Teaching Goodness: Engaging the Moral and Academic Promise of Young Children.

TEACHING GOODNESS: Engaging the Moral and Academic Promise of Young Children. Joan F. Goodman & Usha Balamore. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2003. 206 pp. $26.25. This remarkable text is based on the premise that teaching is both a moral and an intellectual undertaking. Told in two voices, the book chronicles Usha Balamore's practice as a kindergarten teacher, with commentary and contextualization provided by Joan F. Goodman, a psychologist and professor of education. At the heart of the book is the belief that with the guidance of a loving, competent teacher and the support of a warm, nurturing learning community, children have the potential to not only behave in appropriate ways and achieve academically, but also thrive intellectually, while "fall[ing] in love with goodness" (p. 1).

Teachers of young children will appreciate the detailed explanations of the philosophy and practice that characterize Balamore's teaching. She pays careful attention to the establishment of a stimulating environment and the development of curricula, and she takes a tenacious, yet gentle, approach to including character development in every facet of classroom life. The philosophical underpinnings of this model are drawn from elements of constructivist theory, the Project Approach, and thematic-based teaching. Balamore's emphasis on the arts and the important role of aesthetic experiences reveals elements of Reggio philosophy. In spite of these strong influences, Balamore's model also contains some elements of direct teaching. The result is a model that is uniquely her own and that is well-suited to the specific context in which she works. Goodman's thoughtful commentary addresses these philosophical and practical elements, providing readers with the tools needed to envision and translate this model for use in their own classroom situations.

This inspirational, engaging, and highly readable text gives a powerful look not only into the everyday workings of classroom life, but also into the potential that developmentally appropriate, moral-based teaching has to benefit individual students, the classroom community, and society as a whole. This excellent book is highly recommended reading for teachers, teacher educators, and all who wish to help children to learn and live goodness in their academic and daily lives. Reviewed by Patricia A. Crawford, Associate Professor of Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando