Online Companion: A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom, 4e

Chapter 12

APPLICATION ACTIVITIES

Application activities allow students to interrelate material from the text with real-life situations. The observations imply access to practicum experiences; the interviews, access to teachers or parents. Students may compare or contrast observations and interviews with referenced ideas from the chapter.

  1. Effects of societal violence on children in the classroom.
    1. Observe a child whose behaviors seem to show the effects of indirect or direct violence. Assuring confidentiality, interview a teacher who knows the child about the child's life outside of school. Record your observation and interview and compare your findings to what the text says about the effects of societal violence on classroom behavior.
    2. Interview an experienced teacher about whether he believes that societal violence is a major factor in conflicts and mistaken behavior in the classroom. Record your interview and compare your findings to what the text says about the effects of societal violence on classroom behavior.
  2. Liberation teaching: a response to societal violence.
    1. Record an observation of what you believe to be liberation teaching with a child who is vulnerable for stigma. Why do you think the child is vulnerable for stigma? Referring to the text, why do you think the teacher's responses were liberating?
    2. Interview a teacher about liberation teaching. Ask the teacher to remember an instance of liberation teaching in his professional career. Compare your findings from the interview with what the chapter says about liberation teaching being a response to societal violence.
  3. The liberation teaching response to bullying.
    1. Record an observation of bullying behavior, including the words and actions of all involved. Compare specifics from your observation with what the text says about the reasons for bullying and the levels of mistaken behavior shown in bullying behavior. If you were to intervene in this situation, what would you say and do?
    2. Interview a teacher about bullying and his response to it. Do some children seem to bully more than others? Are some children more likely to be targets? How does the teacher work with the class to prevent bullying? Work with the individuals involved? Compare your findings from the interview with what the text says about these questions.
  4. The connection between liberation teaching and other education practices.
    1. Record an observation of when a teacher intervened to halt stigmatizing behavior that seemed to be done for reasons of cultural, racial, gender, or ability differences. Which factors above seemed to cause the stigmatizing behavior? How did the teacher respond? Comparing the teacher's response to the text, what have you learned about the connection of liberation teaching to anti-bias education?
    2. Interview a teacher about an experience of stigmatizing behavior in the class based on cultural, racial, gender, or ability differences. Record the interview and compare your findings with the text regarding the connection of liberation teaching with anti-bias education.
  5. Liberation teaching and relations with parents.
    1. Interview a family member whom you believe to be participating successfully in a classroom or program. Ask what the family member believes that she is gaining personally from the experience. Ask in what ways, if any, the experience has changed the family member's view of her personal development, education, or career aspirations. Compare your findings with ideas from the text.
    2. Discuss with a teacher a situation in which he helped a family overcome initial reluctance to be involved and the family ended up growing from the participation. Ask the teacher to reflect about the likely effect of the experience for the family, the child, and the teacher. Compare your findings with ideas from the text.

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

Beane, A. L. (2000). Bully free classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Betz, C. (1994). Beyond time-out: Tips from a teacher. Young Children 49(3), 10-14.

Da Pas, D. A., & Kovach, B. A. (1998). Assisting toddlers and caregivers during conflict resolutions: Interactions that promote socialization. Childhood Education, 75(1), 25-30.

Elkind, D. (1997, November). The death of child nature: Education in the postmodern world. Phi Delta Kappan, 241-245.

Feeney, S., & Lipnes, K. (1990). NAEYC code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Froschl, M., & Sprung, B. (1999). On purpose: Addressing teasing and bullying in early childhood. Young Children, 54(2), 70-72.

Gartrell, D. (2000). What the kids said today: Using classroom conversations to become a better teacher. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance: Teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood classrooms. Joint publication of NAEYC, Washington, DC and Thomson Delmar Learning, Clifton Park, New York.

Harris, T. T., & Fuqua, J. D. (2000). What goes around comes around: Building a community of learners through circle times. Young Children, 55(1), 44-47.

Lawhon, T. (1997). Encouraging friendships among children. Childhood Education, 73(4), 228-231.

Logan, T. (1998). Creating a kindergarten community. Young Children, 53(2), 22-26.

McClurg, L. G. (1998). Building an ethical community in the classroom: Community Meeting. Young Children, 53(2), 30-35.

Schreiber, M. E. (1999). Time-outs for toddlers: Is our goal punishment or education. Young Children, 54(4), 22-25.

Weber-Schwartz, N. (1987). Patience or understanding? Young Children, 42(3), 52-54.

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WEB LINKS

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

Response to Violence

  1. Zero to Three: Coping with Terrorism http://www.zerotothree.org
    Search for Coping with Terrorism
  2. Future of Children http://www.futureofchildren.org
  3. National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students http://www.ed.gov/
    Advanced Search for National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students > Choose Archived: ED/OERI: National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students
  4. Child Trauma Academy http://www.childtrauma.org/
  5. Child Abuse http://www.childabuse.org/

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AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES

[A Cry from the Edge] www.insight-media.com

[Everybody's Different] www.store.sunburst.com

[Supporting Students At Risk] www.films.com

[The Child Who Is Rejected] www.ed-pro.com

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

A Cry from the Edge. Explores the experiences of students on the edge of success or failure in school. Visits classrooms where teachers are using literacy across the curriculum to reach at-risk students. Insight Media, 121 West 85th Street, New York, NY 10024. 1-800-223-9910.

Everybody's Different. Video, audiocassette, teacher's guide, student worksheets. With song lyrics that proclaim, "Everybody's different, no one's quite the same," program celebrates the specialness of individual differences. Helps the youngest students understand that everyone is different in some way, and that it's not only okay to be different, it can be very interesting. Sunburst Communications, Dept. PE27, 101 Castleton Street, PO Box 40, Pleasantville, NY 10570. 1-800-431-1934.

Supporting Students At Risk. No matter how well planned the lesson or how skilled the teacher, there will always be some unhappy and disruptive students. This video program examines how a school can support its teachers in dealing with particularly difficult students. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543-2053. 1-800-257-5126.

The Child Who Is Rejected. Unfortunately, every classroom has children whose behavior, lack of language, or social skills cause them to be rejected by others. This video illustrates interventions that help these children build new skills and become accepted by others. Educational Productions Inc., 7412 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy., Suite 210, Portland, OR 97225. 1-800-950-4949.

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RELEVANT WEB SITES

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

Response to Violence

  1. Zero to Three: Coping with Terrorism http://www.zerotothree.org/
    Search for Coping with Terrorism
  2. Future of Children http://www.futureofchildren.org
  3. National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students http://www.ed.gov/
    Advanced Search for National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students > Choose Archived: ED/OERI: National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students
  4. Child Trauma Academy http://www.childtrauma.org/
  5. National Clearinghouse for Child Abuse and Neglect http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • How are children in the classroom affected by violence in society?
  • How is liberation teaching a response to societal violence?
  • What is the liberation teaching response to bullying?
  • What is the connection between liberation teaching and other education practices?
  • How does liberation teaching apply to relations with parents?

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DISCUSSION ACTIVITY

Referring to the text, identify a guiding principle important to you in relation to each of the following:

  • guidance response to bullying;
  • liberation teaching;
  • resiliency mentoring;
  • anti-bias education;
  • peace education;
  • levels of parent involvement.

Discuss the importance of these principles to you in your professional development.

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