Belonging

What does belonging mean in the context of children's school life? Ms. Halaby invites the reader into her classroom, where even the troubled child, the isolated child, the student with special needs can find a positive place in the classroom. During weekly class meetings -- a time when the students meet with their teacher to discuss their conflicts and concerns -- the children learn how to listen to one another, to make friends, and to resolve their conflicts independently, but mostly...
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What does belonging mean in the context of children's school life? Ms. Halaby invites the reader into her classroom, where even the troubled child, the isolated child, the student with special needs can find a positive place in the classroom. During weekly class meetings -- a time when the students meet with their teacher to discuss their conflicts and concerns -- the children learn how to listen to one another, to make friends, and to resolve their conflicts independently, but mostly they learn how to live and work as a community.The near-verbatim conversations among the students, and Halaby's responses and comments, form the bulk of the book, with transitions that describe what it takes to support a student's growth. The final section of the book describes the development of the class meeting process was developed and provides detailed how-to information for teachers and others.An experienced teacher of children, Ms. Halaby developed this model to cope with a range of difficult behaviors offered by students in her classes. She has received grants and honors for her work with her students.