U NDERSTANDING T EMPERAMENT AND E STABLISHING “G OODNESS OF F IT ” A P RESENTATION FOR C ENTER B ASED E ARLY C HILDHOOD P ROGRAM S TAFF

Your Image of the Child Each one of you has inside of yourself an image of the child that directs you as you begin to relate to the child. This theory or belief within you pushes you to behave in certain ways; it orients you as you talk to the child, listen to the child and observe the child. It is very difficult for you to act contrary to this internal image. Your image of each child is different based on what you believe about them. You will behave differently based on this belief.

What does Temperament have to do with the image we create of each child?

Sophia’s Story 2 year old Sophia was enrolled in Miss Kay’s class. She was the first child dropped off in the morning and the last to be picked up each day. During the pre-enrollment interview, Sophia’s parents told the director that Sophia was extremely willful and demanding.

Once expected to fit into the classroom Sophia had difficulties. One volunteer upon observing Sophia reported that the child was like a “ bull in a china shop.” Each day Sophia caused numerous disturbances in the classroom. She had difficulty with self-regulation and had exhibited little or no regard for the rights of others. Miss Kay was sending home notes every night because Sophia hit someone, broke something or didn’t want her diaper changed.

Think-Pair-Share Activity: Miss Kay is not sure if Sophia really fits into her classroom… Have you ever had a child in your center that presented such difficulties? What would you recommend to Miss Kay?

The story continues… Miss Kay started having meetings with Sophia’s parents. Sophia’s parents said they were doing the best they could and asked for guidance. Miss Kay told them that in order for discipline to be effective it needed to be age appropriate, clear to the child and consistent.

Miss Kay’s advice didn’t help and she was getting very frustrated with Sophia since she was spending 60% of the day dealing with her. Miss Kay went to her director and said “It’s me or Sophia. She doesn’t fit in our program.”

Miss Kay’s director suggested that it might be helpful to take a closer look at Sophia’s temperament?

What Is Temperament ? A child’s temperament describes the way in which they approach and respond to the world. It is their personal ”style.” Temperament influences a child’s behavior and the way they interact with others. While temperament does not clearly define or predict behavior, understanding a child’s temperament can help teachers and families better understand how young children respond and relate to the world around them.

Information about temperament can also guide parents and teachers to identify children’s strengths and the support they need to succeed in their relationships and environments. There are 3 basic temperament styles and they are determined by the mix of 9 different traits. Each of us is a combination of these traits and thus our approach to the world is different and unique.

9 Temperament Traits Researchers have described young children’s temperament by depicting several different traits. These traits address:, A child’s level of activity, Their adaptability to daily routines, Their response to new situations, Their mood, The intensity of their reactions, Their sensitivity to what’s going on around them, How quickly they adapt to changes, and How distractible and persistent they are when engaging in an activity.

The 3 Basic Temperament Types 1.Children with an easy or flexible temperament tend to be happy, regular in sleeping and eating habits, adaptable, calm, and not easily upset. (40% of all children) 2.Children with an active or feisty temperament may be fussy, irregular in feeding and sleeping habits, fearful of new people and situations, easily upset by noise and stimulation, and intense in their reactions. (10% of all children) 3.Children with a slow to warm or cautious temperament may be less active, tend to be fussy, and may withdraw or react negatively to new situations; but over time they may become more positive with repeated exposure to a new person, object, or situation. (15% of all children) Note: 35% of all children don’t fit into these categories but are a combination of them depending upon outside factors.

Think-Pair-Share Activity Turn to the person next to you and discuss: Why is Temperament (both your own and each child in your classroom) important to consider?

It can help you better understand children’s individual differences. By understanding temperament you can learn how to help children express their preferences, desires, and feelings appropriately. Most importantly, you can learn to anticipate issues before they occur and avoid frustrating yourself and the child by using approaches that do not match their temperament. Why Is Temperament Important?

An important concept in teaching that supports healthy social- emotional development of children is the notion of “goodness of fit.” Teachers can improve “goodness of fit” by adapting their approach to meet the needs of the child.

Using What You Know About Temperament to Promote Positive Social-Emotional Development and Behavior You can use your knowledge of temperament in many ways to support positive social-emotional development of the children in your classroom. This process includes the following recommendations…

Reflect on Your Own Temperament and Preferences Understanding your own temperament can help you to identify the “goodness of fit” for each child in your classroom. Knowing more about your own temperament traits will also help you to take the child’s perspective. This reflective process can help you become more attuned to the experience of each child within your classroom. You can then determine what adjustments might be needed to create a “better fit” for each child.

Create Partnerships with Families to Better Understand Each Child’s Temperament Share what you have learned about temperament with the families you serve and provide information about temperamental traits. Define individual temperament traits and ask parents to help you understand their child’s activity level, response to new situations, persistence, distractibility, adaptability, mood, intensity, sensitivity, and regularity so that you can learn about the child’s temperament and the family’s cultural values. Refrain from judging a child’s temperamental traits as “good” or “bad” behavior, and work with parents to see each child’s approach to the world through a positive lens.

Understand Each Child’s Temperament Type and Adapt the Classroom Structure lessons and organize the environment with temperament in mind Understand each child’s unique style of learning Help children become more self aware Manage the different personalities in the classroom Help each child in their pursuit of academic success

The story continues… So what did Miss Kay do…?

With the help of her director, Miss Kay reflected on her own temperament and how it might affect the children in her classroom, each of whom had their own distinct temperaments. After learning about temperament, Miss Kay was able to focus on Sophia’s positive traits like her persistence. Miss Kay began appreciating Sophia for the qualities that weren’t problematic and praising her for her positive actions.

Soon, Sophia appeared to be much more comfortable in the classroom. She was able to better use her energy to build strong and positive relationships with Miss Kay and the other children.

Through understanding herself, the children, and their families’ temperaments, Miss Kay created an environment that better met all of the children’s needs. Ultimately, the work she did positively impacted the experience of Sophia and the other children in her class.

Final Principles to Keep in Mind 1.When it comes to differences in temperament, the extreme differences are still within the normal range of behavior. If you understand how a particular trait or combination of traits influence a child’s behavior, you will be able to find the best way of handling it. 2.The way a teacher or parent responds to a child’s temperament, plays a big role in the child’s emotional development. The way adults relate to the child contributes to his/her self image.

Final Principles to Keep in Mind 3.Make sure not to blame the child or the parent for the child’s difficult temperament trait. Keep in mind that the child is not being deliberately troublesome. 4.If a feisty or fearful child is given the proper support, he/she can learn to handle potentially stressful situations gradually. 5.When it comes to a child’s development, any temperament trait can be an asset or liability. It becomes an asset when the teacher recognizes what type of approach is best for the child.

IT3 T EMPERAMENT T OOL

Temperament Tool for Use with Families Demonstration of the IT3 Temperament Tool Please see handout for example of IT3 Tool and Examples of Results