What role does silence play in adolescents’ school experiences and in their developing sense of self? Sandra Leanne Bosacki offers a new perspective in this developmental and psychocultural account of classroom silences. Within the school setting, she addresses the paucity of research on the connections between adolescents’ concepts of silence and self-development. Focusing on the emotional, spiritual, and sociocultural issues around classroom silence, this book continues the conversations between developmental psychology and education by offering developmentally appropriate educational strategies to address the challenges inherent in adolescents’ experiences of classroom silence. Applicable to students of any age, The Culture of Classroom Silence is helpful to all teachers, from early childhood educators to university professors. Finally, this book concludes with suggestions for how educators and developmentalists can work together to «school the silences» and promote a culture of healthy and happy adolescents.

The Author: Sandra Leanne Bosacki is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, where she teaches courses in developmental educational psychology and educational research methodologies. She received her Ph.D. in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She has written numerous articles in professional journals and is Associate Editor of the International Journal of Children’s Spirituality. Dr. Bosacki’s work is focused on the educational implications of social cognitive development in middle childhood and adolescence.