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 from birth through age 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!

In early childhood settings, children and teachers interact all day long. The benefits to everyone-teachers and children-are enormous when even some of those everyday interactions become intentional and purposeful Powerful Interactions!

• In step one of a Powerful Interaction, Be Present, you pause to tune in to how you are feeling and consider how you might need to adjust to create a "just-right" fit with a child.
• In step two, Connect, you 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. Deepening your relationship this way helps the child feel safe, confident, and open to learning. Staying connected and observant helps you make good decisions in step three.
• In step three, Extend Learning, you make use of your strong connection with the child to stretch her knowledge, skills, thinking, or language and vocabulary just a bit.

Now revised and updated, this reflective guide contains 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. Whether you work in a child care center or family child care setting, Early Head Start or Head Start program, or a public pre-K or primary classroom, you make a difference in the lives of children and families-and Powerful Interactions can make that difference even bigger.

This book is a great resource for my district. The first edition has been used in professional development for leaders of our P-3 Initiative and as part of the district's high school early learning program. It is an easy read for educators as well as a fantastic resource for families. -Minerva Pardo, Family Engagement Coordinator, West Valley School District