Teaching the Whole Teen

"Teaching the Whole Teen is an insightful, hopeful, and very practical resource for teachers, parents and schools. The book stays rooted in the day-to-day practice of teaching the whole teen, and it articulates in very doable ways suggestions for how to better support teenagers in their development. It’s accessible, inspiring, and a valuable read for all educators." 
-- Jennifer Abrams, Educational Consultant
"This rich treasure-trove of inventive, concrete and well-grounded ideas offers a gift to our profession and to all who would strengthen the quality of life and learning for young people and adults under the roof of the schoolhouse." -- Roland S. Barth, Educator
"An important contribution to the field of SEL with a much-needed focus on teens in middle and high schools - this book highlights the importance of relationships to cognitive and social growth, explicitly teaching SEL skills, and the role of adults as models. Combining research and best practices from multiple disciplines, Poliner and Benson deliver accessible, hands-on tips and tools for educators and educational leaders. Through discussion of theory and helpful anecdotes from a wide range of school settings, this book provides an SEL guide that is culturally relevant for all teen and adult populations. Students and educators will benefit from the holistic approach and practical guidance presented in this book." -- Nova Biro, Co-Director
"As a former elementary school principal first in a K-5 setting and then K-8, this book would have been an excellent and valuable resource for understanding teenagers and middle school students. I found so many practical strategies that I could have used with the students in the K-8 setting and shared with staff that had taught in a K-5 setting and also had to transition."
-- Gustava Cooper-Baker, Principal
"I sincerely feel that new and veteran teachers will benefit from reading and discussing this book. Readers are guaranteed to reflect upon current practice and be introduced to countless teaching strategies that will improve the educational experience of their students." -- David G. Daniels, High School Principal
"Hallelujah! Benson and Poliner have written a book that many educators have been searching for - one that illuminates a pathway to develop important social and emotional skills that all adolescents need to master. There is much available in this domain that focuses on the needs of young children but fewer substantive resources for secondary educators (and parents!) interested in balancing academic accountability with vital skill development in self-efficacy, civic responsibility, and resiliency. These authors demonstrate a deep understanding of adolescent development and use that knowledge to illuminate pathways to strengthen important youth competencies. The authors frame their insights and practical strategies through a lens that is cognizant of the needs of the wide range of diverse learners that populate our modern-day middle and high schools. The book is also filled with thoughtfully crafted teaching lessons that can help educators infuse youth development into classroom work without compromising academic rigor. Additionally, there are pragmatic supports for principals who want to facilitate faculty discussions and parents who want to bring these lessons home. This book is rich with both insights and practical guidance for how we can help teens to become sharp thinkers and caring and contributing citizens." -- John D′Auria, President
"Poliner and Benson empower our school communities to lay the foundations, practices, spaces, and rituals to educate the ′whole child.′ They walk us through the various lenses students bring with them each day to school--the social, emotional, physical, cognitive, etc.--and how those lenses interact with the cultures and practices in our communities. They provide us ways to foster the positive relationships that lead to students who are resilient and self-aware and ultimately better prepared to navigate the complexities before them. Understanding schools and their leaders, the authors offer practical and accessible tools that can really make a difference. This useful resource will quickly become a go-to guide for planning conversations, faculty meetings, parent education, and self-examining and rethinking our schools." -- Roberto D′erizans, Middle School Principal
"Teaching the Whole Teen is a gem of a book, one that sparkles with brilliant insights, guidance and invaluable practical resources to support "everyday practices that promote success and resilience in school and life." Poliner and Benson tap into evidence-based research within the fields of education, psychology (adolescent development), and social neuroscience to compellingly present why and how caring "whole school" environments, anchored by relational trust, can most optimally cultivate adolescents’ positive learning and development in secondary schools. In paying attention to the vital importance of systematically supporting novice teachers’ development of social-emotional skills and stress resilience, the authors attend to practice that is too often de-prioritized in schools. As they rightly assert, "how we support [novice teachers] to persevere and thrive will mirror our success, or failure, to do the same for whole teens." This book should be required reading for all involved in educator preparation and induction programs, including middle and high school leaders!" -- Deborah Donahue-Keegan, Ed.D., Lecturer at Tufts University Department of Education
"It is an honor to learn from the wonderful and important beliefs and strategies presented in this book. I will be incorporating many of the ideas in my teaching." -- Lyman Goding, Retired Principal
"At last we have a courageously written book that focuses on the needs of teens, versus the needs of the school systems. While this concept appears like revolutionary thinking, it is not. This is simply common sense whose time has come. The ideas and concepts advanced in this book promise to engage and motivate all students by strengthening their LOCUS of control, and quality of life." -- Jim Grant, Author, Consultant, Founder
"Teaching the Whole Teen  provides educators and administrators a comprehensive resource for teaching our diverse student population. The authors cohesively weave together the various principles of working with a myriad of diverse student populations including those that are often overlooked by other authors and educational researchers. Educators who are interested in elevating their practice and increasing authentic student engagement from theory into action should read this book." -- Lisa Graham, MA, NBCT - Director, Special Education
"If you think Teaching the Whole Teen is just another book about how to communicate with teenagers, then think again. Poliner and Benson have written a manual for how to provide social-emotional support in culturally responsive ways. It explicitly addresses the unique needs of students of color, students from poverty, and immigrant students in ways that other books don′t. It is full of practice tools and clear guidance. This book should be read by every middle and high school educator." -- Zaretta Hammond, Educational Consultant

"Finally, we have a book that applies the ′whole child′ concept to the turbulent teenage years. In Teaching the Whole Teen, Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson provide high school principals and teachers with a hands-on guide that applies the lessons of neuroscience and social-emotional learning to support healthy adolescent development and maximize learning."

-- James Harvey, Executive Director
"Teaching and raising teens can be both fun and fiery! Poliner and Benson use the latest research to inform educators and parents about how to teach the teen, basing their work on the "whole person," and teens do change and become interesting people! This is the book to turn to when you are working with students during the teen years, when you desperately need help now, and when you are seeking solace." -- John Hattie, Professor of Education & Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute
"What a treat to read! Poliner and Benson have created a treasure-trove of insights and strategies to improve teaching and leading. Their work is pragmatic and based on an appreciation and understanding of how teenagers learn and schools function. I was particularly struck by the specific strategies for principals. They are designed to facilitate both student and teacher growth. This book is interesting, informative, and insightful.

The authors recognize that successful change doesn’t come from mandates. Rather, meaningful change is an organic process that is only effective when we approach problems through collaboration and with respect. Every principal, regardless of the kind of school that she leads or his years of experience, will benefit from reading it." -- Thomas R. Hoerr, PhD, Emeritus Head
In Teaching the Whole Teen, Rachel Poliner and Jeffrey Benson lay out a treasure trove of insights and reminders about what makes adolescents tick, and what that means for those who work with them each day. As our schools regain a sense of the primacy of social-emotional development, educators at any level will appreciate these tools, tips and helpful prompts to bring out the best in relationships for learning for all students. There’s plenty here as well for parents, counselors and district leaders from two people with a deep sense of schools and the inextricable bond between growing and learning. -- Larry Myatt, President of Education Resources Consortium & Founding Principal
"In their book Teaching the Whole Teen, Poliner and Benson provide the reader with practical applications that support student success in and outside the classroom. Grounded in solid research and contemporary thinking, their book reminds us that we are not only responsible for educating the minds of students, but we also have the opportunity to establish the conditions necessary for them to reach their fullest social and personal potential. Let there be no doubt, we have the ability to make a real difference in the lives of young people and this book provides a solid framework to lead the way." -- Russell J. Quaglia, President & Founder
"Implementing SEL skills into the secondary grades can feel contrived and artificial, and many secondary teachers don’t feel adequately trained or equipped to teach these skills. Finally the mountains of brain research that all teachers need to know and use have been put into a very useful and easy-to-read guide. Teaching the Whole Teen creates authentic ways to teach SEL skills that secondary curriculum almost always lacks. Rachel Poliner and Jeffery Benson have put together the perfect guide to teach secondary students the skills they need for life!" -- Andrea Ramirez, School Improvement Facilitator
"Those of us striving to help educators re-envision family engagement as a partnership between home and school have been given a powerful gift in Teaching the Whole Teen. The authors’ suggestions of complementary strategies for school and home speak to the importance of adults working together to support youth, and provide tools for how to get there.

As both a parent of a teen and a school-family engagement professional, I was thrilled to find Teaching the Whole Teen. The roles that educators and families play in supporting the development of young people in every aspect of their lives can be either integrated and supportive or in conflict and disruptive. This book provides educators with strategies to ensure that students are encouraged to bring their cultures and communities into the classroom in order to be truly known and supported in school and to make the most of their educational experiences.

By providing strategies for all of the adults in a young person’s life, both at home and at school, Teaching the Whole Teen makes it clear that we all have a role to play in supporting students’ personal and academic growth. The examples and strategies in this book will transform classrooms and welcome families into schools to build cohesive communities with the shared goal of helping youth become their best selves – for life."
-- Ann M. Walsh, Chief of Family Engagement
"Teaching the Whole Teen is a wonderfully practical guide for educators who aspire to promote the social, emotional, and academic competence of middle- and high-school students. It offers compelling strategies for engaging, motivating, and inspiring young people (the "what" and "how") and rationales for applying them (the "why"). This important book should be used in pre-service and in-service professional learning for teachers, administrators, and counselors. It will help them in their quest to educate knowledgeable, responsible, caring, and contributing young people." -- Roger P. Weissberg, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Education

"‘Cogent writing, smart content, practical insights, and not a word wasted: Reading Poliner and Benson’s Teaching the Whole Teen is an unusually good use of an educator’s time. Thankfully devoid of simplistic platitudes, the authors reflect real students and teachers and the challenges each group faces in their collective enterprise. Finally, we have a clear-minded, research-based education book written by veteran educators that annihilates the notion of "teen intellect" as oxymoronic, and fully respects the complex realities of modern adolescent lives and brain power.

   
Poliner and Benson get it, and we are better for it: Here, they’ve captured middle and high school students’ quest to mature and connect with both people and content beautifully, and they provide powerful tools to help students and the adults in their lives carve the path forward. The authors prove middle and high school students’ innate resolve to become independent, resilient individuals, even as they stumble in the effort, and the authors demonstrate how mentors can help students accept their current selves while aspiring to be something more.  
    
Teaching the Whole Teen manifests the best thinking in modern education, including actionable steps on developing students’ self-agency and self-regulation, and how to develop communication and executive function skills so vital to school and life success. Their candid approach doesn’t pull any punches: They speak honestly of the bigger issues at play in adolescents’ education: d...