Positive Guidance Techniques

Common Reasons Why Children Misbehave Normal behavior

for their age Natural curiosity Don’t know better Attention Power

Revenge Feeling

inadequate at the task

The need to feel they belong

Positive Behavior and Choices In order to maintain control in a group setting,

consider the amount of children with the space, safety, traffic patterns, and supervision within the room.

When a child is misbehaving, the support teacher can sit beside a child and encourage them to participate.

When a child habitually throws a tantrum at circle time because they do not get attention, remove the child from the group setting until they choose to calm down.

Positive Behavior and Choices Schedules and routines are important

because they provide structure and security for children which promotes positive behavior & choices.

This reduces tension and fears due to the “unknown” thus reducing misbehavior.

Misbehavior is the result of no consistency, schedule, or routines.

Consistency is key to smooth schedules and routines.

Guidance and Modeling

To model appropriate behavior and actions. It is continually done, a caregivers daily job.

Discipline Fair firm and

consistent training so children know what is expected.

Punishment A penalty inflicted

for wrong doing through intimidation & fear.

Self-Discipline The ability to

control one’s own behavior by personal choice.

Positive Guidance Techniques8 Positive Techniques

Natural Consequence

Define Things that

naturally happen without parental interference.

Example Child doesn’t

come home in time for dinner, goes hungry

Limited Choices

Define Giving a child 2-3

options so they can learn autonomy and decision making.

Example Would you like

apple juice, orange juice or milk?

Logical Consequence

Define Consequence that

the caregiver sets as a result of the child’s choice or action. Should match the offense.

Example If gaming longer

than told minutes, the consequence is no gaming for the rest of the week.

Time Out

Define Child regains

emotions in a quiet spot. Use sparingly.

Example A child hit another

child over dress up, time out for 4 minutes (age of child)

Positive Statements

Define Child is told what

they can do rather than what they can’t do

Example Instead of saying,

“Don’t throw sand at your sister,” say: “Keep the sand in the sand box.”

Reverse Attention/Positive Reinforcement

Define Focusing on the

child’s accomplishments and good choices through praise and ignore the negative behavior when possible.

Example “I really like how

Brody is sitting so quiet at circle time.”

Redirection

Define If a child is doing

something you do not want them to do, direct them with another option.

Example If children are

fighting over dress-up, “time to paint on the easel.”

Modeling

Define Used to show how

children can solve their own problems. Used to show how children can solve their own problems.

Example I can hang up my

coat and find my name on the rug, can you?

APPLICATION: Provide appropriate management solutions for dealing with problem behaviors.

Be sure to list what positive guidance technique you are using FIRST, then proceed to explain what you will do.