Middle School Mathematics Education

Introduction

Mathematics has increasingly become more important in this technological era. The Deleted: is more and more
Deleted: y
U.S. Department of Education argues that a workforce who gains a highly technical Deleted: (2008)
Deleted:
education bolsters national leadership and calls for the needs of sustaining a skilled, technical
Deleted:

workforce with adequate scale and quality (2008). The Congressional Research Service Comment [2]: Was this from a
website or a journal? If it was from
anything but online it will need the rest
predicts that the science and engineering workforce will grow by 14.3% between 2012 and of the citation here.

2022, which is higher than the growth rate of all occupations (10.8%) during the same period.

Among science and engineering occupational groups, Mathematical occupations will grow by

26.2% between 2012 and 2022, which is the fastest employment growth rate among Deleted:

occupational groups (Sargent, 2014).

Success in mathematics education is also beneficial for the individual, because it Deleted: t

allows them many college and career options (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). The Deleted: ,
Deleted: t
mean annual wage for all scientists and engineers was almost twice as much for all Deleted: that

occupations, which includes professional and nonprofessional in 2012 (Sargent, 2014).

Nominal mean wages of the science and engineering occupational groups grew between 1.4 Deleted: and
Deleted: n
percent CAGR 1 (life science) and 2.2 percent CAGR (physical scientists, science and Deleted: %
Deleted: %
engineer managers, mathematicians), and tough normal wage growth for all occupants in the
Deleted: s

economy was 1.1 percent (Sargent, 2014). Deleted: %

Middle school is especially important to success in mathematics, since students

have to acquire skills that are needed in Algebra and other high school mathematics during

middle school (Kim-O, 2011). For example, Mathematics I, which is the high school pathway,

is to formalize and extend the mathematics that students learned in the middle grades

(Common Core State Standards Initiative, n.d., p. 51) and Mathematics II is linear and

exponential relationships learned from Mathematics I. Different from traditional curriculum,

1 A compound annual growth rate (CAGR): A calculated growth rate which, if applied year
after year to a beginning amount reaches a specified final amount (Sargent, 2014, p. 12).
4
 Middle School Mathematics Education

Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) integrates Algebra, Geometry, and Comment [3]: Is this the Common
Core acronym? I think this should be
spelled out on first instance and then
other high school mathematics into Mathematics I, Mathematics II, and Mathematics III. abbreviated afterwards.
Deleted: S
These integrated curricula expect mathematics to be in each year of high school to prepare for
Deleted: d

college and career (Common Core State Standards Initiative, n.d.). The Common Core State Deleted: o
Deleted: ed
Standards Initiative (n.d.) mention that a lack of necessary support causes students who Deleted: readiness
Deleted: s
pursue postsecondary institutions to take remedial courses that are supposed to be completed Deleted: peruse
Deleted: only taking
at the high school level. This situation can cause students to not meet their postsecondary
Deleted: until

goal, and as a result, workplaces might refuse them. In addition, as the U.S. Department of Deleted: graduation
Deleted: do
Education (2008) puts it, Algebra is a gateway to later achievement and the completion of Deleted: be
Deleted: to
Algebra II correlates with success in college and future employment.

The (CCSSM), along with previous National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Deleted: Common Core State Standards for
Mathematics
(NCTM) curriculum, has a strong influence on mathematics education in the U.S. (S. R.

Powell, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2013). In addition, both standards propose the principle that all Deleted: equity

students have to meet the same high standards. However, a mathematics classroom easily

falls into a broad range of mixed ability learners because of several reasons, including that Deleted: ome

the cognitively and emotionally developing nature of middle school students and the Deleted:

hierarchical nature of mathematics that causes students who lack prerequisite knowledge to

easily struggle to acquire new skills (LeMire, Melby, Haskins, & Williams, 2012; Wu, 1999).

Therefore, teachers are required to make sure that all students, including low achievers and Deleted: efforts

mathematics disability students, meet the standards within a mixed ability and in a

heterogeneous classroom, which is a big instructional challenge. Deleted: ,

Deleted: and this
To address this issue, customizing instruction or information for individual learners

rather than teaching to a mass audience with the same curriculum, same instruction, and same

amount of time could benefit low achievement students. In this way, students can receive Deleted: for

individualized instruction or materials that are appropriate for their ability and learning style.

5
 Middle School Mathematics Education

This customized instruction for individual learners is still labor intensive for teachers since

they will need to create course materials at different levels, develop assessment, and give

feedback when students take each test.

A lot of studies support using technology in mathematics instruction to allow Deleted: y

Deleted: to
teachers to deliver individualized instruction and materials and mitigate teachers hard work Deleted: s
Deleted: s
(Smith & Throne, 2009). This individualized approach is available using adaptive instruction,

which can create a flexible environment that helps learners with a range of abilities, interests,

and other characteristics (Shute & Zapata-Rivera, 2008). This approach is also available

using a blended learning model that is a combination of face-to-face instruction with

technology-mediated instruction (Graham & Dziuban, 2008, p. 270). Deleted: when this approach is used in a
classroom,
In this paper, I will address the challenges of instructional strategies that effectively

support middle school students who struggle with mathematics and how technology supports Deleted: ies

implementing these strategies. I hope to add findings by providing recommendations based

on broader and deeper understandings of mathematical learning theories and instructional

strategies to support middle school students who are struggling with math by using blended

learning methods.

Nature of Middle School Students

I aim to focus on middle school students who are struggling with mathematics in

the U.S. Middle school students are typically 11 14 years old, entering adolescence, which Deleted: 1
Deleted: to
is a notable developmental period. For some adolescents, changes during this period can

contribute positive growth. However, for other adolescents, this developmental period can Deleted: ;
Deleted: h
cause negative effects (Gutman & Eccles, 2007). Research shows that this early adolescence Deleted: change

period marks the beginning of the spiral of academic failure and school drop out (Eccles et al.,

1993). Eccles & Midgley (1990) wrote, Although the junior high school transition effects

6
 Middle School Mathematics Education

are not so extreme for most adolescents, there is sufficient evidence of gradual decline in

various indicators of academic motivation and self-perception over the early adolescent years

(p. 135). Social and emotional decline in this age group is also well documented. For Deleted: Eccles & Midgley, 1990,

example, motivation related factors such as general self-esteem and self-concept of ability in

both mathematics and English (Midgley & Edelin, 1998) decline after students transition

from elementary school to middle school. Shifts in the learning environment also have been

plausible explanations that affect academic failure. If the school environment does not fit the Deleted: for

early adolescents needs, the poor fit can cause decline in motivation. These shifts cause a Deleted: s
Deleted: o
negative effect for students motivations and achievement-related beliefs.

In this section of the literature review I focus on the nature of middle school

students to understand how this developmental stage of middle school students affects

mathematic achievement with answering the following three questions: Deleted: s

1. How does the transition from elementary school to middle school affect middle

school students academic achievement?

2. How does social and emotional development affect middle school students

academic achievement?

3. How does middle school students developmental stage affect mathematics?

Middle School Transition

Transition from elementary school to middle school can sometimes be intimidating Deleted: causes intimidating burden

for middle school students. During a span of only a few years, middle school students

experience so many changes in different levels: cognitive and emotional development, social

role, school transition, and the emergence of sexuality (Eccles et al., 1993). Though some

research show that the changes lead to positive growth, other research illustrates that the

7
Slave to the clock

I am a horrible hourly employee. Not because my employers were bad people, its just that I dont like Deleted: ,
working hourlyto be trapped to making money for each hour absolutely kills me. I was salary for a long Deleted: n
time. It was better than hourly, but it didnt take long to figure out the hours I was working and what I Deleted: ,
was paid that I was back to an hourly worker. Deleted:
Deleted: ,
Now Im going to toot my own horn for a few minutes, so just go with the flow for a minute so you get
Deleted: that
the idea. I am pretty smart (at least thats what some people say) so I work very hard to solve problems
Deleted: worked
in smart ways, and those ways save time. So the more time I save, the less money I make. Even if
Deleted: ,
youre salary, youre still expected to work 60 hours a week, so being smart and saving time doesnt
Deleted: ,
really help the situationit actually makes it worse. Because the more time you save, the more time
Deleted: ,
you are expected to save, but the rate isnt commensurate with what you get paid.
Deleted: ,

Back in the day when I was a computer guy, I was tasked with switching 500 PCs from one email Deleted:

program to another. This was back before automated push systems do it automatically, so this had to Formatted: Font:Italic

be done manually, or at least thats what corporate and the software vendor decided. I didnt like that Deleted: that

plan, so a friend and I figured out how to automate the push. It took us three days to figure it out and Deleted: ,

two days to pusha total of five days. Five hundred PCs were converted, and it went smoothly. Deleted: myself
Deleted: ,
If we were to do it manually as it was recommended by corporate and the vendor, the best that could Deleted: i
be expected was eight per day/per person or 16 a day (or 31 days for the entire project) if we were very Deleted: 3
diligent. Factor in disruption costs, lost productivity, and the usual headaches that go along with Deleted: 2
projects of this magnitude, the cost is fairly significant. It could be that we saved at least $100k on this Deleted: ,
alone. I didnt get any of that money and neither did my friend. I did get asked to document how we Deleted: 5
did it and give it to the other company locations, which is about another 10,000 PCs. Which could save Deleted: and 500
the company millions, and we didnt get any of that money either. Deleted: the was
Deleted: 8
After that project was complete, my boss, Alan, often liked to use the word impossible when taking
Deleted: ,
with us, because it spurred us to do the impossible on a regular basis. We were a money-making
Deleted: ,
machine. We did work for problems that were at other corporate locations, we never saw a dime, and
Deleted: I
we still continued to work 60 hours a week.
Deleted:
My friend and I werent any better off for being smarter than the average bear. We got a plaque sent Deleted: ,
through corporate mail, but there was no ceremony, and definitely no bonus. Deleted: w
Deleted: Neither my friend nor I was
Even though I went from hourly to salary I was still selling my time and no matter how smart I claim to
be, I can never make more time.

Progressing forward, through the years, I have done quite a bit of things that automate, streamline, and
save substantial amounts of time, but I found that unless I was working for myself I never really saved
any time, and I just freed it up to do more stuff. From a previous post I mentioned the value of time is
the value of the next best thing I could be doing, since even as a salaried employee I was expected to be
available 60 hours a week and the value of my time was fixed at my rate. I could never increase my Deleted: ,
value. I was trapped.

I now work for myself, which has changed the way I look at time and now I never sell my time or any Deleted: , c
derivative of it. You will never hire me hourly. I dont disclose how much time something takes me to Deleted: ing
complete on my side. I sell a product or a service, which is indivisible. How it gets to the customer, how Deleted: ,
many hours it takes is simply not discussed. I have never asked McDonalds how long a Big Mac took to Deleted: ,
complete, and then balk about the hourly rate. It is my trade secret and I guard it with vigor. Deleted: e,

I mention this because its common in the service industrywhite or blue collarto charge by the hour, Deleted: ,

and after which you now become a slave to the clock. The maximum amount of money you make can Deleted: r

never be greater than the hours you work at your hourly rate. You can never outsmart time. Deleted:
Deleted: ,
Were going to use Sue as an example. Sue is an accountant. She charges $30 per hour and works out of Deleted: s
her house. She doesnt want to own a company, she doesnt want to get rich, and she simply wants to Deleted: , s
make the same money she did before she quit her job to stay home with her kids. The maximum she Deleted: ,
can work is 30 hours a week and $900 a week is the maximum income she can attain or about $45k per Deleted: ,
year (the salary she used to make). Market forces determine the $30 per hour; its the going rate and Deleted: The $30 per hour is determined by
its almost impossible to exceed the market rate for long. Sue finds three small business customers and market forces
divides her time evenly among them, at first while she is first setting up the books that works well. sShe Deleted: ,
is billing the full 30 hours a week and making the maximum income. Sue is a great accountant, and it Deleted: 3
doesnt take long to maintain these customers at just three hours per week each. Because she is smarter Deleted: great;
than most, she has now worked herself out of $630 a week (21hrs * $30). She now makes about $13.5k Deleted: 3
per year (50 weeks) and has a serious problem as she now has some choices to make: become a real Deleted: a
company and get some employees, lie about the time and pad the bill, or talk to her clients who are Deleted: ,
very happily now paying $90 a week for her services and break the bad news. Deleted: b
Deleted: .
Where did Sues plan go amiss?
Deleted: law

She ignored a few very important things. Deleted: ,

Deleted: w

First of all, she ignored Parkinson's Law, which is that work expands so as to fill the time available for its Deleted:
completion." When she was working for someone else she had to be there 40 hours a week, and you Deleted:
would be astounded the amount of wasted time that happens when you are smart and trying to fill the Deleted: l
day. I can personally look busy for days as a salaried employee; she was doing the same thing, but never Deleted: ,
realized it. BTW: Market forces automatically include Parkinson's Law in the going rate, so they
Deleted: w
automatically compensate for the slack in the average workplace. Working alone at home without
Deleted: distraction,
distraction is not average, so the rate doesnt correctly correlate. However, its hard to sell it to
customers that way. Deleted: ,
Deleted: but
Second, she didnt figure out how smart she really is. Necessity is the mother of invention, and Sue did Deleted: ,
what she does, and invented numerous ways to save just a pinch of workjust ever-so-small amounts Deleted:
of time. The cumulative time she saves each day adds up and starts compounding time. Thats how she
Deleted:
saved all the time. Some would call it entrepreneurial spirit or whatnot. Either way, she worked herself
Deleted: ,
out of a job. This is also a function of the learning curve, as production doubles, time halves.
Deleted: e
What could she have done? Formatted: Font:Bold

She could have sold her accounting as a packaged or bundled service. When she marketed to her three Deleted: 3
customers she could have sold it as a single service at $300 per week, or $15k per year per customer.
The customer is happy, because they believed the cost was going to be $300 per week anyway, fixed or
hourly makes no difference to them. She is happy, because she is now paid for her innovation and her
experience as a top notch professional, plus the flexibility she wanted in the first place. Finally, it
provides an incentive to innovate and gives her an opportunity to increase the value of the services to
the customers she serves while adding no true burden to her side other than what she originally agreed
to in the first place. In turn, this makes her more valuable to the customers and further cements the Deleted:
relationship with them which she is trying to protect. (The term here is sticky.) Deleted:

Lets get sticky Formatted: Font:Bold

Sticky is the term used to describe business relationships that are hard to break because of the value
you provide. In our example, Sue is a really good accountant, and now because she sells her services as
a complete indivisible package, she no longer worries about hours billed and she focuses on delivering Deleted: , s
the best product with the smallest time investment. She gets better and faster! She knows accounting
competition is tough. So, she expands her services to handle the customers personal accounting as well
and she partners with a tax guy and negotiates a package on the customers behalf, so everything is Deleted: ,
handled in one step. She also partners with a para-legal and negotiates a package on the customers Deleted: ,
behalf to handle all the business paperwork to keep the business running.

In the latter two cases Sue does not do the work, she just makes sure the accounting is done in a way
the tax guy wants so that its smooth for him, he bills less that way, plus she maximizes tax advantages. Deleted: ,
She does the same with the para-legal; she just keeps track of the required business time tables and
makes sure the para-legal files everything on time.

Yes, this will take Sue additional time, but its not as much as you think. These things are usually just an Deleted: ,
annoyance to the small business owner, and since Sue handles the money and interacts with the Deleted: t
customer regularly anyway, it really not that big of a deal for her.

What has Sue really done? Formatted: Font:Bold

She handles the accounting of three small business customers and handles the personal accounting of Deleted: 3
the owners of the three small businesses. She also interfaces directly with the tax guy and makes sure Deleted: ,
the three customers have nothing to worry about from the IRS and they are getting the maximum tax Deleted: 3
advantage possible under the law. Lastly, the three small business owners know Sue who handles their
Deleted: I
money also makes sure the business licenses and fees are up to date and paid properly, but doesnt
Deleted: 3
have to do it directly.
Deleted: 3
Sue has secured a position within these three small businesses where she is very difficult to replace, she Deleted: 3
offers a great value that is very hard for a competitor to come in and threaten, not to mention the trust
and reliability she has established over time. She has become sticky to their business and their life.

How do I know this? Formatted: Font:Bold

I hired Sue, and she is not a slave to the clock.
 INTRODUCTION:

Just do your best! My dad and my hero: Michael OReilly. Rest in peace, Dad. Deleted: Dadad and , y hero: Michael
... [2]

Location: Remote Airport. 11:32 p.m. Deleted: 11.32p.m. ocation: Remote
... [3]

It was late at night in an empty, cold airport departures area. The lounge would Deleted: slate at night in an empty, ...cold
[4]

have been luxurious, but I wasnt in there. I was trapped in a desolate, done-for-
the-day type of place. Rows of seats along the closed gates sat vacant, waiting
patiently for the next days onslaught of passengers. There were empty seats
except for onemine.

A lone cleaner mopped the long hallway and whistles a low tune. My seat was Deleted: sthe long hallway and whistles
... [5]

like all the others: hard-to-get-comfortable, slide-off-the-end types. And for

someone who is tall like me, it was extremely difficult to get settled. After an
hour of trying to relax, I gave in and let the seat win. I balanced on it half-on, half-
off in a long stretched position. (Ever fallen off these dastardly seats?) My laptop Comment [1]: I might change this to, I
wonder if anyone has ever fallen off these
bag was at my feet, my travel suitcase to the right. dastardly seats.

Deleted: i
I looked out the window and saw a dimly lit runway and falling snow. It was the
Deleted: eea dimly lit runway and f...
alling
[6]
end of my time in Eastern Europe. My wife expected me to be home a full five
hours ago. But instead of sitting in front of a hot, home-cooked meal, I choked
down a terrible airport sandwich. Inclement weather forced me to change plans
and catch a bus from Vienna, Austria to Brno, Czech Republic to this lonely
airport. It was the best option and I hoped it would have me home as quickly as
possible the next day. Unfortunately, the hotel near the airport was full and a
sequence of unfortunate events had me sitting there awaiting the mornings
flight.

That night marked the 10th missed dinner with my wife and kids. For anyone Deleted: Tonight I will miss
who has ever travelled for work, I know you can relate to this scene. Formatted: Superscript
Deleted: for the 10th day in a row.
Earlier that day, I had to fire two members of my team: Peter and Ralf. It was day Deleted: todayhat day, I had to fire ...
two
[7]
four of firing 13 people and this was my last country to visit of five.

Five countriesfour days. I had insisted on doing the firing face-to-face, even Comment [2]: Technically this is a
fragment (as you can see by the green
though my boss at the time wanted me to communicate the bad news over the underline) but Im leaving it here because I
phone. But these were the people I had hired, worked with, laughed with, and I think it goes with your conversational style,
owed it to them. The firings were part of a corporate divisional restructure and as you wrote in your message.
were effective immediately. At least it's done, now, I thought. I felt tired, cold, and Deleted: ---
in need of a shower, I sat there absolutely drained and burned out. That had been Deleted: it he firing face-to-face, even
... [8]
my life for four yearstraveling five or six days a week, six weeks out of 13. Deleted: Feelingtired, cold, and in n...
eed
[9]
Formatted: Font:Italic
I cant tell you what I would have given to see my smiling kids and have more Comment [3]: I didnt get this reference.
time to spend with them. I felt like I didnt really know them anymore. My kids Thirteen weeks represents what? The
were six, four, and onetoo young to understand my sacrifices. Whenever I quarter of the year?
finally did get home from a trip, usually on a Saturday morning, I was usually too Deleted: Wat Id have given would
... [10]

tired or cranky to celebrate and play with them, and it ended in an argument
with my wife. Press repeat.

I was burned out, working hard, and not progressing. The wheel seemed to be Deleted: Brnededout, working h...
ard,
[11]

turning but it wasnt moving me any farther down the road. I began to realize
that I was stagnant. My biggest fear was happeningstanding still. I realized I
had spent the last four years of trying to climb the tricky corporate ladder in an
overly political, too-many-chiefs type of organization. It seemed the people who
got ahead there werent the folks who worked hard, but those who told the boss
he was always right. Though I was fed up, I still had a small glimmer of hope
hope that if I kept working hard enough, maybe the tide would change.

Sitting there in that cold airport with nothing else to do, I took a long, hard look Deleted: took ook a long, hard look
...a[12]
t
at myself. I noticed my confidence wasnt anywhere near its previous levels. I
began to see signs that I was burned out, stressed out, and in need of change, and
not just a small change, either. I had spent the past 15 years working hard for
large high technology multinationals, with 11 of those years in sales leadership
roles. Pressure for sales and performance and leadership never once relented
over a total of 60 quarters.

How I had loved it in the beginning. Sales had been my passion. It was business Comment [4]: Im keeping this next few
paragraphs past tense because you are
mixed with performance, competitive and fast-paced, full of exceptional people talking about how you liked it in the past
(even the ones I didnt like). High-achievers, high-performance companies, and (before you sitting in the airport).
leading-edge technologywhats not to like, right? Deleted: chievers, high-performance
... [13]

The drive for results was constant and unforgiving. "Do more and be more" was
always the demand, and I was always happy to comply. It meant achievement, Deleted: fifteen
recognition, and commissions in that order for me. It was 15 years of adrenaline- Deleted: --
fueled, hold-onto-your-seats business momentum! Deleted: fifteenyears had been good to
... [14]
Deleted: tonight hat night in the airport
... [15] I
International selling can be like a professional field sports teamwin and youre Deleted: Tonight
a hero. Lose and youre yesterdays fool.
Deleted: didnt

Deleted: don
Those 15 years had been good to me; I had worked hard, learned to be the leader
Deleted: was
I always wanted to be, and worked for some of the best leaders out there. Id
love to say I worked directly for Steve Jobs or Tim Cook but I didnt. I was middle Deleted: i

management when I worked for Apple. But my leaders and divisional executives Comment [5]: There are present/past
tense problems all through here.
were still inspiring and driven. A setback like ill-fated travel would have been a
Deleted: was
mere blip in my consciousness before now. I would have rolled with the punch
like I had for so many yearskeep positive, keep going and moving toward the Deleted: i now palpable. My back ...
hurts
[16]

next challenge up the road. Deleted: ed

Deleted: Seep haddbeen disrupted for
... [17]

But that night in the airport I was despondent and felt myself slippingfrom the Deleted: was
chair and also away from my personal goals. Deleted: i
Deleted: knew
That night for the first time in my life, I didnt like where this job was taking me. Deleted: o something hads ... [18]
The emotional strain was now palpable. My back hurt. My energy sucked. My Deleted: dto change. I just didnt ... [19]
sleep had been disrupted for months and my mood swings were now more Deleted: ont know what yet. I But ...
I [20]
ee
evident and fierce. My marriage was nearly on the rocks. Slouching there in that
Deleted: lt
chair, I knew something had to change. I just didnt know what yet. I felt like
Deleted: to beas the biggest burden
... i[21]
t
work was the biggest burden it had ever been. Work was the largest piece of my
Deleted: d
misery jigsaw, with all other pieces scattered everywhere.
Deleted: The

That was January, 2013. Comment [6]: I like putting this in the
past tense because youre now separating
this new section of text as you in the
In the back of my mind, I dreamed of getting promoted, or changing companies. I present. It immediately takes the reader out
wanted somethinganythingto change my situation. Maybe you've felt the of that night in the airport and to today.
same at some point. Maybe you feel the same right now? Deleted: This was
Deleted: S
It would take me another nine hours to get the flight home, but another nine Deleted: .
months to finally change my situation. I was only nine hours away from a new Deleted: A
dawn, but the real dawn was still months away. Deleted:
Deleted: .
I knew sitting there that I had to make a change in direction. Looking back, that
Deleted:
moment was the start of an extremely stressful and challenging year.
Deleted: ,

Deleted: ing
I saw many examples of lack of accountability, of one rule for one and another
rule for the next, of cliques, and slap ourselves on the back old-boys club Deleted:
behavior. Even though I craved interaction and had my faults, this had easily Deleted:
been the worst working environment I had worked in. The gossip and Deleted: ,
commentary had reached a crescendo of ridiculousness. But it was the pivotal Deleted: and e
moment of realizationthe thinking of I could do better than this and life Deleted: --
should be better than this. I needed to feel the buzz of achievement again and Deleted: .
the high of perpetual forward motion. Deleted: L

Even though I was an award-winning leader, I needed to get as far away from the
toxic environment where peoples self-interest and self-preservation trumped Deleted:
the right thing to do for the business all the time. Deleted:

Back in 2003, I had been with Apple for seven years. Talk about driven people Deleted:
and I couldnt speak highly enough of the leadership teams I worked for during Deleted: talk
that time. They were simply the most driven, dynamic, high achieving people I Deleted: -
had ever worked with. It was tough work, but it was the best place Ive ever
worked. I learned so much from people who worked for me, from my peers, and
from the execs and leaders. Those were heady times, but we were never Deleted: ,
complacent. We were always driving at 100 miles per hourstrap your seat belt Deleted: they
on! Deleted: --
Deleted: A
Fast forward to 2015, Ive left the corporate world and now run my own sales Deleted: m.ph.
training, coaching, and speaking business. I went back to University for the first Deleted:
time in 14 years and received a professional diploma in business and executive
coaching. I learned more about myself in those few months at University and Deleted: ,
was lucky to share the experience with a great class of future coaches, who Ill be Deleted: that
forever grateful and humbled for their support, compassion, care, and help over
that roller coaster year. Despite all the setbacks, it was my internal drive that
eventually won through. The long hard lessons I learned during that time are Deleted: this
shared in the following pages. Deleted: time,

I believe in people and their unlimited potential. I believe everyone has success
ahead. Not everyone can see it, nor does everyone want it, but for those of you
who have dreams and hopes and drivethis book is for you. For you can do Deleted: --
anything you want to do, but the first step is the need to recognize the need for Deleted: for change
change. Observation is what I do best. I recognize and observe people in their Deleted: ,
environments. I listen to understand motives, baggage, and when I coach I am Deleted: ,
tapping into the persons potential. I want to believe in them instantly when I Deleted: ,
meet them. After all, if we have cheerleaders in our lives that believe in us, the
road seems less difficult.

I harnessed my own drive to make that change, and today I am my own boss and
master of my own destiny. The first thing I wanted to do was to tell people that it
happenschange, that is. It happens. We can embrace it, recognize it, drive it, Deleted: --
shun it, or ignore it, but like the tide and timechange happens. And its okay if Deleted: --
you feel muddled now about where you are in life. Things will work outthey Deleted: ,
always do. Brighter horizons wait for you. Thats why I called my coaching and
consulting company High Potential International, as I believe everyone has it.
High Potential. Thanks to the changes I implemented in my own life, I know my
kids better than ever and now know their personalities so well. My wife and I
have gotten to know each other again and it feels amazing!

Thats the reason I wrote this book. If it can help you rediscover your drive to get Deleted: and
you going again, then the endeavor has been more than worth it. If it resonates
with you and helps you ignite the change you want to see, then that motivates
me. I want to see you live up to your full potential. I want that ambition that you Deleted: ,
know is within you to be unleashed. I want to celebrate your achievements Deleted: ,
whether its running a marathon for the first time, climbing Mount Everest, Deleted: -
getting that promotion, completing a goal, or winning that golf tournamentIm Deleted: -be they
the guy at the finish line cheering you on! The drive guy! Deleted: or
Deleted: or
This book is going to help you realize your true potential, and harness your drive Deleted: or
to help you reach it. If the lessons here resonate with you, hopefully that will be
Deleted: -
the catalyst to inspire change.

Of course its not just people in the corporate world who lose sight of their
potential. It happened that way for me and there are millions out there who go Deleted: ,
through the same phases and emotions. Mothers, fathers, students, sports stars,
and celebrities all experience self-doubt and low confidence from time to time.
This book is for everyone that has ever experienced what I have just described.

Spinning on the wheel and not moving forward. I hope you enjoy the read. Deleted:

Just do your best and reach your own potential

Ryan. Deleted:
Deleted: -


Comment [7]: Biggest comment here is
theres still a lot of jumping around in time
Maybe use subheads to give people a clue:
11:50 pm airport. Apple . Dell . The
future