1. Heather Davis, M.Ed. Texas A&M University August 19th 2014
Social and Emotional Development for Young Children Using Positive Behavior Supports
Heather Davis, M.Ed.
Texas A&M University
August 19th 2014
Adapted from: Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (2009). The Teaching Pyramid: A model for the implementation of classroom practices within a program-wide approach to behavior support. NHSA Dialogue, 12(2),

2. How Teachers’ Impact Learning
Interactions between a teacher and a child foster social, behavioral, and cognitive development in the early years of schooling and many years later (Hamre, Hatfield, Pianta, & Jamil, 2014)
Delays in social-emotional and behavioral development for children entering early childhood settings are reported by teachers as one of the greatest challenges in educating young children (Whitted, 2014)
Children who are unsuccessful at meeting classroom behavioral expectations early on often face rejection from both their peers and teachers (Chang, 2003; Coie & Dodge, 1998)
The Center for Evidence-Based Practice (2004) stated, “Early appearing behavioral problems during a child’s preschool years are the single best predictors of school dropout, delinquency, gang membership, and adult incarceration” (p. 1).
1. Teachers’ interactions with children are resources that foster social, behavioral, and cognitive development in the early years of schooling and beyond (e.g., Curby et al., 2009; Hamre & Pianta, 2005;O’Connor & McCartney, 2007)
2. Yet, it is not children’s delays in cognitive skills that concern kindergarten teachers; it is the children’ssocial-emotional and behavioral deficits that alarms them (Rimm-Kaufman, Pianta, & Cox, 2000). Kindergarten teachers report that their single greatest challenge is that a majority of the children lack some or all of the needed social and emotional competencies necessary for school success (Arnold,McWilliams,&Arnold, 1998). In a national survey of more than 3,000 teachers, 30% of kindergarten teachers reported that at least half of the children in their classes lacked academic skills and had difficulty following directions and working in a group, and 20% reported that at least half the class had problems with social skills (Rimm-Kaufman et al.)
3. In return, children
who are unable to meet the behavioral expectations
of the classroom face rejection from educators and peers
(Chang, 2003; Coie & Dodge, 1998). When this occurs,
children quickly become alienated from the school setting.
In response, these children become increasingly frustrated
in their academic environment and either become withdrawn
and socially isolated or act out behaviorally. Under
these conditions, teaching and learning cannot occur,
and far too often, a trajectory of school failure is set in
place.
4. The Center for
Evidence-Based Practice (2004) stated, “Early appearing
behavioral problems during a child’s preschool years are
the single best predictors of school dropout, delinquency,
gangmembership, and adult incarceration” (p. 1).

3. Understanding Social & Emotional Development for Young Children
Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (2009). The Teaching Pyramid: A model for the implementation of classroom practices within a program-wide approach to behavior support. NHSA Dialogue, 12(2),

4. The Goal of the Pyramid is to Promote Children’s Success By:
Creating an environment where EVERY child feels good about coming to school.
Designing an environment that promotes child engagement.
Focusing on teaching children what TO DO!
Teach expectations and routines.
Teach skills that children can use in place of challenging behaviors.

5. Key Social Emotional Skills Children Need as They Enter School
Confidence
Capacity to develop good relationships with peers and adults
Concentration and persistence on challenging tasks
Ability to effectively communicate emotions
Ability to listen to instructions and be attentive
Ability to solve social problems
What do children do when they don’t have each of these skills?

6. Building Relationships
Why is it important?
The relationships that we build with children, families, and colleagues are at the foundation of everything we do. It is important to build these relationships early on rather than waiting until there is a problem.
Children learn and develop in the context of relationships that are responsive, consistent, and nurturing. 6

7. Building Relationships
Helps each child feel accepted in the group
Assists children in learning to communicate and get along with others
Encourages feelings of empathy and mutual respect among children and adults
Provides a supportive environment in which children can learn and practice appropriate and acceptable behaviors as individuals and as a group

8. Examining Attitudes about Challenging Behaviors
Preschool: Module 1
4/15/2010
Examining Attitudes about Challenging Behaviors
What behaviors push your button?
How do these behaviors make you feel?
What is your response when these behaviors occur?
How does this impact your relationship with a child and his/her family?
CHART PAPER Activity: have teachers list the behaviors, discuss with their neighbor, and then share with whole group
Discuss how we all have different “button” pushers

9. Reframing Activity In pairs or in small groups:
Read the four examples listed. Have participants take each of their “hot buttons,” reread it, and consider how they can reframe the behavior.
In reframing the challenging behaviors, do not come up with solutions but rather restate the behaviors to make them more manageable.
Be prepared to share your ideas with the large group.
CHART PAPER: SMALL GROUP AND LARGE GROUP DISCUSSION

10. Teach Me What to Do Instead
Friendship skills
Following rules, routines and directions
Identifying feelings in self and others
Controlling anger and impulse
Problem solving

11. Building Positive Relationships by Making Deposits
Maintain a 5:1 (positive to negative) Give attention when the child is engaged in appropriate behaviors

12. It All Adds Up Deposits: Withdrawals: Active Listening No Wait Time
Preschool: Module 1
4/15/2010
It All Adds Up
Deposits:
Active Listening
Wait Time
Observation
Mirroring
Self Talk
Parallel Talk
Reflection
Expansion
Modeling
Withdrawals: No
Don’t
Stop
Demands - directions
Using a loud voice
Intimidating request
Mirroring: Imitate the child’s actions and vocalizations; acknowledge the child
Self-Talk: Talk about what you are doing, thinking, and /or feeling
e.g. “I feel happy when you hold my hand.”
“I am stirring my coffee.”
“I feel hungry, I think I will eat something.”
Parallel Talk: State what the child is doing, or possibly thinking or feeling
e.g. “You are singing a song.”
“You feel sad that we need to leave.”
Vocal and Verbal Reflection: Let the child know you are listening.
Acknowledge that what they are saying is accepted. Repeat the word or phrase exactly how they said it or model the correct pronunciation.
Expansion/Modeling: Make a statement using some or all of the child’s word and expand it. This will provide the child with a meaningful language model.
e.g. child “car.”
Adult says “red car goes.”

13. “Every child needs one person who is crazy about him
“Every child needs one person who is crazy about him.” -Uri Bronfenbrenner

14. High Quality Supportive Environments
Changed visual-MJ
The Pyramid Model provides a conceptual framework for the evidence-based practices that are used to promote the healthy social development of all young children. The first tier of the model, promotion practices, describe the strategies that are used to promote and support the optimal social development of all children. The prevention tier of the model includes targeted, social emotional supports that are provided to the smaller number of children who at risk of social delays and challenging behavior. The tip of the pyramid includes the individualized intervention practices necessary to address the challenging behavior or intervention needs of the very small number of children who have persistent problems or are in need of more intensive support.
Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (2009). The Teaching Pyramid: A model for the implementation of classroom practices within a program-wide approach to behavior support. NHSA Dialogue, 12(2), 14

15. High Quality Supportive Environments
Engagement for Every Child
Universal Design for Learning
Making Accommodations, Providing Support

16. Classroom Arrangement and Environmental Supports
Physical Design
Environmental Cues
Schedules and Routines
Transitions
Promoting Engagement During Large and Small Group Activities
Simple Rules/Expectations
Ongoing Monitoring and Positive Attention

17. What is This Environment Telling Children to Do?
Physical Design
Environmental Cues
Transitions
What is This Environment Telling Children to Do?

18. Providing Choices Schedules & Routines
Provide visual cues that allow children to make choices in engaging activities where applicable in the classroom

19. Simple Expectations

20. Teaching New Skills: Stages of Learning
Show and Tell
Acquisition: new skill or concept
Practice Makes Perfect
Fluency: the ability to immediately use the skill or concept without a prompt
You Got It!
Maintenance: continuing to use the skill or concept over time
Generalization: applying the skill or concept to new situations, people, activities, ideas, and settings

21. Promoting the Social Development of All Children
Teach the whole class
Circle time
Centers
Small group activities
Partnering with families
Target the individual skill instruction needs of each child
Embedded instruction
Prompting and priming (ounce of prevention)

22. Learning About Our Feelings
Recognizing and relating with others’ feelings
Recognize anger in oneself and others
Understanding appropriate ways to express anger
Learning how to calm down
Recognizing our feelings and using self- regulation 22

23. Feelings

24. Checking In
Teachers and children can “check in” each morning by choosing a feeling face that best describes their affective state and putting it next to their name.
Children can be encouraged to change their feeling faces throughout the day as their feelings change.

25. Turtle Technique Recognize that you feel angry. “Think” Stop.
Go into shell. Take 3 deep breaths. And think calm, coping thoughts.
Come out of shell when calm and think of a solution.

26. How would everyone feel?
Problem Solving Steps
Would it be safe?
Would it be fair?
How would everyone feel?

27. Help the Child Think of a Possible Solution:
Get an adult
Ask nicely
Ignore
Play
Say, “Please stop.”
Say, “Please.”
Share
Trade toys/item
Wait and take turns
Get an Adult

28. When Children Lack Key Social Emotional Skills
Structure a supportive learning environment
Make deposits with positive reinforcement and praise
Individually teach children who are missing social emotional skills
Target the skills that are most important
Increase learning opportunities to teach and practice

29. Questions and Thank You!
Heather Davis