy, ideas, and motivated to do their best. A new […]

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2 Questions to Focus on Long-Term Learning in Classrooms

It is “conference season” for many educators, and I have seen the wave of “60 Tools in 60 Minute” sessions being posted online.  The promise is often made that there will be ideas that you can implement “the next day!” for your classroom.

Is this a good or bad thing?

First of all, having access to ideas is not a bad idea.  But looking for a “quick-fix” for your classroom is focused more on engaging students than it is a necessary long-term solution.  Ideas matter in the way you apply them to your context, now how they are carbon-copied for your classroom.  I continuously state that relationships are the foundation of education, so knowing your class is where we take advantage of finding what works for the students in front of us, not what will work with any student anywhere.  If there were one thing that worked for every student in the world, every educator would know it.

But more importantly, we ask for our students to be “resilient” and “critical thinkers,” which is necessary, but if we always are looking for simple things to do the next day, are we modeling the same aspirations for our students in our own professional development?  The best ideas are often not easy to implement and take time, but that is where we get the most value long-term.

As you think about what we do with students in a classroom, here are a few questions to think about:

1. What will students “create” because of their learning in my classroom/our school?
2. How will this “empower” students in the long-term to learn and create on their own?

Reading the questions above doesn’t mean that “consumption” or “compliance and engagement” aren’t part of the process in schools or classrooms.  It is just that we focus going on way beyond those measures.

Education is not an easy endeavor.  Anyone who has ever spent time in the classroom can tell you that.  But the challenge is the best part of the process.  The deep learning and push that we create for our students and ourselves are what will propel learners to a place where powerful learning becomes the norm and not the exception.

• March 15, 2016 Where will school be when we are done?
• July 23, 2016 “They have to be part of the solution”
• October 17, 2016 10 Essential Characteristics of a 21st Century Educator
• June 26, 2016 “But time is a scarce resource…”
• January 3, 2018 Revisiting #ClassroomLeadership

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20 Ways to Be Future Driven in Your Classroom

Reflection is so important for continued learning and growth. I developed the list below as a tool for educators to reflect on practices that help prepare students for a rapidly changing, complex world. Some of these practices are new. Some are not. Some of them involve technology. Some do not. 

These are all based on important themes from my book, Future Driven. These factors help prepare students for a modern world where continuous learning and adaptability are paramount.

I don't think I would expect any educator to be pursuing all of these indicators at once. And this list should never be used to think in terms of judging a good teacher vs. a bad teacher. So don't look at it like that. The purpose of the list is for reflection and growth.

It might give you an idea of where you want to focus your learning for next school year. You could pick one or two and consider how you might develop the practice in your classroom. It might help you consider your next steps in your growth as an educator.

20 Ways to be Future Driven in Your Classroom

1. I provide opportunities for project-based and inquiry-based learning.

2. I give students choices about learning (time, place, path, or pace).

3. I am learning new things about technology and sharing my learning with students and teachers.

4. My students have opportunities to connect with real-world experts.

5. My classroom learning space provides flexibility for student-centered grouping and learning tasks.

6. My students regularly have opportunities to use digital tools to leverage their skills for learning tasks.

7. I utilize Genius Hour or 20 percent time to provide opportunities for students to pursue their passions and interests.

8. I model risk-taking, grit, and perseverance for students and regularly discuss the importance of these characteristics in class.

9. I build strong relationships by greeting students, calling them by name, and getting to know them as individuals.

10. My students assume considerable responsibility for class discussions. Conversations become student-led, instead of teacher-directed.

11. My students take on projects that make a difference in the community or in the world (service-learning).

12. My students have many opportunities to create work that will be visible to authentic audiences.

13. I am intentional about cultivating curiosity in my students by having them develop their own questions, by allowing exploration, or by creating mystery or intrigue.

14. I ask my students for feedback on my teaching and the relevance of my lessons.

15. Empathy is just as important as responsibility in my classroom.

16. I am focused more on what a child can do and not what he/she cannot do.

17. I think about how the future will be different for my students and strive to teach with that in mind.

18. My students have opportunities to experiment with different approaches, rather than just practicing a predetermined method.

19. Character is more important than compliance in my classroom.

20. My students have many chances to take initiative, not just follow directions.

What other practices do you think are important for relevant, future ready learning? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

        

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Related Stories

• 3 Reasons to Recognize Effort and Growth Over Achievement and Outcomes
• Culture of Compliance or Culture of Character?
• 15 Ways to Increase Focused Energy in Your Classroom

 

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Sparkling Peach Margaritas

Sparkling Peach Margaritas are the perfect way to celebrate summer. They’re light, sweet and bursting with fresh peach flavor!

This recipe for Sparkling Peach Margaritas is sponsored by Mountain Valley Spring Water and Exotico Tequila, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.

Well, we’ve officially arrived at the first day of summer and I thought we should celebrate with a batch of Sparkling Peach Margaritas. Just in time for the weekend!

I don’t know about you, but it took us a minute to fall into a summer routine around here. We’ve been eating dinner later, staying outside later, and we’re definitely sleeping in much later.

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Leadership team…how do you grow your teacher leaders? Three easy things to try!

One of my greatest focuses as a leader is to empower other leaders. From growing independence to fostering a culture of YES…I want our to have ownership of our school is run, to truly understand WHY we do what we do, and to genuinely think about what is best for our Wolves. That comes from LOTS and […]

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PMP:117 Your Time – Are you Making the Most of Each Moment?

Balance is a popular word among life coaches and leadership authors. As important as it is to remember to invest in the meaningful areas of your life, too many people place unrealistic expectations upon themselves. Living a life of meaning does not mean being perfect. This is misperception is not only unrealistic, it is also […]

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School for Psychics by K. C. Archer

I had high hopes for this beginning to a new series, and I have mixed feelings. I'm not sure if I really enjoyed this, or was just underwhelmed, but not so underwhelmed that I loathed it. 

I was caught up pretty quickly in the opening chapter, when Teddy Cannon, a young woman with a gift for gambling, enters the Bellagio in disguise to try her big chance at poker. She's been banned from all the casinos in Las Vegas, because she's got a pretty interesting gift: she can tell when people are bluffing. No cheating, just very good at it. But casinos don't like to lose big bucks, so she's on the outs. Unfortunately, she owes a lot of money to a local mobster, who will hurt her and her parents if she doesn't pay him back. 

Teddy's run at the table ends in disaster, and resigned to what will probably be a painful meet up with the mobster, she instead is stopped by a man who claims to have the answer for her troubles. Clint, a former police officer, claims that Teddy's gift is actually psychic in nature, and she's just the kind of person he would like to send to a special school for young psychics. He'll take care of her debt to the mobster, and she will spend the next three years in a school near San Francisco. 

Teddy is taken aback at the thought that the talent that has gotten her into so much trouble her whole life could actually be as simple as being psychically gifted. All her failures weren't failures, but a gift she didn't know about, and therefore didn't know how to control. 

Teddy is smart enough to pack a bag and head to the Whitfield Institute, where, if she survives training in psychic skills, investigative techniques, and SWAT tactics, she will graduate and work for the government. Meeting other young people who also have an assortment of gifts, Teddy realizes she's not alone in her awkward life experiences. There's the usual drinking, and a little bit of sleeping around, but nothing that really detracted from the story. Of course, there is more to the Whitfield Institute than Teddy and her fellow students realize, and it has a lot to do with the mysterious Sector Three, and Teddy's birth parents, who disappeared just after Teddy's birth. Yes, they were psychics, too. And Clint...just what is his role in all of this?

I read reviews on Goodreads, and all people could say was that it was, yawn, "Harry Potter-esque". I disagree. People also said it was a YA novel.  I disagree about that, too. I thought Teddy and her cohorts were firmly in adulthood, even if they were in their early 20's. I didn't think they were juvenile at all. Teddy makes some dumb mistakes, but hey, who didn't in their younger years? It's all part of growing up. Honestly, I get very tired of people comparing every novel that takes place at a school, and involves young people with magical or psychic gifts to Harry Potter. Let's decide here and now there are enough talented writers out there who can also write about magic and schools and make them individual enough that they stand on their own. Stop comparing everything to Harry Potter!

Anyway, I was interested enough in the novel to finish it, and I probably would read the second in the series to see where it goes. I'm not sure what I was hoping for; maybe something with a bit more action, and I was hoping Teddy would be a bit better at making decisions and seeing through the obvious weird behavior of some of her cohorts.  I kept getting muddled on trying to figure out which side was the bad side, and which side was the good side, and why. 

Rating: 3/6 for a series beginning that could possibly become much more intriguing as it continues. Not a bad start, but it has some weak spots. Supporting characters were interesting in their quirky talents, and I have hope that Teddy will mature and become a stronger woman as she faces what are surely going to be darker situations as the story progresses. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio book. 

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Mini Cherry Almond Cheesecakes

Mini Cherry Almond Cheesecakes are a simple and delicious sweet treat for just about any occasion. They’re fun to make, and even more fun to eat!

This recipe is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.

I honestly can’t believe that it’s already mid-June. I feel like I am going to blink my eyes and it’ll be back to early mornings, packing backpacks, and preschool wardrobe compromises.

Not that we haven’t had numerous wardrobe compromises already this summer.

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3 Important Reminders During the “Change” Process

Do you remember when Twitter moved from 140 characters to 280?

For many people, the sky was falling!  Their beloved platform had changed so significantly they would not know if they would stay or use it anymore.

I am going to admit that I liked the constraint of the 140 characters.  Sometimes I miss it, but I also see tweets from people like Amy Fast that go beyond “140” and am thankful that I get to learn from people in a more in-depth way.

Did the same nervousness happen when Facebook created a “wall”?  Probably.

Or YouTube went past the ten-minute mark? Maybe.  I can’t honestly remember.

What about now that Instagram is looking at letting people post hour long videos?  What will that do long-term for the company?

What a lot of tech companies know is that people will complain about change, but eventually, they will be okay.  Most times.  Snapchat is still struggling after a design change, but a lot of other technologies change and get through that initial complaint stage.

But here is the reality. The best companies know that if they do not evolve, they have no chance of lasting in the long-term.

The point of this post is not to say, “Hey, people will get over change so just go ahead and do it.”  Just like staying the same is not always a good thing, neither is changing for the sake of change.

But it is important to realize that even change with the best intentions can cause stress and anxiety for many people.  The uncertainty of the future can cause issues in the present.

One of the best leaders I had would talk to me about the backlash she dealt with when changing things up, and she would tell me, “If you know you are doing things for the right reasons, then work with people but stay the course.”

Easier said than done but it is something to remember.

To help people through the “process of change,” here are three critical reminders.

1. Ensure you can clearly articulate why the change being implemented benefits the people you serve.
2. Don’t surprise people with change! Make them a part of the process. If they have ownership over the journey and the direction, it will be much easier to navigate.
3. Remember that YOU were once terrified of moving from something comfortable to an unknown.  Even if you knew that change would be better for you, it still didn’t make it easy.

The last point is essential.

There is something that I always remember when dealing with change.  There are things that I do today that are my “normal” that I was once terrified to do.  For example, the first time I took an Uber I was terrified. Now, it is my norm.  This tweet from Carol Nichols is one of my favorite little reminders:

 

Change is hard but if you keep your focus on who you are serving and why it is crucial to move forward and grow, staying the course will be much more comfortable than if you lose sight of those things.

• October 26, 2017 Focused On Who You Serve and Your Why
• March 8, 2016 Finding the Good Problems
• October 2, 2016 Taking Advantage of a Blank Slate
• January 3, 2017 The “Change” That is Continuously Inevitable
• May 31, 2018 Pushing Past the Organizational Plateau

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What to splurge on when building your custom home

You have chosen to build a custom home because of the endless options to personalize it, but which features will your make your budget go the farthest? If you select the right home upgrades, you can add to your lifestyle while you live in the home and add real value when you decide to sell. As you create your home’s design, consider splurging on these options that can provide a high return on your investment.

Energy Efficiency

A home is a long term investment so it’s important to consider the property’s lifetime value as you build. Home buyers are asking more often for a home’s past utility bills and you want yours to impress them if you ever decide to sell. The good news is that many log properties are already built to be exceptionally well insulated. Adding additional energy saving features, such as tankless hot water heaters and insulated windows, will keep you comfortable all year round, lower your heating/cooling costs, and boost your property value in the long run.

Also, you have the advantage of building from scratch with a custom home. Energy efficiency upgrades are easier to incorporate into the design of a new home and can cost more if you try to add them after completion. You have the opportunity when building a custom home to include energy efficient features right from the start, which is always a better value than a retrofit after completion.

Related article: How are log homes insulated

Entryways over Landscaping

Doors can make a noticeable difference to a home’s style and its energy efficiency. In terms of curb appeal, a lovely front door can make a strong first impression with home buyers. Also, garage, basement, and other exterior doors can be a major culprit for energy loss since they are the transition point between indoors and out. Therefore, select a stylish front door that catches attention and ensure you splurge on energy saving, well insulated options for all other entry points.

Some custom homeowners include extensive landscaping in their budgets. While a nice yard can make a statement from the curb, it has less of an impact on a home’s sale price. This is because making a yard look beautiful can be completed relatively quickly for a lower cost. Simply keep lawns and walkways nicely trimmed and add some hanging flower baskets to create a nice outdoor ambiance.

Counters over Cabinets

Solid marble, granite, or wooden countertops are classic features that home buyers demand and that’s why they hold their value. These materials are long lasting if they are well cared for, making them as durable as they are beautiful. Also, selecting natural countertop materials will blend nicely into the organic style of your custom log home.
Cabinets on the other hand are a major part of any kitchen or bathroom, but their look can be quickly and easily updated at anytime. For a small investment at a home store, or even a simple coat of paint, you can freshen them up to match the latest decor trends. Thus, focus your splurge on countertops instead to add a more lasting value to your home.

Flooring

Like natural stone counters, wood and stone tile flooring are a major selling feature in homes. These floors are resistant to damage and are a timeless trend in decor. They simply match every style. Depending on the look you’d like for your custom home, you can create a warm comfortable feeling with rich, dark chestnut brown floors or slate tiles.  Alternatively, you can brighten and expand a room using light oak or white marble.

Extra Bathroom

If you’re not sure whether to include an additional full bathroom in your home’s design, you may want to consider that it can add substantial value to your property. An extra bathroom is not only appealing to homebuyers who see its usefulness for guests, it’s also viewed as full room in a house.
Whereas storage space is sometimes out of sight and out of mind. Having a storage area is always a good idea but instead of allocating an entire room or closet, get creative and see if it can be added in unused spaces, like under staircases and in the attic.

Deck Addition

Creating an outdoor living area adds space to your home. It’s essentially like adding an additional room but costs less to build and you don’t have to heat it. A large deck allows you to host guests for outdoor dinners, gives children a place to play, and can act as a beautiful extension of your log home.
If you splurge on long lasting materials like treated wood, your investment in the perfect patio can last as long as you stay in your home and adds value if you ever decide to sell.

Building a custom home allows you to incorporate upgrades as you build. By selecting ones that add to your property value, you can make your budget go farther in the long term and enjoy your space more while you live there.

If you have any questions about building a custom home or upgrades that can add value to your property, please feel free to contact us.

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#InnovatorsMindset Instagram Book Study

Instagram is one of the biggest social networks in the world, and it’s visual component make it a platform that many people are interested in using.  As I have used it for most personal reasons, I wanted to see if it would be an excellent place to further my own learning and network with others.  This gave me the idea of doing a book study on my book, “The Innovator’s Mindset,” starting July 2 and going until July 18.

The goal is to go through a chapter a day and share learning through some visual medium.  Each day I will try to post at least a one minute video on a critical thought or reading from each chapter in order and will pose a question that you can either answer in the comments on my post, or on your post.

Each day of the book study (or as you see fit), participants will be asked to share a reflection in some form on what they have read. It can be a video that they talk or share something, a visual they create, or whatever you can think of that can be represented through Instagram like a “Booksnap” (information on that from Tara Martin here).

There are many ways you can share your learning through Instagram, so please do not limit it to my suggestions.

Each day of the book study, I encourage participants to do the following.

1. Share your post to the hashtag #InnovatorsMindset and the applicable chapter reading.  For each chapter, the second hashtag will be the following:

   Intro – #InnovatorsMindsetIntro
   Chapter 1 – #InnovatorsMindsetCH1
   Chapter 2 – #InnovatorsMindsetCH2
   Chapter 3 – #InnovatorsMindsetCH3

   (Continued for all 14 chapters)

   Each post should have #InnovatorsMindset AND the appropriate chapter hashtag. You can share any other hashtags that you see fit for the process as well.

2. Tag me (@gcouros) on the post on Instagram.  I will do my best to see as many as possible and comment.  You are more than welcome to follow me on Instagram as well, but my account is open, so you do not necessarily have to do so.
3. Write as much as little or as much as you want in the subject line on your reflection.
4. Feel free to use the story feature to share your learning as well.

*Please note that if your account is private only people that follow you will be able to see what you share.

This process is new to me as well, but I want to try something different to see how this impacts my learning and ultimately, what doors does this open for learning in the classroom.  Bear with me as I learn through the process as well.

The dates for the reading are the following:

Date	Chapter
July 2, 2018	Introduction
July 3, 2018	Chapter 1
July 4, 2018	Chapter 2
July 5, 2018	Chapter 3
July 6, 2018	Chapter 4
July 7, 2018	Chapter 5
July 8, 2018	Chapter 6
July 9, 2018	Chapter 7
July 10, 2018	Chapter 8
July 11, 2018	Chapter 9
July 12, 2018	Chapter 10
July 13, 2018	Chapter 11
July 14, 2018	Chapter 12
July 15, 2018	Chapter 13
July 16, 2018	Chapter 14

If you are interested in joining, I encourage you to purchase the book if you do not already have it.  That being said, if you do not have the book, you are more than welcome to join in any way you see fit.  As well, please sign up here:

Thank you for your interest in this process.  I am not sure how it will work, but I am looking forward to giving it a try and seeing how it can be modified for future use in schools.

A little reminder from the book…

• July 8, 2016 Curious about…?
• September 29, 2015 One School’s Impossible, Is Another School’s Norm
• November 10, 2015 5 Ways to Lay the Foundation for Innovation #InnovatorsMindset
• November 3, 2017 3 Images to Further the #InnovatorsMindset
• August 22, 2017 Using Technology Doesn’t Make You Innovative

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The importance of planning as a leader… & tips to do it well! #erincondren

Confession: My husband doesn’t buy me flowers. He buys me stationary supplies. As techy as I try to be, I can’t not have a paper/pencil planner. I have tried a variety of digital tools (google calendar, todoist, evernote). I have tried to quit cold turkey and only use my Outlook calendar so I can use my phone. […]

The post The importance of planning as a leader… & tips to do it well! #erincondren appeared first on Technically Yours Teamann.

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Banana Cream Pie Fluff

Banana Cream Pie Fluff is a new twist on a Southern classic. It’s wonderful for potlucks and picnics, and way easier than pie!

This recipe is sponsored by Campfire® Marshmallows, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.

I am not from the South. I hope this is clear in how much I talk about Ohio, and Ohio’s weather. That said, my best friend IS from the South, and talks about Southern food a LOT.

I’ve learned my way around some of the best Southern foods there are, from fried chicken and mac n’ cheese to – you guessed it – Banana Cream Pie.

There may be some argument as to whether or not this famous dessert is Southern, but that’s how I think of it. I definitely saw it on more than a few menus when I was in Austin last year, and I rarely see it up here.

(more…)

The post Banana Cream Pie Fluff appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

        

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PMP:116 The Starbucks Story – Three Lessons for School Leaders

Recently, Howard Schultz, the owner and CEO of Starbucks announced he will be retiring as CEO of the company. This news comes after several years of stunning success for a company whose stock price rose from $7 a share during the recession to $56 a share this past week. As a part of my commute, […]

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The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews

It's been a long time since I've read a Mary Kay Andrews novel, and I'm happy to report her latest, The High Tide Club was just as entertaining as her previous novels. 

Set on an island off the coast of Georgia, The High Tide Club centers around Josephine Bettendorf Warrick, a 99 year old woman who is dying of cancer, and wants to make amends with friends before she dies. Brooke Trappnell, a young lawyer in the small town St. Anne, is called in to help Josephine with her requests. Living in a crumbling pink mansion on the island of Talisa, Josephine wants to reconnect with the ladies of the High Tide Club: Ruth, Varina, and Millie. Unfortunately, only Varina still lives, but she's a fragile 91 year old. Brooke quickly realizes there's more to Josephine's story--she's quite the sassy, bossy, and tough lady, even in her last days. 

Woven throughout the contemporary plot is the story of the High Tide Club, and a momentous evening in 1941, as Millie's engagement party takes place at Shellhaven, the Bettendorf mansion on Talisa Island. Engaged to a cruel man in order to provide for her mother, Millie is miserable, and the night of her party is a turning point for not only her, but all the girls. Russell Strickland, Millie's finance, is missing the next morning. What happened to him, and what do the friends know? How is Brooke connected to Talisa Island, and Josephine's family? Who will inherit the house and island after Josephine dies? 

I very happily settled into this novel. There were a few little twists that I wasn't expecting, and I was disappointed in the weak storyline regarding Henry, Brooke's three year old son. Brooke's reconnection with Henry's father seemed like an afterthought, and could have used more attention in the novel. But overall, I loved the characters, the plot, and the setting. A satisfying read all around. It's got me itching to read more of Mary Kay Andrews' backlist. I've missed a few over the years. 

Rating:  4/6 for an enjoyable summer read about the power of friendship, the power of money, family, and some good old scandals. Friendships between women old and young; friendships that span decades and some that are new,  built from shared experiences and connections. Pack your beach bag with this novel!

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook.  

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“We can’t ask teachers to be innovative in their practice while administrators do the same thing they have always done.”

“I am not a teacher but an awakener.” —Robert Frost

I tweeted this recently about the ideas of engagement and empowerment. 

Engagement is more about what you can do for your students. Empowerment is about helping them figuring out what they can do for themselves. #InnovatorsMindset

— George Couros (@gcouros) June 8, 2018

Some things that I have been thinking about the idea of empowerment lately.

1. How close do we see “engagement” and “entertaining” in education?  I have read books that closely link the two ideas, but long-term, what does this do for our students?  Do they learn to need someone else to make learning interesting for them, or do we have students figuring out how to learn in deep and meaningful ways on their own?
2. Are schools asking teachers to “empower” students while micromanaging what teachers do in classrooms?  I am seeing the word “empower” often in school vision and mission statements now, but also see a lot of teachers who feel that at the end of the day, their hands are tied in what they are genuinely able to do.  Is that perception or reality?
3. Being “empowered” doesn’t mean that all learning is fun and exciting through the process.  But if a student has that agency over their learning, are they more willing to work through the dull spots to get to the depth?  I know that when I have more ownership over the direction I want to go, I feel more willing to work through the hard stuff.  Does that apply to our learners as well?
4. It is not “engagement vs. empowerment.”  The easiest way I can put this is that if a student is engaged, they are not necessarily empowered, but if they are empowered, they are definitely engaged.
5. If we really want to move ahead in education, teachers and students will need more ownership over their learning. I believe that this can be done within the constraints of our current system, but it will take school and organizational leadership to be innovative in their processes as well.  We can’t ask teachers to be innovative in their practice while administrators do the same thing they have always done.  I have noticed that the schools where teachers are doing incredible things have leadership that innovates inside the box. They do not just encourage different thinking and action, but they model it through their own process in supporting teachers within the constraints of the system.

I am not sure if any of these thoughts make sense, but these are just things I am thinking.  To me, part of the idea of empowerment is feeling comfortable with wrestling with ideas and thoughts on things that you are passionate about, instead of pretending we know it all.  Answers to complex ideas are rarely black and white but lie somewhere in the grey. The more we encourage learners to wrestle with these ideas, the more we move forward as learning organizations.

• May 11, 2016 The Timespan and Impact of Empowerment
• August 9, 2013 This I Believe
• May 22, 2018 3 Reminders For the End of the School Year
• January 23, 2018 “Passive Learner” to “Active Creator”
• September 8, 2016 The #InnovatorsMindset MOOC Starting Soon! #IMMOOC

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Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

In my quest to read more books off my shelves at home, I pulled Not a Sound off a shelf the other day. I have met Heather Gudenkauf at a few book signings at my local B&N (she's an Iowa author) and I've read a few of her novels. They're all set in Iowa, and are thrillers. I have to say this is by far my favorite, and in my opinion, her best yet. She definitely stepped it up.

Quick synopsis: Amelia Winn was a victim of a hit and run which left her profoundly deaf.  It also cost her a career as an emergency room nurse; she became an alcoholic to cope with it all and lost her marriage as a result. Still married, but separated from her doctor husband and step-daughter, Amelia is sober and living in a cabin in the woods. She has learned to lip read and has learned sign language, but is still coping with her deafness and living with her service dog, Stitch. She spends a lot of time kayaking, paddle boarding, and running. One morning she's out paddle boarding, enjoying the peace. She stumbles upon a body in the water. Horrified, she recognizes the body as a fellow nurse that she worked with at the hospital. Amelia's childhood friend Jake, a local detective, arrives at the scene and comforts Amelia. He's the one who took her to AA and taught her sign language, and their friendship is what has kept Amelia sober and straight for the past few years.  

Amelia gets deeply involved in the murder of her friend Gwen, and is determined to figure out why she was murdered and who did it. Amelia's new job, working part time scanning patient files at a prominent oncologist's office leads to clues that something big is going on, if only Amelia can piece it all together. 

Wow. I was sucked into this novel very quickly. Amelia is such a strong character. The author's descriptions of Amelia's world of silence are so well written, you get a very good sense of what it is like to live with no sound all. How isolating it can be, how frustrating it can be. I can't imagine suddenly losing my hearing; how do you cope with that? How do you grieve that loss? One day you're a professional nurse, doing good work, living a happy life; the next you're profoundly deaf and have lost your career and life has changed completely. How do you rebuild your life? Just goes to show the kind of character Amelia is-she's human, and has her weaknesses, but she is one tough woman. 

I thought the mystery was fantastic, and how Amelia figured it out was through hard work and paying attention with all of her other senses. The last fifty pages were a thrill, and I was on the edge of my seat. Amelia is the first deaf main character I've encountered in a novel, and she is pretty impressive. 

If you like Jodi Picoult, I would recommend Heather Gudenkauf. She centers her novels around contemporary issues that are making headlines; one of her strengths is her ability to write about these issues in a small town setting--people face crime, ethical issues, and family issues in every walk of life. Her novels are a quick read and hard to put down. 

Rating:  5/6 for one of the most compelling characters I've come across in a long time. Gudenkauf's heroine is likeable, strong, and introduced me to a world of silence. Great plot, action, and really hard to put down. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 




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PMP:115 A Leader’s Influence – How is the Air You Breathe?

In 2010, I had the privilege of traveling to China for ten days on an education tour. One morning in Beijing, I headed outside the hotel before breakfast for a quick run. Later as I showered and dressed, I began to feel sick. I thought perhaps I was catching a cold or was just suffering […]

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Best 800 Number Service for Small Business

Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the best 800 number service for businesses and the benefits of having an 800 phone number. I’ve used 800 number services that forward to my cell phone for my e-commerce business and online businesses. Features and options  have certainly improved since I got my first 800 […]

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3 Questions To Challenge Practices That No Longer Work in Education

I read this snippet from the article, “Why Children Aren’t Behaving, And What You Can Do About It,”(a great read) in an interview with author Katherine Reynolds Lewis, regarding her new parenting book, The Good News About Bad Behavior:

Whether you’re trying to get your child to dress, do homework or practice piano, it’s tempting to use rewards that we know our kids love, especially sweets and screen time. You argue in the book: Be careful. Why?

Yes. The research on rewards is pretty powerful, and it suggests that the more we reward behavior, the less desirable that behavior becomes to children and adults alike. If the child is coming up with, “Oh, I’d really like to do this,” and it stems from his intrinsic interests and he’s more in charge of it, then it becomes less of a bribe and more of a way that he’s structuring his own morning.

The adult doling out rewards is really counterproductive in the long term — even though they may seem to work in the short term. The way parents or teachers discover this is that they stop working. At some point, the kid says, “I don’t really care about your reward. I’m going to do what I want.” And then we have no tools. Instead, we use strategies that are built on mutual respect and a mutual desire to get through the day smoothly.

I have written about the impact of awards before and although we know long term that awards often do more harm than good for critical thinking skills and intrinsic motivation, why do schools still do them? My gut tells me this is more about tradition than what is good for our learners.  It is hard to move away from what always was, to move to what could be, because we are often too scared to challenge and ask questions.  “Tradition” from the past doesn’t ensure success from the future.

This is not to say that some “traditions” haven’t been challenged and rethought for the betterment of our students. As a kid, I hated reading because I was continuously forced to read books that were no interest to me. Now, you are seeing educators focusing on helping students find books that they love, even if they are harder than their “level,” and kids are becoming more interested in reading because they get to read texts that interest them, and in many ways, represent who they are.  Of course, we have a long way to, but I have seen a significant shift in this practice alone because it is more about what is best for learners than this is what we have always done.

If we want to challenge our schools to move forward, we have to start questioning some of the things that we have always done and thought about and focus on what we can create.

Here is a simple exercise that can make an impact to move forward.  Ask your staff to identify something that we need to rethink our schools.  Have them answer these three questions:

1. Why did we do that practice in the past? 
2. Is it beneficial to our current students in the long-term?
3. What could we do instead that would be better for our students?

There are two major reasons why these questions are crucial.

The first, which is obvious, is to ensure that we are doing what is best for students.  The second reason is that we do not shift to something new in our school without really thinking about whether it works or not.  There are some practices from the past that are still relevant in schools, and when you change something solely for the sake of changing it, you will cause more issues than solve.

If you are interested in implementing this process with your schools (or a modified version), please involve parents and students in the process.  NEVER change something that has been a tradition for years in your school without involving your community.  They need to understand and be able to contribute to the solutions, not just sit on the sidelines.

As I stated earlier, not all past practices are wrong, as well, not all new methods are suitable.  That being said, it is crucial to ask, “Why do we still do this?” and not just get comfortable with what has been done in the past while we know there are better ways.  Tradition has its place but it should never limit the opportunities for the future of our learners.

• January 11, 2011 Honouring All Students
• December 30, 2014 Fresh Eyes
• June 28, 2013 The Prophets In Your Land
• June 2, 2012 Insanity
• April 15, 2015 Similar but different?

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Where the Wild Cherries Grow by Laura Madeleine

This novel came into my reading life in a roundabout way.  I had purchased The Confectioner's Tale by the same author, and started reading it.  Not quite 100 pages in, I got restless (my usual MO). I looked to see if she had written anything else, and Where the Wild Cherries Grow popped up, and not only that, my library had it available.  Bingo! And thus began my summer reading with a lovely novel and a new author. 

Sometimes an unexpected book comes along that is a delightful surprise. That's how I feel about this novel, and author Laura Madeleine. It was a refreshing read full of crisp smells, the tang of the ocean, the heat of the sun, and oh! the food!  

Where the Wild Cherries Grow is the story of a young woman who runs away from home to the South of France, and 50 years later, the young legal clerk who is assigned the task of finding out what happened to her. It's 1919, Emeline Vane has suffered too much loss in her short life: two older brothers have died in World War I; her mother, unable to recover from the loss, has died. Emeline, suffering overwhelming grief, is unable to cope and her Uncle Andrew pushes her to sell the family home and send her young brother Timothy off to relatives to live. Emeline is sent to France, on her way to a psychiatric hospital in Switzerland, when she has a brief moment of realization, and jumps off the train. Where does she go, and is she still alive in 1969?

Forward to 1969, and London. Bill Perch, a young solicitor still living with his parents and working for a cheesy law firm, is given the task of confirming that Emeline is dead. Her relatives want to sell the family home to a development company, and since her mother left the home equally to Emeline and Timothy, she must be declared dead for the deal to move forward. Timothy has been ill, unable to communicate with his children, and in the hospital. He is convinced Emeline is still alive, and refuses to declare her dead. 

Bill Perch is a character that I just grew to like more and more. A young man in 1969, he's unsure of himself, awkward, and seems removed from the tumultuous time he lives in.  His transformation to a determined, living by the seat of his pants kind of person is one of the best parts of the novel. I kept cheering him on every time he took a chance and went with what he felt was right. He becomes Emeline's champion against those who would dismiss her. Both Bill and Emeline change from sheltered young people, restricted by family expectations, into who they are both meant to be.  The setting in the small seaside town of Cerebre felt magical and timeless. Bill's experience at Emeline's family home is another magical place, another timeless place that of course would generate change in anyone who was restless and ready for new experiences. 

I loved both Bill and Emeline's stories, and they dovetail together nicely.  Oh, so good!  This novel engages all your senses, and while it had a bit of sadness, I think of it as a bright, happy novel about finding your true self, and in doing so, finding happiness.  Sometimes taking chances can lead to wonderful people, places, and opportunities. 

This is a perfect armchair travel novel, and one you'll want to read while sipping a refreshing drink and nibbling on bread, cheese, and fruit. 

Rating:  5/6 for a delightful historical novel that captured me from the first chapter. Loved everything about it!

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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