1. Understanding Behavior
Chapter 6
Understanding Behavior

2. Objectives Identify what motivates children’s actions
Describe how children learn
Analyze behavior using theories of child development
Recognize similarities and differences among children of differing cultural backgrounds

3. Understanding Behavior
All behavior is meaningful to the child, even that which an adult might call negative.
All behavior is reinforced by the environment (people, places, and things)

4. Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
Four stages of psychosocial development from birth to elementary school age
First stage task: Developing basic trust
Second stage task: Learning autonomy and self-discipline
Third stage task: Developing initiative
Fourth stage task: industry

5. Emotional Development of Children
Epstein (2009)
social-emotional learning
Emotional self-regulation and awareness
Social knowledge and understanding
Acquisition of social skills
Social dispositions

6. Emotional Development of Children
Goleman (1995, 1997), Mayer and Salovey (1995)
Emotional intelligence
Self-awareness
Self-regulation of emotion
Self-monitoring and performance
Empathy and perspective taking
Social skills and handling relationships

7. Emotional Development of Children
Goleman continued
Emotional skills
Identifying and labeling feelings, expressing feelings, assessing the intensity of feelings, managing feelings, delaying gratification, controlling impulses, reducing stress
Behavioral skills
Non-verbal communication
Verbal communication

8. Teacher Priorities Creating a secure emotional environment
Helping children understand emotions
Modeling genuine, appropriate emotional responses
Supporting children’s regulation of emotion
Recognizing and honoring children’s expressive styles
Uniting children’s learning with positive emotions

9. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Implications for children
Resiliency
Implications for teachers
Self-respect

10. Cultural Differences Avoid using stereotypes Remain open-minded
Media influence

11. Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Theory
Sensorimotor stage
Preoperational stage
Concrete operational stage
Formal operational stage

12. Cognitive Development
Vygotsky’s Theory
Private speech
Zone of proximal development
Scaffolding

13. Case Studies Data collection Systematic observations Work samples
Assessments and test results
Videos, photographs, tape recordings, dictations
Checklists, inventories, or rating scales
Interviews with the child or others
Home visits and other activities

14. Observation Forms Narrative Event Sampling
Fixed-Interval (Time Sampling)
Observation Form

15. Observing Play Behavior
Parten (1932)
Onlooking play
Solitary play
Parallel play
Associative play
Cooperative play
Piaget (1962)
Symbolic play
Practice play
Games

16. Roles of a Student Teacher
Observer
Friend to a child who needs one
Planner (activities or lessons) and teacher

17. Summary Theorists Case studies Erikson Maslow Goleman Mayer Salovey
Vygotsky
Case studies