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

Chapter 8

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.

  1. Listening skills.
    1. Observe an adult in the classroom who is sympathetically listening to a nonacademic experience a child is sharing. What do you notice about how the adult is using listening skills? What seems to be the child's demeanor at the start of the conversation, at the end? Compare your findings to ideas from the text.
    2. Interview a teacher about the priority he gives to listening to individual children's personal experiences. Ask the teacher if he can remember an experience when he helped a child by listening. How does the teacher cope with the "time problem" that listening to individual children entails? Compare your findings to ideas from the text.
  2. Contact talks.
    1. Observe a teacher having what appears to be a contact talk with a child. What did the teacher do to be available for the talk? Who is doing more talking? How is what you observe similar to or different from what the text says about contact talks?
    2. Interview a teacher about contact talks. Explain the term if necessary. What does the teacher believe the place of contact talks should be in the daily program? How and when does the teacher find time for contact talks? How does the teacher's position agree or disagree with the discussion of contact talks in the text?
  3. The compliment sandwich.
    1. Observe a teacher talking with a child about a behavior that the teacher would like the child to improve. Did he use a compliment sandwich? Why or why not? Compare your findings to ideas from the text.
    2. Interview a teacher about the compliment sandwich. Explain the term if necessary. What value does the teacher see in using compliment sandwiches? What importance does the teacher give to the positive feedback part of the "sandwich"? How do the teacher's ideas compare with the text?
  4. Friendly humor.
    1. Observe an instance of humor used by a child in a classroom. How did the other children respond? The teacher respond? Observe a second instance of humor, this time used by the teacher. How did the children respond? Comparing your observations to the text, what have you learned about humor in the classroom? Compare your findings to ideas from the text.
    2. Interview a teacher who you believe to have a friendly sense of humor. What is important to him about using humor in the classroom? Ask for an example or two of events that the teacher found humorous. Compare what the teacher says about humor with the text position.
  5. Friendly touch.
    1. Observe two instances when a teacher used touch in the classroom. What seemed to be the effect on the child in each case? How does each child's reaction correspond to what the text says about touch?
    2. Interview a teacher who you know uses friendly touch. Ask the teacher how he deals with concerns that some adults have about touch. Ask if the program has any policies or guidelines regarding touch. Ask what the teacher believes to be important about the use of touch with children. Compare the teacher's ideas with the ideas from text.
  6. Teachers caring for themselves.
    1. Select a teacher who seems to you to cope well with stress. Observe that teacher's interactions with others in a potential "high stress" situation. Decide particular strengths the teacher shows. Which of the options for alleviating stress reactions listed in the text does the teacher seem to use?
    2. Interview a teacher about how he deals with job-related stress in order to remain positive. If you and the teacher are both comfortable, ask also how the teacher deals with life-related stress outside of the classroom. Compare your findings with what the text says about stress, its symptoms, and options for alleviation.
  7. The parent-teacher conference.
    1. Observe a parent-teacher conference. Identify some listening behaviors used by the teacher. Notice the comfort level of the parent during the conference. How do the behaviors used by the teacher correspond to the recommendation for effective listening in the text?
    2. Interview a teacher experienced in parent-teacher conferences. Ask the teacher to discuss how he communicates to make the conference productive for both the parent and the teacher. How do the communication ideas mentioned by the teacher correspond to the recommendations for effective listening in the text?

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

Bowling, H. J., & Rogers, S. (2001). The value of healing in education. Young Children, 56(2), 79-81.

Breslin, D. (2005). Children's capacity to develop resiliency: How to nurture it. Young Children, 60(1), 47-51.

Gable, S. (2002). Teacher-child relationships throughout the day. Young Children, 57(4), 42-47.

King, M. (2003). Building an encouraging classroom with boys in mind. Young Children, 58(4), 33-35.

Loomis, C., & Wagner, J. (2005). A different look at challenging behavior. Young Children, 60(2), 94-99.

Nelson, B. G. (2002). The importance of men teachers and why there are so few. Minneapolis, MN: Men in Child Care and Elementary Education Project. http://www.menteach.org

Novick, R. (1998). The comfort convex: Fostering resiliency and emotional intelligence. Childhood Education, 74(4), 200-204.

Sturm, C. (1997). Creating parent-teacher dialogue: Intercultural communication in child care. Young Children, 52(5), 34-38.

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WEB LINKS

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

Individual Communication

  1. Natural Child Project http://www.naturalchild.org/

Men Teachers

  1. Men Teachers in Early Childhood Education http://www.menteach.org

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AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES

[The Child Who Appears Anxious] www.ed-pro.com

[Communicating with Preschoolers] www.insight-media.com

[Men Caring for Young Children] www.naeyc.org

[Relationships] www.naeyc.org

[Teachers Coaching Parents Regarding Homework and Discipline] www.insight-media.com

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

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

The Child Who Appears Anxious. Children who appear anxious are shown hanging around the edges of play or simply unable to play at all. This video teaches how to use interventions that build trust, nurture playfulness, and entice children to engage with materials and with peers. Educational Productions Inc., 7412 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy., Suite 210, Portland, OR 97225. 1-800-950-4949.

Communicating with Preschoolers. This video presents techniques for improving communication with young children. Development experts discuss the level of understanding of preschoolers, how to talk with them about what is bothering them, and illustrate ways to teach them to express feelings. #TR758. Insight Media, 2162 Broadway, New York, NY 10024. 212-721-6316.

Men Caring for Young Children. This video celebrates a diverse group of men in careers working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and young school-age children in a variety of educational environments. #812. National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. 1-800-424-2460.

Relationships. This video focuses on the essential ingredient of quality child care-the importance of relationships, especially the teacher-child relationship. It also addresses different temperaments and styles in infancy. National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. 1-800-424-2460.

Teachers Coaching Parents Regarding Homework and Discipline. This video shows teachers how to coach parents in several key skills. It explains how to encourage parents to follow through at home when students misbehave in school, help parents motivate their children to do homework, and teach parents to establish an environment that is conducive to studying. #UR832. Insight Media, 2162 Broadway, New York, NY 10024. 212-721-6316.

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RELEVANT WEB SITES

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

Individual Communication

  1. Natural Child Project http://www.naturalchild.org/

Men Teachers

  1. Men Teachers in Early Childhood Education http://www.menteach.org/

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • How do teachers' listening skills encourage young learners?
  • How are contact talks a useful guidance method?
  • What is a compliment sandwich and how does it work?
  • Why is friendly humor an important guidance strategy?
  • Is friendly touch still a viable guidance technique?
  • How can teachers care for themselves so they can care for the children?
  • How do teachers use leadership communication in the parent-teacher conference?

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DISCUSSION ACTIVITY

Think about a time when a child needed to say something to you and you listened. Compare the dynamics of this experience with what the chapter says about listening skills and contact talks. What did you learn about working with young children by making the decision to listen?

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