Overview

Provides educators with real-world tools to reconnect with students and rediscover the joy of teaching If teaching no longer feels like the calling it once was, you’re not alone—and you’re exactly who Julia Cook wrote this book for. Teach Kids, Not Content is a heartfelt, funny, and refreshingly honest guide for educators who want to reignite their passion for teaching by focusing on what really matters: the kids. Drawing from decades of classroom and counseling experience, Julia delivers real-world strategies for building relationships, boosting mental wellness, and creating learning experiences that stick. She reminds us that the content we teach can never be more important than the children we teach it to. Packed with relatable stories, research-informed insights, and laugh-out-loud moments, this book encourages teachers to reframe challenges as opportunities for connection and creativity. Whether you’re struggling with burnout, disengaged students, or shifting expectations, Julia’s approach offers practical tools to transform your classroom—and your outlook. Revealing why emotional connection is the key to lasting learning and teacher fulfillment, Teach Kids, Not Content: Shares powerful strategies to help teachers reconnect with students and rebuild classroom energy and engagement Explains how to create emotionally positive learning environments that make lessons meaningful and memorable Offers hands-on methods for managing stress, maintaining mental health, implementing behavior strategies, and finding sustainable joy in teaching Includes authentic classroom stories that model empathy, humor, and hope in everyday situations Ideal for K-12 educators, school counselors, and education majors, Teach Kids, Not Content is perfect for teacher preparation, classroom management, and social-emotional learning courses. It’s also an inspiring resource for in-service training and professional development programs focused on educator well-being and student engagement.

Full Product Details

Author:   Julia Cook
Publisher:   John Wiley & Sons Inc
Imprint:   Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.
Dimensions:   Width: 18.80cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 23.10cm
Weight:   0.318kg
ISBN:  

9781394351183

ISBN 10:   1394351186
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   14 May 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

PREFACE ix INTRODUCTION xiii 01 Teach Kids, Not Content 1 Breaking Out of Survival Mode 2 Worth Remembering 11 Worth Trying 11 02 I Need a Large Recharge! – Building Mental Wellness 13 Plug That Drain 14 Recharge 15 Replace 16 Worth Remembering 25 Worth Trying 25 03 Building a Teacher's Bag of Tricks 27 Top 10 Tricks 27 Worth Remembering 37 04 Hopeful Teachers Grow Hopeful Kids 39 Keeping Your Tank Full 39 The Power of Hope 42 Building Hope 45 Hope in Action 45 Modeling Hope 47 Worth Remembering 51 Worth Trying 51 05 Joy – It's an Inside Job! 53 Finding Joy 53 When Others TRY TO Steal Your Joy 54 Focus on What You Can Control 58 The Candle Problem 59 Joyful Rigor 62 Worth Remembering 63 Worth Trying 64 06 The Power of Concrete Visuals 65 Examining with Your Senses 66 Concrete Visual Activities 67 Worth Remembering 84 Worth Trying 84 07 Unlearning Helplessness – Motivating the Underachiever 85 A Failing System 89 Types of Underachievers 90 Reversing Underachievement 94 What Students Can Do 96 What Parents/Families Can Do 96 What Teachers, Mental Health Professionals, and Administrators Can Do 96 What Society Can Do 97 Conclusion 98 Worth Remembering 101 Worth Trying 101 08 Teaching Kids the Importance of GRIT! 103 The Power of GRIT 104 How to Teach GRIT 106 The Overall Environment 109 Video Games Can Stifle GRIT 113 Worth Remembering 114 Worth Trying 115 09 What I Tell Parents 117 Be Appropriately Honest 118 Teach and Model Good Communication Skills 120 Know the Succeed Needs 122 Teach Your Child Bounce-Back Superpowers 125 Dealing with Kids Who Are Not Very Nice 126 How to Make Friends 126 Build Academic Success 127 Avoid ""Peerenting"" 128 Watch What You Share 129 Dealing with Separation Anxiety 130 Teach and Model Integrity 132 Teaching Integrity 132 Worth Remembering 134 Worth Trying 135 10 Worry About It! Dealing with an Overly Anxious Child 137Anxiety Disorder in Kids 138 What Causes Kids to Become Overly Anxious? 138 Online Activity and Anxiety 139 Recognizing Anxiety 140 Strategies and Tools for Managing Anxiety 141 What Educators Can Do to Help 142 Worth Remembering 144 Worth Trying 145 11 Keeping Kids REAL with AI 147 What AI Can Offer Educators 148 What AI Can Do for Students 151 The Downside of AI 152 AI Can Get It Wrong 153 How Using AI Can Hurt Educators 154 How Using AI Can Hurt Kids 156 Worth Remembering 159 Worth Trying 160 12 Honey, the ""Secret Sauce"" 161 Emotional Memory 162 Creating Glimmers for Kids 163 What I See Is How I'll Act! 164 Leave It at the Door 166 Helping a Grieving Student 166 Use ""And"" Not ""But"" 168 Attitude Is Everything! 169 Worth Remembering 170 Worth Trying 170 AFTERWORD 171 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 177 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 179 INDEX 181

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Author Information

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.

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