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

Chapter 7

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. Leadership in the encouraging classroom.
    1. Observe an example of what you believe to be positive leadership shown by a teacher. What was the situation? What did the teacher say and do? What did the children say and do in response? Using ideas from the chapter, why do you believe this was an example of leadership communication?
    2. Interview a teacher who shows what you believe to be positive leadership in the classroom. Ask the teacher to share how she goes about establishing leadership at the beginning of the school year. How do the methods of the teacher agree or disagree with what the chapter says about leadership communication?
  2. Guidelines in the encouraging classroom.
    1. Whether she uses the term rules or guidelines, observe how a teacher uses standards in the classroom. Is the use of standards closer to that of rules or guidelines? Document your conclusion. Compare your findings with ideas from the chapter.
    2. Interview a teacher about how she uses standards with young children. (The use of the term guidelines is new, so she may use the term rules.) What developmental considerations does the teacher make in creating and using the standards? How is the class involved? Is the use of standards closer to that of rules or guidelines? Explain why you think so. Compare your findings with ideas from the chapter.
  3. Encouragement more than praise.
    1. Observe a teacher giving feedback to a child or to the class. What did the teacher say and do? How did the children respond? Was what you observed more like praise or encouragement? Why do you think so? Compare your findings with ideas from the chapter.
    2. Interview a teacher about her priorities when giving positive feedback to an individual child and to the class. Write down what the teacher said. How do her ideas correspond to the text ideas about encouragement and praise?
  4. Discussing inclusively.
    1. Observe a teacher in a discussion or activity with the class. How does the teacher respond to questions or comments that do not seem to "fit"? How has your understanding of discussing inclusively changed by what you observed and read in the text?
    2. Interview a teacher about her priorities in discussions with the class. Ask how the teacher generally responds to comments that do not seem to "fit" the topic or activity. How do the teacher's comments correspond to the text ideas about discussing inclusively?
  5. Class meetings.
    1. Observe a class meeting as distinct from a "Circle Time." Determine whether the meeting was scheduled or unscheduled and the purpose of the meeting. How do the purposes and conduct of the meeting correspond with ideas from the chapter?
    2. Interview a teacher who uses class meetings as distinct from circle times. Does the teacher use scheduled class meetings, unscheduled, or both? What does the teacher believe to be the reasons for holding class meetings? How do the reasons identified by the teacher correspond with ideas from the chapter?
  6. Friendliness in the encouraging classroom.
    1. Observe a classroom that encourages friendliness. Record an instance of teacher-child interaction and of child-child interaction that you believe typical. Compare your findings from the observation(s) with what the text says about teaching friendliness.
    2. Interview a teacher about the efforts she makes to encourage friendliness toward certain children by other children. Ask the teacher to give you an informal "case study" based on recent experience. Compare your findings from the interview with what the text says about teaching friendliness.
  7. Leadership communication with parents.
    1. Observe how a teacher uses notes, E-mails, telephone calls, meetings, or conferences with parents. How does the teacher's use of these communication methods correspond with ideas from the chapter?
    2. Interview a teacher about using notes, E-mails, telephone calls, meetings, or conferences as communication techniques with parents. How do the teacher's priorities correspond with ideas from the chapter?

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

Barkley, S. (1998). On teasing, taunting, and "I can do it myself." Young Children, 53(2), 42.

DeVries, R., & Zan, B. (2004, September). When children make rules. Educational Leadership,

Foster, S. M. (1994). Planning successful parent meetings. Young Children, 50(1), 78-81.

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.

Vance, E., & Jimenez, P. (2002). Class meetings; Young children solving problems together. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Wien, C. A. (2004). From policy to participation: Overturning the rules and creating amiable classrooms. Young Children, 59(1), 34-40.

Wohlwend, K. E. (2004/05). Chasing friendship: Acceptance, rejection, and recess play. Childhood Education, 81(2), 77-82.

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WEB LINKS

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

Group Communication

  1. Child Friendly Initiative http://www.childfriendly.org/
  2. Center for Family Research http://www.cfr.uga.edu/
  3. Center for Early Education and Development http://education.umn.edu/

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AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES

[Classroom Management: Setting the Tone] www.insight-media.com

[Connecting with Kids] www.films.com

[Indiana Steps Ahead: Painting a Positive Picture: Proactive Behavior Management] www.naeyc.org

[Managing Students Without Coercion] www.insight-media.com

[Teaching Social Skills] www.films.com

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • How does the teacher establish leadership in the encouraging classroom?
  • Why are guidelines, not rules, important in the encouraging classroom?
  • Why is encouragement more appropriate than praise?
  • Why is discussing inclusively important?
  • How do class meetings build the encouraging classroom?
  • How does the adult teach friendliness in the encouraging classroom?
  • How does leadership communication with parents build and maintain partnerships?

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DISCUSSION ACTIVITY

Think of a time when you were embarrassed by praise a teacher gave you, or when you embarrassed a child by giving praise. Compare or contrast that experience with what the chapter says about praise. How might the teacher, or you, have given encouragement in that situation instead? What difference do you think giving encouragement might have made?

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