early years bulletin spring 2016

Early Years BulletinSpring 2016

vol 3 no 3

Contentsp. 4Children’s Books

p. 8Activities in the Classroom

p. 10Infants, Toddlers and Math

p. 15Books About Autism

p. 20Tips for Parents About Sleeping

In order for effective teaching and learning to occur in a classroom, teachers must first design an effective classroom environment. The environment sets the tone for children’s social interactions, encounters, and relationships with

peers and adults, as well as the learning that will occur in the classroom. The classroom environment, which affects the feelings and behavior of students and teachers alike, is made up of the physical environment, the classroom structure, and the classroom community. Leaders in the early childhood field suggest that it is the teacher’s responsibility to create a classroom environment that prioritizes children’s needs. Attending to the physical environment, classroom structure, and classroom community can help create an effective learner-centered classroom that attends to the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs that learners bring to the educational setting.

Creating a Learner-Centered Classroomby Heather Reames and Cynthia F. DiCarlo,

Louisiana State University

Focus on Pre-K and Keditors: Jennifer Baumgartner & Cynthia DiCarlo

Physical EnvironmentUpon entering any classroom, the physical environment is the primary focus of one’s attention. It takes intentional planning by a teacher to ensure that the classroom’s physical environment is developmentally appropriate and supports children’s learning and growth. An effective and developmentally appropriate classroom will communicate a sense of order, allow children to make choices independently, and provide opportunities for children to interact with peers and materials. These components are of equal importance and should be considered in early childhood classrooms. Sense of Order. First and foremost, children must be physically safe in their environment. Organization of materials, effective traffic patterns in the classroom, and allowing children space for personal belongings all contribute to children’s sense of personal safety and help teachers observe and monitor all activities being conducted in the classroom. If children know what materials are in the classroom, they can more effectively utilize those materials. When a classroom has

an established sense of order, children are aware of the different functions of the classroom materials. They are able to use materials and return them to their proper space when finished. The traffic patterns of a classroom can also indicate a sense of order. Furniture should be arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way, and should allow children enough room to pass/move with ease without allowing room for disruptive behavior or running. Individual children should also have their own protected places to keep their personal work, as it is extremely important to them. They take pride in the things they create, which can foster a sense of positive self-esteem. Mrs. Mary’s kindergarten classroom had a fantastic sense of order. The physical classroom was clean and organized. All materials had a place; labels with pictures and words were used to indicate where materials belonged. Children knew what materials were available to them and where they could locate these materials in the classroom, without needing assistance from the teacher. The furniture in the classroom

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Early Years Bulletin Spring 2016

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was arranged in a way that promoted an effective traffic flow. Although some center tables were close in proximity, the children’s individual tables and chairs were spaced apart in the center of the room. Shelves were used as partitions to separate areas of the classroom, thus creating some boundaries. These boundaries decreased children’s ability to run around the classroom (which helped to enforce classroom rules). Cubbies for each child were located in the back of the classroom. Children had one cubby for their backpacks and lunchboxes, and another set of small square cubbies to use for their meaningful work. Personal folders located at each child’s desk were also used in the classroom to keep children’s meaningful work safe and organized. Overall, this classroom was a safe and well-organized environment in which children were encouraged to learn. Independent Choices. Children in kindergarten fit into the third stage of Erikson’s psychosocial stages—initiative versus guilt. Children of kindergarten age are learning to take initiative in their own actions and are learning to form and carry out their personal goals. Teachers can support children’s initiative by designing a classroom that allows children to be independent. One way to facilitate initiative is to allow for child choice. Effective classrooms are those that allow children the opportunity to practice decision-making skills. This can be done by providing an ample amount of centers stocked with an ample amount of materials. Physical environments that encourage children’s exploration and initiative enhance both learning and development. Mrs. Mary provides many independent choices, although more could be added. During center time, children choose whichever center looks pleasing to them, but only three children are allowed in any given center at a given time. Children placed clips on their shirts to indicate the center to which they belonged. This practice limits children’s choices to an extent, because there were only a few spots offered at each center and not enough centers that appeared to be highly desirable. In addition to having highly desirable centers, teachers should ensure that sufficient materials, including open-ended materials, are available. Children were observed playing with Unifix cubes, but were not using them to solve math problems. Instead, they were engaged in stacking them; they were allowed to choose the way in which they wanted to use classroom materials. By providing open-ended materials, Mrs. Mary gave the children more decision-making opportunities.

Interaction With Peers and Materials. Interactions with both peers and materials are important considerations in terms of young children’s development. The seating arrangement in the classroom can provide opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction, such as grouping desks to form tables or small circles. Other interactive experiences most commonly and naturally occur through play. Play promotes all aspects of development: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. Centers are a primary way to ensure play occurs in the classroom. Classrooms with physical environments that include desk grouping and centers allow children the opportunity to interact with peers, as well as materials. Although Mrs. Mary’s classroom did have desks that were placed in groups, she required the children to work silently while writing in their journals. The arrangement of the desks makes the “no talking” rule confusing for children, as the proximity seemed to encourage conversation. Children were able to talk to the other children during centers, which promoted social interaction, but the centers were lacking in terms of efficient use of space and sufficient amount of materials. Centers were either at tables crowded in the back of the room or placed awkwardly into different small places around the room. A wide variety of materials were not offered at any given center, the materials did not seem to be in good repair, and the materials were not rotated out on a regular basis. Children seemed to enjoy the centers in which they participated, but the use of space and materials did not support an ideal interaction.

Classroom Structure The classroom structure refers to the routines and expectations that are established in the classroom. Children entering a new atmosphere, such as school, often feel apprehensive and insecure in this unknown territory. Approximately 44% of children enter the kindergarten setting without having any experience in a classroom setting, such as preschool or child care. This change can be stressful for children who are not accustomed to group settings, which carry different expectations than individual care. It is the teacher’s job to help children feel comfortable in the classroom; this can be accomplished by providing predictable routines and clear expectations. Routines. Classroom routines can be defined as the necessary events that occur on a regular basis within the school day (e.g., arrival, lunch, bathroom, departure). Throughout the rest of the day, time should be allotted

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Spring 2016 Early Years Bulletin

for both group interaction and independent activities. Group interaction activities can be whole-group meetings, small-group interaction within learning centers, and physical play or recess. A quiet place in the room should also be available for children to retreat to when needed for independent activities, such as independent reading or writing. Although a predictable schedule is important, teachers should allow for variations to their schedule. For example, if children are very engaged in a particular activity, the teacher may elect to allow more time for the activity; conversely, if children are not very interested in an activity, the teacher may elect to cut the activity short. It is not as important for teachers to stick to their schedule minute-by-minute as it is for the activities of the day to come in the usual order. A posted schedule is extremely beneficial for young children, such as kindergartners. Mrs. Mary seems to have an appropriate and predictable, yet varied, daily routine put into place. Children seem to transition from one activity, independent journal writing, to the next activity, whole-group ELA, without hesitation or anxiety. Although some of the classroom activities are “busy work” (e.g., worksheets or whole-group reciting of sight words), when combined with learning centers and reading groups, they do offer a variety of activities throughout the day. One suggestion would be to use manipulatives and allow for child choice. The children participate in times of group interaction, as well as time of independence. Mrs. Mary has also posted a picture schedule in the front of the classroom. This schedule is large enough for children to see and is segmented into different activities of the school day. Children know the routines of the classroom and therefore do not need assistance from the teacher to transition between activities. Mrs. Mary attributes this to the time she spent at the beginning of the year making the children aware of the routines and class schedule and her use of visual supports. Expectations. Expectations can be defined as the behaviors that are considered appropriate in the classroom, and the proper times to utilize these specific behaviors. Some children may have difficulty with behavioral expectations of the classroom environment or in determining the timing of behavioral expectations. In order to ease this transition for children, teachers should set clear expectations for classroom behavior at the start of the school year. This includes not only introducing appropriate behavior, but also placing limits on unacceptable behavior. Appropriate behavior

should be rewarded or reinforced when expressed. When challenging behavior occurs, teachers should be sure to enforce classroom limits by explaining in a respectful and caring way why the limit is put into place in the classroom. When children are aware of classroom expectations and the rationales for the expectations, and when the expectations are constantly reinforced, they feel safe in their environment. In Mrs. Mary’s classroom, expectations are displayed on a picture chart in the front of the room. It seems as though children know and understand these expectations, which can be seen through their appropriate behavior. The teacher uses verbal positive reinforcement when appropriate behavior is displayed. When challenging behavior occurs, the teacher gives warnings. In one instance, however, she moved a child’s clip on the behavior chart with no explanation. When consequences (e.g., moving the clip) are not clearly tied to behavior (e.g., running in the classroom), children miss opportunities for learning. Mrs. Mary should strive to make her expectations clear to the children, while also restating classroom rules using visuals and repeated verbal prompts (e.g., “we use walking feet in the classroom”) when children violate them.

Classroom CommunityThe classroom should be a positive place where children can learn both academic and social skills. Having a strong classroom community promotes a sense of security, which allows children to feel more comfortable in taking risks when attempting more challenging academic skills. It also allows for relationships to be established between children and teachers, as well as children and their peers. A strong classroom community is established through conversation and interaction with both peers and adults. High-interest activities promote conversation among children and adults and are especially powerful for children’s learning and in the development of the classroom community. Other activities, such as class meetings, interactive group activities, and learning centers, also can promote conversation and help to build a sense of community. Class meetings are a way to allow for interaction between teacher and students and students with their peers. These meetings can take place in the morning, to discuss the previous day’s adventures or discuss new possibilities ahead. Meetings can also be utilized to

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Miura, TaroThe Big Princess.ISBN 978-0-7636-7459-5. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 40 pp. $14.99.If the daughter you loved was growing exponentially, what would you do? The king is faced with this dilemma in this tale of problem-solving and love. Measurement connections could be used as an interesting lesson starter. Ages 2-5.

Horacek, PetrThe Fly.ISBN 978-0-7636-7480-9. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $14.99.Be careful not to squash the fly as you turn the pages of this book. See a fly through a different perspective—the fly’s. This book is full of fun words and text features, and readers will enjoy reading about how a fly is just trying to live his life and not bother anyone else. Ages 3-7.

Dolan, ElysNuts in Space.ISBN 978-0-7636-7609-4. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $17.99.A wild and wacky adventure through space to find the eternal youth-giving nuts provides the plot of this witty book. Thought bubbles and side comments will make students laugh. This would be a great resource for teachers as an example of creative writing and how illustrations can help enhance one’s writing. Ages 5-8.

Appelt, KathiWhen Otis Courted Mama.ISBN 978-0-15-216688-5. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. 40 pp. $16.99.Do you need a book to help someone understand blended families? Although the characters are coyotes, students will see how a child can adapt when a parent remarries. Ages 4-8.

Hites, KatiWinnie & Waldorf.ISBN 978-0-06-231161-0. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2015. 40 pp. $17.99.Waldorf is Winnie’s best friend and part of her family. It doesn’t matter that Waldorf is a dog, Winnie still loves him very much. But Winnie’s sister is not as much of a fan of Waldorf. But in the end, Winnie’s sister comes around. Readers learn about love, family, and how everyone makes mistakes. Ages 4-8.

Prevot, FranckWangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees.ISBN 978-1-58089-626-9. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2011. 48 pp. $17.95.This true story of an incredible woman’s life will inspire young readers. Wangari’s mission and dedication to the environment in Kenya will help students understand the importance of being mindful of the effect we have on the environment. If you want to inspire a young child to plant a tree, have them read this book. Ages 6-9.

Horvath, JamesBuild, Dogs, Build: A Tall Tail.ISBN 978-0-06-218967-7. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2014. 40 pp. $15.99.What goes into building a house? Let this rhyming tale show you. Readers will be engaged by the rhymes and pictures that fill each page. The vocabulary makes the story a learning experience as well as a fun read. Ages 4-8.

Teckentrup, BrittaWhere’s the Pair? A Spotting Book.ISBN 978-0-7636-7772-5. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $14.99.In this book, every turn of the page engages the reader with a short rhyming paragraph or two and a page of

Children’s BooksBy Jeremy Winters, Middle Tennessee State University

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illustration. The rhymes set up the characters shown in the illustrations, and indicate what the reader needs to find. Students will develop skill in matching and looking for particular traits. Ages 2-5.

O’Connor, GeorgeIf I Had a Triceratops.ISBN 978-0-7636-6013-0. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $15.99.What would it be like to take care of a triceratops? This book helps students understand what it takes to care for a pet, although some of the disadvantages of having a pet are not covered. This book would be a great resource for a lesson starter on responsibility. Ages 3-7.

Minor, WendellTrapped! A Whale’s Rescue.ISBN 978-1-5808-9558-3. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2015. 32 pp. $17.95.Feel the power of the humpback whale and then the helplessness. Beautiful illustrations bring this story to life. The reader can see and almost feel how big and strong this whale is. The last page includes a resource list for additional information on the humpback whale. Ages 4-6.

Scheffler, AxelFlip Flap Safari.ISBN 978-0-7636-7605-6. London, England: Nosy Crow Ltd., 2014. 28 pp. $11.99.Have you ever seen a “lira”? This fun and educational book takes its readers on a different kind of safari, one with mixed-up animals. The pages are cut horizontally, allowing readers to create lots of new creatures. The visuals, word sounds, and print will excite and engage all children. Ages 3-7.

Willis, JeanneThe Cow Tripped Over the Moon.ISBN 978-0-7636-7402-1. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $15.99.It’s a nursery rhyme emergency! All your favorite nursery rhyme characters, from Humpty-Dumpty to Pop Goes the Weasel, are injured, and the ambulance races to help each of them. Children will love this rhyming book, which will be particularly entertaining after children learn the original nursery rhymes. Ages 3-7.

Ritchie, AlisonTortoise and the Hare.ISBN 978-0-7636-7601-8. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 32 pp. $15.99.This classic tale has a great moral and is packed full of vocabulary. Much of the vocabulary is distinguished in a bold font that will help students focus on new words. The illustrations are wonderful, and the book has a cutout feature that also helps engage the reader. Ages 2-5.

Korda, LerrynSo Cozy.ISBN 978-0-7636-7373-4. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32 pp. $15.99.Imagine a cozy bed where everyone wants to come and join you, including rabbits, goats, an elephant, a snake, and others. This would be a great lesson starter for focus-ing on descriptive vocabulary. Ages preschool & up.

Dean, Kimberly and JamesPete the Cat: Too Cool for School.ISBN 978-0-06-211076-3. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2014. 32 pp. $16.99.The same line appears on every other page, making this a useful book for beginning readers. There is also a great moral taught in this book: be yourself. No matter what others think is cool, being yourself is the most important thing. Colors and characteristics of clothes (like stripes) are also taught in the book. Ages 4-8.

Urban, LindaLittle Red Henry.ISBN 978-0-7636-6176-2. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 40 pp. $16.99.This story will help young children see that they don’t need someone to do everything for them. Red’s par-ents did everything for him: they feed him, pick out his clothes, brush his teeth, etc. Red learns to do more and more by himself, but there is still one last thing that he wants his family to do for him. What is it? Ages 4-8.

Slater, David MichaelThe Boy and the Book: A Wordless Story.ISBN 978-1-58089-562-0. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2015. 32 pp. $16.95.Have you ever loved a book too much? If yes, then you

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will understand the boy in this story. With the increasing popularity of graphic novels, this wordless book provides a great age-appropriate segue into that genre. Let students explore this book to not only learn a good lesson, but also explore a different genre in children’s literature. Ages 2-5.

Dean, Kimberly and JamesPete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life.ISBN 978-0-06-235135-7. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2015. 48 pp. $12.99.Pete joins famous historical characters to offer up pages of inspiring quotes in this book. This is a great resource for teachers to use as a quote of the day rather than just reading all at one setting. Ages 4-8.

Lear, EdwardThe Owl and the Pussy Cat: A Folk Tale Classic.ISBN 978-0-544-39295-3. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. 32 pp. $8.99.A vintage tale from the 1800s is shared in this book. The illustrations are classic, and the story is endearing. Some of the language and flow of the text is antiquated, so some students may have difficulty. Ages 4-8.

Lester, HelenThe Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing.ISBN 978-0-544-23300-3. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 32 pp. $8.99.Ewetopia loved to dress up. Although others thought her costumes were silly, they end up saving them all. This funny tale is similar to others in which the weaker animal out-foxes (or in this case out-wolfs) the stronger animal in the end. The story contains some hard names to pronounce, but gives students the opportunity to practice breaking down words and looking for meaning in the words within words. Ages 4-8.

Ellis, CarsonHome.ISBN 978-0-7636-6529-6. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 40 pp. $16.99.Fun and vibrant pictures take the reader on a journey into a variety of homes. Readers will learn about different types of houses, and who lives in them. The final page asks the reader about his or her home. This book and

culminating question would be a great lesson starter for students to think about their homes. They could then draw and write about them. Ages 4-8.

Collins, Ross.The Elephantom.ISBN 978-0-7636-7501-2. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 40 pp. $16.99.Do you need to get rid of a ghost pet? Find out how to rid yourself of these pests in this funny book. Be warned though, the book contains dung. The word “dung” appears in the book, and I can see little children going off task in conversation about that! Ages 3-7.

Lambert, Megan DowdA Crow of His Own.ISBN 978-1-58089-447-0. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2015. 32 pp. $16.95.Do you need a great resource to teach children to be themselves? This is the book to help you do that. Clyde learns that trying to be someone else doesn’t work out. It is only when Clyde allows himself to “crow” like only he would, that he discovers success. Children will learn a great lesson while being entertained by this comical tale. Ages 4-6.

Pallotta, JerryButterfly Counting.ISBN 978-1-57091-414-0. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2015. 32 pp. $17.95.Children will learn to count up to 25 with this butterfly book. Students seem to enjoy the beauty and mystery surrounding butterflies. This book is full of great facts and stories about many different kinds of butterflies. The book would be a great addition to a math and science library in your classroom. Ages 3-7.

Biddulph, RobBlown Away.ISBN 978-0-06-236724-2. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2014. 40 pp. $17.99.Flying high in the sky, a penguin and friends are blown from the cold artic into a warm jungle. Their adventure is full of numbers and rhymes. Unfortunately, penguins don’t like the warm jungle so they have to figure out how to get back. This time, a sneaky jungle character who is

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on the path to the cold artic joins the adventure. Ages 4-8.

Knudsen, MichelleMarilyn’s Monster.ISBN 978-0-7636-6011-6. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2015. 40 pp. $15.99.Everyone in Marilyn’s class has a monster to keep them safe except for her. Her parents and brother tell her she will just have to be patient, but Marilyn doesn’t want to wait and sets out to find her monster. While looking, Marilyn finds out that her monster was also searching for

her. Students will learn to understand that sometimes things aren’t always as they seem. Ages 4-8.

Whiten, JanChooky-Doodle-Doo.ISBN 978-0-7636-7327-7. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014. 32 pp. $12.99.Counting and rhyming are the learning outcomes of this book, but don’t get lulled into thinking it will end in a traditional way. This book has a funny twist at the end. From one to lots to all, students will rhyme their way through great vocabulary. Ages 2-5.


discuss problems occurring in the classroom. Teachers can demonstrate how to talk through a problem, therefore providing guidance for the children as they deal with their own problems. This should be a time for children to discuss ideas openly with their peers and the teacher. Relationships also can be fostered through interacting in groups, small or large. Grouping in the class will allow time for children to meet their peers and form relationships through interactions. Sufficient time in learning centers provide children opportunities to discuss different ideas, while still working together and thus building meaningful relationships. Through these different interactions, teachers are able to model and promote positive relationships among all students in the classroom. Although there were a lot of positive elements to Mrs. Mary’s classroom, a sense of classroom community was lacking. The teacher and students did interact together in a positive way, and the classroom did have an enjoyable atmosphere. Children seemed secure with each other and were safe to share answers with their classmates. Classroom meetings were largely adult directed. While children met in a whole-group setting to review sight words, they did not to discuss personal thoughts. While some peer interaction was encouraged during learning centers, it was discouraged during classwork time. In order to strengthen a sense of community in the classroom, Mrs. Mary should consider engaging the children in personal conversation and looking for ways to facilitate peer-to-peer conversation, while still addressing necessary learning objectives.

Summary In summary, to provide a learner-centered environment, teachers should ensure that the physical environment of the classroom provides students with a sense of order, independent choice, and opportunities for interaction with peers. The classroom structure is also important and should provide predictable routines and clear expectations for children. And last, attention should be given to creating a true classroom community—one where children feel welcomed and safe to explore, and have ample planned opportunities to engage in activities that promote meaningful conversations between peers and adults.

ReferencesBickart, T., Jablon, J., & Dodge, D. (1999). Building the primary

classroom: A complete guide to teaching and learning. Wash-ington, DC: Teaching Strategies.

Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Erikson, E. H. (1959). Identity and the life cycle. New York, NY: International Universities Press.

Marion, M. (2011). Guidance of young children. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Miller, P. (2011). Theories of developmental psychology. San Francisco, CA: W.H. Freeman.

Roskos, K., & Neuman, S. (2011). The classroom environment: First, last, and always. The Reading Teacher, 65(2), 110-114.

Smutny, J., & Fremd, S. (2004). Differentiating for the young child: Teaching strategies across the content areas (K-3). Thou-sand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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Military-connected children attend schools throughout the United States. Often an

“unseen” population, military-connected children face the possibility of being at an increased risk for underperformance in school due to the psychological distress that can be experienced from situations that are common to the military lifestyle, such as deployments, transitions, and high mobility. These factors also mean that military-connected children can exhibit increased levels of social-emotional and behavioral problems, such as anxiety, behavioral regression, irritability, sleep issues, and high-risk behaviors that impede their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Schools can serve as a mediating force in supporting this population of children in many ways. With support from teachers and other school personnel, military-connected children can more easily adjust and thrive in school environments. Many of the strategies schools can use are easy to implement. The following practices are just a few ideas that can be done in the classroom.

PROMISING PRACTICES FOR SUPPORTING MILITARY-CONNECTED CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM

Know Your Military-Connected Children: Know who your military families are in your school. Add a question to your intake process about military service or ask parents during conferences so you know if a child is military-connected. Student Buddy System: Even very young children who are military-connected children can experience frequent moves into new preschools and schools as their families move from one post to another. One way to help children with these transitions, particularly if they occur mid-year, is to set up a buddy system so that the new student has a

peer supporter to help him or her adapt to the new school culture and learn to navigate the new environment. Often, families of current military-connected children will be willing to meet the new families and serve as a mentor families for the newly arrived. Honor Wall: Find a space in the school where students can honor family members who are in the military by displaying pictures or stories about the service member. This is a space all students in the school can use to honor both past and present military service members from their families. Pen-pals: Find a deployed group of service members with a local connection to act as pen-pals during the school year. Letters, pictures, and children’s artwork are a much welcomed treat for deployed service members, and their letters back to the students help provide a sense of connection with those who are away, and develop a sense of empathy for others who have to be separated from their family members due to service. “Where I’ve Been” Boards: Create a space in the classroom where students can share information about places they have lived. For example, display a map and have children place markers with their names on the map to show the places where they have lived. Hang pictures or regalia around the map that represent the different places that students have previously called “home.” Hail & Farewell Assemblies: During assemblies, designate a time to acknowledge new military-connected children or say farewell to military-connected children who are transitioning to new locations. In addition, young children cherish a certificate or other special item, such as a small stuffed animal or a school mascot, to remind them of their time, and their “home,” at their soon-to-be former school.

Supporting Military-Connected Children in the ClassroomThe following “Activities for the Classroom” column was submitted by Jennifer Drake Patrick,

Assistant Professor of Literacy, at George Mason University, and April A. Mattix Foster, Assistant Professor of International Elementary Education at George Mason University. Both authors are involved in Operation Educate the Educators,

a nationwide initiative to provide training for educators in how to meet the needs of military-connected children.

Activities for the Classroomeditors: Patricia A. Crawford and April Mattix Foster

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Celebrate the Month of the Military Child: April is the Month of the Military Child, and an excellent time to recognize students who are from military families and show appreciation for the challenges that are unique to their situation. The Military Child Coalition offers a variety of ideas and activities that can be incorporated in the classroom and additional resources to assist teachers: http://www.militarychild.org/blog/three-easy-ways-to-celebrate-month-of-the-military-child Read Alouds: Incorporate picture books that highlight military-connected children and families. Children need opportunities to see life through various perspectives to develop their understanding of the world; they need opportunities to see differences and opportunities to see themselves. Using picture books that feature military-connected children, or issues such as transition and separation that are important to military-connected children, provides an opportunity for these children to see themselves in books. These books allow all children to develop an appreciation of their own families and family structures while helping instill a sense of empathy and respect for those whose family structure differs from their own. (See Appendix A for a list of suggested picture books.)

Other Essential Ideas for Working With Military-Connected Children• Stay in close communication with parents.• Have lunch groups for military-connected children.• Consider using technology tools, such as Skype and

Facetime, to include deployed parents in parent conferences or to read a story to the classroom.

• Help parents gather essential documents for moving when a transition is upcoming.

It is important to understand that military-connected children are a diverse group with individual needs. If school personnel are aware of their military families, they can better provide responsive instruction and support to help ease the multiple transitions these children face. As with all of our students, the key is to foster relationships with the family and the students to create an inclusive school environment. Military-connected children are a special and unique population in our classrooms, and with just a few simple adjustments, teachers can serve to build resilience in this population of young learners.

Appendix A:Suggested Picture Books Sometimes We Were Brave by Pat BrissonMy Red Balloon by Eve BuntingPilot Mom by Kathleen Benner DubleHero Dad by Melinda HardinHero Mom by Melinda HardinCaptain Cat by Syd HoffLove Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom by Lisa Tucker McElroyMy Father Is in the Navy by Robin McKinleyWhen Dad’s at Sea by Mindy L. PeltonWhile You Are Away by Eileen SpinelliRed, White, and Blue Good-bye by Sarah Wones TompAll Those Secrets of the World by Jane YolenLove Spots by Karen PanierMy Mommy Wears Combat Boots by S. McBrideCaptain Cat by Syd HoffMy Dad’s a Hero by Rebecca Christiansen & Jewel ArmstrongDon’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops by Dr. Jill BidenGoodbye House by Frank AschWill I Have a Friend? by Miriam CohenSparrow by Dorinda Silver Williams Home Again by Dorinda Williams

Appendix B:Other Resources for Teachershttps://www.militarykidsconnect.org - Military Kids Connect

is an online source and toolkit for teachers, parents, and children dealing with military-connected issues.

http://militaryfamilybooks.com/collections/books-for-kids - Military Family Books is an online database of books focusing on issues pertaining to military-connected children.

http://www4.va.gov/kids/ - The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs offers an online resource for students, broken into age groups, and resources for teachers.

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/military-families/ - Zero to Three has a military family projects area offering multiple resources and ideas, including a new app, for working with veteran and active duty military families.

http://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-and-relationships/military-youth-on-the-move - Military One Source is a comprehensive resource for military families and provides articles, blogs, access to military life consultants, and resources for dealing with transitions and deployments.

http://www.stayingstrong.org/splash - Staying Strong offers resources for both families and educators for supporting military-connected children across multiple settings.

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“What is your earliest memory of math?” I posed this question to my early childhood education students at the beginning of our

math methods class. After a few minutes of contemplation, they offered up several answers.

“Multiplication. It was really hard.” “Money. My teacher made a store and we learned about

money by buying stuff.” “Measuring. I remember I had a purple ruler.”

All of their answers were attached to a school memory. I began to sing, “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear class. Happy birthday to you.” Smiles started to emerge as memories of birthday cakes with flaming candles came to mind. “How old were you when you first heard this song?” I asked. “I remember my cousin at my fourth birthday party trying to blow out my candles,” one of my students shared aloud. As students began sharing, memories of experiencing math concepts before the age of 5 began to

emerge. Children are exposed to logico-mathematical knowledge beginning in infancy. An infant’s ability to mimic adult facial features, such as sticking out his tongue or smiling, begin building the

foundation of physical knowledge and the early concept of patterned response. (Hotelling, 2004). Children begin to understand their world using their senses, observation, and experimentation. When thinking about mathematics and infants and toddlers, the child’s thought process is more important than mathematical knowledge. Physical knowledge activities lead to logico-mathematical development. Children look for relationships between objects to help them make sense of their world. Think about when Juan drops a bowl from his high chair, and the caregiver picks it up. As soon as the bowl is handed back to Juan, he drops it to the floor again; the pattern repeats again and again. When Juan drops his bowl from his chair over and over again, he testing the consistency of the relationship between letting go of the bowl and its falling to the ground.

The objective of physical-knowledge activities is to develop

children’s logico-mathematical knowledge. Therefore, it is not the

activities themselves that are important. What is important is the

thinking children do while they play because it is by thinking that

children construct logico-mathematical knowledge, and logico-

mathematical knowledge serves as the framework for children to

construct all knowledge. (Kamii, 2013)

It is important for adults to point out when mathematics occur in a child’s daily life. Simple interactions between the adult and child can turn into language involving math. When holding the infant, the adult can say, “Look at your blue eyes. You have two eyes, and one cute nose.” Using math language throughout the day will help the child begin to make the connections to build logico-mathematical knowledge.

Infants, Toddlers, and Math: It’s As Easy as 1,2,3by Karen Lounsbury,

USC Upstate School of Education,Early Childhood Education Program

Focus on Infants & Toddlerseditors: Laura Hooks & Nur Tanyel

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Infants and toddlers engage in sensori-motor play as they explore their world. Listed below are a few suggested activities that caregivers and children can do to encourage mathematical knowledge.

Birth – 8 months. Activities for children in this age range involve the senses. •Publishers print several of the books listed in this article

as board books for young children. Have these available for the children to explore and have read to them.

•Provide an assortment of textures for children to touch. As the children feel a texture, the adult might say, “Feel how smooth the silky blanket is” or “This ball is bumpy.”

•When children are outside, let them feel the grass or dirt and talk with them about the different textures and colors. Ben giggles with delight as his toes are tickled by the grass. He grabs a handful of grass and holds it out for his father to see. “You have some green grass, Ben!” says Ben’s dad. “Look, it’s the same as the leaves. Green leaves, green grass.”

•During bath time, talk about the water and soap. “This water is warm and wet.”

•Commercial rattles can be purchased, but it is simple to make your own. By filling an empty water or soda bottle with one of the suggested materials and sealing the lid securely, you can create an assortment of inves-tigative materials for the children. Some suggestions to fill the bottle are: water, uncooked beans, uncooked rice, liquid soap, buttons, uncooked pasta, paperclips.

•Soft building blocks that stack easily can be used for counting games. Sitting on the floor next to Imani, her caregiver stacks up three soft blocks on the floor. Imani reaches over and knocks them down and laughs. Her caregiver smiles and counts, “One, two, three” as she restacks the blocks.

8 – 16 months•Board books continue to be of interest to children this

age. •Stacking cups or rings add complexity to counting and

building games. Sitting on the floor next to Asa, his mother stacks up four cups on the floor. Asa knocks them down and laughs. Then he begins to stack the cups, look-ing up at his mother when one of the larger cups covers a smaller cup. “Where did the cup go?” asked his mother. Asa looks at the cups on the floor.

•Hide a toy under a bowl or box and ask the child to find the toy.

•Cut a hole in the plastic lid of an empty coffee can. Have the child put plush balls into the hole of the can.

•While outside, talk about the things the child notices and emphasize the math language.

16 – 24 months•Simple wooden puzzles can be introduced at this stage.•Look at photographs of people in the child’s daily life.

Ask the child to go find that person in the room. Patrick and his teacher were looking at pictures of the students and the other teacher in his classroom. Patrick points to a picture of Jamal, another boy in the class. His teacher says, “That’s your friend Jamal. Can you find Jamal?”

•Blocks of various types and sized can be stacked and sorted.

•Fill and empty containers at a sand or water table (or during bath time).

•At snack or meal time, talk with the children about the foods they are eating (crunchy apples, mushy bananas, etc.).

continued on page 12

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RESOURCES FOR PARENTSAND TEACHERS

Books Counting•Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno. A children’s

picture book that teaches children counting skills through illustrations of a growing town.

•My Baby Brother Has Ten Tiny Toes by Laura Leuck. In rhyming verse rich in alliteration, a big sister names her baby brother’s body parts, toys, clothing, and eat-ing utensils. The number of each item progresses from one to ten. Pictures invite children to locate and count the objects featured on each page.

•Quack and Count by Keith Baker. Using simple verse with rhymes and alliteration, this book teaches chil-dren about the different ways numbers can be added together to equal seven. Through illustrations of vary-ing numbers of ducklings (which children can find on each page and count), children learn about different ways to add to get the same result.

•Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox. Beau-tifully illustrated, a story told in rhyming verse about children from different cultures, all with 10 little fin-gers and 10 little toes. Children can be introduced to the concept of counting during the repetitious lines.

•The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Children are introduced to counting and days of the week while a hungry caterpillar eats his way through a variety of food on his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly.

Patterns•Close, Closer, Closest by Shelly Rotner. Enlarged pho-

tographs show what objects look like from three dif-ferent distances: close, closer, and closest. Children learn about patterns, three-dimensional shapes, and textures.

•Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Mar-tin, Jr. Children learn about colors, animals, and pat-tern through this patterned response story.

•The Napping House by Audrey Wood. A cumulative rhyme story that teaches children about pattern as the residents of the house take a nap that is interrupted by a flea.

Spatial Relations•Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins, Rosie the hen goes for a

walk around the farmyard, not realizing a fox is follow-ing her. Rich spatial vocabulary is featured as the fox tries to keep up with Rosie on her winding route.

Measurement•Now I’m Big by Margaret Miller, Filled with photo-

graphs of babies and 3- and 4-year-olds, this book talks about what children can do now that they are “big.” This can be used to prompt discussions related to growth and measurement.

Songs One-to-One Correspondence (to introduce matching one object to one corresponding number or object).

This Little PiggyThis little piggy went to market,This little piggy stayed at home,This little piggy had roast beef,This little piggy had none.And this little piggy went...Wee wee wee all the way home

Baa, Baa Black SheepBaa, baa black sheepHave you any wool?Yes sir, yes sir.Three bags full.One for the masterand one for the dame.And one for the little boywho lives down the lane.

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Where Is Thumbkin?Where is Thumbkin?Where is Thumbkin?Here I amHere I amHow are you this morning?Very well; I thank youRun a-wayRun a-way.

Counting (to introduce number words)

One, Two Buckle My Shoe1, 2, Buckle my shoe.3, 4 Shut the door.5, 6 Pick up sticks.7, 8 Lay them straight.9, 10 A big fat hen!

Spatial Awareness/Directionality (to introduce location concepts such as above, high, up, down, over)

Twinkle Twinkle Little StarTwinkle, twinkle little star.How I wonder what you are.Up above the world so high.Like a diamond in the sky.Twinkle, twinkle little star.How I wonder what you are!

Itsy Bitsy SpiderThe itsy bitsy spiderClimbed up the waterspoutDown came the rainAnd washed the spider out.Out came the sunAnd dried up all the rainSo the itsy-bitsy spiderClimbed up the spout again!

Jack Be NimbleJack be nimble!Jack be quick!Jack jump over the candle stick

Sorting (to introduce properties of objects such as white, hot, cold)

Mary Had a Little LambMary had a little lamb.Its fleece was white as snow.And everywhere that Mary wentthe lamb was sure to go

Peas Porridge HotPeas porridge hot.Peas porridge cold.Peas porridge in the potNine days old

ReferencesGeist, E. (2009). Children are born mathematicians: Supporting

mathematical development, birth to age eight. New York, NY: Pearson.

Hotelling, B. (2004). Newborn capabilities: Parent teaching is a necessity. Journal of Perinatal Education, 13, 43-49. doi:10.1624/105812404X6225

Kamii, C. (2013). Physical-knowledge activities: Play before the differentiation of knowledge into subjects. In J. Sutterby (Series Ed.), Advances in early education & cay care: Vol. 17. Learning across the early childhood curriculum (pp. 57-72). Bingley, England: Emerald.

Schickedanz, J.A. (2008). Increasing the power of instruction: Integration of language, literacy, and math across the preschool day. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

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My Baby Brother Has Ten Tiny ToesBy Laura Leuck

Five Little Monkeys Finger Puppet Book By Parragon Books

Piggies By Audrey &Don Wood

Ten, Nine EightBy Molly Bang

My Very First LibraryBy Eric Carle

1,2,3 to the ZooBy Eric Carle

Books forInfants & Toddlers

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In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 1 in 68 children in the United States was identified with autism

spectrum disorder (ASD). Since then, there has been a corresponding increase in children’s books featuring characters with ASD. A search of children’s books on Amazon showed a 154% increase in the number of books about autism between 2010 and 2015. It is quite feasible, therefore, to compile a classroom collection of books that feature diverse characters with a range of ASD characteristics. A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that were previously separate disorders: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, and Asperger syndrome. For individuals to receive a diagnosis of ASD, they must exhibit behaviors in two areas, involving “persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts” and “restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities” (APA, 2013). The behaviors displayed by an individual may include lack of interest in people, limited use of verbal language, self-stimulatory behaviors, and overreaction to sounds, with symptoms varying greatly from person to person.

BENEFITS OF USING CHILDREN’S BOOKSFEATURING CHARACTERS WITH DISABILITIES

Research indicates that exposure to literary characters with disabilities can reduce children’s prejudicial attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. For example, it was found from a study conducted in the United Kingdom that 5- through 10-year-old children without disabilities developed more positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities after participating in a 6-week reading intervention program in which

children read books that portrayed friendships between characters with and without disabilities. Children who had classmates with disabilities exhibited particularly significant attitudinal changes. (See Cameron & Rutland, 2006.) Another study found that 2nd- through 5th-graders who participated in a 6-month unit involving whole class read-alouds and small-group literature discussions using books featuring characters with disabilities, as well as doing writing, art, and drama activities related to disabilities, came to understand characters with disabilities as multifaceted individuals whose disability was just one aspect of who they were. Several students displayed more positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, both in the classroom and in the community. In addition, one student with autism identified with a book character with autism and actively participated in the discussion about that book. (See Adomat, 2014.) Research shows that engaged readers experience intense relationships with literary characters. In a study of 10 fourth-grade students’ emotional engagement with characters, it was found that children imagined themselves being next to the character, interacting with the character, or becoming the character. Such engagement allowed students to enter the story world, form emotional bonds with characters, and experience both sympathy and empathy for characters. (See Parsons, 2013.) In order to establish a welcoming and nurturing classroom environment, teachers must help their students accept and understand peers with disabilities. Using books with accurate portrayals of characters with


Children’s Books Featuring CharactersWith Autism Spectrum Disorder:A Classroom Collection for Read-Alouds

by Meredith Gaffney and Julia Wilkins,Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC

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ASD can help children learn about the characteristics ofASD and will lead to more positive interactions between students with and without disabilities in the classroom. In addition, when children with ASD see themselves reflected in literature, they will feel valued and included in the classroom, which will help build their self-esteem and confidence. The increase in the number of children’s books featuring characters with ASD provides teachers with the opportunity to select from a wide range of literature. However, there are no books that portray all the characteristics of ASD from one character. Reading just one book featuring a character with ASD also limits students’ exposure to protagonists of different genders and races. Because children’s literature has such a powerful influence on children’s attitudes, it is important that books featuring characters with disabilities accurately reflect diverse individuals and do not perpetuate stereotypes. In this article, we provide a recommended classroom collection of five books featuring characters with ASD of different races and genders. Using all five books for read-alouds in the classroom will expose young children to characters that represent the range of diversity present in the real world.

BOOK SELECTION CRITERIATo find children’s books featuring characters with ASD for use in read-alouds with young children, we searched Amazon for children’s books published since 2010. We only considered books that had already received positive reviews on Amazon and we did not consider books that included characters with other disabilities, or books that were intended as skill-building books for children with ASD. Based on these criteria, we obtained 50 books for review. We determined that the majority of books would not be appropriate for read-alouds with young children, either because there was too much text on the page, the text style made it difficult to read, or because there were too few quality illustrations. Some books were eliminated because negative language was used regarding the character with ASD. After we reviewed the books and eliminated books we deemed inappropriate for read-alouds, we gained input on

the books from special education teachers, general education teachers, and professors of education. From this review process, we identified nine children’s books featuring characters with ASD that were considered appropriate for class read-alouds with young children. In deciding which books would be appropriate for a classroom collection, we selected the best of these nine books, giving careful consideration to character diversity with regards to characteristics associated with ASD, gender, and race. We narrowed our selection to five books, which, when used together, represent the diversity students will encounter among individuals with ASD in the real world.

BOOK DESCRIPTIONSIn this section, we describe the five books we recommend for a classroom collection of children’s books featuring characters with ASD. When used as read-alouds in classrooms for young children, students will learn about a range of ASD characteristics through the experiences of a variety of characters. Armond Goes to a Party by Nancy Carlson (2014) is based on the real experiences of Armond Isaak, who shares his fears about going to a party due to social and sensory challenges. Going to a party is an experience most students will have experienced, which will contribute to their engagement in the story. In addition, even students who do not have ASD will be able to relate to feelings of being nervous in social situations. The story describes the strategy Armond uses to deal with his overstimulation at the party. Showing a solution to Armond’s struggles provides a useful message for children about actively seeking solutions to their problems. The characteristics of ASD that Armond experiences are embedded in the storyline and portrayed through colorful, detailed illustrations. For example, Armond expresses his desire to go to a basketball game instead of the party, as that is what he always does on Saturdays. His distress at having his routine disrupted is a common characteristic of individuals with ASD. Also, the illustrations show dinosaurs in his bedroom, on his clothing, and in his reading materials, indicating his restricted interests—another common characteristic. Teachers using this book would need to be familiar with the characteristics of ASD in order to point them out

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when they are embedded in a story and not explicitly explained. Morty the Meerkat Has Autism by J. I. Avis (2011) tells the story of Morty, a young meerkat. His parents are concerned that he does not act like his brothers and sisters. When they take him to the doctor, the doctor diagnoses him with autism and provides his parents and teachers with strategies for helping Morty. One of the doctor’s friends informs the meerkats at Morty’s school about Morty’s ASD-related behaviors. Overall, the message in this story is positive and shows how other people’s responses to the behavior of individuals with ASD can help increase the positive experiences of these individuals. Most events in the story are a vehicle for explaining the characteristics of ASD. For example, after the doctor’s friend visits Morty’s class, the classmates come to understand why “Morty rocked when he read. Rocking was just one part of Morty’s autism.” Due to the explicit explanations, even teachers with little personal knowledge of ASD would be able to use this book to help students understand a variety of ASD characteristics. The illustrations are also highly appealing. In My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete (2010), Charlie’s twin sister explains the behaviors Charlie displays that result from his ASD. She mentions the challenges of being Charlie’s sister, including the fact that he can ruin playdates and sometimes does not look at her or speak to her. However, most of the story focuses on the positive aspects of Charlie’s personality, such as his good memory, musical talent, and the way he expresses love. Children who have brothers and sisters are likely to relate to the story, which describes both positive and negative aspects of a sibling. The illustrations are large, bold paintings with high visual appeal. My Brother Is Artistic by Jane Webb (2012) is written by the teacher of a boy with autism called Griffin, and is told from the perspective of Griffin’s brother. The story is filled with examples of Griffin’s idiosyncracies, many of which are humorous and will resonate with young children. Although Griffin is described in a way that is likely to evoke humor (e.g., “If a fat lady’s fat he tells her she’s fat,” accompanied by an equally amusing illustration), the book accurately portrays characteristics of ASD. The illustrations are drawn by Griffin in colored

pencils and crayons and have a quirky charm that young children will appreciate. In You Are Going to Love Me! by Victoria Sills (2013), Fiona, a girl with autism, shares things she likes to do, such as drawing, singing, playing video games, and watching cartoons, along with things she doesn’t like to do. She states, “I like looking at picture cues when my teacher gives me directions. It helps me to understand what they are asking me to do.” She adds, however, “I don’t like when my teachers use the pictures to remind me how to act because I feel like they are bossing me.” As with Armond Goes to a Party, the story does not explicitly explain which of Fiona’s emotions or behaviors are related to her ASD. Therefore, teachers using this book should have some familiarity with ASD so they can discuss the characteristics with students. You Are Going to Love Me! is unlike the other four books in several ways. First, it is the only book featuring a female character with ASD. Second, the story is told from the perspective of Fiona herself. The illustrations are drawn by Fiona in colored pencils on white sheets of paper with subtle black and white photos in the background that show parts of Fiona’s face, hands, and possessions.

FEATURES OF THE CLASSROOM COLLECTIONIn the following section, we describe the reasons these five books form a complementary collection that exposes students to diverse characters while helping to increase their understanding of the range of characteristics associated with ASD.

Characteristics of Autism Spectrum DisorderChildren who are classified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are diagnosed according to criteria in the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is therefore important that books present accurate portrayals of characters based on DSM-5 criteria. All five books that were selected for our recommended classroom collection were written by someone closely related to an individual with ASD or someone with professional expertise in the ASD field. The characteristics of ASD demonstrated by characters were based on characteristics of ASD exhibited by real


18



individuals. The books and ASD characteristics exhibited by the main characters are shown in Table 1. As can be seen, only one book (Morty the Meerkat Has Autism) includes a character with all characteristics of ASD based on DSM-5 criteria; together, the five books represent the full range of ASD characteristics.

Character DiversityFour of the five books we selected were based on the experiences of real individuals with ASD. Of these individuals, two were White males, one was a White female, and one was an African American male. Two of the books (You Are Going to Love Me! and Armond Goes to a Party) were created in conjunction with the individual with ASD, based on their real-life experiences. Two other books (My Brother Is Artistic and My Brother Charlie) were written with the input of the sibling of an individual with ASD. Recent research indicates that young children have a desire to know whether books are based on real stories, and children’s engagement increases when they know book characters are real individuals. In addition to these four books based on real individuals with ASD, we included a book featuring a meerkat family. This book will interest young children due to the appeal of animal characters in general and the fact that children who have difficulty identifying with characters who are unlike them in terms of race or gender will be able to connect with animal characters. A classroom book collection that represents such diversity in terms of gender, race, and

species ensures that a wide range of students will be able to identify with the character with ASD.

Plot and Character DevelopmentOnly two of the five books chosen for our recommended book collection feature traditional storylines typically found in children’s literature. Armond Goes to a Party has the most clearly defined plot. Armond demonstrates growth and change as a character, effectively dealing with the challenges he experiences in attending a birthday party. Morty the Meerkat Has Autism also has a traditional plot; however, in this case, the storyline focuses on explaining characteristics of ASD. Therefore, Morty is a static character who does not grow or change throughout the story. My Brother Charlie and My Brother Is Artistic are both told from the perspective of a sibling of a real boy with ASD. Neither of these stories contains a plot or character development; the purpose is specifically to describe characteristics of ASD as exhibited by the characters. Similarly, You Are Going to Love Me! is told from the perspective of a real girl with ASD. This story also does not contain a plot or character development. However, unlike the previous two books, the purpose of the book is not to explicitly explain the characteristics of ASD, as it is not made clear which of Fiona’s behaviors are related to her ASD.

CONCLUSIONIt is important that teachers consider using books featuring characters with ASD to help increase students’

Table 1Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recommended Books

Title Difficulty With Social-Emotional

Reciprocity and/or Lack of Interest in

Peers

Difficulty With Nonverbal

Communication (e.g., eye contact)

Repetitive Motor

Movements or Speech

Insistence on Routines and

Ritualized Patterns of Behavior; Distress

at Small Changes

Restricted Interests

Sensory Stimulation

Issues

Armond Goes to a Party X X X X

Morty the Meerkat Has Autism

X X X X X X

My Brother Charlie X X X X

My Brother Is Artistic X X X X X

You Are Going to Love Me! X X X X X

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knowledge about the characteristics of this disorder and to gain a deeper understanding of the behaviors of their classmates with ASD. Given that ASD is the fastest growing disability among children in the United States and the number of children with ASD in classrooms will continue to increase, educating young children about this disability and increasing children’s acceptance and understanding of individuals with ASD through the use of literature is of critical importance. Overall, the five books we selected constitute a comprehensive classroom collection of children’s books featuring characters with ASD. By using these books during class read-alouds, students will learn about the range of ASD characteristics and will be exposed to a diverse variety of characters in terms of race, gender, and species. In addition, students will benefit from the inclusion of books featuring traditional storylines as well as books written based on the first-hand experiences of siblings and individuals with ASD. Table 2 shows the diversity presented by the main characters with ASD and supporting characters in these five books, along with a brief synopsis of the stories. As can be seen, this collection of children’s books will expose students to a variety of genres, literary elements, characters, and characteristics of ASD.

ReferencesAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical

manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Avis, J. I., & Nash, J. (2011). Morty the meerkat has autism. Norfolk, VA:

Child Heroes Publishing.Baio, J. (2012). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders: Autism and

Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries, 61(3). Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cameron, L., & Rutland, A. (2006). Extended contact through story reading in school: Reducing children’s prejudice toward the disabled. Journal of Social Issues, 62(3), 469-488.

Carlson, N., & Isaak, A. (2014). Armond goes to a party. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Press.

Centers for Disease Control. (2015). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html

Parsons, L. T. (2013). An examination of fourth graders’ aesthetic engagement with literary characters. Reading Psychology, 34(1), 1-25.

Peete, H. R., Peete, R. E., & Evans, S. W. (2010). My brother Charlie. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Seiloff, M., Howe, K., Rowan, S. (2015). Using books featuring characters with disabilities in the elementary classroom. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Education, Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina.

Sills, V., & Hale, F. (2013). You are going to love me! Helotes, TX: Armadillo Children’s Publishing.

Webb, J., & Nickles, G. (2012). My brother is artistic. Parker, CO: Outskirts Press.

Table 2Literary Elements of Books Featuring Characters With ASD

Title Protagonist Supporting Characters StoryArmond Goes to a Party Male,

Caucasian Characters of different races and genders

Armond is distressed at the thought of going to a birthday party; after attending, however, he is able to adapt to the overstimulating social situation.

Morty the Meerkat Has Autism

Male, nonhuman animal

Meerkat family members and friends

After Morty is diagnosed with autism, his classmates gain an understanding of his behaviors and appropriate adaptations are made to Morty’s environment.

My Brother Charlie Male,African American

African American family members

Charlie’s sister describes the characteristics of ASD that Charlie possesses, and focuses on the positive and negative aspects of being Charlie’s sister.

My Brother Is Artistic Male,Caucasian

Caucasian brother Griffin’s brother explains the characteristics of ASD displayed by Griffin in a humorous way that includes the way Griffin perceives things.

You Are Going to Love Me! Female,Caucasian

Characters discussed in text and illustrated by Fiona in colored pencils

Fiona shares personal details about her likes and dislikes, thoughts and behaviors, and anecdotes about her daily life.

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We all need quality sleep at the right times. As adults, we have all experienced late nights, and understand the trials that follow the

next day and the coping mechanisms we have to use to get through the day. When we are sleep deprived, we experience problems in making decisions, solving problems, controlling our emotions, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency has a significant effect on our social interactions and productivity, because disruptions to sleep may well cause sleepiness, anxiety, impaired concentration, memory problems, and irritability. For children, sleep is crucial for their optimal physical and emotional growth and well-being. Sleep deprivation can impact negatively on all areas of a child’s life, including school performance. However, sleep disorders are very common during childhood. As many as 20-30% of children may suffer from sleep problems during the first three years of life (Armstrong, Quinn, & Dadds, 1994). These problems are also very common later in childhood (Tikotzky & Sadeh, 2001). Problems with sleep may be difficulty settling, waking up in the middle of the night, night tremors, nightmares, and sleep walking. I had not anticipated that settling to sleep, resistance to going to sleep, and difficulty in falling asleep would become a challenge for my daughter at age 9. I had not experienced any difficulties with her as an infant and so when the challenges began, I was unprepared. Sleep deprivation for long periods of time became the norm rather than the exception for both of us. I noticed a huge change in my daughter’s attitude and behavior. Her class teacher and the pastoral head at her school started to report that she was having difficulty with social interactions and making poor progress academically. She started to have difficulty listening to instructions and focusing on planned activities,

and became slow to react to a question. Her time management and task prioritization were inhibited. Without question, she was missing out on important information presented at school. She couldn’t get up in the morning to catch the school bus, which meant she had to come in the car with me when I was ready to go to work. This often meant driving in heavier traffic and arriving late. Research supports the experience I started to have of increased family stress (Sadeh et al., 2000), compromised neurobehavioral functioning (O’Brien et al., 2003; Sadeh, Gruber, & Raviv, 2002), difficult temperament (Sadeh, Lavie, & Scher, 1994), and behavior problems and psychopathology (Lam et al., 2003) as a result of disruptions in children’s sleep. My daughter became angry and impulsive, had mood swings, and was lethargic. My efforts to intervene to assist with homework were met with anger and frustration. She started to perform below par and her self-esteem plummeted. I spent long nights next to Aida in bed, waiting for her to find restful sleep. For at least four hours each night, she tossed around in bed unable to settle; she would request something to eat or drink, pick up a book to read, and ask for constant changes in room temperature. As the hours ticked away during the nights with no restful sleep, I became increasingly more distraught. I was concerned that both of us would be unable to function the following day. In a worst case scenario, I worried about losing my job. My e-mail correspondence and phone calls went unanswered, creating a long to-do list. Often, as dark turned into light, we were both still struggling to find restful sleep. I would return home from work desperate to lie on the sofa in dire need of sleep, while my daughter struggled to continue her participation in after-school sports and club activities. The school diary and homework became a thing of

Settling to Sleep Without Waking During the Night:Practical Tips for Parents

by Fiona S. Baker,Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, UAE

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the past. Neither of us had the energy to unzip her bag to take out the school diary in the evening. Sitting diligently at the table to accomplish homework tasks become a mere fantasy. Without parental support for homework, her performance deteriorated. I read dozens of parenting books and listened to advice from friends. The plethora of advice available demonstrates the prevalence of childhood sleep problems. My experience tells me although a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be found, certain factors must be considered. In this article, I touch on some of the sleep issues I experienced with my daughter and how I worked to resolve them.

Routines Establishing a regular routine is critical for promoting appropriately timed and desired sleep behavior. Even though I had a regular routine with my 9-year-old, I refined it by establishing a chart that involved scheduling bedtimes by the minute. I did my utmost to maintain regular activities, such as brushing teeth and reading a book before lights-out, to provide consistency. This tangible tool of a schedule was motivating for Aida. I found that it set the direction, although more as a tick box activity she was highly motivated to complete than as an actual precursor to healthy, rejuvenating sleep. Having a tangible tool, however, did help with the process of getting into bed. Aida even started to prompt me at the appropriate time to think about completing the check list. She found it rewarding to complete the chart and she certainly saw it as an obligation and necessity. When the teacher responsible for pastoral care in her year group became involved in the design and monitoring of the checklist, it had even greater importance. Aida knew that Mrs. Giles would be inquiring about it. Indeed, as Cline and Fay (2000) point out, children by nature work from the concrete to the abstract, and so charts may build intrinsic motivation to maintain lifelong healthy habits. While the chart worked in bedtime preparation, it did not have a significantly positive effect when it came to actually falling asleep. Instead of focusing on settling to sleep, I started to redirect the focus on relaxing. We went upstairs to have a warm bath rather than a shower. We also started to listen to relaxing music, focusing on our breathing and listening to silence. I made sure Aida had not eaten

a heavy meal, watched telvision, or played on the computer for at least three hours prior to bed. I also adjusted her bedtime by half an hour to allow her more time to calm down. While I really didn’t expect any of these methods to give immediate results, a focus on relaxation certainly started to ease her mind. With the pressure of having to go to sleep relaxed, it seemed that restful sleep could be more easily achieved. The words, “I’m not tired” gradually left my child’s vocabulary.

Childhood Fears: Fear of Darkness Accompanying my child’s sleep problems were concerns about the dark and what lurks in it—a common childhood fear. This was such an overpowering issue for Aida that any chance of her going upstairs alone was slim. The challenge of staying alone in the dark without parents, and coping with nightime fears (King, Ollendick, & Tonge, 1997) was overwhelming. According to Muris, Merckelbach, Ollendick, King, and Bogie (2001), 73.3% of children between 4 and 12 years of age report nighttime fears, with scary dreams as a trigger (Muris, Merckelbach, Gadet, & Moulaert, 2000). Nighttime fears are considered normal phenomena when they are transient and time limited. Aida would leave her room at night complaining of being frightened, or insist that a light be left on at night in the bedroom. It didn’t seem to matter how many times I took my daughter upstairs to bed, she would always wake up screaming and yelling despite having a night light. She couldn’t separate reality from fantasy; when she couldn’t see what was around her, her vivid imagination went to work. To prevent her fear from turning into guilt and shame, I found that it was important not to dismiss or ridicule them. What I started to do was to reflect them back to her with words: “I can see you’re really scared.” I started to reassure her that I was there to make sure she was safe. I offered comfort as needed and demonstrated to her that there was nothing frightening in her room. This meant turning on the light in the closet, looking under the bed, and showing her that everything was fine. Naturally, I experimented with just about every light in the house. I left the light on in the room and I had a night light. Ultimately, we found that a head


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torch somehow worked, perhaps because the light was physically attached to her head and provided a sense of security that could not be lost. I found that the best thing I could do for her was to communicate, be respectful, and show that I understood in a calming manner.

The focus of childhood fears vary, partly depending on age (Marks, 1987). Marks (1987) noted that “darkness fears” tend to vary less with age. According to the literature, other fear categories that appear to be prominent around the preschool years are fears associated with “darkness,” “bed-time,” “being alone,” and “nightmares,” as well as those associated with “monsters and ghosts.” In a study by Bauer (1976), the frequency of fears and scary dreams about imaginary creatures were found to decrease with age. Muris (2007) found that young children are often scared of the dark. I discovered that by giving my daughter a sense that she is safe, she could learn to handle her fear. I also found that it was important to give the fear a name, explain what fear is, and help her understand that fear is normal. While I often felt frustrated, I need to continue reassuring Aida that a fear of the dark is normal. I always told her that I was there to give her power to tackle her fear of the dark, asked her when she would like to be checked on, and armed her with her comfort items—blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, books, and toys. Once surrounded by her comfort items, she would settle down and go to sleep, albeit not immediately, and always with me lying at her side to reassure her.

Night Terrors and Nightmares Nightmares are quite common in young children, and usually occur sometime after 90 minutes of sleep. Typically, a child with a nightmare wakes up completely feeling very anxious, and usually remembers the content of the dream vividly. Childhood nightmares normally require no treatment, except for reassuring the frightened child. Occasionally, when nightmares become more frequent or occur on a regular basis, it may be a sign of stress in the child’s life or environment. Also, the content of the bad dream or nightmare may be a clue about what is stressing the child. In extreme situations of persistent nightmares, it may warrant an evaluation of the child’s social environment and psychological state. Just a few hours after falling asleep, Aida would expe-rience a night tremor. She would sit up in bed in a state of extreme agitation. She also had recurring nightmares. Repeated awakenings from sleep in childhood often involve recall of terrifying dreams that usually involve threats to survival, safety, and self-esteem. Aida’s night-mares often featured a fire at home. The house would be burning down and she lost her mum (me) in the fire. Then, she would wake up shaking. In another night-mare, she was going to pick up her books for school and met a wolf-like man. A clown with a dagger was another very frightening image in her dreams. She also often saw spiders, snakes, and tigers in her dreams. Although Aida was often disoriented upon awakening from these scary dreams, she would become reoriented rather quickly and usually responded well to my com-fort. It was crucial to find out whether anything was wor-rying her that could trigger a nightmare. As with night terrors, I found that a relaxing bedtime routine helped, and I would play calming, relaxing lullabies in the back-ground as I had done when she was an infant.

Building a Sense of Security and Self-confidence, and Finding Calming Moments I found that to guide a child toward feelings of self-confidence and security, it was critical for me to offer unconditional love and spend a considerable amount of time talking and listening to her. By listening actively while comforting her in my arms, I was able to demonstrate that Aida was valued and important (Ricker & Crowder, 1998).

By following some basic strategies, bedtime can

stop being a struggleand become a relaxing,calming, and peaceful

end to the day.

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Early Years Bulletin is published quarterly by the Association for Childhood Education International, 1200 18th St., N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.

Articles published in Early Years Bulletin represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions taken by the Associ-ation for Childhood Education International.

Copyright © 2016 by the Association for Childhood Education International. No permission is needed to reproduce materials for education purposes.

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Conclusion Children may naturally experience sleep problems that, when prolonged, can cause havoc in just about all areas of life. Thus, many parents would benefit from strategies that can help to increase the likelihood that children will experience calming and restful sleep. Reading books and following the advice of friends will always help. Perhaps the best strategy is to observe, listen to, and talk with your child. By following some basic strategies, bedtime can stop being a struggle and become a relaxing, calming, and peaceful end to the day. Should a child experience sleep deprivation for a long period of time, medical advice should be sought.

References Armstrong K. L., Quinn R. A., & Dadds, M. R. (1994).

The sleep patterns of normal children. The Medical Journal of Australia, 161, 202-206.

Bauer, D. H. (1976). An exploratory study of develop-mental changes in children’s fears. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(1), 69-74.

Cline, F. W., & Fay, J. (2000). Parenting with love and logic: Teaching children responsibility. Cleveland, OH: Penton Overseas.

King, N., Ollendick, T., & Tonge, B. (1997). Children’s nightime fears. Clinical Psychology Review, 17, 431-443.

Lam, P., Hiscock, H., & Wake, M. (2003). Outcomes of infant sleep problems: A longitudinal study of sleep, behaviour, and maternal wellbeing. Pediatrics, 111, 203-207.

Marks, I. M. (1987). Nightmares. Integrative Psychiatry, 5(2), 71-73.

Muris, P., Merckelbach, H., & Collaris, R. (1997).

Common childhood fears and their origins. Behavior Research and Therapy, 35(10), 929-937.

Muris, P., Merckelbach, H., Gadet, B., & Moulaert, V. (2000). Fears, worries, and scary dreams in 4- to 12-year-old children: Their content, developmental pattern, and origins. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29(1), 43-52.

Muris, P., Merckelbach, H., Ollendick, T. H., King, N. J., & Bogie, N. (2001). Children’s nighttime fears: Parent-child ratings of frequency, content, origins, coping behaviors and severity. Behavior Research and Therapy, 39(1), 13-28.

O’Brien, L. M., Holbrook, C. R., Mervis, C. B., Klaus, C. J., Bruner, J. L., Raffield, T. J., . . . Gozal, D. (2003). Sleep and neurobehavioral characteristics of 5- to 7-year-old children with parentally reported symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatrics, 111(3), 554-563

Sadeh, A. (1994). Assessment of intervention for infant night waking: Parental reports and activity-based home monitoring. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 63-68.

Sadeh, A., Gruber, R., & Raviv, A. (2003). Sleep, neurobehavioral functioning, and behavior problems in school-age children. Child Development, 73(2), 405-417.

Sadeh, A., Lavie, P., & Scher, A. (1994). Maternal perceptions of temperament of sleep-disturbed toddlers. Early Education and Development, 5, 311-322.

Tikotzky, L., & Sadeh, A. (2001). Sleep patterns and sleep disruptions in kindergarten children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 579-589.

early years bulletin spring 2016

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