THE POWER OF CARING for Elementary Schools

A. Comments from Readers

After you read the book, we'd love to share your thoughts about it in the comment section on this page. Please complete the form at the bottom of the page.

B. Questions and Answers

Some basic Q's & A's are shared by the author to illustrate the power of the strategies outlined in the book to make a real difference in schools, classrooms, and homes all across America.

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A. Comments from Readers

This book is terrific! In my opinion, it should be required reading for student teachers and suggested reading for all other teachers and administrators. Parents, too? Absolutely. As a character education professional who presents anti-bullying/pro-kindness programs in school throughout the country, I know the importance of exemplifying empathy to children. Empathy is what is missing for many children. Thanks, Mr. Winner, for the power and clarity in your book. ---Stacey Lundgren, author of "True Bucketfilling Stories, Legacies of Love"

Mr. Winner --- Your book has some excellent insights in it. I think it has some real secrets of success. I hope you will do very well with it. I gave my copy to a fine young woman who is in college studying to be a teacher. ---Lois Kempton

I just retired from 37 years of teaching in the Columbus City Schools, and it was my privilege to have worked under Mr. Winner for many wonderful years. I was able to witness first hand some of the ideas and methods he put into practice, including the school-wide pledge and motto, the positive person message, and the home-school reading program just to name a few. We still use a portion of the original school wide pledge in the elementary school I just retired from. Mr. Winner's ideas and suggestions WORK. I have seen it first hand. It is wonderfully refreshing to see the ideas presented in a brief and user-friendly book. Mr. Winner breaks down the techniques and models the ideas so he really is speaking from experience. Mr. Winner often speaks about "attitude" in his writing. I believe that attitude is important in both teacher and student. It is amazing to witness the parent support you receive from parents when they know how much you care for their child. And attitude is the key! I could go on for pages about "THE POWER OF CARING FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS." I know that, as educators, we are bombarded by reading material required by the different professional development meetings and classes required to update the teaching license, but you will find this delightful book insightful and full of useful ideas. I have seen it work. Please add this book to your list of "keepers." Mr. Winner KNOWS what he is talking about! ---Debbie Glenn

Elmer--- After finishing your book and looking at your website, I certainly agree that a school-wide program that communicates caring can definitely transform a school. Your message about caring is so true, especially for those students who present the toughest behavior challenges. Your illustrations near the end of the book are powerful. My favorite idea was in dealing with students who have had some sort of big argument or fight. Asking them to come up with a mutually-agreeable version of what happened takes me out of the interrogation role. I will certainly try that this year. I also want to communicate to parents early and often that I care about their children. I always feel I need to improve on this. I believe that The Power of Caring for Elementary Schools is great for summer reading, something to refresh and challenge principals and teachers for the upcoming year. Knowing the author makes it even more challenging for me. I know that you live what you write. ---Jayne Stevenson

Elmer Winner's book, The Power Of Caring For Elementary Schools, is an excellent tool for administrators, teachers, students, and parents who are interested in teaching and learning with a purpose. Mr. Winner provides examples of practical and tested methods for educating children with compassion and purpose. For instance, optimism is a fundamental theme connecting the chapters in a progression, such as the chapters titled Positive Person Messages and A Tough Love Approach to Discipline, in which Mr. Winner discusses the importance of self-image and self-efficacy in motivation and discipline. Furthermore, chapters titled Self-Control Techniques, Mentors for Children Program, and How to Motivate Children are functional guides for educators. I will finish a MS in Educational Psychology in December 2011, and then continue with doctoral studies in Educational Psychology. Motivation in learning is one area of research that I will pursue, and Mr. Winner's book illustrates practical methods (e.g., communicate that you care) for motivating children. In fact, I have a friend beginning his career as a Middle School teacher in August 2011, and I will encourage him to read this book. --- Robin Thompson MS Educational Psychology

I found Mr. Winner's book very informative and inspiring to read. It's a great "road map" for creating a caring and positive climate. I was impressed with the clarity and succinctness of Mr. Winner's writing. If you want a positive caring school climate, this book is a must read.

--- Larry Jones, Retired Principal, Columbus City School, Columbus, Ohio

The following book review was posted by Neil Finney--Don't miss Neil's blog!

Elmer Winner's "The Power of Caring for Elementary Schools," is a concise collection of approaches and experiences from a former-elementary administrator of more than twenty years. This book outlines very direct and clear approaches to implementing 'care' in our elementary schools using step-by-step guidelines and program ideas.

Elmer Winner's goal is to cultivate, "vibrant, nurturing organizations committed to ensuring students with a quality learning environment," which should be appreciated by any student, parent, teacher or administrator. His main plan of action is to keep telling them and showing them over and over again in as many ways as possible. In this way, Winner uses the precepts of behavioural psychology and reinforcement to deliver desirable outcomes and meaningful school climate change.

It should be noted that the American system of schooling considers 'elementary' to mean kindergarten to grade five - not K to 8 as is the case in Canada. This is an important point since many of Winner's approaches involve repetition of phrases, memorization of important "messages," and activities that reinforce these messages of caring and positivity. I would have reservations about implementing the "positive person messages" with a class full of thirteen-year-olds (as is the case in our Grade 8 classes), but they could certainly be successful dealing with younger age-groups. Winner's statement: "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care," is indicative of the kinds of leadership techniques and school vision that he professes about.

As a school leader, improvements in attitude and behaviour can only be made possible and achievable by individuals having a real desire to change and the commitment to make it so. This book focuses on the approaches to student change, but I believe that teachers, too, often need changes in attitude and behaviour; in order to further their practice and adopt new and effective methods of reaching students - thereby raising achievement (however you choose to measure it).

On the topic of discipline and teaching students about correct behaviour choices, Winner describes that students must experience the "natural and unpleasant consequences of their own misbehaviour," but must also hear that you care about them and are committed to helping them. The relationship between choices and consequences is a crucial first-step to improving student behaviour, especially by using the principles of reinforcement to diminish negative behaviours and encourage positive ones (as explained by psychologist B.F. Skinner).

I enjoyed Winner's reference to things that are, "built upon sand rather than rock." This focus on initiatives and 'fly-by-night' ideas that attempt to improve instructional programs hits close to home for any educator who has spent time working in the education system. Many of the 'next great fix' approaches to improving schools are not grounded in grassroots-kinds of discourse. For meaningful change to occur, all facets of the education sector should be involved and accountable. Top-down decision-making and implementation is perhaps the worst way to improve our schools. Treat teachers not just as professionals, but as shareholders of wisdom and classroom knowledge. Tap into their strengths, goals and desires - since they are the ones who will be instituting change measures and new methods.

Winner disagrees with B.F. Skinner's postulation that it is more productive to study observable behaviour than internal mental processes. It is through an examination and careful consideration for these internal mental processes that Winner believes caring can break through and be lasting. B.F. Skinner's findings that behaviour that is reinforced will be continued and strengthened, but those behaviours that are not reinforced with be extinguished or eventually die out is the cornerstone of this book's pathway to cultivating a caring school environment.

On this point, often in a classroom teachers can fall victim to the habit of giving reinforcement and attention to negative student behaviour. Loudly saying a student's name or repeating it can actually serve to reinforce the behaviour since they are attaining your interest and attention (regardless of the fact that it's in a negative way). It is the most effective approach in class management style to

Address the behaviour - not the child.
Withdraw all attention and redirect using as little interaction and attention as possible.
Avoid correcting students solely by saying their name.

Quoting a line from Blanchard's book, The One-Minute Manager, Elmer echoes: "...children are not what they think they are. Children are not what we think they are. But children will usually become what they think we think they are." With these powerful words, teacher-readers are instantly slapped with the realization that it is often OUR body language, words, and interactions with students that facilitates their own sense of self-worth and willingness to explore their own academic potential. Teachers can make or break a student's desire to try - a phenomenon that each and every one of us can probably attest to at some point in our own school days experiences growing up. Positive mentors and role models are needed in a child's life, in order to build the wealth of positive feedback and reinforcement required to develop a well-rounded and strong person.

A criticism that I have about one section in this book is Winner's choice (in the chapter of "Self-Control Techniques") to use the phrase "I'm an American citizen. You don't have the right to hurt me." While reading this sentence I found myself asking which citizens in the world does someone have the right to hurt? By focusing on the nationality and not the collective aspects of an individual, there is a diminishing of the powerful idea that abuse and injury should not be tolerated. Substituting "I'm a positive person" or "I'm a global citizen or even "I'm a person" would more effectively appeal to the ideas contained within the "Universal Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms" - not just an Americanized ideal of what American citizens are entitled to.

With that being said, there are some encouraging anecdotes and inspiring examples within the pages of this book. "The Power of Caring for Elementary Schools: Success Secrets for Principals, Teachers, and Parents," is the result of Winner's personal thinking and beliefs about children having worked for them for nearly thirty years in a public school setting.

--- Neil Finney

B. Questions & Answers

Who is the most important team member in promoting a child's education?

The answer is --- parents. The reason for this is given on page 13 and the book is full of approaches and activities that can draw parents into a more responsible and supportive role in the education of their children.

How can you be so confident that the strategies and activities shared in the book really work, that they can make a big difference in any school or classroom?

I know because they worked for me in four different schools during the 23 years I was principal with Columbus City Schools in Columbus, Ohio.

More importantly, the strategies shared in the book work because they address four basic needs of children; and the purpose of the book is to help teachers, principals, and parents grow in their expertise of being able to address these basic needs of all children.1)All children need to know that they are loved. 2)All children need to know that somebody believes in them. 3)All children need to learn how to value and commit acts of caring toward others. They will never be happy until they do. 4)Every child must also learn self-discipline. They must learn that there is a relationship between choices and consequences, and that they are responsible for their choices and must take the consequences when they make wrong choices.

Does the book violate the separation of church and state guidelines?

No, it shares practical things teachers and principals can do to improve character and raise the self-esteem of children, and these strategies do not go against school policy and regulations. They wouldn’t be allowed in public schools if they did.

As a teacher of many years, now retired, I have come to believe that there are some children in our schools that can never be motivated to learn no matter what we do. Do you agree?

I disagree. . and believe, as educators, we must accept the responsibility of doing all we can to motivate the unmotivated; and we begin by believing that it can happen. The book has a chapter on how to motivate children and I comment on page 150, "It is not easy and in some cases we may not be successful, but we must try and the first step to take is accepting personal responsibility. Children will come into your classroom that were not motivated by their previous teachers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be motivated. They can be and it is your challenge to do it where others have failed. You just may be that special teacher with the right approach that will make it happen.”

All this sounds great, but how in this world am I going to find time to work these success secrets into my busy schedule? I’m already swamped with so many necessary things that must be done each year. Just one more activity could be "the straw that breaks the camel’s back."

I know the feeling because I’ve been where you are, and that is exactly the reason you should try some of the suggested activities in the book. I found that they caused everything else to work out more smoothly and more successfully. These activities can be compared to the oil that lubricates the machinery in a factory or to a lumberjack who takes time to sharpen his ax; the necessary things that must be done each year will not only get done in a more timely manner, they will also bring along with them great feelings of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth on the part of children (and their parents, teachers, and principal).

Can you share a happening or give an illustration from your own personal experience that proves without question that there really is power in caring for elementary schools?

Many such illustrations are shared in the book and here's an incident that took place during my first building assignment as an elementary principal. Our staff had agreed to communicate to every child that we really cared for them and we began to create tools (which are shared in the book) to do it. It was during a time when there was quite a bit of racial tension within the public schools of our city, and just a few years before a court-ordered, city-wide busing plan was put into place. In an effort to resolve some of the issues, a community action leader was assigned to each school that had a high percentage of black students enrolled. The plan was put into place for this leader to met with the principal along with twenty-five to thirty parents from the school each month to discuss their concerns, to draft plans to meet those concerns, and to assess whether or not progress was being made. I will never forget the first (and last) meeting of this group in our building. There were twenty-nine of us all seated in a circle, including the community action leader who was in charge of the meeting, our parents, and myself. After opening comments regarding the purpose of the meeting, our leader went around the circle, asking each parent to share a concern they had about their school. I was amazed and greatly humbled as each parent spoke. One after another, they shared how happy and pleased they were with what was going on at their school. They praised our staff, our curriculum, our activities, and I believe anything else they could think about. There was not one problem or concern shared by these parents. At the end of the meeting, the community action leader stated that it was apparent we had no problems in our school. He also added that it would not be necessary for us to meet again in the future. May I now ask the reader, is there power in really caring and in communicating that you care? I’m very confident that the primary reason these parents were so positive is that they came to believe and know that we really cared for their children. It seems they had never experienced this level of caring before.

We welcome questions or comments: