Drawing on evidence from a longitudinal study of Canadian children’s emotional experiences within the grade-school classroom, this book considers the nature and significance of such experiences for children’s development and well-being. Within the learning context of the classroom, the girls and boys share their experiences of self, emotional understandings, and social relations through interviews and social cognitive tasks. The chapters provide scholarly analysis and practical information for those who agree that emotions are paramount to children’s comprehensive development. The book concludes by describing the practical implications and applications of its findings for parents, teachers, and caretakers of children, including how to help children learn about and negotiate emotions in themselves and in their interactions with others.

The Author: Sandra Leanne Bosacki is Associate Professor in the Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Education at Brock University in 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, Ontario, Canada. She is the author of The Culture of Classroom Silence (Peter Lang, 2005), and has published widely in professional journals on education and children’s social cognitive development.