Foreword by Sue Bredekamp
Preface
Introduction
1: What Is Challenging Behavior?
     Isn’t challenging behavior sometimes appropriate for very young children?
     Do children outgrow challenging behavior?
     What is aggression?
     Does culture play a role in aggressive behavior?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
2: Risk Factors
     What causes challenging behavior?
     Biological Risk Factors
          Genes
          Temperament
          Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
          Complications of pregnancy and birth
          Substance abuse during pregnancy
          Malnutrition
          Language and cognition disorders
          Gender
     Environmental Risk Factors
           Family factors and parenting style
           Poverty and the conditions surroundings it
           Exposure to violence
           Turbulent times
           Violent media
           Child care
           Understanding risk
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
3: Protective Factors
     Who is the resilient child?
     What makes a resilient child bounce back?
     How does the family contribute to resilience?
     What is the community’s role in resilience?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
4: Behavior and the Brain
     How do babies’ brains develop?
     How does experience spur nerve cells to connect?
     Is there a critical period for social or emotional behavior?
     What does caregiving have to do with it?
     What about neurotransmitters?
     What role do genes play?
     Which parts of the brain are involved in aggressive behavior?
     What does all this mean?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
5: Relationship, Relationship, Relationship
     The caring connection
     Understanding Yourself
           “Who are you?” said the caterpillar.
           What influences the way you relate to a child with challenging behavior?
           What is self-reflection?
           How do you reflect?
           What do you reflect about?
           Are there any techniques to help you reflect?
     Understanding the Child
           What is the role of attachment?
           How does attachment affect behavior?
           Is attachment culture bound?
     Establishing a Relationship
           How does being securely attached to a teacher protect a child?
           How can you develop a secure attachment to a child with challenging behavior?
           Back to the beginning
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
6: Understanding the Child’s Family and Culture
     Collaborating with Families
           Getting to know you
     Opening the Culture Door
           What is culture?
           What does culture have to do with identity?
           Are cultures really so different?
           How can you see your culture?
           The culture of child care and school
           What happens when children move from one culture to another?
           How does culture influence behavior?
           What happens when a child speaks a different language?
           Does each culture have its own special characteristics?
           Why all this matters
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
7: Preventing Challenging Behavior with the Right Physical Space and Program
     How does prevention work?
     We’re all the same, yet we’re all different
     The Physical Space
           Wide open spaces
           What will go inside each area?
           What about the people?
           Does the level of stimulation make a difference?
           Consider the results
     The Program
           Offering choices
           Choosing materials
           Are some activities harder for children with challenging behavior?
           How do you get from A to B?
           When circumstances change
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
8: Preventing Challenging Behavior with the Right Social Context
     Creating the Social Context
          What kind of social context fosters prosocial behavior and discourages aggressive behavior?
          What is the teacher’s role in the social context?
          How can you create a cooperative and inclusive community?
     Teaching Social Skills
          Why are social skills important?
          How do children learn social skills?
          Why should we include children with challenging behaviors?
          How do you teach social skills?
          What skills do children need to learn?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading and resources      
9: Guidance and Punishment
     What information will you need?
     How useful is positive reinforcement?
     Which is better: Praise or encouragement?
     What if positive reinforcement provokes challenging behavior?
     What about natural and logical consequences?
     Is it good practice to use time-out?
     What’s wrong with using punishment?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
10: The WEVAS Strategy
     Calibration: Zeroing in on the child’s state of mind
     The anxious state: The early warning system
     The agitated state: Reactions intensify
     The aggressive state: The fire inside
     The assaultive state: Involving the community
     What about using restraint?
     The open state: A time to debrief and learn
     Returning to the group
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
11: Positive Behavior Support and Functional Assessment
     How do you figure out the function of a behavior?
     What functions can behavior serve?
     What about appropriate behavior?
     Why do you need to work as a team?
     How do you get the information you need for a functional assessment?
     How do you develop a hypothesis?
     How do you create a positive behavior support plan?
     How does the plan look?
     How do you evaluate the plan?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
12: The Inclusive Classroom
     About Inclusion
          Why is inclusion important?
          How does IDEA work?
          What’s happening on the front lines?
          How is a child who needs special education identified?
          What services does IDEA offer young children?
     Preventing and Addressing Challenging Behavior in Children with Disabilities
          What is the connection between disability and challenging behavior?
          How can you organize the physical space to prevent challenging behavior?
          How can the program and schedule prevent challenging behavior?
          How can an inclusive social context prevent challenging behavior?
          How can you respond effectively to challenging behavior?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
13: Working with Families and Other Experts
     How do families react to news of challenging behavior?
     How do you feel?
     How can colleagues help?
     How do you arrange a meeting?
     What should happen in a meeting with the family?
     How do you close a meeting?
     What if you and the family disagree?
     How do you handle challenging behavior when the parent is present?
     What should you say to the parents of the other children?
     What about getting expert advice?
     What if the child needs more help?
     What about asking a child with challenging behavior to leave?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading
14: Bullying
     What is bullying?
     How common is bullying?
     Who are the children who bully others?
     Who are the targets of bullying?
     Who are the bystanders?
     How can you prevent bullying?
     What helps children cope with bullying?
     How do you respond to bullying?
     What do you do if you don't see the bullying?
     How can you work with the parents of children involved in bullying?
     What do you think?
     Suggested reading and resources
Appendix A: The Functional Assessment Observation Form
Appendix B: The Functional Assessment A-B-C Chart
References
Index

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