Children's temperament: How can teachers and classrooms be more responsive?

For years, teachers have been well aware of the individual differences or temperaments of young children in their classrooms. Likewise, researchers have identified several styles and categories that reflect innate differences within children. What is less well known is how children's temperament relates to their successes and difficulties in school. Knowledge of temperamental differences can assist classroom teachers in being more responsive to the various needs of children and in providing developmentally appropriate classrooms. Teachers can begin by adapting their classrooms so that the environments are suitable to many styles of interaction and learning.