Nurture Groups in School and at Home: Connecting with Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

by Paul Cooper, Marion Bennathan (Contribution by), Yonca Tiknaz, Jim Rose (Contribution by)

Overview

This book explores the ways in which pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties can be effectively engaged in schooling - either in school or at home. It explains the social and emotional underpinnings of learning and presents practical strategies for aiding engagement.

Nurture groups, originally devised and implemented in the 1970s, are specially designed classes that cater for pupils having difficulties in adjusting to the requirements of mainstream classrooms. Paul Cooper and Yonca Tiknaz present evidence of the success of nurture groups from the perspectives of the children participating in them, their parents and school staff members who manage nurture groups in schools, and examine what factors affect the success of the group. From this they draw key messages for effective practice, including the fundamental importance of recognising a child's emotional needs and meeting them, and the pivotal role of the relationship between the teaching staff co-ordinating the group.

Nurture Groups in School and at Home will provide essential information and accessible advice for teaching professionals running nurture groups in schools and for parents and carers running them at home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781843105282
Publisher:	Kingsley, Jessica Publishers
Publication date:	04/15/2007
Series:	Innovative Learning for All
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Paul Cooper is a chartered psychologist and professor of education and is Director if the School of Education and the Centre for Innovation in Raising Educational Achievement at the University of Leicester. Yonca Tiknaz is a research associate at the Centre for Raising Educational Achievement at the University of Leicester, where she also lectures in Research Methods for the School of Education.

Table of Contents

Preface. 1. Nurture Groups. 2. A Nurture Group in Action. 3. What School Staff Say About Nurture Groups. 4. Carers, Children and Nurture Groups. 5. How Are Students Selected for Placement in a Nurture Group?. 6. Do Nurture Groups Work? Existing Research on Nurture Groups. 7. Involving Carers in Nurture Groups. 8. A Model for Analysing Problem Situations: S.A.L.A.D. 9. What Makes a Successful Nurture Group?. 10. Conclusion: Key Pointers for Practitioners. Subject index. Author index.

The ‘Innovative Learning for All' series

The ‘Innovative Learning for All' series features accessible books that reveal how schools and educators can meet the needs of vulnerable students, encouraging them to engage in learning and to feel confident in the classroom. Grounded in the latest innovative practice and research, these books offer positive guidance on improving the educational standards for all children by ensuring the most vulnerable are supported.

Editorial Reviews

The gentle pace of the book does not detract from its clear message: there is no blame; no fault; only unhappy children and desperate parents and teachers. Each chapter is clearly defined and the main points summarised, making its content accessible. Indeed, one of the book's greatest strengths is the importance placed on the role of the carer and professional working together and not in isolation. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to any adult involved with nurture groups of interested in the underpinning principles of how a child learns.

Community Care

Back in the 1970s someone came up with a very good idea; provide specially-designed classes for students who have difficulty adjusting to the mainstream, staff the classes with techers trained in nurturing and meeting the needs of these special students, and engage a range of educators, parents, and peers to create a supportive environment that is student-centred. According to Cooper (education,U. of Leicester} and Tiknaz {rising educational achievement, U. of Leicester) such nurture groups are effective in the classroom and in the home at bringing children with social, emotional, and behavioural needs closer to accepting educational and other experiences. Writing for educators and parents, they describe nuture groups and what school staff about them, the role of caring people in nurture groups, selection of students for groups, research indications, models for analyzing problems situations and key messages for practitioners.

BookNews.com

I would recommend this as a useful book for all Educational Psychology Service libraries and, if you can, get schools, who are nurturing, innovative and who put the emotional health of their children and families before results, to read it too.

Debate

I was impressed by the book's structure and accessible format at each chapter is succintly introduced and summarised, easing the reader's ability to make sense of the concepts. Any therapists working alongside schools in supporting youn people with mental health problems, this book has much to offer.

Young People & Families Children