About the Book
In early childhood settings, children and teachers interact all day long. The benefits to everyone--teachers and children--are enormous when even some of those everyday interactions become intentional and purposeful Powerful Interactions!
In step one of a Powerful Interaction, Be Present, you pause to tune in to how you are feeling and consider how you might need to adjust to create a "just-right" fit with a child.
In step two, Connect, you let that child know that you see her; are interested in what she is doing, saying, and thinking; and want to spend time with her. Deepening your relationship this way helps the child feel safe, confident, and open to learning. Staying connected and observant helps you make good decisions in step three.
In step three, Extend Learning, you make use of your strong connection with the child to stretch her knowledge, skills, thinking, or language and vocabulary just a bit.
Now revised and updated, this reflective guide contains everything you need to understand what Powerful Interactions are, how to make them happen, and why they are so important in increasing children's learning and your effectiveness as a teacher. Whether you work in a child care center or family child care setting, Early Head Start or Head Start program, or a public pre-K or primary classroom, you make a difference in the lives of children and families--and Powerful Interactions can make that difference even bigger.
About the Author :
Amy Laura Dombro, MS, creates resources for teachers, family support professionals, and community leaders. Former head of the Bank Street Infant and Family Center, Amy works with and for national organizations to translate complex information so that it is engaging and easy to use. In addition, she often documents stories of successes, challenges, and lessons learned so that readers can benefit from the experiences of others. Her publications include The Power of Observation, Smart Start in Action and Honoring Our Babies and Toddlers, a guide for caring professionals working with military families.
Judy Jablon, MS, is an educator and author with more than 30 years of experience in early childhood and primary education. A former teacher, Judy is grounded in theory and practice that emphasize child development, observation, critical thinking, and experiential learning. Judy provides facilitation, leadership coaching, and training to a wide range of educational institutions and agencies. She has coauthored numerous publications including Observation: The Key to Responsive Teaching, The Power of Observation and The Work Sampling System.
Charlotte Stetson, MEd, spent the first 20 years of her career in early childhood education teaching young children in varied settings. During the second 20 years, she was a consultant and author. She worked with teachers, coaches, and administrators to implement best practices in the areas of classroom environment, curriculum content, observation-based assessment, and teacher-child interactions. In addition to Powerful Interactions, she is a coauthor of Observation: The Key to Responsive Teaching; Winning Ways to Learn; The Creative Curriculum Study Starters; and the DVD The Creative Curriculum in Action! Since retiring in 2014, Charlotte is learning to play the cello, volunteers for Acadia National Park, and pursues her longstanding photography hobby.
Review :
"Can you take a classic book and improve it? That was my question in reading this new edition of Powerful Interactions, and the answer is yes. Research-based and full of compelling examples, it provides opportunity after opportunity for teachers to reflect on and promote joyful Powerful Interactions that extend children's learning." ―Ellen Galinsky, Author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Skills Every Child Needs
"Intentionality―one of the most overused and misunderstood words in early childhood education―reclaims its meaning in this clear, simple book about how each interaction with a child can build a path to the confidence and curiosity that children need to become collaborative lifelong learners." ―Joshua Sparrow, Executive Director, Brazelton Touchpoints Center, and Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
"The continuous study and implementation of Powerful Interactions has had a profound impact on our early childhood laboratory program. We have seen the positive effects in relationship building, respectful interactions, and enriched learning experiences. The children, families, teachers, and college student assistants enthusiastically embrace the beautiful content of this book. It serves as quality professional and personal development for all." ―Beth Huber, Director, East Tennessee University Little Buccaneers Early Childhood Laboratory Program
"Mastery of the three basic steps of Powerful Interactions makes teaching young children look both magical and elegant! Within the pivotal instruction of "once your offer to connect has been accepted by the child " lies the basis for cultivating an authentic, trusting, respectful relationship between teacher and child and, by extension, the family as well. The special features remain key for teaching teams to measure progress and talk about their evidence-based work." ―Jerlean Daniel, Associate Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh, and Former Executive Director, NAEYC
"Relationships are at the heart of everything . . . including Powerful Interactions! With a simple framework, the authors help educators be effective and intentional in their interactions with children. This book sets the stage for creating a positive learning environment and building community while laying the foundation for meaningful relationships throughout life." ―Cate Heroman, Early Childhood Consultant and Author, Cate Heroman LLC
"This book is a great resource for my district. The first edition has been used in professional development for leaders of our P-3 Initiative and as part of the district's high school early learning program. It is an easy read for educators as well as a fantastic resource for families." ―Minerva Pardo, Family Engagement Coordinator, West Valley School District
