This book & CD-ROM offer practical strategies for addressing challenging behaviors in early childhood classrooms that direct users to make specific decisions about classroom design and practices, interactions with families and outside professionals, and children's positive behavioral support. Building on both research and the authors' experience in early childhood education, this book is designed to support educators working with young children in group settings to prevent, address, and resolve challenging behavior. The strategies are divided into three categories that together make up the ecological context of the behavior: intrapersonal (those factors that stem from within the child - temperament, skill levels, preferences, home experiences, and prior educational experiences); environmental (all aspects of the child's relationship to peers, family, and the environment); and, transactional (those contexts that change as children interact with peers and adults). Teachers are encouraged to use the information and forms presented to organize the classroom environment, manage daily activities proactively and positively, consistently respond to behavioral challenges, and expand their working knowledge of child development. Each chapter contains many forms that will help the teachers to fully understand the child's behavior from all three contexts and develop strategies that will enhance the child's experience in the early childhood setting as well as at home and in the community.
Author Biography:
Dawn Denno, M.Ed., Ed.D., is Director of Early Education and Care at the Cincinnati Children� (TM)s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Denno received a master of science in early childhood education and an education doctorate in special education. Dr. Denno spent 10 years as an early education classroom teacher. She has served as a Head Start director, a child care licensing specialist, and an administrator of Montessori and traditional child care programs. Dr. Denno previously worked for the Ohio Department of Education, where she facilitated quality improvement initiatives and assessment in early education programs across the state. Dr. Denno� (TM)s areas of interest include school readiness, literacy, assessment, language development, and supporting children with challenging behavior. Her publications include articles on early intervention, outcome measurement, and behavior support. Victoria Carr, Ed.D., is Director of the Arlitt Child and Family Research and Education Center and Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education, University of Cincinnati. She is Executive Director for the Arlitt Head Start program and Executive Producer for Arlitt Instructional Media. For many years, Dr. Carr� (TM)s work has focused on children who have challenging behaviors. Her current research is on nature and children. She collaborates with the Cincinnati Nature Center to lead The Cincinnati Playscape Initiative. Dr. Carr holds a bachelor of science in elementary education and learning and behavioral disorders, a master of science in gifted education, and a doctorate in early childhood special education.
Susan Hart Bell, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of Child Development at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Dr. Bell received a master of science degree in clinical psychology from Eastern Kentucky University and a doctorate in school psychology from the University of Cincinnati. She has coordinated an interdisciplinary team serving preschool children with disabilities in Raleigh, North Carolina, and consulted with preschools in the Greater Cincinnati area. Dr. Bell directed the Ohio Early Childhood Intervention Project at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Bell and her husband, Jeff, have two children, Sarah and Chad, and one grandchild, Elijah Chad.
