Robert J. Samuelson, writing in the Washington Post, nails it: The rap against employment-oriented schooling is that it traps the poor and minorities in low-paying, dead-end jobs. Actually, an unrealistic expectation of college often traps them into low-paying, dead-end jobs — or no job. Learning styles differ. “Apprenticeship in other countries does a better job of engaging students,” says Lerman. “We want to diversify the routes to rewarding careers.” Downplaying these programs denies some students the pride and self-confidence of mastering difficult technical skills, while also fostering … [Read more...] about Drop the College-For-All Crusade
Thriving at College
Interview with Terry Whalin on Book Publishing – Part 2
I previously reviewed Terry's excellent book, Book Proposals That $ell. Last week I posted part 1 of an interview with Terry about the non-fiction book publishing process. Here's part 2. Can you identify any resources for aspiring authors seeking an agent? What should an author look for in an agent? (A continuation of Terry's response from part 1.) For resources, one of the best resources is my free list of over 400 agents (names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and websites). There is an article from Victoria Strauss about The Safest Way to Search for an Agent. The article has many … [Read more...] about Interview with Terry Whalin on Book Publishing – Part 2
An Educated Choice: Advice for Parents of College-Bound Students
Frank A. Brock, former President of Covenant College packs a ton of wisdom into this short book, available as of this moment for $5.20, 60% off. It echoes a lot of the themes I discussed in Thriving at College, but in a book suitable to parents walking their children through the college preparation and selection process. Brock sets out to help parents "understand something of the educational landscape and see that there are many types of learning communities with differing philosophies of education, all of which have different outcomes." He wants to help higher education customers be … [Read more...] about An Educated Choice: Advice for Parents of College-Bound Students
Interview with Terry Whalin on Book Publishing – Part I
I previously reviewed Terry's excellent book, Book Proposals That $ell. Today, I'm delighted to post part 1 of an interview with Terry about the non-fiction book publishing process. We'll conclude this interview next week. How did you get your start in the publishing world, and how long have you been in the industry? I began publishing stories when I was in high school in my student newspaper. I also interned on the local newspaper in my small Indiana town and wrote stories. Then I majored in journalism at one of the top schools in the U.S. (Indiana University). Graduating from college, … [Read more...] about Interview with Terry Whalin on Book Publishing – Part I
Book Proposals That Sell
I just posted an Amazon review of this fantastic book: Who would buy a house that wasn't built according to a carefully drafted plan -- a set of blueprints? Yet MOST aspiring non-fiction authors rush to write a full manuscript without first doing the hard work of drawing up "a set of blueprints": a proposal. But here's the truth: 90% of non-fiction books are sold from a book proposal (not from a manuscript!). Writing a proposal won't just dramatically increase your chances of getting a book contract. It will help you write a better book. (That was certainly my own experience in writing … [Read more...] about Book Proposals That Sell
Working for God’s Praise
A great post by Hugh Whelchel on having the appropriate goal and motivation in our work--the desire to receive praise from God for the faithful stewardship of the talents, gifts and opportunities he entrusts to us. Whelchel also debunks two common cultural myths: By age 28, many face what's called a "quarter-life crisis," thanks to the two great lies our culture promotes among children in school, students in college, and professionals in the business world. The first great lie is, "If you work hard enough, you can be anything you want to be." It is often sold as the American Dream, expressed … [Read more...] about Working for God’s Praise