Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them

I want to buy a copy of this book for every teacher I know. I teach elementary school and am constantly frustrated at how all behavior management, from the classroom to the school and district levels, boils down to reward and punishment. Obviously, that system doesn't work, because it's the same kids receiving said rewards and punishments day after day--if it worked, wouldn't the punished kids eventually learn?

This book highlights exactly why they don't learn: because they need to be TAUGHT. I couldn't be rewarded or punished into becoming a good chess player, because no matter how many cookies or slaps on the wrist you gave me, I still don't know how to play chess! The same applies to kids who have emotional, behavior, or at-home issues that lie at the root of their frequent "misbehavior." Understanding that, and teaching problem-solving and special behaviors the same way we teach academic skills, is a much more worthwhile and effective way to address recurring behavior issues in students of all ages.

I'm an EE teacher at the elementary level in a metropolitan school, and the student behaviors/interactions with teachers outlined in the book mirror several students I have interactions with on a daily basis. It shows that the author has spent plenty of time in the classroom.

The guiding principle of the book is that children will act appropriately when they are capable of doing so. And taking away recess or other privileges every day, making them do write-offs, or yelling at them isn't making them any more capable. It may be a different matter if those techniques were working, but for many, it hasn't been working. So what do you do when the student hasn't had any privileges for weeks, and is still acting out with the same misbehaviors every day? Are you going to keep doing what isn't working? Or are you going to try a different approach? The author calls that different approach Plan B. Plan B is something a lot of teachers are doing anyway, at least the ones that I'm associated with. But there are still some old school teachers out there who haven't gotten the memo yet. Read the book for more on Plan B, but essentially it means negotiating with the kids and making them partners in solving behavior problems together, and giving them the skills they need to act appropriately going forward. Some teachers are going to see this as tantamount to capitulation, and to some degree I can sympathize with that argument. But again, what are you going to do when what you've been doing isn't working and you have a student or two whose defiance only grows stronger with every punishment? Are you just going to keep in banging your head against that wall?

Much of the book is written as dialogue between teachers/students as well as teachers amongst themselves, making it not as dry as one might expect it to be.

This is a useful book for teaching professionals, especially those who have students with particularly tricky behavior issues.

Hands-down the best book for educators! Every single teacher, administrator, and school staff member should read this book. It should be mandatory reading to work in a school. While waiting for background check results, pending school employees should all be required to read this in order to complete the hiring process.

This book is remarkable. I am a speech-language pathologist, and I think it is time we started looking at behavior problems the same way we look at other learning disabilities--as skill deficits. This book provides the resources to assess each individual child and begin moving toward a plan to help students with behavior challenges.

I am a Para-professional and read this book for Professional Development. It was very enlightening and it WORKS! I have been able to plan B some small skills for the SPED students that I work with and it has been very successful. There are also videos on YouTube and a website that go along with the book. You can print the forms and go into more details on how to coach you through using the Plan B. I have been so impressed with the results and shared it with my Principal and she is going to use all of the tools provided and do our own Professional Delvelopment. I can also recommend this book for parents. I raised to kids with lacking skills and realized that I learned to Plan B with my kids as they grew. I sure wish I had, had this book then it would have been a lot easier.

Good, useful advice for teachers presented in an understandable way. Will be of great help to teachers trying to work with children who do not respond well to normal approaches and respond in a highly emotional way to situations that would not concern most students. Takes a more 'educational' approach to difficult behaviour rather than a behaviour management or medication approach. As a result it is likely to easily fit into the style of most teachers.

Robert Jackson PhD

Love what the author has to say.

This book projects a very positive and empathetic understanding of children with behavioral issues and prescribes a practical way to help them. A new approach is spelled out in great detail with examples from everyday school life. This book completely changed my attitude toward my grandson. It is addressed to teachers but can benefit parents, grandparents and anyone who is concerned about the many children who are struggling in our schools.

This is a valuable as an eye opener for looking at behavior problems in a different viewpoint. It presents the problem solving steps clearly, and walks you through how to use the authors checklist. However, there is no help in how to teach missing skills the student needs to i,prove and correct behaviors.

This book should be required reading for all teachers and administrators. It is easy to read, unlike many behavioral books. There are resources to go to for more information. You can start trying to implement changes right away. Highly recommended!