Book Reflection #1

Book Reflection #1
Pauline Abu-Tayeh
HD 426
Denise Rugg
June 13, 2016

Book Reflection #1

Abstract
This paper is a brief overview of the book, Challenging Behaviors in Young Children:
Understanding, Preventing, and Responding Effectively by Barbara Kaiser and Judy Sklar
Rasminsky. My book reflection will provide some of the most useful information that I have
received from the book. I will give a critique from the book in dealing with the exclusion of
children with challenging behaviors. Finally, I will give my recommendation of this book and
how it supports adults in helping children with challenging needs.

Book Reflection #1

In this book overview, Challenging Behavior in Young Children: Understanding,

Preventing, and Responding Effectively, by Barbara Kaiser and Judy Sklar Rasminsky
characterizes how children with challenging behaviors fit into the world around them. Culture
also portrays a bigger picture and impacts the life of a child when they are encouraged or
discouraged; praised or criticized; and being attentive to or ignored. Labeling children is
harmful to a childs self-esteem. This aggressive attempt to name call or bully violates the
boundaries of a child. One of the things that I have learned from the book is that labeling can
affect the way a child thinks about himself/herself. According to Chapter 1, it states, Negative
labeling can all too easily become self-fulfilling prophecies (Kaiser et al., p. 9. 2012). In other
words, a child starts to believe that he/she is what they say he/she is. This book also describes
the many ways that we can help children deal with people and cope with their environments. For
example, in Chapter 5, the attachments from people are important to children so that they are
able to connect to a primary caregiver. This book gives details about how attachments affect the
behaviors of children. If a child has positive care, then they will feel safe and sound. If a
caregiver makes a child feel unwanted, then he/she will feel angry, irritable, and unsafe. This
book is impacted with many topics assisting children with challenging behaviors such as brain
development when it affects the childs genetic and/or environment for learning. There is also a
topic regarding risk factors affecting the birth process such as the nervous system. It also
explores a childs growth process with his/her attention difficulties, speech and language
disorders, learning disabilities, poverty, violence, etc. In addition, this book entails support and
guidance, school environment, bullying, the inclusiveness for children, and community support.
Finally, there is a great chapter that teachers will enjoy and that is how we can adapt our school
environments to assist children with challenging behaviors.

Book Reflection #1

The most useful information for me were many topics from this book. It has given me
many new techniques so that I may assist children with challenging behaviors. I will give three
examples from the book that will help me when I return to school. First of all, in Chapter 6, it
examines how culture influences behavior. Children experience their home culture differently
from their school culture. Their families have taught them their values and customs from what
they have been taught. However, if school is different from what they have learned, then they
will feel insecure. There will be a new set of guidance rules for them to learn and follow. In this
chapter, it states when a teacher is sensitive to the cultural needs and interests of a child, they will
build a bridge between what the child knows and what a child needs to know (Kaiser et al., p.
100. 2012). With this added knowledge, I plan to bring the families and the community in more
so that they will have every opportunity to make children feel special when they share their
stories, songs, books, dance, etc.
Yet, another example comes from Chapter 8, Preventing Challenging Behavior: Physical
Space, Routines and Transitions, and Teaching Strategies. This section talks about looking at
the environment instead of the child with challenging behaviors. It gives a variety of ways in the
environment, during transitions, and throughout the daily routine that can stop and minimize
challenges in the classroom. One of the useful sections in this chapter outlines the physical
environment. Teachers should create wide areas and small areas so that children can feel
accommodated and encouraged to play together. This year, I was subbing in an afternoon
classroom because the teacher left the program. Therefore, I took over the class. The class had
challenging needs. There were two children with sensory processing disorders. The class was
highly active as a group. There was no boundaries and did not follow a regular routine. When
the other teacher and I sat down, we discussed ways on what we can do to bring a balanced

Book Reflection #1

routine into the classroom. Therefore, the results of changing the classroom environment,
changing the routine, changing the language we used with the children, using consistency with
our words and with their rules, and assisting the two children with their specific needs made a
difference with the challenging behaviors in our classroom. Some of the main behaviors that
stopped inside the classroom were running around, climbing furniture, and hitting and biting
each other. I agree with the book that changes should happen with what is around the children
with challenging needs instead of trying to change them.
The third example that I found interesting was in Chapter 13, Bullying. The chapter
states that children probably see violence in the home and know that it can be effective (Kaiser,
et al., p. 256. 2012). I am pleased to see that this section is devoted to bullying. Bullying has
been around for years. However, we are seeing more of it every day especially in the schools.
Emotions of anger and irritability build up inside of these children which may cause them to feel
bad about themselves or the need to feel superior. The child who is bullied may feel isolated and
threatened. I think bullying is difficult to eliminate if you do not know how to approach students
who bully or are being bullied. A section, The Whole School Approach invites every adult and
child to step forward and combat bullying together. The main goal is to restructure the
environment and increase positive behavior so that all children will be protected (Kaiser, et al., p.
261. 2012). This chapter gives many strategies for creating an anti-bully project or curriculum.
Not only does a campaign for children need to be implemented but also for adults.
I think the author should have considered a separate chapter on, Can you ask a child
with challenging behavior to leave? In Chapter 12, there are several short paragraphs that help
the reader to understand how to find ways to handle a situation. I would have liked to have seen
more ideas, techniques, or reasons of why or how it is important to keep children with

Book Reflection #1

challenging behaviors in school. In my experiences at work, we must do everything to help a

child and his/her family manage challenging behaviors. Families, teachers, and the community
need to truly understand that we must never give up on any child. In addition, throughout the
entire book, I would have liked to have seen more real life experiences of what families with
challenging children go through. I would have liked to have read how they were able to cope
with their experiences and what kind of services were given to them.
Overall, I think this a significant book for dealing with challenging behaviors. It is easy
to follow and to understand. It gives many strategies in order to assist children with challenging
behaviors. It also offers a great approach to reducing violence in the school environments. In the
back of the book, it gives several reflective checklists for social contexts, routines and
transitions, and an example of a chart in order to measure a childs behavioral needs. This is
definitely going to be a book that I will use this school year in my classroom. I will refer to it
daily for strategies that will help me with issues in my school environment. I look forward to
using it when I am writing individual goals for each child. When I am looking for solutions on
how to talk with a parent concerning their child with challenges, I will gather ideas from this
book. I will use this guided book to further understand the cultural aspect of challenging
behaviors. In conclusion, I recommend this book for the prevention and intervention of children
who are at risk in all aspects of their lives.

Book Reflection #1

References
Kaiser, B. & Rasminsky J. S. (2012). Challenging Behavior in Young Children: Understanding,
Preventing, and Responding Effectively. New Jersey: Pearson Educational, Inc.