Lessons From A Third Grade Dropout

A USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal bestseller! Learn how to live a life of character and integrity—by following the simple advice of a third grade dropout. Be inspired by the book behind Dr. Rick Rigsby’s viral graduation speech. After his wife died, Rick Rigsby was ready to give up. The bare minimum was good enough. Rigsby was content to go through the motions, living out his life as a shell of himself. But then he remembered the lessons his father taught him years before— incredibly simple, yet incredibly profound. These lessons weren’t about advanced mathematics or the secrets of the stock market. They were quite straightforward, in fact, as Rigsby’s father never made it through third grade. But if this man’s instructions were powerful enough to inspire one of his children to earn a Ph.D. and another to become a judge—imagine what they can do for you. While Rick Rigsby’s father was a third-grade dropout, he was a man who never hid behind any excuse. A man who never allowed his problems or lack of a formal education to determine his present or affect his future. A man who realized that destiny was a choice and not a chance. In Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout, Rigsby shares the simple lessons from his father that will transform your mindset, including: Remain true to yourself Think the best at all times Give your best regardless of the circumstances Keep standing no matter what Join Rigsby as he dusts off time-tested beliefs and shares his father’s impactful, far-reaching story—of how a life can be enhanced, of how a corporate culture can be changed, of how a family can be united—by living the simple lessons of a third-grade dropout.

More than 160 MILLION people have viewed the widely popular Facebook video of Rick Rigsby speaking on the transformative power of hope. Now he shares these truths and more in his landmark book, "Afraid to Hope." You will discover how the dynamic power of hope has the capacity to transform every part of your life.

Do You Want to Be a Spiritual Leader? Start Here Have the day-to-day realities of being a dad and husband left you frustrated or just plain worn out? You’re not alone. Jerrad Lopes felt that way too…until he started blogging about his struggles and discovered thousands of other men who want to be good husbands and fathers but don’t know where to start. You will learn that spiritual leaders realize their story isn’t the story—it’s all about Jesus point their wives, children, community, and world toward God stumble their way through spiritual leadership rather than doing nothing seek humility rather than striving for perfection refuse to let their sin and shame stop them from leading their family look for adventure in the kingdom of God, not in the world create gospel-centered memories with their wife and children When you begin to understand the bigger picture of God’s purpose for you in your marriage and family, you’ll see that the good news of Jesus makes it possible for you to love and lead without fear and discouragement. Get equipped and encouraged as you become the man God is calling you to be—even when you’re dad tired.

A Washington Post Bestseller An entirely fresh approach to ending the high school dropout crisis is revealed in this groundbreaking chronicle of unprecedented transformation in a city notorious for its "failing schools" In eighth grade, Eric thought he was going places. But by his second semester of freshman year at Hancock High, his D's in Environmental Science and French, plus an F in Mr. Castillo's Honors Algebra class, might have suggested otherwise. Research shows that students with more than one semester F during their freshman year are very unlikely to graduate. If Eric had attended Hancock—or any number of Chicago's public high schools—just a decade earlier, chances are good he would have dropped out. Instead, Hancock's new way of responding to failing grades, missed homework, and other red flags made it possible for Eric to get back on track. The Make-or-Break Year is the largely untold story of how a simple idea—that reorganizing schools to get students through the treacherous transitions of freshman year greatly increases the odds of those students graduating—changed the course of two Chicago high schools, an entire school system, and thousands of lives. Marshaling groundbreaking research on the teenage brain, peer relationships, and academic performance, journalist turned communications expert Emily Krone Phillips details the emergence of Freshman OnTrack, a program-cum-movement that is translating knowledge into action—and revolutionizing how teachers grade, mete out discipline, and provide social, emotional, and academic support to their students. This vivid description of real change in a faulty system will captivate anyone who cares about improving our nation's schools; it will inspire educators and families to reimagine their relationships with students like Eric, and others whose stories affirm the pivotal nature of ninth grade for all young people. In a moment of relentless focus on what doesn't work in education and the public sphere, Phillips's dramatic account examines what does.

Editorial Reviews Review "Inspiring Story for Dyslexic Families and Adults" -Brock & Fernette Eide "Authors, The Dyslexic Advantage"- "What I admired most about the book was the positive attitude the author maintained. When most people would have given up and accepted mediocrity, Rodrigues instead chooses to push the envelope and follows his dreams up to and including enrolling in Harvard University. I love how he takes something that is called a "disability" and turns it into strength. It is evident that he has analyzed the way he thinks visually and found unique methods to work smarter, not harder." -Arline Krieger LDA President, California "John Rodrigues has written an inspiring and empowering story about his personal dyslexic journey. Young people who have dropped out of high school or others who are thinking about returning to get their GED or to go the community college route will be encouraged by his honest recounting, light-hearted tone, and perceptive insights about his thinking style and advantages." --Brock & Fernette Eide "Authors, The Dyslexic Advantage" "We all long for success...usually going the typical route of graduating from High School, spending 4 years at college, starting a job and getting married. It's nice and safe and predictable. Well, seems Mr. Rodrigues couldn't do it that way if he wanted to. But he appears to have a special ability to see people and opportunity for what they are, doors slightly ajar; with a little push, new worlds opened up to him. He seems to have an uncanny ability to live his life in a very wide open way. I am jealous." -Rosemary B. Walker

Discover how African-American professionals can combine their personal strengths with the wisdom of others to plant the seeds of a positive, lasting legacy in the workplace. Randal Pinkett was the first African-American winner on The Apprentice. When he won, he also became the only contestant to be asked to share his victory with a white woman. For generations, African-Americans have been told that they need to work twice as hard as everyone else to succeed. However, as millions of black Americans were reminded by Pinkett's experience, sometimes hard work is not enough. Black Faces in White Places is about "the game", the competitive world in which we all live and work. The book offers 10 revolutionary strategies for playing, mastering, and changing the game for the current generation, while undertaking a wholesale redefinition of the rules for those who will follow. In this book, you will: Expand yourself beyond your comfort zone Recognize and demonstrate the four facets of excellence Build beneficial relationships and powerful networks Identify different mentors and learn from others' experiences Discover ways of working with others to facilitate collective action Based on the authors' considerable experiences in business, in the public eye, and in the minority, the book shows how African-American professionals can (and must) think and act both entrepreneurially and "intrapreneurially". Black Faces in White Places not only explains shattering the old "glass ceiling” and changing the concept of success, but also examines the four dimensions of the contemporary black experience: identity, society, meritocracy, and opportunity.

The breakthrough modern sports novel The Contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero. This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter Robert Lipsyte, the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in YA fiction, is the story of a young boxer in Harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on his path to becoming a contender. Alfred Brooks is scared. He’s a high-school dropout, and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn’t even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli’s Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it’s the effort, not the win, that makes the boxer—that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender. ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children’s Book * New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

Empower learners to think disruptively in your classroom or school... The world continues to change in ways that are difficult to predict. Regardless of the forces at hand, educators play a pivotal role in preparing students for success now and in the future. Eric Sheninger makes the compelling case that the best way to do this is to future-proof learning for ALL kids by creating a disruptive thinking culture in our classrooms and schools. Broken into four parts, this book combines stories, insight from thousands of school visits, practical strategies, research, and examples from classrooms to assist educators in transforming their practice. Each chapter ends with a "disruptive challenge" that encourages readers to actively apply concepts from the book into their professional practice. Readers will develop an understanding that: Disruptive change is the new normal. As such, our mindset must evolve in ways that help students develop meaningful competencies critical for their success in an unpredictable world. Comfort is the enemy of growth. We must critically evaluate if the way things have always been done in the classroom sets learners up for success now and in the future. Improvement in all we do is a never-ending journey. Learning is a process, not an event. It requires educators to develop and use instructional practices and pedagogical techniques that meet the unique needs of all students. Outlier practices promote disruptive thinking. Some innovative educational practices add value while others do not. When we discover new and better ways of empowering learners, we must act, making "outlier" practices the new norm. Packed with ready-to-use ideas and embedded resources, including the latest digital tools, templates, and artifacts from real classrooms, readers will learn: Why a mindset shift is essential in preparing learners for an unpredictable world.How to implement strategies that focus on developing critical competencies.How to ensure equity through personalization.What to reflect on to improve and build powerful relationships.