Teaching Children to Care: Management in the Responsive Classroom

by Ruth Sidney Charney

This remarkable book speaks to the heart of every classroom teacher offering a proven, practical approach that can help reduce the exhausting and often overwhelming classroom management problems confronting today's K-8th grade teachers. Teaching Children to Care captures the spirit and energy of young children. It demonstrates their capabilities for embracing generous, compassionate behavior with the help of a skilled teacher.

Author Ruth Charney, an active teacher with more than 25 years of experience in elementary classrooms, presents theory, practical how-to's, and dozens of real-life examples that show every teacher how to introduce the practice of caring into the classroom.

This book is at the core of The Responsive Classroom approach. If you haven't read it, you'll want to order your copy today. This is one book that every teacher should have the opportunity to read! 309 pages, paper.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Nonfiction, School, Reference

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Nathan]

Teaching Children to Care: Management in the Responsive Classroom is a thorough and practical resource for helping teachers establish an ongoing curriculum in self control, social participation, and human development. Realistic, do-able techniques are offered for using logical consequences, problem-solving class meetings, and clear positives.

This is not a book written by a professor outside of an actual classroom as many professional development books are. This author has been a teacher and understands the rigors and bumps of teaching. It truly helps me meet the needs of the whole child, and not just focus on the standards.

It is probably one of the best book I have read on classroom management--EVER! Not only is it well-written, it is timeless, use-able, accessible and friendly. The author readily includes her own classroom successes and failures, which helps me to identify with her journey. She also give practical, ready to implement steps and routines. Is classroom managment difficult? YES! Is is do-able--YES YES YES if you follow the guidelines given here by Ms. Charney.

If you're flustered, irritated and just feel like a grouch everyday in the classroom, I would HIGHLY recommend this book.

[Zach]

Not a book for people who mistake cynicism for insight, wisdom, or profound feeling. (You know who you are, don't you?)

If you teach through your heart and would like to become even more effective, then this is the book for you.

The Holy Grail to creating a responsive classroom (social and emotional learning). Ruth Charney fills this book with practical theory/philosophy backed by John Dewey & Erik Erikson (et al). She extrapolates the details with many concrete examples.

If there's a book available to slay the dragon that is apathy from taking up too much space in the hearts of our students (and ourselves), this is it. I'm sure there might be others, but I've yet to find them.

[Nicholas]

This is the best book on classroom management for those interested in a student directed classroom. This is a how-to book on teaching that independence by a teacher who does it. Get beyond reward and punishment techniques and into self-directedness

[Tandava Graham]

This is a VERY helpful book. I wish I’d read it last summer, but it’s probably good that I have a year of experience under my belt because I can relate to it more and imagine better how I will apply the concepts. I think I will need to keep referring back to it often!

[Kayla]

Most of this is common sense, but this would be a great book for a beginning teacher. I wish I had read it years ago.

[Stacy]

Lots of great information, kind of a boring read though. It was so long, it was kind of dreadful, but the content is good.

[Barb Middleton]

Ever seen that teacher who has developed a classroom community of students that is filled with an eagerness for learning and joy at being at school? Ever wonder how they do that?

The book, Teaching children to Care: Classroom Management for Ethical and Academic Growth, K-8, by Ruth Sidney Charney, shows educators how they can do this in their classrooms. In order to build a community, educators need to use positive language and have a clear sense of classroom expectations and routines. Many examples and scenerios that teachers have experienced with students fill the pages of the book making it easy-to-read and relate to by the reader. Examples of misbehaviors, how to deal with them, how to prevent them from escalating, and what to expect at certain ages are detailed throughout the chapters. Lesson ideas are suggested and helpful tips are sprinkled throughout the pages. While this book is written for the classroom teacher , it can be adapted by specialists to their area of expertise. Parents might find this book helpful with how to deal with misbehaviors. Let me know if you want to borrow my copy and I’ll lend it to you.

[Elmhogar]

Looks like Namazzi's teachers are already using many of the techniques from this book. Not sure it's working. Am reading this b/c of an incident that happened at the end of the year with a girl on the fringe who stood up for herself and was turned on by a 5th grade mob while a substitute teacher looked on agog. Namazzi says the sub's lack of authority created a dangerous power vacuum (paraphrasing) - I think as 11 year olds they should be able to see each other as a community already and resolve problems themselves, or at least have some brave peacemakers/leaders among the students who speak up.

[Jan Zeiger]

I wish this were required reading for all pre-service teachers. I've used Charney's ideas since I began my teaching career in 1999. Her approach is VERY effective. If you're looking for an approach to discipline that is loving, proactive, and student-centered, you've found the right book. She takes the time to teach children how to be kind to teach other. She creates an environment that allows ALL the children to feel cared for and appreciated, and as a result, behavior problems are minimal.

[Jeff]

Charney has written the bible of how to build social learning into the curriculum of a school. Her text should be essential reading for any elementary school teacher. Teaching Children to Care is filled with the specifics of how to create structures to help children build the social skills they need to be successful in life. In addition, she uses lots of examples to give the structures a face.

[Marianne]

Absolutely wonderful thanks to my friend and colleague, Ula, for recommending I read this. It has been a constant companion by my bed, reminding me before I fall asleep, what it means to be caring, compassionate, and how to achieve this with consistency and love. Now going to buy my own copy to keep with my Gideon's.

[Kate]

I re-read this every summer to gear up for the new school year. It is fabulous and indispensable. Reminders for new and old teachers on creating a community with children, helping them treat each other kindly and helping them behave appropriately, managing materials, etc.

[Danette]

I read this for my Classroom Management class and I loved it. I really believe in the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and learning and this book is one of the foundation books for the theory of Responsive Classroom.

[Kari]

Here's a book every teacher, new or seasoned, should read. It offers a perspective on teaching and managing the classroom that is refreshingly open minded. It shows a democratic classroom in action as students learn to care for each other, their classroom and their learning.

[Abby]

Awesome ideas for classroom management and character education. The ideas in this book really changed how I approached management.

[Heather Wilson]

Great ideas to help build classroom unity and commmunity.

[Donna]

Many great ideas for the classroom teacher and parents alike

[Katie]

A must-read every summer!

[Colleen]

A great book on positive discipline and classroom management. I think this book would be especially helpful for upper-elementary teachers, but early primary teachers can learn a lot from it too.

[Monique]

This was another required reading for one of my college courses, but it did not feel like the typical text book. In fact, I enjoyed this book a ton! I use this book as a resource for other classes.

[Missy]

I read this book for my college education class and have been hooked ever since. The ideas are practical for the classroom and make sense. It's just good teaching practice!

[Klyon]

Absolutely fantastic book. Worhtwhile activites and structures to implement in the classroom.

[Stephanie]

Essential book to read for elementary classroom management.

[Amanda]

This is the best "teaching book" I have read, but it's so much more than that.