Teach Kids, Not Content

JULIA COOK is a former teacher and school counselor turned national award-winning author and motivational speaker. With over 4 million books sold and 126 titles translated into nine languages, her research-based children’s books are used in more than 85% of U.S. elementary and middle schools to teach social and emotional skills. Julia presents to educators and parents internationally, sharing practical, story-driven strategies for connecting with kids and creating lasting learning experiences.

• Preface ixIntroduction XIII01 Teach Kids, Not Content 1Breaking Out of Survival Mode 2Worth Remembering 11Worth Trying 1102 I Need a Large Recharge! – Building Mental Wellness 13Plug That Drain 14Recharge 15Replace 16Worth Remembering 25Worth Trying 2503 Building a Teacher’s Bag of Tricks 27Top 10 Tricks 27Worth Remembering 3704 Hopeful Teachers Grow Hopeful Kids 39Keeping Your Tank Full 39The Power of Hope 42Building Hope 45Hope in Action 45Modeling Hope 47Worth Remembering 51Worth Trying 5105 Joy – It’s an Inside Job! 53Finding Joy 53When Others TRY TO Steal Your Joy 54Focus on What You Can Control 58The Candle Problem 59Joyful Rigor 62Worth Remembering 63Worth Trying 6406 The Power of Concrete Visuals 65Examining with Your Senses 66Concrete Visual Activities 67Worth Remembering 84Worth Trying 8407 Unlearning Helplessness – Motivating the Underachiever 85A Failing System 89Types of Underachievers 90Reversing Underachievement 94What Students Can Do 96What Parents/Families Can Do 96What Teachers, Mental Health Professionals, and Administrators Can Do 96What Society Can Do 97Conclusion 98Worth Remembering 101Worth Trying 10108 Teaching Kids the Importance of GRIT! 103The Power of GRIT 104How to Teach GRIT 106The Overall Environment 109Video Games Can Stifle GRIT 113Worth Remembering 114Worth Trying 11509 What I Tell Parents 117Be Appropriately Honest 118Teach and Model Good Communication Skills 120Know the Succeed Needs 122Teach Your Child Bounce- Back Superpowers 125Dealing with Kids Who Are Not Very Nice 126How to Make Friends 126Build Academic Success 127Avoid “Peerenting” 128Watch What You Share 129Dealing with Separation Anxiety 130Teach and Model Integrity 132Teaching Integrity 132Worth Remembering 134Worth Trying 13510 Worry About It! Dealing with an Overly Anxious Child 137Anxiety Disorder in Kids 138What Causes Kids to Become Overly Anxious? 138Online Activity and Anxiety 139Recognizing Anxiety 140Strategies and Tools for Managing Anxiety 141What Educators Can Do to Help 142Worth Remembering 144Worth Trying 14511 Keeping Kids REAL with AI 147What AI Can Offer Educators 148What AI Can Do for Students 151The Downside of AI 152AI Can Get It Wrong 153How Using AI Can Hurt Educators 154How Using AI Can Hurt Kids 156Worth Remembering 159Worth Trying 16012 Honey, the “Secret Sauce” 161Emotional Memory 162Creating Glimmers for Kids 163What I See Is How I’ll Act! 164Leave It at the Door 166Helping a Grieving Student 166Use “And” Not “But” 168Attitude Is Everything! 169Worth Remembering 170Worth Trying 170Afterword 171Acknowledgments 177About the Author 179Index 181