Kids Can: Transform the Lives of Struggling Students through Culture, Motivation, and Methods

What can I do to help students who are struggling academically and personally?

Andrew Sharos has heard this question many times in his career. And while we cannot always change where students start, we can certainly affect where they finish. Working with struggling students specifically provides the most satisfying success stories in teaching. This is an unending challenge that is never really complete. Every one of our

students has faced adversity at some point in their academic careers, and we must recognize the different challenges they face in order to help them advance.

Our struggling students need us, and hopefully by reading this book, you will feel less alone in this challenge. And unlike Sharos's previous book, this one will make little mention of test scores. While celebrating a measurable data point can validate our work as educators, helping students who struggle is a larger calling for all of us. It's as a colleague, a peer, and, most importantly, a fellow parent that Sharos aims to share methods to help all of us dig deeper and lean into the struggle, with the ultimate goal of making a difference.

We all have students who struggle, and we will continue to have students who struggle. This book will support your desire to be part of the solution. You are capable of changing the academic and personal trajectory of your students who struggle the most, and Kids Can will show you how.

Endorsements

Andrew's pulse on the educational landscape results in a message that is timely and spot-on for teachers needing insight into how to move forward in supporting their students. His practical advice and strategies in Kids Can can be implemented by any teacher who has a desire to see their students succeed.

-Michelle Swain, director of gifted and advanced academic services, Round Rock ISD, TX

Andrew Sharos has significantly influenced our approach by championing the belief that "all kids can" succeed when given the right support and encouragement. His guidance has been pivotal in implementing our "AP for All" program, empowering students who might never have considered AP courses to embrace these opportunities and thrive.

-Christina Smith, statistics teacher and AP advisor, Kingsway Regional High School, NJ