Children at Promise: 9 Principles to Help Kids Thrive in an At-Risk World--Turning Hard Knocks Into Opportunities for Success

I recently heard Mr. Stuart speak at a teacher convention - giving a brief overview of this book. Not very often do you get new insights into the theories of education and the art of mentoring. Usually teaching seminars are just tune-ups on the basics. There was a lot of truth that seemed intuitive in Mr. Stuart's findings, but his approach is definitely unique, and I greatly appreciated hearing his thoughts. I think his ideas are useful for teachers who struggle with at-risk students (both the privileged and non-privileged types), and as far as I can tell that's pretty much all of us. I highly recommend this book as a great resource for teachers who are interested in growing in their ability to mentor students effectively.

What an enlightening message these two authors have to share! Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles will want to get this book into the hands of all adults who impact the lives of the children they love. Truly this book offers a fresh perspective and a hope for all with a concern for kids and their impact on our society in the future. As a parent, I have been motivated to continually examine my parenting tactics in light of these concepts. This is a "must read" for parents and educators alike.

This book was instrumental in changing my parenting paradigm, but it's message is not limited to parents. It can speak to anyone who relates to children and teens. The book advocates the value and promise of every child, regardless of that child's exposure to aspects of the environment that we, as a society, have labelled "risky". But don't expect a lot of feel-good psycho-babble. This view of child-relating is clear and challenging. The "at promise perspective" has given me a renewed hope, not only for my own kids, but for myself, and for those I previously would have viewed as "hopeless". This changed outlook has prompted me to react so much more positively to adverse circumstances. It is a concept that just makes sense!