Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners: Approaches to Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom (Early Childhood Education Series) (Early Childhood Education Series)

''Hyson has truly given early childhood educators a great gift. We will now have Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners as a framework to guide our understanding and communication about approaches to learning....Lively and enchanting vignettes of children, teachers, and classrooms abound in this book, thus bringing to life the theoretical constructs explored. In addition, the author's clear, concrete, and well-organized writing style keeps the reader enthusiastic and engaged throughout.'' --From the Foreword by Sue Bredekamp, Council for Professional Recognition ''Curiosity, persistence, and joy are key ingredients that pave the way for a lifetime of learning. Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners is a landmark book that should be read by all who journey with young children, encourage their engagement, celebrate their enthusiasm, and help them build a strong foundation for a successful education.'' --Joan Lombardi, Director, The Children's Project''Enthusiastic and Engaged skillfully describes the conceptual framework and research base around approaches to learning while also translating the information into practical strategies that early childhood educators can use in their work with children every day.'' --Mary Louise Hemmeter, Vanderbilt University ''Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners breaks significant new ground...Best of all, the author drives the research to practice by providing essential learning tools for practitioners and families to gauge and engage young children in their approaches to learning.'' Jana Martella, Executive Director, NAECS/SDEOf all the school readiness domains, approaches to learning is perhaps the least understood but the most important. Research shows that positive approaches to learning improve both social emotional and academic outcomes. This new resource will help early childhood professionals implement strategies to support young children's positive approaches to learning their enthusiasm (interest, joy, and motivation to learn) and their engagement (attention, persistence, flexibility, self-regulation, and other essential learning behaviors). Along with extensive research, the text includes images of practice in early education programs in culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse settings. This book will help teachers, future teachers, and other early childhood stakeholders to understand how children acquire positive approaches to learning, know what research says about why approaches to learning are so important, recognize what supports and what undermines children's enthusiasm and engagement in learning, identify and plan specific strategies for the classroom, use culturally sensitive assessments to plan interventions, select and modify curriculum and teaching practices, access resources to help every child enter school with positive approaches to learning, and influence educational policies and decision making. Foreword......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 15 WHY A BOOK ON APPROACHES TO LEARNING? WHY NOW?......Page 16 USING THIS BOOK......Page 17 GETTING STARTED......Page 18 I: Setting the Stage for Action Four Questions to Consider......Page 20 1: What Are Positive Approaches to Learning?......Page 22 THE CONCEPT OF APPROACHES TO LEARNING—SOME HISTORICAL BACKGROUND......Page 23 COMPARING APPROACHES TO LEARNING WITH OTHER UMBRELLA TERMS......Page 25 STEPS TOWARD A CONCEPT OF YOUNG CHILDREN’S APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 26 ENTHUSIASM AND ENGAGEMENT: TWO PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF POSITIVE APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 28 USING THIS FRAMEWORK......Page 31 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 32 2: Why Do Positive Approaches to Learning Matter?......Page 33 ENTHUSIASM AND ENGAGEMENT HAVE INTRINSIC VALUE......Page 34 ENTHUSIASM AND ENGAGEMENT FORM A FOUNDATION......Page 35 WHY WOULD YOU EXPECT ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS?......Page 38 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 42 3: How Do Children Develop Positive Approaches to Learning?......Page 43 WHAT INFLUENCES CHILDREN’S APPROACHES TO LEARNING? AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE......Page 45 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN’S CHARACTERISTICS......Page 46 APPROACHES TO LEARNING GROW UP: THE INFLUENCE OF DEVELOPMENT......Page 48 THE INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL......Page 51 CULTURAL INFLUENCES......Page 53 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 55 4: What Undermines Children’s Positive Approaches to Learning?......Page 57 BECOMING DISCOURAGED AND DISENGAGED—THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL......Page 58 WHAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO CHILDREN’S NEGATIVE APPROACHES TO LEARNING?......Page 59 BEYOND SYMPTOMS TO UNDERLYING CAUSES......Page 63 IMPACT ON THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN......Page 65 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 67 II: Transforming Risks into Opportunities......Page 68 5: Tools to Build Closer Relationships with All Children......Page 70 TOOL 1: CONNECTIONS WITH CHILDREN......Page 71 TOOL 2: COMMUNITY—WHERE CHILDREN ARE ACCEPTED, ACKNOWLEDGED, AND APPRECIATED......Page 75 CRITICAL TIMES WHEN RELATIONSHIPS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE......Page 78 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 80 6: Tools to Find and Use More Effective Curriculum......Page 82 WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT CURRICULUM?......Page 84 TOOL 1: ANALYSIS OF CURRICULUM MODELS......Page 85 TOOL 2: ADAPTATIONS TO CURRICULUM......Page 90 TOOL 3: CURRICULUM TARGETED TO APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 94 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 95 7: Tools to Teach in Ways Th at Promote Positive Approaches to Learning......Page 97 TOOL 1: EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTS......Page 99 TOOL 2: SPECIFIC TEACHING PRACTICES......Page 103 WHEN MORE INTENTIONAL STRATEGIES MAY BE NEEDED......Page 106 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 108 8: Tools to Assess Children’s Approaches to Learning......Page 109 GOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT: A REMINDER OF BASIC PRINCIPLES......Page 110 TOOL 1: FAMILIAR ASSESSMENTS USED IN SOME NEW WAYS......Page 112 TOOL 2: SPECIALIZED ASSESSMENTS OF APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 116 TOOL 3: A PLAN TO USE THE RESULTS......Page 119 REDUCING THE RISKS AND MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF ASSESSING CHILDREN’S APPROACHES TO LEARNING......Page 122 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 123 9: Tools That Tap the Power of Families......Page 124 TOOL 1: RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES......Page 126 TOOL 2: APPROACHES-TO-LEARNING CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES......Page 128 TOOL 3: PRACTICAL IDEAS TO SHARE WITH FAMILIES......Page 131 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD......Page 134 10: Tools to Create Change......Page 135 TOOL 1: A THEORY OF CHANGE AND A LOGIC MODEL TO GET THERE......Page 137 TOOL 2: RELEVANT, PERSUASIVE RESEARCH......Page 138 TOOL 3: NEW APPROACHES TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT......Page 140 TOOL 4: EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY......Page 142 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD: CONCLUDING THOUGHTS......Page 144 APPENDIX A: Examples of Developmental Changes in Children’s Approaches to Learning......Page 146 APPENDIX B: Action Planning Form......Page 152 References......Page 156 B......Page 168 D......Page 169 F......Page 170 K......Page 171 N......Page 172 R......Page 173 T......Page 174 Z......Page 175 About the Author......Page 176 Research shows that positive approaches to learning improve both social–emotional and academic outcomes. This resource will help early childhood professionals implement strategies to support young children's positive approaches to learning—their enthusiasm (interest, joy, and motivation to learn) and their engagement (attention, persistence, flexibility, self-regulation, and other essential learning behaviors). Along with extensive research, the text includes images of practice in early education programs in culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse settings.“Hyson has truly given early childhood educators a great gift.”—From the Foreword by Sue Bredekamp, Council for Professional Recognition“Curiosity, persistence, and joy are key ingredients that pave the way for a lifetime of learning. Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners is a landmark book that should be read by all who journey with young children, encourage their engagement, celebrate their enthusiasm, and help them build a strong foundation for a successful education.”—Joan Lombardi, Director, The Children's Project“Skillfully describes the conceptual framework and research base around approaches to learning, while also translating the information into practical strategies that early childhood educators can use in their work with children every day.”—Mary Louise Hemmeter, Vanderbilt University“Breaks significant new ground. Best of all, the author drives the research to practice by providing essential learning tools for practitioners and families to gauge and engage young children in their approaches to learning.”—Jana Martella, Executive Director, NAECS/SDE This New Resource Will Help Early Childhood Professionals Implement Strategies To Support Young Children's Positive Approaches To Learning-their Enthusiasm (interest, Joy, And Motivation To Learn) And Their Engagement (attention, Persistence, Flexibility, Self-regulation, And Other Essential Learning Behaviors). Along With Extensive Research, The Text Includes Images Of Practice In Early Education Programs In Culturally, Economically, And Linguistically Diverse Settings.--book Jacket. Introduction -- Part I, Setting The Stage For Action: Four Questions To Consider -- What Are Postive Approaches To Learning? -- Why Do Positive Approaches To Learning Matter? -- How Do Children Develop Positive Approaches To Learning? -- What Undermines Children's Positive Approaches To Learning? -- Part Ii, Transforming Risks Into Opportunities: Evidence-based Tools To Support Positive Approaches To Learning -- Tools To Build Closer Relationships With All Children -- Tools To Find And Use More Effective Curriculum -- Tools To Teach In Ways That Promote Positive Approaches To Learning -- Tools To Assess Children's Approaches To Learning -- Tools That Tap The Power Of Families -- Tools To Create Change. Marilou Hyson ; Foreword By Sue Bredekamp. Naeyc Item 733--t.p. Verso. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 143-154) And Index.