Written for present and future early childhood teachers by present and future early childhood teachers, What the Kids Said Today looks directly and openly at how teachers and young children talk with each other in the classroom. A good teacher, Gartrell states, uses these conversations to build what he calls the encouraging classroom, a community where mutual acceptance is the priority and where children can learn the skills they’ll need in larger communities in the future. Skills that include acceptance and cooperation, creative and peaceful problem-solving, and ways to express emotions that are acceptable to all.
The author collected 160 stories from more than 60 adults at Head Starts, child care centers, family child care homes, and kindergarten classrooms—including anecdotes from beginning student teachers and from experienced directors. Each story includes an account of a teacher’s conversation with children, as well as reflections on how each conversation can help build the encouraging classroom. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter help foster further exploration of what kids say to their teacher and what a teacher says to them.
