Description: A comprehensive, practical, evidence-based guide to preventing and responding to challenging behavior, creating a caring, positive classroom environment, and to effective teaching practices that fosters learning and self-regulation for all students.
Brief description: Mitchell L. Yell, PhD, is the Fred and Francis Lester Palmetto Chair in Teacher Education and a professor in special education at the University of South Carolina. His professional interests include special education law, IEP development, progress monitoring, and parent involvement in special education. Dr. Yell has published 136 journal articles, 6 textbooks, 36 book chapters, and has conducted numerous workshops on various aspects of special education law, classroom management, and progress monitoring. His textbook, Special Education and the Law, is in its 5th edition. He co-authored the text Developing Educationally Meaningful and Legally Sound IEPs. Dr. Bateman and Dr. Yell are the editors of the Special Education Law, Policy, and Practice series published by Rowman & Littlefield. In 2020, he was awarded the Researcher of the Year from the Council for Exceptional Children. Dr. Yell also serves as a State-level due process review officer (SRO) in South Carolina and is on the Board of Directors of the Council for Exceptional Children. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Yell was a special education teacher in Minnesota for 12 years.
Review Quotes:
"A must-have book for elementary teachers and teacher candidates, Creating Positive Elementary Classrooms presents practical techniques grounded in research and best practices for preventing and responding to student behavior problems. Written in a practitioner-friendly style that is easy to follow, this book is the ideal combination of classroom scenarios, useful information, and research-based practices." --Kristen M. O'Brien, George Mason University
"Stephen Smith and Mitchell Yell provide an excellent resource for individuals preparing to become teachers and for teachers in the field needing the latest research and best practice recommendations for creating positive learning environments. The book provides practical suggestions backed by research and concrete examples of what to look for in the classroom. The book also provides excellent context on how effective instruction and proactive classroom management techniques intertwine. Highly recommended!" --Keri DeSutter, Minnesota State University Moorhead "Challenging behavior is often hard to deal with, because there is such a variety of behaviors and triggers. Creating Positive Elementary Classrooms provides a complete guide of strategies to reference and implement. With so many outside factors and environments, it is crucial to have a supportive environment for students to learn and grow." --Stephanie Ammons, assistant principal, Mountain View Intermediate