Helping Children Succeed

“Research demonstrates that all children have the capacity for . . . success . . . Informative and effective methods to help children overcome issues and thrive.” —Kirkus Reviews

A NOW READ THIS PBS NewsHour and New York Times Book Review selection

In the New York Times–bestselling How Children Succeed, Paul Tough introduced us to research showing that personal qualities like perseverance, self-control, and conscientiousness play a critical role in children’s success.

Now, in Helping Children Succeed, Tough takes on a new set of pressing questions: What does growing up with economic and other stresses do to children’s mental and physical development? How does adversity at home affect their success in the classroom, from preschool to high school? And what practical steps can the adults who are responsible for them take to improve their chances for a positive future?

Tough once again encourages us to think in a new way about the challenges of childhood. Mining the latest research in psychology and neuroscience, he provides us with insights and strategies for a new approach to childhood adversity, one designed to help many more children succeed.

“Attention is finally turning to the psychic and emotional qualities our children bring to the classroom. No one is better than chronicling this shift than Paul Tough.” —David Brooks, New York Times

“Tough convincingly argues that classroom climate is what needs changed in order to shape students’ experiences. . . . For readers concerned with finding practical ways to engage with and improve education for those children with the most to lose.” —Library Journal