The Power of Choice: A Teen's Guide to Finding Personal Success

The Power of Choice Teacher’s Edition provides educators with many thought-provoking exercises to use with students in an effort to enable them to better navigate the many paths and complexities of their young lives. It is a timely publication for a world that has become increasingly more challenging for all of us, but especially for middle and high school students. Through the use of multiple modalities and step-by-step examples, Claude Larson uses detailed lessons to enable a teacher to challenge his/her students’ preconceived notions of self in the context of their social networks. The exercises at the end of each chapter provide students with the opportunity to delve into ways that can enable them to change behavior and attitudes which may have been counterproductive to achieving their identified goals. The author uses evidence-based approaches which support the recognition and practice of making changes over a period of time until they become part of an individual’s daily routine. And she notes that these changes are not just valuable to the person implementing them, but that they are also beneficial to the larger community. While I think these exercises and related conversations can be immensely helpful I believe that more guidance could have been provided regarding issues related to a student’s self-disclosure as it relates to confidentiality and respect for an individual’s privacy, especially during group activities. It would also be helpful to provide some direction for the educator’s facilitating this process regarding what they should or should not reveal about their own life experiences. Due to the author’s commitment to continue to teach beyond the classroom she has given young people the opportunity to take pause and self-reflect on who they want and can be and how they can get there. As an educator and through my own personal experiences I know how challenging this can be. And so I am grateful to the commitment and dedication of Claude Larson who because of her continued efforts this journey for our teens will become more fulfilling and purposeful which will better serve us all.

Young people are constantly faced with difficult decisions. But what makes things especially challenging now are the changes in their environment. What was normal a year ago is no longer normal. The way they go to school. The way they interact with friends. Their education, their work, their social life has all changed dramatically in 2020. Having just recently read this book, I believe it provides solid advice for our youth to better cope with the changes around them. Although it is also a timeless book. It provides levels of understanding that I wish I had when I was a young man. And will continue to do so in the future. But especially now, I believe that this is important reading for any parent, any teacher, any youth leader. Get this book.

This is essentially a self-help book for teens. It is written for that target audience and the language used is age-appropriate, although the activities and questions presented are applicable across a wide range of age. These are insightful life-lessons, not just school-related lessons. The book has guided exercises and examples of how to improve one's outlook and performance. The premises encourage introspection and self-awareness. There are specific actions described that the reader can take to change or improve their behavior. If used by a teacher in a school setting, the teacher would need to be alert to self-disclosure and confidentiality issues revealed by students; consultation with the administrative and mental health staff in the school before and during use of the book would be advisable.

The book title does not give it justice as its a book for all ages. In a time of uncertainty it is easy to lose focus of our goals, personal awareness, and direction. My 4 children are from ages 14-21 and there was thought provoking material for all of them to various degrees and in different stages of development. The book is an easy read with short chapters and thoughtful questions. The life applications implemented in this book will teach them what they value in life and help to develop their personal goals.

I've read many self-help or personal development books. It's one of my favorite genres! This book, however, stands out. Because it uses self-reflection in a powerful way. Presenting principles, how they can be applied to your life, and then let you ponder on how you want to carry that piece of advice into your own life. I would easily and highly recommend this book to any teen who wants to understand how to achieve personal success in their life, by being more self-aware of the choices that you make, to become the person that you want to be.

This text is fantastic for teaching in the current COVID environment. It helps students to discuss their feelings and problem solve in an uncharted learning experience. It also reminded me as the teacher that you are never too old to re-evaluate yourself. Claude Larson does a great job making the book very easy to use from the first chapter, it is filled with lessons a teacher can use in a pinch or as a year long activity. Highly recommended.

This book provides a valuable chance for teens to pause, reflect and chart a course to success. It's normal for teens to be so busy in their lives that they don't take the time to reflect and intentionally plan their next steps. Written in relatable language for teens and full of helpful exercises, this book takes the guesswork out of personal success for teens. The insights in this book are tailored for teens, but could actually help guide people of all ages.

Absolutely fantastic! This book captured my attention from the very first page! It is full of amazing tips and prompts that are easy to implement in your own life and spark positive change for teenagers. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking to help their teens/students navigate a challenging world and help them find true meaning in their life. As a former teacher I know how beneficial this book would be if it were used in every school district!

This book is a great resource that should be in every parent, teacher and school counselor's "toolbox". It is written in a language that is very relatable to middle and high school students. The workbook format provides students the opportunity for individual reflection promoting self-awareness and potentially self-growth. Topics can be utilized in group discussions in the classroom. As a former school counselor, I wish I had this resource available to me.

This book is a wonderful way for teens to begin to look positively at life and their place in it. It gives a step-by-step plan for teens to have a successful future. It encourages them to honestly look at their behaviors, standards, values and choices. This program could be used for a twenty-minute class once a week with a teacher or guidance counselor. It would be time well spent by building relationships that could last a lifetime.

The Power of Choice Teacher’s Edition provides educators with many thought-provoking exercises to use with students in an effort to enable them to better navigate the many paths and complexities of their young lives. It is a timely publication for a world that has become increasingly more challenging for all of us, but especially for middle and high school students. Through the use of multiple modalities and step-by-step examples, Claude Larson uses detailed lessons to enable a teacher to challenge his/her students’ preconceived notions of self in the context of their social networks. The exercises at the end of each chapter provide students with the opportunity to delve into ways that can enable them to change behavior and attitudes which may have been counterproductive to achieving their identified goals. The author uses evidence-based approaches which support the recognition and practice of making changes over a period of time until they become part of an individual’s daily routine. And she notes that these changes are not just valuable to the person implementing them, but that they are also beneficial to the larger community. While I think these exercises and related conversations can be immensely helpful I believe that more guidance could have been provided regarding issues related to a student’s self-disclosure as it relates to confidentiality and respect for an individual’s privacy, especially during group activities. It would also be helpful to provide some direction for the educator’s facilitating this process regarding what they should or should not reveal about their own life experiences. Due to the author’s commitment to continue to teach beyond the classroom she has given young people the opportunity to take pause and self-reflect on who they want and can be and how they can get there. As an educator and through my own personal experiences I know how challenging this can be. And so I am grateful to the commitment and dedication of Claude Larson who because of her continued efforts this journey for our teens will become more fulfilling and purposeful which will better serve us all.

Young people are constantly faced with difficult decisions. But what makes things especially challenging now are the changes in their environment. What was normal a year ago is no longer normal. The way they go to school. The way they interact with friends. Their education, their work, their social life has all changed dramatically in 2020. Having just recently read this book, I believe it provides solid advice for our youth to better cope with the changes around them. Although it is also a timeless book. It provides levels of understanding that I wish I had when I was a young man. And will continue to do so in the future. But especially now, I believe that this is important reading for any parent, any teacher, any youth leader. Get this book.

This is essentially a self-help book for teens. It is written for that target audience and the language used is age-appropriate, although the activities and questions presented are applicable across a wide range of age. These are insightful life-lessons, not just school-related lessons. The book has guided exercises and examples of how to improve one's outlook and performance. The premises encourage introspection and self-awareness. There are specific actions described that the reader can take to change or improve their behavior. If used by a teacher in a school setting, the teacher would need to be alert to self-disclosure and confidentiality issues revealed by students; consultation with the administrative and mental health staff in the school before and during use of the book would be advisable.

The book title does not give it justice as its a book for all ages. In a time of uncertainty it is easy to lose focus of our goals, personal awareness, and direction. My 4 children are from ages 14-21 and there was thought provoking material for all of them to various degrees and in different stages of development. The book is an easy read with short chapters and thoughtful questions. The life applications implemented in this book will teach them what they value in life and help to develop their personal goals.

I've read many self-help or personal development books. It's one of my favorite genres! This book, however, stands out. Because it uses self-reflection in a powerful way. Presenting principles, how they can be applied to your life, and then let you ponder on how you want to carry that piece of advice into your own life. I would easily and highly recommend this book to any teen who wants to understand how to achieve personal success in their life, by being more self-aware of the choices that you make, to become the person that you want to be.

This text is fantastic for teaching in the current COVID environment. It helps students to discuss their feelings and problem solve in an uncharted learning experience. It also reminded me as the teacher that you are never too old to re-evaluate yourself. Claude Larson does a great job making the book very easy to use from the first chapter, it is filled with lessons a teacher can use in a pinch or as a year long activity. Highly recommended.

This book provides a valuable chance for teens to pause, reflect and chart a course to success. It's normal for teens to be so busy in their lives that they don't take the time to reflect and intentionally plan their next steps. Written in relatable language for teens and full of helpful exercises, this book takes the guesswork out of personal success for teens. The insights in this book are tailored for teens, but could actually help guide people of all ages.

Absolutely fantastic! This book captured my attention from the very first page! It is full of amazing tips and prompts that are easy to implement in your own life and spark positive change for teenagers. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking to help their teens/students navigate a challenging world and help them find true meaning in their life. As a former teacher I know how beneficial this book would be if it were used in every school district!

This book is a great resource that should be in every parent, teacher and school counselor's "toolbox". It is written in a language that is very relatable to middle and high school students. The workbook format provides students the opportunity for individual reflection promoting self-awareness and potentially self-growth. Topics can be utilized in group discussions in the classroom. As a former school counselor, I wish I had this resource available to me.

This book is a wonderful way for teens to begin to look positively at life and their place in it. It gives a step-by-step plan for teens to have a successful future. It encourages them to honestly look at their behaviors, standards, values and choices. This program could be used for a twenty-minute class once a week with a teacher or guidance counselor. It would be time well spent by building relationships that could last a lifetime.

I took time to read this book and went over several sections a few times for myself. This is very useful advice for young people at such a challenging time of life and I sure wish I had this tool when I was that age! Beyond that I think this is a book everyone should read and will benefit from.

The author has used her influence as a teacher to shape lives. It’s more than a little sad that we didn’t all benefit from such clear-minded advice and inspiration in our formative years. No time like the present I guess. This book gives us all encouragement to live our best lives. We each have the power of choice, we just need to recognize it.

The Power of Choice is an excellent book not only for teens, but for all ages. During this difficult time many have lost their focus and positive direction in life. Each Chapter is short, yet filled with outstanding insight and helpful exercises to help set a new confident path toward success! I highly recommend this very positive book!

Being a certified special needs teacher in Massachusetts I found this book to be extremely helpful to my classroom. I use the exercises for weekly icebreakers to get my students engaged. They really enjoy them and have even asked if we could do them more often. Cheers to the author, great content.

At a time when everything is instant gratification, students have little skills in introspection. This program helps them with the affective- so often overlooked in these days of high stakes testing. For the amount of time it takes to implement these lessons, the payback is huge.

Great for teachers and parents. Questions and considerations for teens to help them find their path. Relevant for anyone interested in intentionally guiding their life. No need to read in order. Just open to the page that calls to you!

Claude B. Larson taught middle school science for many years, and it's clear that she knows her audience very well. The chapters are short, upbeat, conversational and clear, and offer a writing or thought activity worksheet page at the end. There are simple and charming illustrations, and scenarios that every middle school student can relate to (not taking out the garbage immediately when being asked, being driven to sports practice, being laughed at for messing up in phys. ed. class, telling a friend a secret that the friend then shares, etc.). The tone and content of the book remind me of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens and other books that stress the power of positivity in one's life. As a middle school counselor myself, I have used The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens in groups with students, and I bought this book thinking that I might be able to use it in lessons with my students, and I absolutely will. I think it would best be used with 7th through 9th graders to help them gain self-evaluation skills and steer themselves in the direction of success. She has grounded this book in the young teenager's experience- "I want to be a professional athlete when I grow up," but with a dab of realism on top (it takes 10,000 hours to become excellent at anything). Larson does not talk down to her audience, but she does tell it like it is: if you want to become excellent at something, but you only work on it one hour a day, it will take you 27 years! If you work on it three hours a day, it will take nine years. She knows that what drives 13-year-olds is the opinion of their peers and she keeps her discussion concrete and general, without touching on heavy or triggering topics. She has also included some great research-backed concepts-like the power of using a gratitude journal to increase your happiness. My critiques of Larson's book are more to do with the genre than this execution. If you like self-help books, as many people do, you and your middle-school aged child will undoubtedly like this book. It will allow them to take a look at themselves, their thoughts and behaviors, in a gently critical self-examination. It will allow them to make positive changes in their lives, and begin to switch out bad habits for better ones, more in line with what they really want in life. But, like many self-help books, it tends to gloss over bigger issues. For instance, Chapter 1 is titled "Life is 10 Percent What Happens to You and 90 Percent How You React to It." While that can be a good lesson in self-examination of a typical teen's attitudes, it tends to ignore the huge inequities in society and in the world. If I think of a baby born addicted to drugs, or a middle schooler with depression, the tone of that chapter and much of the book can sound like blaming the victim, a sort of pull yourself up by your attitudinal bootstraps handbook, when some people don't have any boots. But, that's my criticism of every self-help book, not just this one. For what this book is, I would say, it's really excellent! I plan to use it with my students next year. A note to counselors and educators- the writing exercises at the ends of chapters might bring out some personal or sensitive information, and the author writes, "No one else is going to see this, so just be honest." Be sure that her assessment is true, and that your students' writing is kept confidential. Students will only benefit from these exercises if they feel their secrets are safe. I was going to give it 4.5 stars, but I couldn't, so I rounded up! Great book for young teens, counselors and middle-school teachers to help young people grow in self-reflection. Highly recommend!

I wish I had of had this book when I was a teenager! I would have developed more confidence, I would be more emotionally adept and far better able to navigate the many challenges of those early years! I also would have had a much better sense of self and empowered in my ability to create my world. This book provides very good advice which is enhanced by the workbook questions that have a deeper impact beyond reading . There is so much here that if a student were to just focus on a few of the personal development categories, they would be far better off than the vast majority of young people. From the practical to the wise sage advice, Claude Larson provides a wealth of advice for any age. Books like this should be required reading in schools.

What an exceptional tool this book is for not only teens, but for young men and women who are at a crossroad in their lives. You are teaching teens to be introspective at a critical time when they are balancing friendship issues with school work and decisions that will affect their lives forever (college, careers, etc.). You use excellent, down-to-earth examples and analogies to make your points: i.e. pg. 50 - control of bike handlebars; pg. 81 - five fingers becoming nine fingers. I would love to purchase a copy of this book for my granddaughter. Interestingly, my son-in-law's son (23 years old) would benefit from "The Power of Choice for Success". Perhaps creating a second edition for men and women in their 20's and 30's or adding a category of people to your title (in a smaller font) would embrace an even larger audience. You have done a great service for teens. I wish I had had guidance like this as a teenager to have helped me become more aware in making some of my lifelong decision. Congratulations! Melva A. Cummings

As a middle school counselor, I would highly recommend this book to students, parents and colleagues. It's an easy and quick read and I love how short the chapters are. For kids, it makes it extremely approachable as it can be read in shorter sittings, and it's easy to refer back to a specific topic. For counselors or educators, the short chapters make for a perfect quick lesson or group topic, and the questions at the end of each chapter are great for group discussion or individual writing prompts. It would be neat to have students keep a personal journal where they can, throughout the course of a school year (whether at home or through school-lead lessons), compile all of their responses and refer back to them to monitor their thoughts and goals. I really enjoy the real-life, relatable examples that the author uses, and feel that this is truly a book that adolescents and teens can really put to practice. With today's major focus on technology and virtual learning, I love that this book really brings things back to basics and encourages goal-setting, resilience, and work ethic. My favorite analogy that the author uses is that of the brain being like a field of soil, with thoughts being the seeds that we plant and eventually grow. This is something I will for sure be using with my students, as I think the imagery really helps you visualize the impact that a negative mindset can have on a person. Thank you for this gem! I cannot wait to put it to use with my 7th graders!

I was already a fan of this book, but really enjoy the new chapter extensions of this edition that provide for total ease of delivering a lesson. The questions and activities are easy to follow, thoughtful, and something I can see students really benefitting from. As a counselor, writing lesson plans is not my strength, but I love having some structure and activity for my groups. I can't wait to put this to use with my students once we are running in-person groups again!

Great activities and character education for 6-12 grade classroom or groups! This provides script, activities and discussion points for 30 different lessons that help young people learn how to naviate life. Highly recommend this book and the teachers edition. The books can be used together or seperate. Claude is an amazing resource in education today!!

The Power of Choice zeros in on the trendy buzzword "Mindfulness" as it is something that we have always practiced, but society has moved away from in recent years. Too much input from media, peers, etc. distracts the students from being their best versions of themselves. The way the chapters/lessons bring the focus back to clear thinking and goal setting is exactly what the classroom needs! I experienced great lesson success while using this book! For example, my students had strong focus and ownership of their work while listing 10 things they have done in the past few days from Chapter 16: "Grow Yourself, Grow Your Happiness." They included a variety of actions; everything from learning decimals and riding bikes to "raising money to play baseball in Cooperstown" and "setting an alarm to wake up in the morning." It was rewarding to guide them through the process of assigning each action to a box in the "Good for you"/ "Bad for you" table. Each student really assessed each task and we ended up with things like, "weed wacking and blowing leaves" in the Feels Bad/ Good For You box. Our follow up discussion mostly centered around this category, as we discussed how growth occurs through actions that are not always enjoyable, while doing things that only feel good can hurt us in the long run. The students were really into it! This book is a valuable resource for the modern day classroom.

Chapter 3 of this teacher's edition says, "Let’s discuss excellence" and that is what this book truly is: excellent. You can tell that this was written by a teacher for educators. It is well written, easy to understand and extremely adaptable to many different educational settings. 5 stars!

The chapter extensions and group/class activities in The Power of Choice A Teen's Guide for Finding Personal Success provide concerned and practical exercises for teens to understand and incorporate in their journey toward personal growth. The exercises are applicable for all levels & types of classes and multiple learning styles. A wonderful set of activities for an educator's toolbox.

Great book, practical, bite-sized advice that is easy to take action on. Helpful for anyone at any age. Highly recommend!

Insightful guide to a useful and very motivational book!

This short, powerful book is excellent for middle schoolers and high school students. Not only that the exercises are also good for adults. It’s simple and straightforward writing, is accessible and inviting to teens. The book can be used by teens as a journal, by teachers and students for writing prompts and personal growth, or for parents and twins. I am a meditation teacher, and I highly recommend this book. It helps filter out the noise of social media and television and helps teens focus on the Timeless guidance of building a purpose driven life.

I enjoyed reading the book and sincerely believe there is a multitude of exercises that are beneficial to the readers, regardless of what age the reader may be. Each chapter has a definite focus with doable exercises that will help break the topic down. This is a powerful, direct method that deals with metacognition - higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning. Some of the pros: 1. used examples that students can identify with (sports, music, household chores) 2. offered different ways of looking at problem/solution 3. changing your point of view 4. amount or lack of effort applied to a given situation 5. grateful journal 6. warning to not be a lemming (a person who unthinkingly joins a mass movement, especially a headlong rush to destruction.) 7. using constructive criticism 8. control 9. perspective 10. consistency

This book speaks earnestly to young adults, asks them thoughtful and sometimes tough questions, and looks for them to dig deep in search of answers. Written in kid friendly talk, it’s bound to grab their attention as one topic after another touches the heart and soul of what kids face as they grow up. There’s opportunity to answer prompts and work their challenges into meaningful solutions. Teachers, this book should find its way into the middle school health, self science and advisor/advisee classes. Growing up has its challenges that make for many rocky roads and tough turns. Each chapter will inspire and give direction to any teacher who is willing to take the time to nurture their students while providing opportunity for kids to take guided action on their life’s journey.

I was very pleasantly surprised as I was not expecting a book that provides great questioning that causes one to reflect and think about what they want from life. The intertwined stories and play on the natural conclusions our minds make to hook the reader are great. The thought provoking questions for topics such as dirty thoughts, laughter, courage, effort, and forgiveness truly guide the reader through life lessons in a way that makes each personal.

This book is well written and a great addition to my teaching library. I have used the lessons and the students are very receptive to this real life learning.

This book is very relatable with wonderful examples that young people can understand and put into place. I especially like the workbook format that allows students to review their responses down the road of life.

A practical guide for youth to raise self-awareness, examine belief systems and make healthy changes. Relatable and relevant for all types of teens. Takes a simplistic approach and provides concrete steps to work through. Positive, upbeat and motivational. Worth the read. Thank you for sharing valuable life lessons. Well done!!

This is a well written workbook for teens to help them view their approaches to life and take measures to maximize best results. The value is enhanced by the workbook format. This allows the reader to lay out steps to take to deal with each of the situations posed. Without the exercises, the reader may just flip through the narratives and not really absorb the points of the book. This can be an invaluable asset for both parents and teachers not to mention the teens actually doing the work.

As someone who is just entering into the education world, I found this self - help such a great insight into how to help my future students. This book is a fantastic way to help young students to begin to have an overall more positive outlook that they can take with them for the rest of their life!

I highly recommend reading The Power of Choice by Claude Lawson. It is especially helpful during these challenging times. I believe it is a great read for Parents as well as teens! These ideas are old school and timeless as the Author states.

There are a ton of strategic exercises and thought provoking insights to help with everyone's development. Personal growth is a never ending journey and this book is the perfect companion.

Immersing yourself in material like this book can be life changing. Anyone looking to gain insight to a future positive life journey, then this a MUST read! Aren't we all curious about the "Key to Success? (Chapter 29). Find a chapter that peaks your interest and the rest will unfold around your needs/interests.