10 Books to Celebrate Educators During Teacher Appreciation Week

Self-Compassion for Educators: Mindful Practices to Awaken Your Well-Being and Grow Resilience

Lisa Baylis, MEd

In her debut book, fellow educator and mindful self-compassion expert, Lisa Baylis, MEd, provides educators with simple, accessible, and easy-to-use practices that will inspire them to care for themselves—instead of adding to their chaos—so they can continue doing the profession they love. Within Self-Compassion for Educators, busy and overwhelmed teachers will learn how to sustain their well-being, grow their resilience, and reignite their passion for teaching others.

Curious about self-compassion? Lisa explains what it is (and isn't) in her blog: The Necessity of Self-Compassion for Every Educator.

Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges

Mona Delahooke, PhD

In Beyond Behaviors, internationally known pediatric psychologist Dr. Mona Delahooke describes behaviors as the tip of the iceberg—as important signals that we need to address by seeking to understand a child’s individual differences in the context of relational safety. With a variety of impactful worksheets and charts, this accessible book offers educators tools and techniques to reduce behavioral challenges, enhance psychological resilience, and help children form satisfying, secure relationships.

Want a taste of this approach? Download free worksheets on addressing challenging behaviors here.

Beyond Behaviors Flip Chart: A Psychoeducational Tool to Help Therapists & Teachers Understand and Support Children with Behavioral Challenges

Mona Delahooke, PhD

In the Beyond Behaviors Flip Chart, therapists, teachers, and childhood providers will discover a new way to approach children’s behavioral challenges. Instead of using reinforcement schedules, sticker charts, time-outs, and other such practices to address problem behaviors, this chart introduces cutting-edge techniques that are compassionate and neuroscience-based to support children.

Building a Trauma-Informed Compassionate Classroom: Strategies & Activities to Reduce Challenging Behavior, Improve Learning Outcomes, and Increase Student Engagement

Jennifer L. Bashant, PhD, LMSW, MA

Meeting students’ social and emotional needs in the classroom is foundational to effective learning. It’s a difficult job when working with typical learners, let alone with students who have a trauma history and more demanding mental health or behavioral challenges. Mental health expert Dr. Jennifer L. Bashant details how using a trauma-informed approach will greatly reduce—even eliminate—challenging behaviors in your classroom. With her practical, research-based, and easy-to-use strategies, every educator can create a classroom where all students feel welcomed, supported, and ready to learn.

Learn to recognize the signs of fight, flight, or freeze in the classroom in Jennifer's blog: Wired for Fear.

Calm and Peaceful Mindful Me: A Mindfulness How-To Guide for Toddlers and Kids

Andrea Dorn, MSW, LISW-CP

In this fun and delightfully charming book, children will follow a gender-neutral character through an easy-to-understand, step-by-step mindfulness practice. Written and illustrated by a therapist (and mother), Andrea Dorn, MSW, LISW-CP, this simple yet very intentionally written book introduces the concept of mindfulness with a first-person, mantra-like narrative that will help children build greater awareness of their body and emotions. This book makes it remarkably easy to teach mindfulness to young students in a concrete way.

Looking for simple ways to introduce childen to the concept of mindfulness? Discover Andrea's 8 ways to help children grow a mindfulness practice.

ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom: Managing the Impact on Learning, Motivation, and Stress

Cindy Goldrich, EdM, ADHD-CCSP and Carly Wolf, MA

ADHD and executive function expert Cindy Goldrich and special education teacher Carly Wolf combined efforts to create this powerful resource to help teachers and professionals understand and connect with students. These practical tools and worksheets are designed to help students become resourceful, accountable, optimistic, and perseverant. Take advantage of the latest brain research and evidence-based best practices to get kids motivated, focused, and organized so they can perform closer to their real potential.

One of the most common struggles for students with ADHD or executive function challenges is staying focused on a specific accomplishment during a given time period. Try using these free worksheets from ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom to help students get started and stay on track.

The Stress-Buster Workbook for Kids: 75 Evidence-Based Strategies to Help Kids Regulate Their Emotions, Build Coping Skills, and Tap into Positive Thinking

Katie Hurley, LCSW

Kids today are growing up in a world that runs on stress. From bullying, peer pressure, and demanding academic expectations, modern-day kids are often faced with obstacles that can feel insurmountable. In The Stress-Buster Workbook for Kids, Katie Hurley delivers 75 evidence-based strategies, activities, and scripts to help children navigate the stressors of everyday life, overcome challenges, and build self-confidence. Being a kid isn’t always easy, but with these tried-and-true strategies, they’ll learn how to conquer their biggest obstacles and realize that they can do hard things.

Help kids face obstacles head-on with these free worksheets from The Stress-Buster Workbook for Kids.

Amazing Me: A Growth Mindset Activity Journal for Kids

Tina Williamson

A growth mindset activity book for the home, classroom, or therapy office, Amazing Me is a one-of-a-kind journal that takes kids on a journey of self-discovery as they learn the social-emotional skills needed to tackle everything that can (and will) come up in life. Filled with colorful illustrations and engaging content, Amazing Me explains social-emotional concepts in a child-friendly way by inviting children to become special agents working their way through 10 personal growth missions.

Some Days I Breathe on Purpose: Learning To Be a Calm, Cool Kid

Kellie Doyle Bailey, MA, CCC-SLP, MMT/SEL

Some Days I Breathe On Purpose follows Maysie as she learns to become more calm, steady, and self-aware by breathing on purpose. In this delightful rhyming story, kids can discover how to use their own mindful breath to help them stay centered, regulated and ready to handle any emotion that comes their way. Bonus material for educators, parents and caregivers includes simple mindful breathing exercises and step-by-step mindfulness techniques.

Help kids develop self-awareness and self-management skills through purposeful breathing with these free worksheets from Some Days I Breathe On Purpose.

Expressive Therapies for Kids: An Art, Music, Play and Drama Toolbox for School-Based Counseling

Kimberley Palmiotto, PsyD, LCPC, ATR

Expressive arts therapies can help children communicate problems, process emotions, and develop solutions, in a comfortable, non-threatening way. Expressive Therapies for Kids contains over 85 art, music, play and drama directives to use in school or a therapy office. Licensed educational psychologist and registered art therapist Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto has pulled together creative and engaging activities that can be used with children and teens to help manage symptoms and behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, selective mutism, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, and intellectual disabilities.

Thank You Mind: Understanding My Big Feelings on Tricky Days

Jennifer Cohen Harper, MA, E-RYT, RCYT

Written by an educator, children’s yoga expert, and mother, Thank You Mind provides an inviting exploration of a wide range of emotions—from anger to boredom to awe—helping children discover how their mind can help them make sense of their experiences. Thank You Mind also includes meaningful tips for caregivers and educators to help their children learn how awareness, self-compassion, and positive self-talk can be powerful tools on even the trickiest days.

Some Nights I Flip My Lid: Learning To Be a Calm, Cool Kid

Kellie Doyle Bailey, MA, CCC-SLP, MMT/SEL

Some Nights I Flip My Lid follows 4th grader Grace, who holds it together at school as she navigates the stressors of being a kid but unravels once in the safety of her home. Together with her family, she learns mindfulness strategies to help manage big emotions after a long day. This sequel to the bestseller Some Days I Flip My Lid is a colorful and delightfully engaging story for home or school, or whenever your child needs a mindful moment to be calm and cool. You’ll also find bonus material for families, caregivers, and educators, including step-by-step instructions for teaching mindful grounding techniques!

The Not-So-Friendly Friend: How To Set Boundaries For Healthy Friendships

Christina Furnival, MS, LPCC

In The Not-So-Friendly Friend, children will learn an easy and practical lesson about how to firmly and assertively – yet kindly – stand up for themselves in the face of a bully. By teaching children about the importance and value of setting boundaries for healthy friendships, this book provides children the tools they need to foster their social confidence and emotional well-being.