In my public school teaching years, I had kids in my classes with more letters behind their name than supportive adults in their lives--ED, LD, ADHD, ODD, MR--but at this point in my life, the word "broken" seems to fit these kids best. Being broken means you can be fixed.

Dr. William Bender has spent more than 40 years working with children, adolescents, and young adults who need help--survivors of childhood abuse, persons with substance abuse disorders, the children of people with negative childhood experiences, and the countless other ways a student can find themselves isolated and hurting. Brokenness transcends race, age, religion, ethnicity, and zip code; any classroom can have a student in desperate need of a positive intervention, but rarely are schools prepared for how difficult the turnaround can be.

This book is for educators who have to reach and teach these broken kids using only their limited time, resources, and drive to do more. With the specialized skills, specific strategies, and essential perspectives outlined here, you can become a trauma-informed school and reach these kids in a way that most teachers cannot.

Interspersed with the stories of growth and transformation experienced by Dr. Bender through his own work with broken people, this book will set you up for the most rewarding work you will ever do--teaching broken kids.