GUIDING CHILDREN

Positive discipline The process of teaching children acceptable behavior without harming them physically or emotionally. In the classroom, make a list of the ways that you encourage the children to behave in appropriate and acceptable ways.

Goals of classroom guidance Maintain safety and order. Teach children to share, take turns, and resolve conflicts peacefully. Help children develop traits such as kindness, courtesy, and respect. Encourage cooperation, independence, and responsibility.

Self-Discipline One of the most important goals of positive guidance is to train children to control their own conduct, usually for personal improvement. Agree or Disagree and Tell Why: “Self-discipline is the number one trait needed to accomplish goals, lead a healthy lifestyle, and ultimately, be happy.” Jennifer Cohen, Contributing Editor for Forbes/Leadership

Communicating with children Guidelines to use when talking with children: Kneel or sit at eye level. Maintain eye contact. Address child by name. Speak in a clear, respectful and expressive voice. Use a calm, direct, matter-of-fact tone of voice. Use simple words and short sentences. Use positive statements whenever possible.

Positive Messages Fill in the first column with a positive message for the second column. Say This… Instead of This… ? Don’t fall. ? Stop acting hyper. ? Quit acting like you live in a zoo. ? Don’t whine like a baby. ? Stop crumbling the pages. ? No yelling. ? Quit dawdling. ? Don’t you know how to do anything?

Communicating with children Techniques to use when listening to children: Watch body language. Body Language is the gestures, body movements, and facial expressions that help convey meaning. Use active listening. Active Listening is responding with a description of what you think the other person is feeling and why.

Ways to encourage good behavior Think about your expectations: Try to understand a child’s behavior. What are some reasons why a child might misbehave? Allow for mistakes. Watch that you do not label children. Offer examples of labels that teachers sometimes give children.

Ways to encourage good behavior Plan a wide variety of interesting activities. Make sure activities are age-appropriate. Provide enough equipment. Arrange the physical environment to support acceptable and appropriate behavior. Plan a balanced schedule. Follow a consistent schedule. Keep the schedule flowing smoothly. Provide individual attention.

Ways to encourage good behavior Offer choices, usually just two choices at a time. This helps prevent power struggles between the teacher and the child and shows the child that you respect their opinions. Selecting a choice give the child practice making decisions and encourages them to be independent. Set an example. Use positive reinforcement to help build self-esteem. Positive Reinforcement is a response that rewards a particular behavior , making it more likely to be repeated. If one approach doesn’t work, try another!

ROOM ARRANGEMENT

Creating a space to help children learn. Working in teams, visit each of the six stations in the classroom and evaluate how the space will encourage or discourage leaning. Answer the following questions on the worksheet for each of the six stations: Briefly describe how the space is set up. How would this arrangement encourage learning? How would this arrangement discourage learning?

Children with disabilities Children with disabilities have special needs that impact the room arrangement. How would you arrange a preschool classroom to accommodate a child with an orthopedic impairment? How could the room arrangement help a child with a visual impairment (partial sight or blindness) learn? Preschool classrooms tend to be noisy! How could you help a child with a hearing impairment?

Messages in the environment This is a Good Place to Be Neutral colors are used on the walls, and bright colors are used to highlight interest areas. Furniture is clean, safe, and well maintained. Wall decorations are largely made up of children’s art displayed attractively at their eye level. Decorations such as plants, fabric-covered pillows, and colorful tablecloths are used in the classroom.

Messages in the environment You Belong Here There is a cubby for personal things with each child’s name. Furniture is child sized and in good condition. Pictures on the wall, in books, and in learning materials include people of different ethnic and economic backgrounds and people with disabilities. Children’s artwork is displayed, protected, and rotated. Materials, equipment, and furniture are adapted so children with disabilities can be involved in all areas and activities.

Messages in the environment This Is a Place You Can Trust A well-defined schedule helps children learn the order of events that occur each day. Pictures illustrate the schedule so children can “read" it. Shelves are neat and uncluttered so children can see what materials and toys are available.

Messages in the environment You Can Do Many Things on Your Own and Be Independent Materials are stored on low shelves, encouraging children to select and use materials on their own. Materials are logically organized and located in areas where they are to be used. Shelves are labeled with pictures that show children where toys and materials belong.

Messages in the environment You Can Get Away and Be By Yourself When You Need To Small, quiet areas of the room accommodate one or two children. There is a large pillow or stuffed chair in a quiet corner of the classroom.

Messages in the environment This Is a Safe Place to Explore and Try Out Your Ideas There are protected and defined quiet areas for small group activities. Children are given smocks or paint shirts for artwork so they can express themselves without fear of getting soiled. Block area is out of the line of traffic so children can build. Attractive displays of materials invite children to use them. Toys are rotated so there is frequently something new to interest children.

Assignment Working with your team, design, and draw a diagram of our preschool classroom and arrange the different areas in a way to promote learning. Label the different areas and on the back of the diagram, explain how the arrangement uses ideas from this power point and“Messages In The Environment” to encourage learning.