Captivating...

I've noticed that many of my fellow bloggers have discussed their "pleasure reading" or what they've been reading besides the required school texts. I have been hesitant to do so myself, simply because lately I have been reading some theologically driven/based texts. Since this is an educational blog, and there is the separation of church and state, I have just avoided this topic. But this summer I came across a book called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. For all of those who are letting out a disgruntled groan and getting ready to click to the next blog, let me just say that any "Christian book" willing to quote Van Morrison and the Last of the Mohicans, really cannot be that bad. (Plus, it is possible to read this book and "skip all the God parts"... I have a friend that did that very thing.)
I bring this book up, not to 'spread the word' some much as to just discuss a concept. You see the book discusses "unveiling a woman's soul" and by doing so many topics, such as eating disorders, unsafe sexual practices, self-mutilation, family relationships, and struggle with self-identity are discussed. Hopefully, by now you can see the importance of bringing this up. As future educators, we will most likely know a female student who is going through some of these issues. While I am in no way suggesting that this book is a cure-all or that it even holds all the answers, it does have some major insight as to what could possibly be motivating factors of the above mentioned behaviors. I think one of the most important questions that a teacher can ask is why? Why is the student doing this or behaving this way? This book could possibly be a tool to help people understand or even perhaps begin to question student's motives and actions.
As an additional note, these authors also came out with a book entitled Wild at Heart, which focuses on men.