Thanks for Chucking That at the Wall Instead of Me: Teaching At-Risk Children and Youth

When Monica Nawrocki moved from a regular classroom setting to the Regional Support Centre in Selkirk, Manitoba, she worked every day with a population of students who had been labeled “bad.” She thought she was simply going to learn new skills as an educator.

In fact, what she learned went far beyond words, definitions, skill, strategies, or philosophies. She learned about relationships, about herself, about the miracle of human resiliency and about the ability to change and grow. This frank and practical memoir is a reflection on her learning in seven years at the Centre.

The eleven short chapters work through the topics of communication, conflict, anger, and problem-solving. Each chapter shares actual experiences and reflects on what worked and what did not. This book is alive with story; real children in real situations with a real teacher. Nawrocki shares her experience with a surprisingly open heart. It is a quick read which promises to make you laugh, cry, and rethink some of your assumptions about how we approach troubled youth.