Deep Brain Learning: Pathways to Potential with Challenging Youth

 Deep Brain Learning: Pathways to Potential with Challenging Youth

 written_by: Larry K Brendtro, Phd; Martin L Mitchell EdD; Herman J McCall, EdD

 publisher: Star Commonwealth

 ISBN: 978-1-60725-789-9

date: 2009

Hardbound

genre: Adult Nonfiction: Neuroscience, Psychology, Brain development

description: This informative book surveys and critiques a variety of scientific research and studies, cultural studies, and practicing programs dealing with brain development and challenging youth.  It also introduces 25 principles for working effectively with these youth.  The book compares and advocates a synthesis of Psychoanalytic, behaviorist and cognitive psychological theories to address the needs of challenging youth and the adults who work with them.  The chapters on cultures of discord and cultures of respect presented interesting information and case studies on what can happen when a youth is surrounded by a culture of discord, versus what can happen when a youth is surrounded by a culture of respect.  Some areas I found helpful were the discussions about trust, resilience (as intelligence) and problem solving in crisis.  Rethinking Discipline was an interesting chapter which took a look at reward/punishment systems and how they are mainly used to maintain control by adults rather than teaching pro-social skills and behaviors.   The extensive bibliography provides an excellent resource for further study into particular areas of further interest.

As a youth center coordinator, I found many interesting and helpful case studies and suggestions which I can use in my contact with challenging youth.

This wonderful overview of a number of techniques and programs for working with challenging youth encourages me to look further into some of these techniques and areas of study.

Hawkmoon by Nancy Williams

Hawkmoon
Nancy Williams

Loon in Balloon, Inc.

ISBN: 9780973749786

Fiction, Historical, Western adult fiction



This is a graphic western story of an abducted young girl, Sadie Hawkmoon, growing up among horse-thieves who practice domestic violence, child-rape, and other offensive recreations. Ice, the leader, kills everyone with the traveling circus Sadie has lived with since her parent’s death and steals Sadie. Supposedly Ice has taken her to gift her as a child to Paige, Ice’s wife. Paige dies in childbirth and Ice turns his attentions to Sadie soon treating her as a replacement in his bed for Paige.



Sadie is both pampered and abused by Ice, a violent man who has a distinctive appearance due to one dark and one light eye. He teaches Sadie to shoot and includes her in horse-thieving raids. Sadie doesn’t like the way they kill everyone they run into on these raids so she begins to miss on purpose on the raids.



The other women and the other men are jealous of the attention Ice lavishes on Sadie even though most of it is unwelcome to Sadie. Sadie longs to change her life but also fears that she will not be able to escape. She seizes an opportunity to escape but is nearly killed during the attempt. After her escape, she is in continuing danger from Ice and his band of thieves.



This book definitely has some adult elements and is not recommended for younger readers. I enjoyed the fast paced action although the graphic elements were disturbing