# The Making Friends Program

Supporting Acceptance in Your K-2 Classroom

**Authors:** [Paddy C. Favazza Ed.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=1246&Name=Paddy+C.+Favazza+Ed.D.), [Michaelene M. Ostrosky Ph.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=164&Name=Michaelene+M.+Ostrosky+Ph.D.), [Chryso Mouzourou Ph.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=47849&Name=Chryso+Mouzourou+Ph.D.)  
**Foreword Author:** [Samuel L. Odom Ph.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=1093&Name=Samuel+L.+Odom+Ph.D.)  
**Invited Contributors:** [Emily A. Dorsey M.Ed.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=47850&Name=Emily+A.+Dorsey+M.Ed.), [Lori E. Meyer Ph.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=29751&Name=Lori+E.+Meyer+Ph.D.), [Hyejin Park Ph.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=47851&Name=Hyejin+Park+Ph.D.), [Lisa Van Luling Psy.D.](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=47852&Name=Lisa+Van+Luling+Psy.D.), [SeonYeong Yu](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=47853&Name=SeonYeong+Yu)

Bullying prevention starts with **helping young children understand and accept diversity**—the earlier the better. That's why your school team needs this ready-to-use resource, a simple, fun, and effective way to promote social acceptance in the critical early years of attitude development.

Perfect for K–2 classrooms, this book presents the field-tested, research-based Making Friends program, a toolbox of **adaptable, practical strategies that fit right into your regular school day.** You'll help students respect and accept each other's differences through three methods:  
1) reading diversity-themed stories and conducting brief **whole-class discussions;**  
2) forming **small learning groups** that encourage children from diverse backgrounds to play and interact; and  
3) **sharing the storybooks you read with families** so they can continue discussions at home. Aligned with DEC/NAEYC recommended practices and the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards, this proven program will boost students' social and academic skills as you create a welcoming, inclusive, and culturally responsive classroom.

**USE THIS PROGRAM TO**

- enrich your **existing classroom activities**—circle time, class discussion, cooperative play—with important lessons on social acceptance
- strengthen students' **literacy skills** while they learn to accept and celebrate differences
- support **friendships** among children of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and family structures
- lay the groundwork for **bully-free school environments**
- **choose books, toys, and other materials** that reflect our diverse world and give young children a sense of belonging
- implement a **universal design for learning (UDL)** approach to address the needs of diverse learners
- **"think on your feet"** to work lessons on acceptance into small teachable moments and everyday conversations
- increase the **home-school connection** with strategies parents can use with their children
- strengthen understanding of how acceptance is developed through **reflective activities for teachers and school-wide teams**

**PRACTICAL MATERIALS:** The book includes a complete package of reproducible, adaptable materials for implementing the Making Friends program, including a sample activity schedule, discussion guides, and forms to send home with families. You'll also get step-by-step directions on working the activities into your school day, extensive lists of diversity resources, vignettes that model positive interactions, and more.

## Reviews
**Julie Summers, Midwest Book Review** - March 25, 2016

"Simply stated, no elementary school educational reference collection should be without a copy of The Making Friends Program."

**Gary Siperstein, Director, Center for Social Development and Education** - July 30, 2015

“A much-needed text that provides teachers with the knowledge, skills, and resources to create welcoming and socially supportive classroom environments where children of all ability levels feel they belong and have the opportunity to make and sustain friends.”

**Bradley Witzel, Professor, Department of Counseling, Leadership and Educational Studies, Winthrop University** - July 20, 2015

“An important addition to any early childhood teacher’s classroom … [the authors] do a masterful job of explaining the research-based program while including clear guidelines, examples, applications, and resources.”

**Karin Lifter, Professor and Chair, Department of Applied Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston** - July 20, 2015

“Comprehensive, readable, and useful … integrates theory, research, attitude change, curriculum development, and implementation activities for children and for those who serve and love them.”

**Shauna Tominey, Associate Research Scientist/Director of Early Childhood Programming, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence** - July 20, 2015

“A valuable resource for bringing empathy to the classroom … Programs like these are foundational to creating a more compassionate society.”

**Sara Whitcomb, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst** - July 20, 2015

“An excellent model for the diverse K-3 classrooms of today.”

**Rosa Santos, Professor of Special Education, University of Illinois** - July 17, 2015

“Successfully translates lessons from research to bring teachers a highly engaging and easy to adapt classroom-based program focused on building lasting friendships among students with and without disabilities.”

**Donald Wertlieb, Partnership for Early Childhood Development & Disability Rights (PECDDR), Professor emeritus, Tufts University** - July 14, 2015

“A masterpiece ready to transform diverse early childhood settings into more just and effective avenues for social inclusion and educational achievement … truly a toolbox with useful and usable instructions, guidance, and resources.”

**Karen Diamond, Professor Emerita, Purdue University** - July 14, 2015

"All children belong, and this book provides tested, research-based strategies that help teachers celebrate children’s differences in ways that promote understanding and acceptance and friendships."

**Laurie Dinnebeil, University of Toledo; Editor, Journal of Early Intervention** - June 24, 2015

“Plentiful resources and practical strategies that will help kindergarten and primary grade teachers support meaningful inclusion of each and every child in the classroom. [This] resource should be on every early childhood teacher’s bookshelf!”

**Read an excerpt**  
[Attitudes](/content/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/favazza-attitudes.pdf)

**Read The Inclusion Lab blog posts**  
[14 Resources for Diverse Books and Materials](http://blog.brookespublishing.com/14-resources-for-diverse-books-and-materials/)  
[13 Things You Can Do to Reduce Bullying in Your School](http://blog.brookespublishing.com/13-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-bullying-in-your-school/)  
[3 Ways to Help Young Children Respect and Accept Diversity](http://blog.brookespublishing.com/3-ways-to-help-young-children-respect-and-accept-diversity/)