Teaching the Whole Teen
Everyday Practices That Promote Success and Resilience in School and Life
- Rachel Poliner - Leaders and Learners Consulting
- Jeffrey Benson - Leaders and Learners Consulting
Brain-Friendly Teaching & Learning | Secondary Education | Student Engagement & Motivation
How can you help teens thrive now and for life? Support them as whole learners.
Developing independence and shared responsibility. Collaborating and communicating effectively. Establishing valuable work habits. Harnessing emotions. Finding motivation. We all want teens to acquire these vital skills and engage meaningfully in academics. In this insightful and culturally responsive guide, Poliner and Benson integrate these lifelong skills into daily practices through
- Practical applications for diverse populations in every class, advisory, team, or club
- The latest research on best practices from adolescent psychology, neuroscience, mental health, and school climate
- Tools for teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents to help teens succeed now and later in school, home, workplace, and community.
Teaching the Whole Teen supports adolescents and adults within the school to thrive.
Check out this interview with BlogTalkRadio!
"This treasure-trove of inventive, concrete ideas offers a gift to our profession."
Roland Barth, Educator
“…the book to turn to when you are working with teens, when you desperately need
John Hattie, Professor & Director, Melbourne Education Research Institute
University of Melbourne
"…explicitly addresses the unique needs of students of color, students from poverty, and immigrant students in ways that other books don't; should be read by every middle and high school educator."
Zaretta Hammond, Educational Consultant
“…manifests the best thinking in modern education”
Rick Wormeli, Teacher, Writer, Education Consultant
"What a treat to read! Every principal will benefit from reading it."
Thomas Hoerr, Emeritus Head
New City School, St. Louis, MO
Free resources
Self-Reflection: Developing My Best Self
Use this self-reflection tool from Teaching the Whole Teen by Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson with your students and help them discover what gets in the way of being their best selves and how they can further develop themselves.
Checklist: Feedback Starters and Responses
Use these feedback starters and responses from Teaching the Whole Teen by Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson to inform your strategies for delivering feedback in your classroom that students can use.
Self-Reflection: In What Ways Did I Contribute to My Group?
Use this self-reflection tool from Teaching the Whole Teen by Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson with your students to help them to discover ways that they could be more collaborative and develop a growth mindset in their collaboration skills.
Interview: Teaching the Whole Teen
Listen in to this BlogTalkRadio interview with Teaching the Whole Teen authors Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson to hear more about the practices that promote success and resilience in school and life.