Boosting All Children's Social and Emotional Brain Power: Life Transforming Activities, Oct/2013

Proven, brain-based techniques that build social and emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills!

For a child to thrive in school today and succeed in life tomorrow, there’s no more important quality than social and emotional intelligence. Since children’s brains are still developing during the K–12 years, educators can positively influence students’ development, including strengthening essential skills such as empathy, self-management and problem-solving.

Dr. Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, one of the world’s leading experts on children and brain development, shares award-winning techniques that connect with students’ lives and concerns. Readers will find:

1. A research-based approach refined through ongoing work in public schools
2. Classroom exercises grouped by age, but adaptable for all grade levels
3. Lively activities that keep students engaged
4. Valuable content for anti-bullying initiatives and counseling programs

This new guide is an essential resource for teachers, counselors and other K–12 educators, helping them to positively shape classroom dynamics and school culture.

"The author has a way of clearly and succinctly stating how brain-based research relates to student decision-making that leads to higher levels of emotional stability, self-efficacy, and individual intelligence."
—Laura Linde, Mentor/ Field Supervisor/ Coordinator
District 77 and Minnesota State University

About The Author:
Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, Ph.D. is the Training Director of the Narrative Therapy program at Bay Area Family Therapy Training Associates (BAFTTA) where she supervises the counseling of doctoral interns in schools from three school districts in Silicon Valley, California. In her private practice, she enjoys working with young people, their families, and their schools, on a wide variety of issues. Marie-Nathalie values bringing forth people’s own wisdom and knowledges, through respectful, creative, and collaborative conversations. She has published numerous professional articles, has been featured in several magazines such as the California Educator and Educational Leadership, and is known internationally for her entertaining, thought provoking, and inspiring workshops. She was recently invited to produce three videotapes with Alexander Street Press (one which is specifically on school work).

Marie-Nathalie has won several grants and awards, with the most recent one focusing on the effectiveness of narrative therapy based group activities. She is the author of several successful books such as Working with groups to enhance relationships (1998), Responding to the culture of bullying & disrespect: New perspectives on collaboration, compassion and responsibility (2004, 2009); Creating a positive School Culture: How principals and teachers can work together (2004); and the popular paperback for parents, teachers, and therapists titled The SKiLL-ionaire in Every Child: Boosting Children’s Socio-Emotional Skills Using the Latest in Brain Research (2010) (sample at www.skillionaire.org). She has been the recipient of several prestigious awards such as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grant (SSHRC), a Canadian Foundation for the Advancement of Research grant (FCAR), the John F. Kennedy University best psychology professor award (JFKU), and more recently the Shine A Light narrative research fund (SAL).