The Optimistic Classroom: Creative Ways to Give Children Hope

by Deborah Hewitt, Sandra Heidemann, Stephanie Roth (Illustrator)

Is childhood harder now than years ago? What will children of today remember of their childhood, poverty, drugs, family discord, violence, racism? Is it possible to teach hope to children today? In The Optimistic Classroom, authors Deborah Hewitt and Sandra Heidemann examine these questions and argue that the important issue is not whether life is harder today, but rather how we can learn from the struggles of children in the past to help children meet the challenges they face today. The authors draw from research on resiliency and highlight ten strengths to allow children to cope with Self-Esteem and Competence Cultural Competence Identification and Expression of Feelings Empathy Perseverance Responsibility Cause-and-Effect Reframing Problem Solving Optimism and Hope Over 70 easy, practical activities highlight these strengths and help teach children hope, and will make your classroom a place of positive growth where healthy, optimistic children thrive.

244 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1998