Recommended Media for Adults
Parenting-Related Media:
Montessori From the Start: The Child At Home From Birth to Age Three, Paula Polk Lillard & Lynn Lillard Jessen
From the jacket cover: “Brimming with anecdote and encouragement, and written in a clear engaging style, Montessori from the Start is a practical and useful guide to raising calm, capable, and confident children.”
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, Dr. Laura Markham
Emphasizing the importance of making connections before redirecting behavior, Dr. Markham’s insights into “what makes a chid tick” are profound and incredibly useful in developing a sustainable parenting approach.
Happiest Toddler on the Block, Dr. Harvey Karp
His work has had a tremendous impact on my approach in understanding and guiding young children’s natural behavior.
Five Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Good Job!', by Alfie Kohn
If you’ve ever wondered if praise is important, you may be surprised by the information found in this concise article, written by Alfie Kohn, who has studied and written extensively on the topics of human behavior, the ill effects of praise, grades, and test scores.
The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Maria Montessori
Born in Italy in 1870, Dr. Montessori defied convention by becoming the first woman surgeon in Italy. Through her dedication to the young child and the use of scientific observation, she uncovered, (and helps us to understand), the profound state and stages of childhood and child development, which have recently been by proven by the modern science of neurology.
Anti-Bias Reading
What If All the Kids Are White? Anti-Bias/Multiracial Education for Young Children and Families, by Louise Derman-Sparks and Patricia G. Ramsey
This book has so many practical suggestions for helping to raise anti-racist children. Some of Clementine’s takeaways:
Helping children think flexibly in general may help prevent them from learning stereotypes
Over-emphasizing children’s “specialness” can make them feel entitled. In addition to valuing individuals, emphasize their inter-connectedness .
Focus on cooperation rather than competition
Roots and Wings, by Stacey York
This book covers how young children understand race and develop bias. It has tons of practical advice and theoretical background for understanding race in the classroom. It includes information on how racism affects white children’s and Children of Color’s development and how to help all children develop anti-racist attitudes. For teachers, York includes examples of ways different cultures raise children and how white teachers can be more aware of their own culture.
The Importance of Play
Pathways to Play: Developing Play Skills in Young Children, by Sandra Heidemann and Deborah Hewitt
This book covers essential play skills that all children need to learn. Some children learn them more intuitively, and some need supports along the way. As a teacher of young children, Clementine has found Heidemann and Hewitt’s tips to be extremely helpful. Just putting children together and expecting them to figure out how to play together doesn’t always work. This book provides simple, sequential steps for helping children develop social skills.