©2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 7 Guiding Children’s Behavior

©2014 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 7Guiding Children’s Behavior


Understanding Children’s Behavior

• Understand children, then help them develop coping skills to deal with anger, frustration, fears, confusion, and other challenges they face while growing and developing

• A teacher must help children respect themselves and the rights of others

Guidance Triangle

• Guidance is the ongoing process of: – helping children learn to control their basic

impulses, – express their feelings, – channel their frustrations, and – solve their problems

• Positive guidance involves the child, the adult, and the situation (creating a triangle)



Theories

• Nature: A child’s behavior is the result of heredity

• Nurture: The environment shapes behavior• Stages: Children progress through stages• Regardless of the theory, children need

guidance in working through situations to develop holistically


Factors that Affect Behavior

• Developmental factors– Children need language and social skills to

solve problems– Expectations beyond developmental

capabilities


Factors that Affect Behavior (cont.)

• Environmental factors– Physical environment needs to be arranged to

promote development and include appropriate materials and culturally diverse materials

– Temporal (time) structure and schedule should be sequenced to meet children’s needs

– Interpersonal relationships must be trustful and accepting of all children

• “Does my classroom teaching style reflect all cultures?”



• Individual factors– All children have individual styles that need to

be accepted– Children have unique temperaments: three

general types• The easy child• The difficult child• The slow-to-warm-up child



• Emotional and Social Factors– Attempts to express emotional and social

needs• Need to feel loved and cared for• Need to be included• Desire to be considered important and valued• Desire to have friends• Need to feel safe from harm



• Emotional and Social Factors (cont.)– Young children are still working out ways to

express needs– Use nonverbal or indirect actions to

communicate problems– Adults must provide models of language for

resolving problems– Weather, family situations may also contribute

to behavior problems



• Cultural Factors– Discipline and guidance embedded within the values

and beliefs of the family– Family culture shapes how children are raised– Conflict is inevitable between teaching strategies and

parents’ perspective– Teacher must gain insight into customs and traditions

and support the children’s sense of security and identity


Guidance, Discipline and Punishment: What works?

• What is guidance?– Ongoing system by which adults help children learn

the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior

– Teachers create a supportive atmosphere for children to explore alternative behaviors, develop social skills and learn to solve problems

– Teachers are guides in the process– Active participation by child and adult


Inductive Guidance

1. Guidance is an interactive process that actively involves children as well as adults

2. Children are increasingly held responsible for their actions as they begin to understand the impact of their behavior on others

3. Inductive guidance helps a child learn thinking and reasoning skills, which fosters self-control and the development of a conscience

4. Children learn to reflect on their feelings and their actions


Discipline

• What is discipline?– Part of the guidance strategy– Stems from the word disciple, meaning pupil

or learner– Emphasizes what the child should do– Nonpunitive


What is Punishment?

• Consequence for inappropriate behavior and a power assertive technique which relies on children’s fears rather than the use of reason and understanding

• To be effective, punishment should be related to the behavior and help children learn from the situation

• Not the same as discipline


The Language of Guidance and Discipline

• Language may differ from culture to culture, and becomes interdependent– Voice should use normal pitch and tones; lowering is

sometimes wiser– The fewer the words, the better; avoid lecturing– Body language should be nonthreatening, and eye

contact should be used– Attitudes are derived from experiences

Promoting a Caring Classroom Community Through Guidance

Developmentally Appropriate Guidance •Growth follows certain patterns•All developmental stages have shared characteristics•One must identify the behaviors typical to a specific age group and frame expectations typical of the age•A child’s age does not automatically mean the child can or should be acting in a certain way; sometimes the stage of development is more meaningful


Promoting a Caring Classroom Community Through Guidance (cont.)

Culturally Appropriate Guidance•Accept that both viewpoints are equally valid•Work together to figure out solution•Resist assigning meaning on basis of your own culture•Remember your behavior doesn’t always convey your own values•Educate yourself about different cultures•Observe, ask, and talk about differences•Maintain open attitude that promotes respect and appreciation of each other’s views



Promoting a Caring Classroom Community Through Guidance (cont.)

• Teacher is a behavior model• Must be consistent• Have realistic expectations • Be an active observer and prevent

misbehavior• Be positive to prevent misbehavior• Teacher has direct and indirect influence

on children’s behavior


Ten Effective Strategies:The Guidance Continuum

• Ignoring behavior• Active listening and I-

messages• Reinforcement• Redirection and

distraction• Give children choices

• Set limits• Active problem

solving • Natural and logical

consequences• Time-out• Physical intervention


Setting Limits

• Set a limit appropriate to the situation• Match the limit to the child’s age, history,

and emotional development • See that all adults apply limits consistently • Reinforce the rules consistently• Follow through and support your words

with actions


Setting Limits (cont.)

• State limits simply, clearly, and directly • Respect and acknowledge the child’s feelings, • Act with authority, purpose, and confidence• Maintain the limit and accept the consequences• Do not give in if the child threatens to fall apart

or create a scene • Involve children in creating the limits


Active Problem Solving

• Active problem solving– Engage children in confronting their problems

by posing open-ended questions– Have children come up with alternatives for

their emotions or activities– Conflict resolution should follow a six-step

approach


Natural and Logical Consequences

• Natural– Children learn to take

responsibility– Children learn from

environment– Result of child’s own

actions

• Logical– Adults impose– Related to child’s

behavior– Must be respectful– Must be reasonable


Time-Out

• Time-out– Removing the child when behavior is intense– Use as a time to cool down, not as a

punishment for misbehavior– Help the child regain composure– Avoid overusing


Behavior that Is Challenging

• See and hear the uniqueness in each child– What do you know?

• Build caring relationships with children and their families– Respect

• Make Observations– Collect information about

what you see, when, where

• Modify the classroom and schedule– Is it appropriate for age or

stage?

– Is the environment clearly identified?

• Teacher attention and language– Use short, direct sentences

calmly

– Follow through and help the child

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©2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 7 Guiding Children’s Behavior