Preventing Challenging Behaviors in Young Children: Effective Practices By Peter J. Alter & Maureen A. Conroy

Effective Classroom Environments Must be: Well Organized and Engaging Include Developmental Appropriate Practices (DAP) Activities And Materials

So….. If the children are engaged with activities that are interesting and materials that are developmentally appropriate they are LESS likely to engage in behavior that is disruptive and challenging.

But… If the activities and materials are too difficult or too easy, challenging or disruptive behavior is MORE likely to occur.

Designing Classroom Environments Structure the physical arrangement of the classroom to increase appropriate behavior, (for instance engagement) and decrease the probability of challenging or inappropriate behavior.

Strategies for Structuring the Physical Classroom 1.Arrange the Classroom to Ensure Visual Monitoring of All Children. 2.Arrange Activity Centers to Support Children’s Appropriate Behavior Such as Limiting the Number of Students in Each Center. 3.Facilitate Smooth Transitions Among Activities Such as Organizing Materials on Shelves and Arranging Materials to Promote Engagement, Mastery, and Independence.

Please Note… “Increasing the accessibility, appropriateness and availability of toys and materials can facilitate children’s independence, thus, decreasing the likelihood of challenging behaviors.” Peter J. Alter & Maureen A. Conroy

Environment Factors Some Children Have Sensitivity To Lighting Temperature Sound Tending to these issues can make a big difference for some students who engage in problem behaviors!!

Interpersonal Climate ****When teachers and other adults attend to students’ appropriate behaviors and provide assistance when they need help children are less likely to engage in challenging behavior. The use of positive attention and positive feedback with children who are engaging appropriately in activities and playing appropriately with peers will increase desirable behavior!!!

REMEMBER TO….. CATCH THEM BEING GOOD!!!

Scheduling Children, even young children, like predictability. Create a daily schedule. Teach the daily schedule. Because it…. Communicates to the children the organization of daily activities and events. Prevents the occurrence of challenging behaviors.

When Implementing a Daily Schedule Consider…. Use of a Photo or picture schedule-particularly with young students-that provides concrete, visual cues of the scheduled activities and routines. (Note: Children who are just beginning to learn language may benefit from a schedule with real objects in lieu of pictures.)

Daily Schedule Continued… Consider rotating large and small group activities, vary active and quiet activities, structure transition times within the activities, and make sure the most difficult activities are done when the students are the most alert. If an activity has multiple steps, a schedule within an activity might also be beneficial. (For example, what is first, next, last…)

Choices Inserting choices within the schedule, allowing children to choose between one activity and another (i.e., dolls or blocks) will increase a student’s rate of engagement and decrease the likelihood of challenging behavior.

Rules, Rituals, and Routines  Rules are most appropriate for children of preschool age.  Rituals and routines are most appropriate for younger children.  Providing the 3Rs-rules, rituals and routines, helps provide structure for the children and adults in the classroom.

Continued… “ A ritual may be a song, a rhyme, a game, kinesthetic movement or any other activity that is used in a predictable and repeated pattern over time to communicate values, foster community, or remind children of behavior expectations.” Peter J. Alter & Maureen A. Conroy

When Implementing Rules, Rituals and Routines Consider…. 1. Rules are implemented to provide preschoolers with the structure to teach them which behaviors are appropriate and acceptable in the classroom setting and which are not appropriate in the classroom setting.

For Younger Children… 2. Rituals and routines are utilized to provide verbal and non-verbal cues and prompts to teach them appropriate behaviors. For example, a bell rings at the end of play to provide a cue about the end of play time and allows them to initiate a change of activity without a verbal cue from the teacher.

More…. 3. Rituals and routines provide stability and consistency for children. They can provide important values such as friendship, caring or responsibility (Clean up, clean up, Everybody do your part….) The class may have a song they sing as they line up.

Transition Rituals 4.Establishing transition rituals may significantly help challenging behavior during transition. Faculty may have a transition such as * Zip it, lock it, put it in your pocket * Duck tails and bubbles These rituals communicate the desired behavior without requiring a verbal request for the behavior by the teacher such as line up quietly.

Teaching Rituals Teaching these to children in the class will require: Small steps Positive Reinforcement Specific feedback Repeat Mastery by the Students

In Summary  Preventing challenging behavior before it occurs is part of an early childhood classroom.  Creating a well-designed classroom that is engaging and developmentally appropriate is the first step.  Using schedules, rules, rituals, and routines communicates behavior expectations to students.  Catch them being good-reward the positive.  When children understand what is expected of them and are provided the opportunity and support the likelihood of the right choice increases.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.