Books
Sue is the author of four recent books
- Kidding Around: Connecting Kids to Happiness, Laughter and Humour
Bromeando : cómoconectar alos niños lafelicidad , larisa y elhumor (Spanish language version of Kidding Around)- Leading with Trust: How to Build Strong School Teams
- Laughing Matters: Strategies for Building a Joyful Learning Community (co-authored with Paul Thibault)
You may use this Book Order Form (PDF) to order the books on this page. You can also explore other ways to order the books through the “How to order” sections below
Kidding Around: connecting kids to happiness, laughter and humour
Definition of an optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s a cha-cha. —Robert Brault
Kidding Around: connecting kids to happiness, laughter and humour is a new 2013 research-based book for teachers and adults to use with kids of all ages and even for their own wellness. It includes 40 activities in its 200 pages.
- making the connections between happiness, laughter and humour
- linking the happiness and positive
pyschology movements - confronting mental health issues when people don’t feel so happy
- appreciating all senses of humour
- exploring the contagious nature of laughter with exercises and games
- appreciating, writing and performing comedy to tickle
funnybones - eliminating humour that isn’t fun, for example when teasing becomes bullying
Teachers and other educators will find that the book directly integrates with various curriculum areas such as: mental health and wellness in the Physical and Health; reading, writing and oral language; media literacy, community class building, character education, and social science. It compliments initiatives such as safe schools, equity and social justice. Educators can consider using it as a unit or a theme for the entire year.
This book was featured in Larry Ferlazzo’s blog on March 9, 2014.
How to order Kidding Around
Kidding Around Press Release
Kidding Around Book Reviews
Bromeando: cómo conectar a los niños la felicidad, la risa y el humor
Un libro basado en actividades para maestros, padres, abuelos y otros educadores para usarcon niños de todas las edades.
Bromeando is a complete Spanish language version of Kidding Around.
A portion of the sale of each copy of Bromeando will be donated to Kids Help Phone.
Leading with Trust: How to Build Strong School Teams
Research has proven that building trust leads to increased student achievement and staff commitment. Without trusting relationships in place, any change or improvement you attempt will be wasted time, money and effort. The simple act of making trust discussable will be a huge first step. The success of school improvement initiatives depends not only on sound policy but on trusting relationships. Leading With Trust identifies the causes of distrust in toxic cultures and guides leaders in creating a trusting environment that can support change. The author provides research on trust and activities for individuals and teams to use right away to build trust, no matter what their current level of trust. In a workbook format, Leading With Trust explores
- Ways leaders can learn how trusted they are and improve their self-trust
- Best practices for engaging with staff on trust issues to improve their team trust
- How to discuss the “undiscussables” and put the real issues on the table
- The emotional risks required to build strong teams
- Strategies to build from distrust to early trust to mature trust for personal and interpersonal capacity
Leading With Trust videos
Sue Stephenson and co-presenter Ardeth Staz, provide insights from their numerous workshops on Leading With Trust in these three Google Hangouts with Solution Tree.
How to order Leading With Trust
Leading With Trust ($24.95 CDN) can also be ordered directly from the author Sue Stephenson at suestephenson@rogers.com.
Leading With Trust Book Review
Julie Rousseau, Principal, Rick Hansen Secondary School, Abbotsford School District, British Columbia, Canada
Sometimes the right book comes along just when you need it. That’s how I feel about Sue’s book, and I know you will feel the same way too. As a new principal in a secondary school, it is important for me to build relationships with staff, students, and parents. Leading With Trust is a real gem. Sue provides excellent insights on the importance of building trust in order to lay a solid foundation where collaboration and communication are fostered. I have used many activities found in the book and have just now developed my online survey for my staff. The questions found in my survey were taken directly from Sue’s book. The information this survey will generate will serve as a springboard for future collaborative work with my staff. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing activities, suggestions, and/or insight on how to promote trusting relationships in their school.
Laughing Matters: Strategies for Building a Joyful Learning Community
by Susan Stephenson and Paul Thibault
We need to give staff permission to have some fun. Healthy learning cultures aren’t possible if people don’t like each other and enjoy working together. Happiness and laughter are part of the bigger picture of trust. Trusting cultures have fun together. “Without a culture of good humour to make continuous improvement an enjoyable process, rather than an exhausting chore, we have little chance of success—let alone sustaining it.” —Stephenson and Thibault Laughing Matters: Strategies for Building a Joyful Learning Community is an engaging book co-authored by Sue Stephenson and Paul Thibault that offers practical ideas for administrators and teacher leaders to bring more fun and good humour into classrooms and schools. Without laughter and a culture of good humour, schools have little chance of moving towards an environment conducive to professional learning. Professional Learning Communities are often blocked by a culture of distrust, low morale and resistance to change. In this environment genuine teamwork and meaningful collaboration are not possible. The first steps towards productive workplaces involve creating an atmosphere of hope, joy, fulfillment, and pride in one’s work.
To place an order, contact Sue Stephenson directly using the Book Order Form (PDF), or by phone, email or fax (go our Contact page for contact details).
Print version or Kindle ebook versions, available at Amazon.com
To order print copies using PayPal, please email Sue Stephenson at suestephenson@rogers.com – your name – full mailing address with postal code – phone number – which print book you are ordering – how many copies you are ordering You will receive an invoice from PayPal with the appropriate shipping and tax included.