The Kids Who Aren''t Okay : The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools

From the renowned New York Times bestselling authority on education and parenting, a transformative guide to navigating behavioral challenges in the classroom that distinguishes between crisis management and crisis prevention—a lens shift that ameliorates the school experience for our most vulnerable kids and their caregivers.

From a New York Times bestselling authority on education comes a groundbreaking guide to navigating classroom challenges through an approach that is proactive instead of reactive, collaborative instead of unilateral, and focuses on solving underlying problems rather than punishing the behaviors that are caused by those problems.

Educators have never felt less safe at school and are leaving the profession in droves. There have never been more students with concerning behaviors, and the behaviors are more extreme than ever. And there has never been more pressure—on both kids and educators—to achieve.

Dr. Ross Greene, renowned for his pioneering work in education, observes that a huge part of the problem relates to the practices schools have traditionally used when working with students with concerning behaviors; practices which have become obsolete and counterproductive. Those practices share three common characteristics: (1) they’re reactive (late) rather than proactive (early); (2) they’re unilateral rather than collaborative; and (3) they’re focused on concerning behaviors (modifying them) rather than the problems that are causing those behaviors (and solving them). For years, we’ve been training educators what to do once students are already escalated; in order to move things in the right direction, we need to be training educators on what to do so students don’t become escalated in the first place. That’s true crisis prevention.

Building on the principles introduced in his landmark, New York Times bestselling book, Lost at School, Greene shows readers how to focus on identifying and solving problems with students, how to be early and collaborative, and how to refine structures and policies in schools to accomplish the mission. He underscores the importance of meeting students where they are and recognizing that concerning behaviors and crises typically arise from unmet expectations and the frustration they provoke. Greene equips educators and caregivers with the tools to foster safer, more inclusive learning environments. In easy-to-understand, practical terms, Greene provides a clear roadmap for turning things around, complete with vignettes, case studies, and the voices of educators who’ve done it. This book offers actionable solutions that can transform the educational experience for all students and their caregivers and shows that real change is possible.

As our current school system navigates unprecedented challenges, this book serves as a vital resource—providing hope and guidance to create a better, more supportive future for students and educators alike.