Teaching and Leading with Emotional Intelligence

In this much-needed text, the author provides dilemma-based teaching cases that teachers and early childhood leaders can analyze and discuss to build problem-solving and decision-making skills. Readers will reflect on challenges they are likely to experience in practice, addressing issues such as linguistically and culturally isolated children, children refusing to share with others, high-energy children struggling to develop self-regulation and executive function, and children experiencing trauma. They will also examine issues related to inadequate resources and teacher compensation. Each case portrays early childhood practitioners as they transform challenging scenarios into opportunities for the growth of social and emotional skills. This one-of-a-kind resource can be used for professional development, for courses that address the emotional and social development of young children, and with students beginning their supervised field experience to help bridge their research and practice.

Book Features:

• Original teaching cases that combine research, theory, and the experiences of highly skilled teachers and leaders.
• Compelling narratives that encourage students to generate and share “inner portfolios” of emotionally intelligent strategies.
• Discussion questions for each case designed to stimulate analytic and critical reasoning.
• “Resources for Delving Deeper” for both research and best practice program guidance.
• A case-based professional development approach that instructors can use to balance both didactic presentations and supervised field experiences.

Peggy Daly Pizzo is the director of the Early Learning Project in the School of Education at Stanford University. She also provides technical assistance and consultation for community-based agencies such as Head Start.

“This excellent book will restore balance to our school readiness accountability initiatives. It demonstrates the growth of the whole child, using well-written, research-based portrayals of teachers and leaders displaying emotional intelligence and fostering its growth in children, teachers, and leaders. This book also restores balance to the way we educate teachers and leaders.”
—From the foreword by Edward F. Zigler, Sterling Professor of Psychology, Emeritus at Yale University and founder of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy

“This is an important book, for it emphasizes that the first thing children need is to know they are loved, the second is to learn self-regulation, and the third is to know how to get along with others. Peggy Pizzo’s book shows parents and teachers how they can help children learn these things and thrive.”
—T. Berry Brazelton, Professor of Pediatrics Emeritus at Harvard Medical School and Founder of Brazelton Touchpoints Center

"As a long-time admirer of Peggy Pizzo and her seminal work, I am delighted that she is bringing an innovative approach—using teaching cases—to early childhood professional development in ways designed to help children learn and grow."
—Ellen Galinsky, president, Families and Work Institute

Foreword by Ed Zigler

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction
with Teresa Gonczy O’Rourke
   A Professional Development Approach Based on Teaching Cases
   What Are Teaching Cases?
   Why a Casebook for Early Childhood Teacher Education? 
   How Should This Casebook Be Used?
   Developmentally Appropriate Practice
   The Focus on Emotional Intelligence in This Casebook
   What Is Emotional Intelligence?
   Frameworks for Emotional and Social Intelligence
   The Cases in this Casebook
   Part I: Cases on Teacher–Child Interaction
   Part II: Cases on Early Childhood Leadership
   Conclusion

PART I: CASES ON TEACHER–CHILD INTERACTION
Case 1. Tomas, Arthur, and Sharing: Resolving Conflicts
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      The Development of Social and Emotional Competence in Young Children
      The Importance of Cultural and Linguistic Sensitivity in Teaching

Case 2. Ming: A Mystery Story for Teachers and Student Teachers
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      Best Practices in Early Care and Education Programs
      Temperament and Its Influence on Children's Behavior and Development
      The Reserved, "Inhibited" or "Highly Reactive" Temperament and Its Influence on Children's Behavior and Development
      Practical Recommendations for Helping the Reserved Child in a Classroom
      Preschool English Language Learners
      Differences among Euro-American, Chinese-American, and Taiwanese Chinese Young Children Regarding What They Understand as "Happiness"
     Home–Preschool Relationships with Diverse Families
     Practical Suggestions and a List of Programs That Serve Diverse Families Well

Case 3. Sky-High Energy in Classroom Five
with Teresa Gonczy O'Rourke and Ed Greene
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      Self-Regulation and Executive Function
      Development of Boys of Color
      Value of Positive Classroom Strategies to Foster Development
      Mental Health Consultation
      ADHD
      Family Engagement
      Designing Classroom Supports and Early Intervention Strategies in Promoting Social and Emotional Development
      Expulsion of Preschool Children
      Implicit Bias
      Building Emotional Intelligence Skills That Help Children Regulate Their Behaviors

Case 4. Roberto and Maria: Two Children Dealing with Trauma
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      Overview of Trauma
      Impact of Trauma
      Helping Traumatized Children
      Preventing Burnout in Teachers
      Resilience in Young Children

PART II: CASES ON EARLY CHILDHOOD LEADERSHIP

Case 5. Coming to Ground: The Leaders of All Our Children Head Start Agency Visit a Local Center with Problems
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      Leadership
      Framework for Best Practice in Early Care and Education Programs
      The Continuum of Health and Safety as Well as Cognitive and Emotional and Social Characteristics of Early Childhood Programs
      Assessment and Rating Scales
      Social and Emotional Learning
      Using Data to Improve Outcomes
      Issues Related to Inadequate Compensation for Teachers

Case 6. Crises and Compassion: The Leaders of All Our Children Head Start Agency Use Emotional and Social Intelligence to Navigate Through Challenges
   Questions for Discussion
   Resources for Delving Deeper
      Leadership
      Compensation
      Family Engagement
      Value of Good Teacher Preparation and Ongoing Professional Development
      Value of Social and Emotional Learning
      Value of Early Math
      Value of Early Literacy
      Value of Adult Speech to Infants
      Using Data to Improve Outcomes

Conclusion

Recommended Reading

References

Index

About the Author and the Contributors