1. Positive Guidance Techniques
By Cathy Abraham
Free powerpoints at

2. How Do We Tell Children…
 they can feel like they have some control over their day and themselves?
that they are safe?
 that they are not bad, but are making bad choices?
  that learning is what is important?
  that we value who they are?
  that we understand them?
  that we take their concerns and fears seriously?

3. Positive Guidance… Is based on what we know about the child
Is based on what we know about child development
Is administered with the goal of teaching children self-control and good decision making
Offers children choices
Leaves children’s self esteem intact
Employs natural and logical consequences
Offers consequences known and understood by the child
- Employs a system of utilizing the least confrontational choices whenever and wherever possible, escalated only when necessary
- Is consistent
Takes into consideration situations, circumstances and individual children
- Is child-centered, capitalizing on a relationship build on trust and rapport 

4. Positive Guidance is not…
Punitive
Administered in anger
Rigid
About intimidation, or control for the sake of control
About being “right”

5. “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the
decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach
that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the
weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power
to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations it is my response that decides
whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated
and a child humanized or
de-humanized.” - Haim Ginott

6. Developmentally Appropriate Activities and Practices are:
Based on what we know about how young children learn
  Relevant to children’s life experiences
Based on the children’s current knowledge and abilities
  Respectful of cultural and individual differences and learning
styles
  Responsive to the interests and needs of the children
  Focused on the learning process, not the end product
- Thought provoking - stimulating and challenging the minds of
young children
- Based on the philosophy that children are competent and
trustworthy, and can make good decisions if given the opportunity and practice

7. Steps in Problem-Solving…
1.     Have children identify the problem and feelings
2.     Re-state the problem
3.     Ask each child for ideas for solutions
4.     Negotiate until children can agree upon some sort of compromise
5. Reinforce