Owning Up Curriculum: Empowering Adolescents to Confront Social Cruelty, Bullying, and Injustice

by Rosalind Wiseman

Grades 6-12. The Owning Up Curriculum, written and developed by Rosalind Wiseman, author of The New York Times bestseller Queen Bees and Wannabes, provides a structured program for teaching students to own up and take responsibility for their behavior. The curriculum is designed for adolescent groups in schools and other settings. The Owning Up Curriculum presents a unique and comprehensive approach to preventing youth violence by targeting the root causes of bullying and other forms of social cruelty. It addresses issues such as racism, classism, and homophobia, as well as moral courage, perseverance, and commitment to ethical behavior. Separate sessions for girls and for boys combine group discussions, games, role-playing, and other activities to engage students in understanding the complexities of adolescent social culture. A CD-ROM of reproducible program forms and student handouts is included with the curriculum.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, School, Adolescence

439 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2009

About the author

Rosalind Wiseman is an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying, social justice, and ethical leadership.

Wiseman is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence. Twice a New York Times Bestseller, Queen Bees & Wannabes was the basis for the 2004 movie Mean Girls. Her follow‐up book Queen Bee Moms and Kingpin Dads was released in 2006, and she is a monthly columnist for Family Circle magazine.

Since founding the Empower Program, a national violence‐prevention program, in 1992, Wiseman has gone on to work with tens of thousands of students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches, and administrators to create communities based on the belief that each person has a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity. Audiences have included the American School Counselors Association, Capital One, National Education Association, Girl Scouts, Neutrogena, Young Presidents Association, Independent School Associations and the International Chiefs of Police, as well as countless schools throughout the U.S. and abroad.

She is a frequent guest on the Today Show and been profiled in The New York Times, People, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, USA Today, Oprah, Nightline, CNN, Good Morning America, and National Public Radio affiliates throughout the country.
In 2009, Rosalind Wiseman has three publications scheduled for release:

* Her groundbreaking book Queen Bees & Wannabes will be updated with a chapter on younger girls, insights on how technology has impacted kids’ social landscapes, and new commentary from girls and boys;
* The Owning Up Curriculum, a comprehensive social justice program for grades 6‐12, will reflect an ever‐changing adolescent culture, and incorporate new strategies for using media to engage students;
* And a new young adult novel will mark Wiseman’s first foray into fiction. The book follows its 14 year‐old heroine, Charlotte Healey, as she navigates the personal and social challenges of her freshman year of high school.

Wiseman has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Occidental College. She lives in Washington D.C. with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosalind Wiseman is an expert on the psychology of adolescents and education. In this book, she devises strategies to better connect to adolescents and education to prevent bullying, create namespaces in schools for students to be vulnerable and honest about their lives. The textbook is geared for teachers, administrators and counselors in educational settings. It's very good when i would recommend that these strategies be implemented in some way in schools.

[Amy]

Review to appear