This book is an excellent overview of some of the roots of "behaviours" (or maladaptive coping strategies) children might display in schools. Four different theoretical approaches are discussed in a surprisingly neutral way, and there are fantastic practical tips and advice for teachers and other specialists who struggle with figuring out how to help kids. There is no easy fix, and the authors point out how it is not necessarily children who need to change, but systems (e.g. approaches to discipline in a school). Despite the high price, it is a valuable primer on the subject and should be in the toolkit of all educators.
Two omissions: although the book mentions how teachers need to be sensitive when working with families where abuse may be taking place (p. 52-53), more could be said on how trauma affects the "behaviour" and development of children. Jody Carrington's *Kids These Days* and the sequel, as well as van der Kolk's *The Body Keeps the Score*, are two other essential books that deal with this topic. The former is directly applicable to schools, and the latter contains much more in-depth information on trauma.
The second omission is school refusal, particularly in younger kids. I'm faced with a significant number of young kids who are doing everything they can to get themselves sent home, and efforts with building attachment and safety in the classroom are not yet effective. Some discussion about this topic would have been (and still would be!) helpful.
Those two points aside, this is still an excellent book and one of the first I'd recommend on the topic. I'm surprised there hasn't yet been a review of the book here on Amazon, which is why I'm writing this.
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Top reviews from other countries
Al Friesen
An excellent book with two omissions
Reviewed in the United States on 9 April 2022Verified Purchase
