No Disposable Kids

No Disposable Kids is based on the authors groundbreaking work at Starr Commonwealth, a private, non-profit service organization that works for the betterment of children, teens, and families by operating a range of educational and treatment programs for court-ordered youths. Starr Commonwealth is nationally recognized for outstanding results. Each year, Starr Commonwealth programs help more than 6,000 children and families. Throughout the book, the authors provide support for their strategies with powerful real-life stories from their experiences at Starr. The authors believe, as educational research has long shown, that the most effective educators are those who treat students respectfully. Yet current systems in education rely greatly on punishment and strategies that promote power over students. At a time when many are pessimistic about problems facing youth, the authors contend that schools and communities can help all children thrive and succeed. Brendtro, Ness, and Mitchell challenge the notion of any child being too far gone to be helped. They provide insight into the world of these youths by sharing strategies drawn from the best resiliency models and their success with actual cases at Starr Commonwealth. By reframing rebellious acts as signs of resilience, the authors uncover the natural self-righting tendencies of youths who face adverse circumstances.