Basic Training, Part 2

Building the Foundation: Peace and Conflict Education inEarly Childhood Development Programs

Project Implemented in Partnership between Child Institute of Al-Quds University &

Meridian International Center

2008

LEARNING OBJECTIVESKnow the importance of having a positive

relationship with each child and have specific ideas about how to develop and maintain good relationships with children

Appreciate the special issues of separation of young children from their caregivers and know how to help them make it through the day

Understand the role of schedules and routines for young children and how to use them to prevent behavioral issues

Understand the unevenness of children’s development and the reasons for responding to children in ways that are consistent with their levels of emotional development

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

A rule for young children:

IF I DON’T LIKE YOU,I WON’T MIND YOU.

DEVELOP A GOOD RELATIONSHIPWITH EVERY CHILD

Communicate the child’s strengths

Include the child in all activities

Learn about the child’s situation

Talk to each child for at least three minutes every day

Find things you like about each child

Praise a child at least five times for every negative comment you make

Avoid name-calling with children

Keep promises you make to children– you may need to make fewer promises in order to be reliable in keeping them

When you give a command to any child, follow through in a positive way to make sure the child does what you said

Be aware of each child’s limitations and try not to provoke a child unnecessarily

Remember that a child can’t do every day everything he or she can do on a good day

Know that children want to learn and to be able to do things that older children can do. They are usually positively motivated. If you think they are misbehaving to provoke you, you and the child need some outside help.

DEFINITION OF ATTACHMENT

• The development of a very special relationship between and infant or young child and at least one primary caregiver, usually the parents.

FOR CHILDREN GOING TO PRESCHOOL, SEPARATION FROM

THEIR PARENTS CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT

Teachers can help by:1. Giving each child

special attention in greeting them at the beginning of the day

2. Reminding children how much time is left before they can return to their parents

3. Keeping a schedule of the preschool routine on the wall and showing children at the end of each activity how many activities are left in the day

4. Having drawings or photos of each child’s family on the wall

5. Allowing each child to bring and keep with them one small object from home

6.Talking to a child who is upset because of the absence of a parent (or for any other reason).

Don’t ignore the issue. Remind the child of what the group will do in preschool this day and when the child will see his parents again.

KEEP AWARENESS OF THEIR PARENTS ALIVE FOR CHILDREN

Keep family photos or pictures of family each child has drawn in the classroom

Allow each child to keep a special “transition” object from home

Say things to help children remember their families at least once every 30 minutes

(more often for children who need it)

THE IMPORTANCE OFSCHEDULES & ROUTINES

What are you like when you don’t get enough sleep?

Young children are more bound to schedule than adults or older children.

SCHEDULES AND ROUTINES. . .

Help children feel safe and secure

Help them regulate their emotions

Give them opportunities to learn activities essential for their health

Encourage them to explore a wide range of activities

HELPING CHILDREN FUNCTION IN THE PRESCHOOL SETTING

The teacher can help by:

Keeping the same general order of activities every day

Posting a schedule on the wall with pictures to show the order of activities

TRANSITIONS BETWEEN ACTIVITIES

Young children are most likely to havebehavioral difficulties when they are changing from one activity to another.WHY?

HOW YOU CAN MINIMIZETRANSITION PROBLEMS

Give fair warning that a transition is coming

Build excitement for what is coming next

Give a contingency (“when we’re done picking up, we get to go outside!”)

Help in a positive way any child who is having difficulty

INDIVIDUALIZINGDEVELOPMENTAL EXPECTATIONS

When you see a child’s behavior, think what age that behavior reminds you of.

Don’t be distracted by the child’s real age.

(Almost all 4-year-olds act like 2-year-olds occasionally.)

MAJOR AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT

PhysicalGross Motor Fine Motor Cognition Language Social Emotional Remember that they all

don’t always (or even usually) match.

HELP CHILDREN DO THEIR BEST DEVELOPMENTALLY

1. Build on children’s strengths: the goal of preschool is to excite them about learning rather than teaching specific skills

2. Understand where each child is with respect to different aspects of development

3. Give instructions more than one way (for example, tell AND show)

4. Make expectations for behavior clear. Have four or five simple, positively stated class rules, put them on the wall with pictures to show their meaning, and go over them at the beginning of each day.

5. Focus most of your attention on the children who are doing the current activity appropriately.

6. Support children’s efforts by describing what they are doing.

(“I see you’re coloring your flower red.”)

7. When you praise a child, be specific.

(“I like the way you’re eating so neatly.” You won’t get popsicle on your clothing!”)

8. Stay calm and keep your voice low and steady.

9. When children are having difficulty, match the way you treat them with their emotional age, or the emotional age they are showing at the moment.

If a 4-year-old is having a tantrum like a 2-year old, treat him like a 2-year-old.

MATCH DISCIPLINE TACTICSTO STAGE OF EMOTIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

Examples: Distraction (birth to 4) Substitution (1 to 5) Ignoring (all ages) Physical prompts (2-6) Immediate rewards (2+) Sticker charts (5+)