Jeffrey Benson

About The Author: Jeffrey Benson has lived with OCD since he was a little boy. He had to struggle to cope with this disorder. In doing so, he learned how to manage the iterations of this disorder and actively live his life. At this point in time, he is at acceptance for the man that he is. About The Book: The book details my childhood and the learning experience that I went through trying to establish that I actually had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and what that meant. I break up my symptoms as to when they occur and why they might have been triggered. I separate the single elements such as the Obsessions, Doubt, Anxiety and the Compulsions. Compulsions can also be known as rituals. I walk the reader through the things that I have tried to lessen or even get rid of and the subsequent results. At that point in time, nobody really knew what OCD was. The overall difference that I think this book has, is that I break up the symptoms into many different aspects within the OCD. There is a repetative nature of the book that will provide an overall feeling of what it is like to have an OCD mindset. I have chosen this title due to the fact that the numbers are the core of the compulsions. They are fueled solely by the numbers. These various numbers are the active ingredient within my entire Obsessive Compulsive Disorder model. The book will provide the reality that a lot of people who suffer from OCD have to deal with the numbers no matter what the compulsion is. I wanted each person who lives in numbers to know that they are not alone. I take these symptoms and show how I manage them so that I can lead the life that I want. This is the story of how I live with my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and have come to accept it. Acknowledgement: Jeffrey's book "Locked In Numbers" is an intimate glimpse into what it's like to live with obsessive compulsive disorder. It chronicles the various manifestations of this complex disorder and describes Jeffrey's search for an enduring solution. "Locked In Numbers" is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand OCD and, more importantly, it provides hope for those who suffer from the condition. Highly recommended." -Michael Lara, M. D.

"Good lesson plans have an almost mysterious power; they declare that all information can be interesting, that every skill acquired broadens our potentials to make a better world, and that all impassioned activity leads to learning. Our best teachers have shown us over and over that life is not a struggle against boredom and compliance; it is a wonder to be apprehended. Every bit of SEL you can integrate into your planning will not only begin to heal the wounds of passivity, racism, and inequity, but also give students an experience today, in your classroom, of that better world." Jeffrey Benson draws from his 40-plus years of experience as a teacher and an administrator to provide explicit, step-by-step guidance on how to incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL) into K–12 lesson planning–without imposing a separate SEL curriculum. The book identifies SEL skills in three broad categories: skills for self, interpersonal skills, and skills as a community member. It offers research-based strategies for seamlessly integrating these skills into every section of lesson plans, from introducing a topic in a way that sparks students' interest, to accessing prior knowledge, providing direct instruction, allowing time for experimentation and discovery, using formative assessment, and closing a lesson in a purposeful rather than haphazard manner. In addition to practical advice on lesson planning that can lead to improved student motivation and achievement, Benson offers inspiration, urging both new and veteran teachers to seize every opportunity to develop caring, joyful communities of learners whose experiences and skills can contribute to a better, more equitable world both inside and outside the classroom.

Whether they're the result of a mandate from on high, a crisis that needs addressing, or simply a desire for improvement, change initiatives are a constant in most every school. In this book, veteran teacher, administrator, and consultant Jeffrey Benson provides educators with a proven, practical, and broadly applicable system for implementing new practices methodically and effectively. Topics include:Identifying and communicating a clear and understandable vision of change. Ensuring that all voices in the school are heard and respected during the change process. Thoroughly and thoughtfully collecting, classifying, and analyzing data related to the change initiative. Delegating responsibilities among staff and stakeholders. Replete with checklists, surveys, and worksheets, 10 Steps to Managing Change in Schools is a practical guide for educators determined to seamlessly weave new practices or procedures into the fabric of the school.

Many students arrive at school with unique mixtures of family histories, traumatic experiences, and special needs that test our skills and try our patience. In Hanging In: Strategies for Teaching the Students Who Challenge Us Most, veteran educator Jeffrey Benson shows educators the value of tenacity and building connections in teaching the students who most need our help. This essential guide includesDetailed portraits based on real-life students whose serious challenges inhibited their classroom experience—and how they eventually achieved success. Strategies for how to analyze students' challenges and develop individualized plans to help them discover a sense of comfort with learning—with in-depth examples of plans in action. Recommendations for teachers and support team on how to gain skills and support and not lose hope through the ups and downs of the work. Specific advice for administrators on constructing systems and procedures that give all our students the best chance for success. Just as teaching the students who challenge us is among our most frustrating experiences as educators, sticking with students until they finally ""get it"" is among our most rewarding. In Hanging In, you'll find the inspiration and field-tested ideas necessary to create a patient and supportive environment for even the most demanding cases in the classroom.

The O'Rooneys are a family of field mice who live happily in an old biscuit tin, in a place they know as the Wilderness. Here they are free to play, safe from harm. Or so they think. Pugnacious the cat is on the prowl and has the youngest mouse, Rooney O'Rooney, in his sights! Join Rooney on his adventure as he searches for his lost family. Can Avortit, the wisest creature in the Wilderness, and his friends help Rooney find his way home?

At last - a wine writer who makes us laugh! 'One More for the Road' sounds like a hedonist's odyssey through the best restaurants, wineries and resorts of the world, and in many ways Jeffrey Benson's diarised globetrotting is exactly that - but how entertaining he makes it all.