Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills for Success

by Debbie Thompson Silver, Dedra A. Stafford

Overview

There’s more to student success than standards and test scores…

The modern view of student achievement focuses on high test scores, higher standards, and racing to the top. Thrive skills fit with new ESSA requirements to go beyond basic academic measurements in order to equip students for lifelong success.

Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford present a practical handbook that guides teachers and parents in fostering learners who are socially and emotionally healthy and prepared to undertake future challenges.  Through practical examples, precise strategies, and specific tools this book demonstrates how to empower learners in areas that include:

• Using mindfulness strategies to help students tap their inner strengths
  
• Learning to self-regulate and control other executive brain functions
  
• Developing growth mindsets along with perseverance and resilience
  
• Cultivating a sense of responsibility, honesty, and integrity
  
• Encouraging a capacity for empathy and gratitude

Grounded in decades of psychological research, Teaching Kids to Thrive merges academic, social, and self-skills to stimulate personal and school achievement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506381589
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	04/07/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Dr. Debbie Silver is a humorist, consultant, and retired educator with over thirty years of experience as a classroom teacher, staff development facilitator, and university professor. As a classroom teacher, Debbie won numerous awards, including the 1990 Louisiana Teacher of the Year award. She speaks worldwide on issues involving education and is a passionate advocate for students and teachers.

 Debbie wrote the best-selling books, Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers and Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8. She co-wrote the best-selling Teaching Kids to Thrive. In 1990, Debbie Pace and Lawrence Silver merged their families of 3 boys (Debbie) and 2 boys (Lawrence) as they married and eventually both earned their doctorate degrees (to form a “pair-a-docs”). They currently reside in Melissa, TX.

 One of the nation’s most popular keynote speakers and professional development presenters, Debbie has given presentations around the world (including 49 states [Hey, Delaware, let’s talk!], Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, and Asia), helping audiences to interact with students on a more meaningful level.

 While inspiring educators to enjoy the job they once loved, she reminds them of how important they are in the lives of children, their families, and the world. Through her writing and her speaking she makes essential points while sharing poignant stories and lots of laughs.

Dedra Stafford is a dedicated consultant and a proud member of the Association of Middle Level Education and National Association of Secondary School Principals Speakers Cadres. She is an Educational Speaker and has presented at international, national, state, and local conferences across the nation including NMSA (National Middle School Association) sharing inspirational ideas, from technology to school climate. Dedra is passionate about providing quality staff development for educators. She an internationally known speaker, trainer and author in the educational world. Dedra creates entertaining workshops that get crowds energized, motivated, and inspired to be their ‘best’ for the students they serve. As a former classroom teacher, she understands the need for professional development where practical ideas can be implemented immediately into the classroom. She creates fun-filled workshops designed to be hands-on and interactive. Dedra has a unique ability to put educators at ease as she teaches concepts and beliefs incorporated with humor in a user friendly way. She speaks on the topics of about technology, climate, curriculum, and classroom techniques resulting in her audience laughing, learning, and having new enthusiasm for their work.

Table of Contents

Foreword
About the Authors
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
Why Teach Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Classroom?
What Are the Thrive Skills?
Taking This Book to the Next Level (Thrive Website)
Thriving Together
CHAPTER 1. MINDFULNESS IN THE CLASSROOM: SLOWING DOWN TO SPEED UP SUCCESS
Why Don’t They Just Pay Attention?
Mindfulness: What It Is and What It Is Not
Using Mindfulness in the Classroom
Beginning a Mindfulness Practice
Research on Mindfulness in the Classroom
Implementation in the Classroom
What Supporting Mindfulness Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 2. HELPING STUDENTS WITH THEIR COMMAND AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
Executive Function: What Is It?
The Six Skills of Executive Functioning
EF Skill 1: Self-Regulation and Self-Control
EF Skill 2: Working Memory
EF Skill 3: Task Initiation, Organization, and Time Management
EF Skill 4: Flexibility
EF Skill 5: Emotional Regulation
EF Skill 6: Focus
What Supporting Executive Function Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 3. CREATING STUDENT AGENCY THROUGH SELF-EFFICACY AND GROWTH MINDSET
Self-Efficacy: What Is It?
Self-Efficacy: What Is It Not? (Learned Helplessness)
Aim for the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Students’ Beliefs About Success (Attribution Theory)
Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets
How Do We Help Students Develop Growth Mindsets?
What Supporting Self-Efficacy and Growth Mindset Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 4. PERSEVERANCE: PUSHING THROUGH DESPITE THE SETBACKS
Quit Now or Finish? What Makes the Difference?
Perseverance: What It Is and What It Is Not
What Educators Need to Know About Perseverance
What Does Perseverance Look Like in the Classroom?
What Supporting Perseverance Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 5. BOUNCING BACK: TEACHING KIDS ABOUT RESILIENCE
Resilience: What Is It?
Acknowledge the Struggle
Normalize the Struggle
The Classroom as the Tribe
Resiliency in Boys
Developing Resiliency Through Competency
Building Hope
What Supporting Resilience Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 6. BUILDING A CULTURE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE CLASSROOM
Give Kids a Chance to Act Responsibly
Teaching Responsibility in an Entitled Society
Using Accountability to Promote Responsibility
Building a Culture of Responsibility
Teachers as Models of Responsibility
How Do We Reinforce Responsibility?
What Supporting Responsibility Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 7. CULTIVATING HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN STUDENT CHOICES
How Do We Teach Personal Integrity?
How Do We Teach Academic Integrity?
What Do We Do When Children Cheat?
The Restorative Justice Approach
The Courage to Take a Stand
What Supporting Honesty and Integrity Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 8. TAPPING INTO EMPATHY
Empathy: What Is It?
Does Everyone Have Empathy?
What Does Empathy Look Like in Action?
Why Is It Important to Teach About Empathy?
Modeling Empathy in the Classroom
Service Learning Projects
Integrating Empathy Into the Curriculum
The Power of Empathy
What Supporting Empathy Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
CHAPTER 9. IT’S ALL ABOUT GRATITUDE
“Pay It Forward” Is Still Thriving
Gratitude: What Is It?
What Research Tells Us About Gratitude
Why We Should Teach Gratitude in the Classroom
How Do We Teach Gratitude in the Classroom?
What Supporting Gratitude Looks Like in the Classroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Questions and Exercises
Thrive Skills in Action
Final Words
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

"There are no convenient, instant answers to solve tough issues in education, and no one “event” can make a difficult student easy to teach. Great teaching is hard work. This book lays out a brilliant process for building Thrive skills. Read the book. Practice the skills. Practice patience and perseverance. Enjoy the rewards. "

Dr. Monte Selby

"There are some books that you pick up and just cannot put down. Well, this is one of them. If you are ready to move beyond grit, then Teaching Kids to Thrive is the linchpin needed in every school system. The authors provide relevant research to build their case and share easy and simple teacher-approved strategies that can be used immediately. Any stakeholder in education who wants to transform school culture must make Teaching Kids to Thrive required reading. "

Simon T. Bailey and Marceta Reilly

"It is now time for student to truly thrive! Educators have been looking for a resource that puts the reality back in education. Silver and Stafford have done just that. The authors know about the importance of students understanding content, but they also realize that students must be optimistic, show integrity, understand empathy, and believe in gratitude. What we can learn from this book is that you may never lose a job in life because you’re too smart; you get fired because you’re not a nice person. Make sure you look at their examples and situations and try to change your practices within our classroom or school. Let’s help our students thrive in all aspects of their life! "

Jack Berckemeyer

"Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills for Success is a book that not only argues effectively for including social and emotional learning in every classroom, it also shows teachers how to do it. Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford demonstrate how SEL instruction can be woven into all subject areas at every level of pre K-12 education. They descriptively outline what SEL-friendly classrooms look like, and they provide a wealth of tools and strategies for educators who want to teach beyond the standards. I recommend this book for new and veteran teachers alike who want to help students learn to thrive both now and throughout their future lives. "

Todd Whitaker

"Silver and Stafford have answered the question educators have asked time and again: “How, exactly, do I create a classroom culture conducive to growth, collaboration and critical thinking?” The book explores the importance of resilience, empathy, persistence and skills related to active listening to creating the mindset that will nurture and accelerate the continuous-improvement process. These are not “soft skills” that live on the periphery of textbook-driven, correct-answer-seeking lessons. They are life skills students need to practice - and teachers need to model - on the road to success in school, college, the workplace, and in a democracy. This is an eminently practical resource with enough research, examples, frequently asked questions, exercises, stories and humor for all educators; and all educators should have a copy of this book. "

Ron Nash

"I am doing backflips over having this book in my life! I work with teachers every day and every day I field questions on how to support learners in being open and present for learning. It is true— we are educating a different type of learner than those of earlier generations. And so our teaching must shift, remembering that we teach children, not curriculum. Silver and Stafford have written the guide to working with this new generation of students; one which begins with the social-emotional health of each learner. They tackle head-on the most challenging and real moments of teaching, creating a research-based, practical, tried-and-true (yet cutting edge) handbook to simply and powerfully show learners how to ground and bloom. While this book focuses on students, the outcomes will bring joy, fulfillment, and gratitude to teachers. I have been waiting for this book without knowing it and now it will be my go-to resource and recommended text on teaching students how to thrive in all educational settings and in life. "

Patty Mc Gee

"Plain spoken and practical with enough neuroscientific research to support what teachers and parents have been sensing but didn't have the knowledge to articulate. "

Dr. Susan Grant

"Debbie Silver and Debra Stafford go to the heart of schooling students in this century - addressing the power of mindfulness, the value of empathy, and boosting the resilience of young people at a time the world requires such a skill the most. Using relatable stories and strategies the goal to help students THRIVE is central in every chapter. Like a favorite piece of music, the authors' passion for education is extremely contagious and memorable. "

Jennifer Buchanan

"In college courses, education students learn how to teach academic content. In Teaching Kids to Thrive, Silver and Stafford emphasize the importance of also teaching students. In a world changing at a pace rarely seen in human history, merely learning coursework won’t be enough. Today’s children need to be prepared to face challenges, and have the capacity to flourish, regardless of what life throws at them. Thrive has teacher-friendly strategies and support that allow even the most experienced educators to see real cognitive, social, and emotional growth in their students. "

Cheryl Mizerny

"The 2017-2018 school year started off with a great excitement in Roxbury this year! With the support of Corwin, our district was delighted to welcome Mrs. Debbie Silver, author of Teaching Kids to Thrive, Deliberate Optimism, and Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8, as keynote speaker. She delivered an exhilarating address to over 500 staff members getting them excited about the prospect of a new school year, mindfulness strategies, and self-efficacy. She then led independent breakout sessions for our elementary and secondary populations with a focus on stress management and deliberate optimism. I can't imagine a better way to have kicked off our school year and gotten our staff excited about the return of our students than Debbie. She was entertaining, heart-warming, and knowledgeable, what a perfect combination. I would recommend Debbie to any school looking to establish these skills without hesitation. "

Charles Seipp

"Why should you read Teaching Kids to Thrive? Students today may be the most connected generation in history, but they can’t find ways to connect with themselves. Dr. Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford masterfully illustrate that “Thrive" skills can no longer be considered soft. This book evidences that learning how to control their bodies and emotions is every bit as essential to the modern learner as understanding how to control the devices that students love so dearly. "

Jared Covili

"Reading Teaching Kids to Thrive was like feeding my brain with Pop Rocks! It had me captivated, wondering, and marveling…all at the same time. Debbie and Dedra provide insightful research, actionable skills, and inspirational stories, while recognizing the voices of students and teachers at the turn of every page. "

Dr. Russell J. Quaglia

"Hoorah! Here is help with the overlooked aspects of teaching that matter most. Don't just read it, study it, live with it, and you too will thrive. "

John Lounsbury

'Good teachers teach subjects. Great teachers teach students.'” This often repeated quote of unknown origin typifies both the authors of this book and the intent of the book’s content. In a world where “all data counts but all that counts in not data” Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford provide guidance and important information on how teachers can teach students some of the most important of all lessons, things that do not become part of the data base which too often defines students. Teaching students to Thrive guides teachers in how to incorporate essential social and emotional skills into daily routines. These are the essential skills students need in order to realize their potential not only as students but as successful and fulfilled members of society. As well as essential information, the authors incorporate practical activity guides to enable teachers to help their students become more successful in school and in life. Anecdotes, examples, and practical activities guide the reader to become more adept in incorporating social and emotional learning skills into everyday classroom environments. This book is a must-read for all teachers who harbor the desire to help their students develop the skills to successfully navigate not only school but life itself. "

Duane Inman

"Teaching Kids To Thrive: Essential Skills For Success is an excellent practical guide for educators who want to apply the ideas of Social Emotional Learning to their classroom. "

Larry Ferlazzo

"I am doing backflips over having this book in my life! I work with teachers every day and every day I field questions on how to support learners in being open and present for learning. It is true-- we are educating a different type of learner than those of earlier generations. And so our teaching must shift, remembering that we teach children, not curriculum. Silver and Stafford have written the guide to working with this new generation of students; one which begins with the social-emotional health of each learner. They tackle head-on the most challenging and real moments of teaching, creating a research-based, practical, tried-and-true (yet cutting edge) handbook to simply and powerfully show learners how to ground and bloom. While this book focuses on students, the outcomes will bring joy, fulfillment, and gratitude to teachers. I have been waiting for this book without knowing it and now it will be my go-to resource and recommended text on teaching students how to thrive in all educational settings and in life."

Patty McGee