Contributors to this book have illuminated the practices of literacy and learning in the lives of urban youth. Their descriptions and assessments of these practices are anchored in perspectives of «New Literacy Studies». The ten studies explore a number of urban scenes in order to engage, understand, and present multiple youth identities, attitudes, activities, representations, and stories connected to a range of situated, adaptive, and voluntary uses of literacy. The authors use a variety of conceptual and methodological approaches to explicate the various skills, the distinct methods of production or composition, the subjective and collective meanings, the mutable and variegated texts, and the dynamic contexts that urban youth utilize for expression, affirmation, and pleasure. There is a response to each chapter by a major scholar in its area of focus. Together, these studies and responses contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the pedagogies, politics, and possibilities of literacy and learning in and out of school.

This book is about transferring knowledge to you, knowledge that, as reported by many ‘they’ did not “learn” you in school. Shortcomings identified, many which are included in this reference book, are foundational skills and competencies that are important to success in your life as well as in your career, from effectively communicating to problem solving to leadership. We are in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution characterized by technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, bots, drones, big data, virtual reality, blockchains, self-driving vehicles, etc. It has been predicted that these changes could impact up to 50% of existing jobs. Givens of the “new collar” jobs are: - Teamwork/interdisciplinary collaboration - Importance of diversity of perspectives - Agility - Adaptability - Big data/data-driven decision making - Lifelong learning with competence and skills as credentials, ensuring lifelong employability The skills and competencies highlighted in this reference book are foundational, applicable to almost every career. They are not only essential to your career success but also to lifelong employability.

Charles J. Sykes offers fifty life lessons not included in the self-esteem-laden, reality-light curriculum of most schools. Here are truths about what kids will encounter in the world post-schooling, and ideas for how parents can reclaim lost ground---not with pep talks and touchy-feely negotiations, but with honesty and respect. Sykes's rules are frank, funny, and tough minded, including: #1 Life is not fair. Get used to it. #7 If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he's not going to ask you how you FEEL about it. #15 Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping. They called it "opportunity." #42 Change the oil. #43 Don't let the success of others depress you. #48 Tell yourself the story of your life. Have a point. Each rule is explored with wise, pithy examples that parents, grandparents, and teachers can use to help children help themselves succeed---in school and out of it. A few rules kids won't learn in school: #9 Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. #14 Looking like a slut does not empower you. #29 Learn to deal with hypocrisy. #32 Television is not real life. #38 Look people in the eye when you meet them. #47 You are not perfect, and you don't have to be. #50 Enjoy this while you can.

I’ll spell it out for you. You’re in the hot seat, you have to make a decision about what you plan to do with the rest of your life, and no one is beating down the door to help you. We aren’t the 1 percent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn and apply the same skills they do and have our efforts rewarded handsomely. Each of us has something that we were born to do, but most of us have too much in the way of seeing that. What if I could tell you ten things that could start your new normal in the right direction? What if each one of these things has the potential to do more than you are already doing? Staying in the moment, negotiating, effective goal making, budgeting, making an impression, and more—all simple skills to teach, all critical to making your life more of what you want it to be. I am a hacker; most of that is controlling people, not technology. This book won’t teach you how to hack a bank, but it can teach you how to hack your way to a pay raise, a better job, or a relationship that doesn’t fall apart. Life is about the decisions you make, but it also has a lot to do with the people you make those decisions with. Will your decisions help you retire at thirty-five, as mine did, or will you go further? This book is step 1 in how to get and appreciate anything you really want in your life.

Meet John Downs. He's a new MBA graduate who's landed a job with a strategy consultancy. His engagement team is on a mission: help HGS Inc., a specialty chemicals firm, define and execute a strategy for exploiting a textile technology the company developed. John and his team deploy state-of-the-art strategy tools to analyze the attractiveness of potential markets for the technology. But they soon realize the tools don't help them grapple with the human side of strategy--including political forces swirling within HGS. Everyone involved in the engagement is biased and insecure, brilliant and hardworking, selfish and lazy, loyal and dedicated. John and his cohorts aren't "real"--What I Didn't Learn in Business School is a business novel. But they're realistic: they're just like us. Their story reveals the limitations of strategy tools and demonstrates tactics for navigating the messy, human dynamics that can make or break a company's strategy efforts. This engaging book uses the power of story to present potent lessons for anyone seeking to excel at strategy management. It's a compelling read--whether you're an MBA grad struggling to apply what you learned or in the fray and eager to see what MBAs get wrong when they land in the real world.