The School of Hope
The Journey From Trauma and Anxiety to Achievement, Happiness, and Resilience
- Cathleen Beachboard - Teacher, Researcher, and Instructional Coach
with illustrations by Brian Bicknell
Discover how to improve achievement, happiness, and resilience using the science of hope
The current mental health crisis is driving many teachers to leave the profession while students struggle with engagement and anxiety. Trauma-informed coping mechanisms are helpful, but this book goes a step further by incorporating much-needed but often-missing support to help learners feel hopeful and provide educators with resources to care for themselves.
Based on research around the psychological science of hope, this guidebook provides strategies educators and school leaders can use daily to help students feel secure, build relationships, and improve academic outcomes. Included are practices and interventions that can be woven into classrooms and schools to foster mental wellness and happiness using
- Classroom materials, tools, and reproducibles
- Scientific resources to quickly assess and monitor hope
- Simple plans of action to improve hope, engagement, and motivation
- Vignettes from classrooms and the author’s own experiences with children who have experienced extreme trauma
Backed by the latest research, The School of Hope will encourage higher academic attainment and equity, inspiring a sense of deeper fulfillment for both students and educators.
"In a world where it is easy to focus on the negative and feel helpless, hope extends its reach for us to take the next step. Cathleen masterfully helps us understand that we have a choice in how we approach the challenges we face and provides real examples of how you can re-ignite your and your students' hope. This is a brilliant read!"
"The School of Hope is an optimistic and hopeful read. It delivers a sense of agency for teachers and school leaders with its many practical pathways and tools for nurturing hope daily both in classrooms and among colleagues. This book offers an ingenious fusion of research on hope with personal and professional stories and analogies. The School of Hope is a book that will not only ensure that hope comes to to students, but also brings hope to its readers about what is possible in schools today and tomorrow."
"The School of Hope is a timely and important book. Near the end of this book, the author claims that 'changing the world, changing school cultures, and changing classrooms starts with hope.' How true! And this book helps us to understand why it is true as well as how we can go about creating the hopeful schools and cultures we need in our society today. I highly recommend this book not only for educators but also for anyone interested in living a hope-filled life and instilling hope within others."
