Empathic Teaching Promoting Social Justice In The Contemporary Classroom

'Empathic Teaching: Promoting Social Justice in the Contemporary Classroom' is written for those who are committed to employing social justice practices in the classroom. The intent is to educate the next generation to value tolerance and to have respect and empathy for others in society. While this tome will largely focus on understanding the role that equity should play in P-12 education, it will do so with an acute awareness that there are myriad factors that influence student engagement and the motivation to learn. Although some of the subjects under consideration have been written about elsewhere broadly, this tome will offer a unique contribution by examining each from a social equity perspective. As schools move to ensure a more inclusive and well-rounded student body, this book will be a substantial asset to anyone interested in advancing a social justice agenda.

Today, more than ever, greater emphasis is placed on inclusive practices and the collaboration between general and special educators to ultimately ensure student success. 'Mastering the Art of Co-Teaching: Building More Collaborative Classrooms' addresses research-based strategies, practices and theories which can be readily translated into classroom practice. Important issues that commonly arise in co-teaching partnerships, as well as professional and personal challenges faced by teachers are also tackled. Tackling important issues that commonly arise in co-teaching partnerships, as well as professional and personal challengers often faced by teachers, this book provides educators with the most effective co-teaching strategies and tools available, aiding the success of collaborative efforts in the classroom.

'Maximizing Mental Health Services: Evidence-Based Practices that Promote Emotional Well-Being' examines best therapeutic practices for patients, therapists, graduate professors, family members and all who struggle to find the most effective treatment modalities for those dealing with mental health challenges. Mental health issues are rising at an alarming rate, while positive therapeutic outcomes have not kept pace and remain low for many conditions, making an investigation of evidence-based treatment options critically important to the helping profession. While certain types of therapy bring success to specific clients, these modalities cannot be easily applied to all client profiles. Understanding the strengths of each modality and how to match them to the respective needs of the client will be emphasized. Furthermore, the impact of counselors’ own traits on the client-therapist relationship is an important and often overlooked topic that will be explored. Therapy practices have changed over the past decade to include non-traditional options; therefore, the authors investigate the ways in which these practices have either helped or hindered patient success. Lastly, the book offers readers information on resources for further information on the evidence-based practices presented within.

Contemporary society has imposed a set of unrealistic and confusing rules for men over 18 to follow. With post-adolescent men experiencing lower rates of academic success at the post-secondary level and escalating rates of violence perpetrated by this age group, jobs, careers and life itself are in crisis. These men in transition have emotional, social, academic, and career struggles that affect every aspect of their lives. Masculinity in the Making: Managing the Transition to Manhood; therefore, will examine these issues and offer strategies and examples of what is possible for the post-adolescent male; more specifically, attention will be paid to theories and health issues specific to this population, social and cultural issues, academic and career interventions, aggression and violence, and media portrayals. The reader will be left with a deep and clear understanding of the needs of men as well as how mentoring and counseling can provide them with the support needed to be successful and productive members of society.

Addiction is rapidly becoming one of the most significant challenges to mental health today. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH, 2018), 19.7 million Americans, aged 12 and older, battled a substance disorder alone in 2017. Additionally, 8.5 million of those individuals also suffered from a mental health disorder, with millions more suffering from a range of other addictive disorders and associated behaviors that interfere with physical, social and emotional health. These alarming statistics highlight the crucial need for mental health providers to be kept up to date with the latest research on the full range of addiction treatment and recovery. ‘The Recovery Handbook: Understanding Addictions and Evidenced-Based Treatment Practices’ provides a comprehensive examination of the various forms of addiction, its physical and mental complexities, and, unlike other sources on addiction, effective evidence-based interventions that promote a healthy recovery. Particular attention is given to the nature of addiction, including environmental, genetic, and developmental factors; with authors examining the short- and long-term effects of a variety of addictions such as drug, alcohol, gambling, food, sex, shopping, work, and video gaming to name a few. This book will serve as a valuable resource for counselors, psychologists, professors, graduate students in the helping professions, as well as families of addicts, co-workers, and those suffering from addiction themselves.

The Burden of Being a Boy: Bolstering Educational Achievement and Emotional Well-Being in Young Males is written for everyone who has a stake in the health and well-being of contemporary American boys and adolescents—parents, educators, counselors, educational administrators, student services personnel, higher education faculty, and students studying education and psychology. Mainly though, this is a book for those who are committed to seeing all boys grow and thrive while avoiding what has been termed as toxic male culture in this, and other, countries. While this book largely focuses on understanding the roles that schooling and upbringing play on boys’ development, it explores this complex topic with a clear belief that there are myriad factors that influence each boy’s developmental trajectory and that there are many ways to promote healthy, prosocial development among all young men.

This book brings readers inside the school to aid them in their own personal and professional reflections on practices and ways of being with children in this shared journey towards a better world. How can we support children and teachers' continued growth as kind, caring, compassionate people that work towards equity in this world? At School for Friends in Washington, DC, educators Makai Kellogg, Magy Youssef, and Sabina Zeffler and mentor Jacky Howell have worked to nurture and strengthen children’s dispositions for empathy and kindness, anchored by Quaker values, the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement, and mindfulness practice, with a lens of social justice and equity. The authors weave real stories and reflections as they trace the learning journey of children in their program from toddlers through the time they leave for kindergarten. Magy’s story of Frank the Fish opens up the world of toddlers who not only learn how to care for their classroom pet but also naturally build and display empathy as they come to understand disability. Makai highlights empathy as the first and foundational Black Lives Matter guiding principle. Using children’s literature, her students develop a deeper perspective into social-emotional learning beyond “being nice.” In her work with the oldest preschoolers, Sabina shares in her story of the many ways she focuses on perspective taking with her group, including stories of buddy play, heartful listening, holding space, and cognitive flexibility. The three educators with mentor Jacky reflect on their experiences together as they exercise the empathy and perspective-taking we ask children to practice.

Taking a close look at the forces that affect English education in schools—at the ways literature, cognitive science, the privileging of the STEM disciplines, and current educational policies are connected—this timely book counters with a strong argument for the importance of continuing to teach literature in middle and secondary classrooms. The case is made through critical examination of the ongoing "culture wars" between the humanities and the sciences, recent research in cognitive literary studies demonstrating the power of narrative reading, and an analysis of educational trends that have marginalized literature teaching in the U.S., including standards-based and scripted curricula. The book is distinctive in presenting both a synthesis of arguments for literary study in the middle and high school and sample lesson plans from practicing teachers exemplifying how literature can positively influence adolescents’ intellectual, emotional, and social selves.