Articles and Advice
Pro-Social Behavior
Children that are new to a daycare environment are just learning which behaviors
are socially acceptable and how to manage their natural impulse to react physically
to events that frustrate or anger them.
Preschool teachers can help children learn which behaviors are socially acceptable
by:
- Modeling positive conflict resolution and non-physical problem solving
- Encouraging and praising children's attempts to use good conflict resolution and
problem solving
- Helping children develop vocabulary necessary to describe feelings, needs and frustrations
- Redirecting children away from inappropriate choices and toward appropriate choices
- Offering opportunities in the program to practice social skills such as problem
solving, cooperation, turn taking, and sharing
In addition, many accidents, child behavior challenges and inappropriate guidance
issues can be avoided by providing a program that is rich in interesting and engaging
activities. Spend some time in each childcare center looking for the following:
Interactions
- Does the staff engage the children in positive and supportive conversations?
- Are gentle interactions used to redirect children to good choices?
- Are teachers at child eye level and use children's names when addressing them?
Daily Schedule
- Is there a variety of things for the children to do throughout the day?
- Is there a balance of active and quiet activities?
- Are there large group, small group and individual activities?
- Are transitions well managed and is enough time allowed for transitions between
activities so that children do not feel either rushed or bored?
Environment
- Is there a variety in the equipment in the classroom?
- Are there enough things in the classroom for children to make choices?
- Are there duplicates of extremely popular toys?
- Does the room arrangement allow for large and small group play?
- Does the room arrangement allow for quiet and active areas?
- Are materials within the children's reach and easy for them to put away?
Activities
- Are the planned activities implemented? Are activities presented in a way that engages
the children?
- Do the teachers appear to enjoy the activities alongside the children?
- Are the activities challenging but not frustrating?
- Do the activities allow for a variety of developmental levels?
Positive guidance, one of the major components of respectful practice, begins long
before any challenging behaviors arise. In fact, the work daycare providers do to
prevent challenging behaviors is an important part of the guidance strategy.
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