A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom, now out in its 4th edition, can function easily as a primary reference for professionals or in classes that address group management, the learning environment, child guidance, child behavior, challenging behavior, conflict management, and peace education topics. New enhancements to this edition include the concept of challenging behavior, active classrooms, practical discussions of conflict management, and many new anecdotes and case studies. The age range addressed in the text is 3-8 years (pre-school to primary grade) and the book is divided into three parts. Part one looks at explores the foundation of guidance in early childhood education and covers such key concepts as conventional discipline versus guidance, mistaken behavior, the guidance tradition, and innovative theories about child development with guidance. Part two focuses on building an encouraging classroom. The reader starts off learning about the organization of the encouraging classroom, as well as key elements of an encouraging classroom including daily schedule, routines, use of thematic instruction, and working with parents. Leadership communication is also addressed in this section, and focuses on the importance of communication with staff, children, and parents. Tips and techniques are shared. Part three addresses problem solving and challenging behavior in the encouraging classroom. It includes practical illustration for how to use and teach conflict management and covers the ?five-finger-formula.? Non-traditional families are covered and the effect of societal violence in the classroom is looked at, including bullying. This experience-based book that includeslots of real life anecdotes lends itself to learning and will allow the professional to make the shift from conventional classroom to developmentally appropriate guidance.
