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

Chapter 4

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. The differences between a teacher who is a professional and a teacher who is a technician.
    1. Observe a teacher you regard as a professional as he responds to situations in the classroom. Note an incident that you believe was handled effectively. Talk with the teacher about his responses. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Interview a teacher you believe to be a professional. Discuss decisions the teacher has made to assist a child that might be construed as difficult, innovative, or even controversial. Ask about the teacher's reasons for the decisions. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
  2. Positive teacher-child relations.
    1. Observe an instance in which a teacher affirmed positive regard for a child. What did the teacher say and do? What did the child say and do? How do you think the child's behavior might be influenced by such an exchange? Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Talk with a teacher about a sensitive topic: Explain that your textbook says that teachers do not always have natural positive feelings toward every child. Ask the teacher how he builds relationships with children who are "more difficult to like or understand." Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
  3. Guidance reduces the need for mistaken behavior.
    1. Observe an instance when a teacher acted to "head off" or resolve a problem in a firm but friendly manner. Think about what level of mistaken behavior was at work. Reflect about how the teacher showed understanding of the child or children involved. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Observe an activity that seemed a "good match" between the levels of development of the children and what the activity asked the children to do. Discuss the amount of productive behavior and/or mistaken behavior you observed in the activity. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    3. Ask a teacher to discuss a change he has made to the curriculum or schedule to improve the match between the needs of the children and the expectations of the program. How did the change make the day "go better" for the children, and for the teacher? Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
  4. Guidance is solution-oriented.
    1. Observe an instance when a teacher assisted children to peaceably resolve a problem. What did the teacher say and do? How did the children react? What do you think they learned from the experience? Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Ask a teacher to recall an instance when he successfully assisted children to resolve a classroom problem. Ask the teacher his feelings about the experience. What would the teacher do differently or the same if a similar situation were to arise again? Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
  5. Liberation teaching, fundamental to the encouraging classroom.
    1. Observe an example of liberation teaching when a teacher assisted a child who otherwise might be stigmatized. Focusing on the responses of the teacher and the child in the situation, decide why you believe liberation teaching was at work. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Ask a teacher to share an experience when he was successful in helping a child who was at-risk for stigma. Inquire about how the child was helped and how the teacher felt about the experience. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
  6. Family-teacher partnerships.
    1. Observe a classroom in which family members are participating as volunteers. What actions on the part of the teacher(s) seem to help the family members feel welcome? How are the family members participating? Compare results to ideas in the chapter.
    2. Interview a family member who is actively involved in a program. Ask how the family member's involvement has affected the family member and the child. Ask how the family member's involvement has been received by the teacher. Compare results to ideas in the chapter.

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

Carlsson-Paige, N., & Levin, D. E. (2000). Before push comes to shove: Building conflict resolution skills with young children. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Crosser, S. (2002, May-June). What's the difference between right and wrong: Understanding how children think. Early Childhood News, pp. 12-16.

DeVries, R., & Zan, B. (2003, September). When children make the rules. Educational Leadership, pp. 64-67.

Lundgren, D., & Morrison, J. W. (2003). Involving Spanish speaking families in early childhood programs. Young Children, 58(3), 88-95.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (1989). The National Association for the Education of Young Children code of ethical conduct. Washington, DC: Author. (Included as Appendix A.)

Watson, M. (2003). Attachment theory and challenging behaviors: Reconstructing the nature of relationships. Young Children, 58(4), 12-20.

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WEB LINKS

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

  1. Child Trends http://www.childtrends.org
  2. National Network for Child Care http://www.nncc.org
    Articles and Resources > Guidance and Discipline

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AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES

[Cultivating Roots: Partnerships with Parents] www.naeyc.org

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

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

Cultivating Roots: Partnerships with Parents. In this video, young children benefit from a partnership that is a two-way process of collaboration and communication. You will learn how best practices in early childhood programs foster partnerships, including communication, support, learning, teaching one another, child advocacy, and decision-making. 22 minutes. From NAEYC: The Early Childhood Program Series. National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1460. 1-800-424-2460.

Preventing Discipline Problems/Building a Prevention Strategy: Getting Proactive-Getting Results. Three classrooms are shown that take a proactive, preventive approach to conflicts in the classroom. Includes a teaching video and interactive practice video, each 27 minutes. 1999. Educational Productions, 9000 SW Gemini Drive, Beaverton, OR 97008. 1-800-950-4949. http://www.edpro.com

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CHAPTER RELEVANT WEB SITES

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

Reducing Mistaken Behavior

  1. Child Trends http://www.childtrends.org/
  2. National Network for Child Care http://www.nncc.org/
    Articles and Resources > Guidance and Discipline

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • What are the differences between a teacher who is a professional and a teacher who is a technician?
  • How are positive teacher-child relations the basis of the guidance approach?
  • How does guidance reduce the need for mistaken behavior?
  • What does "guidance is solution-oriented" mean?
  • Why is liberation teaching fundamental to the encouraging classroom?
  • How are family-teacher partnerships important in the guidance approach?

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DISCUSSION ACTIVITY

The discussion activity encourages students to interrelate their own thoughts and experiences with specific ideas from the chapter.

Identify the guidance principle (listed at the beginning of the chapter) that is the most important to you in your professional development. Relate the principle to an experience of yours as a student either before entering your teacher preparation program or since. Why is this experience important to you?

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