Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning

by Amy Laura Dombro, Judy Jablon, Charlotte Stetson

In early childhood settings, children and teachers interact all day long. The benefits are enormous when even some of those “everyday” interactions become intentional, purposeful, and culturally responsive—in other words, Powerful Interactions®! With these three steps, you can embed Powerful Interactions in your daily work with children ages birth through 8:

- Step One: Be Present. Pause, tune in to yourself and the moment, and consider how you might need to adjust to create a “just-right” fit with a child.
- Step Two: Connect. To foster trust and confidence, let that child know that you see her; are interested in what she is doing, saying, and thinking; and want to spend time with her.
- Step Three: Extend Learning. Make use of your strong connection with the child to stretch her knowledge, skills, thinking, or language and vocabulary.

With updated content and research, new examples and insights, and questions to guide group study discussions, the new edition of this bestselling classic covers everything you need to understand what Powerful Interactions are, how to make them happen, and why they are so important in increasing children’s learning and your effectiveness as a teacher.

Discover how Powerful Interactions—and you—make a difference!

Genres: Parenting, Teaching, Professional Development, Education, Nonfiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend their Learning gives teachers of preschool age children insight into what we call a teachable moment and they call a 'powerful interactions'. Teachers interact with children all day long but at moments the when they concentrate on being present, connecting and extending learning are the important moments when the child learns new ideas and concepts. It takes concentration, planning and attention to one child while keeping an eye on all the other children too. With reflection the teacher gains the satisfaction of extending a learning experience with a powerful interaction.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SUPER useful for me as a librarian, parent, and even occasional caregiver to children.

It gives examples and theoretical background to demonstrate ways to be present, connect, and extend a child's own learning. I saved extensive notes when I first read it, and it is informing my interactions already, but I have re-read my notes several times and shared the ideas with my colleagues.

I highly recommend the 2020 edition.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book filled with resources and strategies to connect and build relationships with children in your care.

[Mary Mccarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors have succinctly presented strategies that are highly effective in engaging children . Programs using the CLASS will find excellent support material for reinforcement of skills. It is challenging fore to become fluent in these high level interactions . I try to practice whenever I can .

[Amber]

1 copy available

[Lu Benke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, quick, easily accessible book for child caregivers to understand the importance of how interactions make a difference.

[Amanda Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so relevant to me as I started teaching 2 year-old preschool this year. Some of it was common sense, but I found the book to be informative.