Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers

by Pianta, Robert C.

• ISBN13: 9781557985422
• ISBN10: 1557985421
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-02-01
• Publisher: Amer Psychological Assn

Summary

Teaching children involves more than knowing your subject and being able to maintain control of a class. Every child that comes into the classroom is unique. All have different home environments, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles. And every child develops a different relationship with the teacher. Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers focuses on the complexity of the child-teacher relationship and how school psychologists and counselors can help teachers to understand the myriad factors involved in their classroom relationships. The approach presented here uses systems theory to discuss the multiple factors in child-teacher relationships and integrates school, clinical, and developmental psychology. The book is organized according to the ever-expanding circle of systems discussed. The chapters move from the individual child's personality as a "system" to the individual child-teacher relationship, multiple relationships in the classroom, and finally school policy's influence on the child-teacher relationship. Clear, informative text and rich case examples show how to apply this approach for improving child-teacher relationships in any classroom situation.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	3	(4)
1 Why Supportive Relationships Are Essential	7	(16)
2 How the Parts Affect the Whole: Systems Theory in Classroom Relationships	23	(22)
3 The Child as a Developing System	45	(20)
4 The Emotional Bond Between Children and Adults	65	(20)
5 Assessing Child-Teacher Relationships	85	(20)
6 Examples From Life	105	(20)
7 Supporting Teachers: The Key to Affecting Child--Teacher Relationships	125	(22)
8 Enhancing Relationships Across the Classroom	147	(22)
9 How School Policy Affects the Child--Teacher Relationship	169	(14)
10 Strong Relationships Mean More Resources: An Agenda for Practice and Research	183	(10)
References	193	(10)
Index	203	(4)
About the Author	207