Finding and troubleshooting placements in the field for teacher candidates can be challenging, frustrating, and sometimes amazing. This book is a compilation of the experiences of three clinical instructors at the University of Central Arkansas. They share stories of their challenges and their victories as well as ideas and suggestions for creating a successful experience for candidates in their field experiences. The material in the book reflects experiences in both undergraduate and nontraditional graduate programs. If you have struggled with creating successful field experiences, you may enjoy reading this book. Misery loves company.

This book is a compilation of the experiences of three clinical instructors at the University of Central Arkansas. They share stories of their challenges and their victories as well as ideas and suggestions for creating a successful experience for candidates in their field experiences.

Attitudes, like viruses are catching. They sweep through organization like a tsunami bringing a waves of productivity or eroding morale. People take their cues of how to feel and react to daily events from each other and especially their leaders. Employees want and need a consistent positive work environment to do their best work. Research has demonstrated that positive feelings enhance performance. They look to their leaders to set the behavioral example of the tone and impact of their interactions. While you may be clear about your company direction and strategy, how clear are you about the attitudes that you carry to work? Many people intend to inspire people to do their best but inadvertently end up intimidating them with their negative attitude. Your attitude speaks volumes before you utter a word. Like your shadow, you often are unaware of it. Your attitude permeates everything about you: the way you think, the tone of your voice, what words you choose, and even how you move your body - your body language. While you may think that your thoughts and feelings are purely private, your body is mirroring and in fact is speaking your mind. What you are thinking and feeling gets translated into your body language, and is very much like those electronic signs with a message that flashes, this time across your forehead. Most people don' t realize that they are communicating a non-verbal message that often may override the words they speak. Most of the time you may think the problem is just the other person who is being defensive when in fact you may be sending signals that are provoking that response. It is not necessarily easy to catch your self and adjust your mindset/attitude. Most people are consumed with the daily fires that flare up and the deadlines that are looming in their future. This book gives people access and tools to become aware and shift to a positive and productive mindset.

PARENTING NEVER ENDS. From the founders of the #1 site for parents of teens and young adults comes an essential guide for building strong relationships with your teens and preparing them to successfully launch into adulthood The high school and college years: an extended roller coaster of academics, friends, first loves, first break-ups, driver’s ed, jobs, and everything in between. Kids are constantly changing and how we parent them must change, too. But how do we stay close as a family as our lives move apart? Enter the co-founders of Grown and Flown, Lisa Heffernan and Mary Dell Harrington. In the midst of guiding their own kids through this transition, they launched what has become the largest website and online community for parents of fifteen to twenty-five year olds. Now they’ve compiled new takeaways and fresh insights from all that they’ve learned into this handy, must-have guide. Grown and Flown is a one-stop resource for parenting teenagers, leading up to—and through—high school and those first years of independence. It covers everything from the monumental (how to let your kids go) to the mundane (how to shop for a dorm room). Organized by topic—such as academics, anxiety and mental health, college life—it features a combination of stories, advice from professionals, and practical sidebars. Consider this your parenting lifeline: an easy-to-use manual that offers support and perspective. Grown and Flown is required reading for anyone looking to raise an adult with whom you have an enduring, profound connection.

Angel was a woman defined by her past. In fact, everything she did was defined by yesterday's pain. Her past was the elephant in the room, to be avoided at all cost, even if she had to pretend to be someone other than herself. Paul was a man driven by purpose. He was a man who knew who he was and where he was going. His life was laid out in front of him, with no room for detours or distractions. Destiny was just a few steps away, so he thought. Until one starry night he meets a woman, simply named Angel, who leads him on a journey of discovery.