Direct connection with students’ unique identities is the key to teaching them. Every student possesses a distinct combination of strengths and insecurities that will not respond to a one-size-fits-all teaching method. Reach Before You Teach shows educators how to form the nurturing, individualized connections that make students feel worthy, fulfilled, and ready to flourish as learners. The book details: Practical, empowering information about how a sense of self comes to be, and what threatens it. Interventions that soften the myriad defenses students develop to protect themselves. How to address the often-overlooked connections between physical, social, and emotional health and classroom performance.

Facilitating students’ unique paths towards identity development is the key to teaching young teens. Students face pressures that undermine the development of a solid sense of self, jeopardizing success in school and in life: Family issues, economic concerns, media influences, social pressures, physical changes, and more influence how students feel about themselves. When these go unnoticed, even the best teaching methods fall short. Reach Before You Teach shows educators how to form the nurturing, individualized connections that make students feel worthy, fulfilled, and ready to flourish as learners. The book details: Practical, empowering information about how a sense of self comes to be, and what threatens it. Interventions that soften the myriad defenses students develop to protect themselves. How to address the often-overlooked connections between physical, social, and emotional health and classroom performance. Packed with real-life examples and results-delivering exercises, Reach Before You Teach supplies educators with the all-important skills to connect with students so academic and life success feels more attainable. "In our present education system that seems to be caught up with numbers and standardization, this book is a welcomed read. Education will never improve if we don’t make the social-emotional skills of children our first priority." —Peter DeWitt, Principal Poestenkill Elementary School, NY "This book is a must-read for all who want to encourage self-awareness and self-reflection during classroom instruction and help students feel more connected, curious, and confident! Students no doubt will achieve emotionally and academically with help from the strategies in this book." —Dr. Ann Marie Dargon, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Westport Community Schools, MA

Learn how to get your teacher ready for back to school…from the first dayl to graduation! The kids are in charge in this hilarious classroom adventure--from the creators of the New York Times bestseller How to Babysit a Grandpa. This humorous new book in the beloved HOW TO . . . series takes readers through a fun and busy school year. Written in tongue-in-cheek instructional style, a class of adorable students gives tips and tricks for getting a teacher ready—for the first day of school, and all the events and milestones that will follow (picture day, holiday concert, the 100th day of school, field day!). And along the way, children will see that getting their teacher ready is really getting themselves ready. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, this is a playful and heartwarming celebration of teachers and students. A fun read-a-loud to prepare for first day jitters, back-to-school readiness or end of year celebrations.. The fun doesn't stop! Check out more HOW TO... picture books: How to Babysit a Grandpa How to Babysit a Grandma How to Catch Santa How to Get Your Teacher Ready How to Raise a Mom How to Read to a Grandma or Grandpa