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The world is an ever-changing place, especially in recent years. In this book Jill M. Reid makes the argument that we should learn to prepare for change—and then teach what we’ve learned—instead of tackling each change as it slams into us like an ocean wave.
Reid uses science, metaphors, and analogies to build a framework for turning children and adults into fluid and adaptive beings.The book splits the idea into five distinct parts, which are contained in the acronym PEACE—purpose, engage, adapt, contribute, and evolve. Each section explores in depth how society currently sees the concepts and how just a few simple changes can drastically alter and improve this mindset. The message is clear: words are powerful, and the words we use when we think or talk about people’s qualities and traits are immensely important.
Reid peppers the book with scientific findings, and the final section contains hands-on suggestions and activities for teaching kids and students how to modify their language when it comes to skills such as changing and growing. The organization of this book makes it easy to navigate, while charts and takeaway bullet-points at the end of each chapter clarify and solidify the points.
As a trained educator, Reid focuses on how teachers and parents can communicate to children the skills necessary for a life of constant change, but the ideas here can be applied at any age. In fact, by taking the PEACE method of thinking as a model, adults can both show others how to do as well as how to integrate the method into their own way of thinking. Change is inevitable, so it’s time we stopped letting it take us by surprise.