An Intimate Understanding of America's Teenagers

Alicia is so obsessed with being popular she does things that would shock her parents if they knew. Hector is aware the gang that wants him to join may be the death of him but he will not decline. Sam was a baseball star but can''t play the sport he loves anymore because he is wracked from football injuries a sport his father will not let him quit. They are just a few of the teenagers that readers will meet in this candid book authored by a 34-year veteran high school teacher. Voted Teacher of the Year and Coach of the Year Bruce Gevirtzman shares with us the results of his years spent talking with teenagers about topics from life and lust to depression and death. Revealing honest poignant words shared in conversations classroom talk interviews surveys and journals Gevirtzman takes us inside the minds of today''s youths and also contrasts them with teenagers of decades past. Topics include teen thinking and secrets on issues from sex drinking and drugs to peer pressure self-imposed standards and beliefs about what is important and painful in lifecluding interviews with fellow teachers Gevirtzman''s book is threaded with one recurring truth: Sadly instead of parents and teachers and lawmakers and the public looking out for our kids today''s kids are largely left to fend for themselves he concludes. Not only will general readers and educators find great insight in this work it will be of interest to students and scholars of adolescent psychology clinical psychology and social work.