1. I like to work with kids that most teachers consider difficult
Barb O’Neill, Ed.D
2016 NAEYC Conference
I like to work with kids that most teachers consider difficult
Transforming your relationships and work with
preschoolers who use challenging behavior
Who is good at this? Likes it? Loves it?
Robert and Annalee (Dora, pretend play w/ dolls, perserverant w/ key)
….introduce myself – reggio inspired center and consultant
Think of your robert or annalee – behavior, time of day, interests/strengths
- Next slide: my goal for you is to begin to transform your r’ship…(3 steps) - tell them on the next slide

2. Using improv principles and play
Transform your Relationship
to Working With Children Who Use
Challenging Behavior
3 steps
Step 1: Decide you got this
Using improv principles and play
Step 2: Build your relationship with the child
Step 3: Take your DAP* temperature and
revitalize your teaching
*Developmentally Appropriate Practice

3. Prevention. Outcomes not good.
yellow - me.robert, you are here, great
blue - DAP (most children)
green (5-15%)
red( 1-9 % personalized behavior plan - not getting into that today ---> 20%, 4 children a year, PART OF YOUR JOB

4. Step 1: Decide you got this!

5. What do you need to let go of to transform your relationship to working with children who use challenging behaviors?
that experience with Robert
the idea that I am not good at this and never will be
anger with Annalee’s grandma because she doesn’t set limits at home
fear, past experiences, frustration with parents, frustration with my director, that experience with Robert, my ego, the idea that I will never be good at this, I haven’t had sufficient training...
hand out the blue sheet of paper
HAVE THEM CRUMPLE IT AND OPTIONALLY PUT IN MY BAG

6. What do you want your relationship to working with children who use challenging behavior to be?
I am confident, knowledgeable and successful in working with children who use challenging behavior.
I am confident, knowledgeable and successful in working with children who use challenging behavior...and I love doing it!
I collaborate successfully with my co-teacher and children’s families to teach children to self-regulate and play cooperatively with peers.
hand out the yellow sheet of paper

7. I GOT THIS

8. Step 2 Build your relationship with the child
play with the child in his or her preferred activities
use the improv principle “yes, and”

9. and revitalize your teaching
Transitions
Group Time
Social Skills Curriculum
Step 3
Take your DAP temperature
and revitalize your teaching

10. Transitions
Do you give children a warning before transitions (eg. 5 mins until clean up)?
Do you also give personalized/additional transition reminders to struggling children?
Do you use gestures/ pictures to let children know about transitions?
Do you make sure children are rarely left waiting with nothing to do (at the door, at the snack table, before group time)?
Do you sing transition songs with embedded directions about behavioral expectations?

11. Group Time
6. Do you use “let’s” to convey behavioral expectations (“let’s all...”)?
7. Do you embed lots of opportunities for children to call out answers in unison and repeat your words (key phrases of a story, directions, words, definitions, key ideas, etc…)?
8. Do you embed opportunities for children to copy motions and pretend with you (eg. “let’s put on our weather reporter hats and glasses and look out the window!”)?
9. Do you use a puppet or persona doll during teacher-led activities?
10.Do you make sure children are not being asked to wait a long time while classmates speak? (Pro tip: show and tell - break into groups, 1 share per day, or forget it!) ?

12. Social Skills Curriculum
11. Do you use charts, memory games, or other activities that teach identification of feelings?
12. Do you read books about emotions, sharing, friendship, and being part of a community?
13. Do you teach social skills throughout the day by prompting children to say things like, “can I have it?” “trade?” “stop”? Not just “use your words”
14. Do you use puppet shows, persona dolls, or roleplays to demonstrate behavioral expectations, what to do when you are upset, etc…?
15. Do you use “friendship activities” at circle time?

13. Transitions
Do you give children a warning before transitions (eg. 5 mins until clean up)?
Do you also give personalized/additional transition reminders to struggling children?
Do you use gestures/pictures to let children know about transitions?
Do you make sure children are rarely left waiting with nothing to do (at the door, at the snack table, before group time)?
Do you sing transition songs with embedded directions about behavioral expectations?

14. Individual schedules or reminder cards
Use Your
Daily Schedule
Use picture cues and gestures!

15. Group Time
6. Do you use “let’s” to convey behavioral expectations (“let’s all...”)?
7. Do you embed lots of opportunities for children to call out answers in unison and repeat your words (key phrases of a story, directions, words, definitions, key ideas, etc…)?
8. Do you embed opportunities for children to copy motions and pretend with you (eg. “let’s put on our weather reporter hats and glasses and look out the window!”)?
9. Do you use a puppet or persona doll during teacher-led activities?
10.Do you make sure children are not being asked to wait a long time while classmates speak? (Pro tip: show and tell - break into groups, 1 share per day, or forget it!) ?

16. Social Skills Curriculum
11. Do you use charts, memory games, or other activities that teach identification of feelings?
12. Do you read books about emotions, sharing, friendship, and being part of a community?
13. Do you teach social skills throughout the day by prompting children to say things like, “can I have it?” “trade?” “stop”? Not just “use your words.”
14. Do you use puppet shows, persona dolls, or roleplays to demonstrate behavioral expectations, what to do when you are upset, etc…?
15. Do you use “friendship activities” at circle time?

17. Sign up to get the expanded quiz, a resource list and my article!
Please me to let me know if any of these ideas helped...or with questions!
Barb O’Neill,
Thank you!
Consulting – please fill out evals!