Chapter 12 Guiding Children’s Behavior Helping Children Act Their Best

Guiding Children’s Behavior There is a distinct difference between controlling children’s behavior and guiding children’s behavior. The latter emphasizes teaching children skills that will last them a life time. Chapter 12 addresses early childhood professionals’ responsibility for guiding children’s behavior. Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to discuss the importance of developmentally appropriate practices and learning environments for children birth through eight years of age, specifically as these apply to guiding children’s behavior.

The Importance of Guiding Children’s Behavior Guiding the behavior of young children is important for a number of reasons. Teaching children how to guide and be responsible for their own behavior is just as important as teaching them academics. Teaching young children to guide and be responsible for their behavior sets the foundation for responsible behavior throughout their lives. Teaching young children to guide and be responsible for their behavior acts as a deterrent to delinquent and deviant behaviors. Teaching young children to guide and be responsible for their behavior helps them learn to live cooperatively and civilly in a democratic society.

Behavior Guidance Behavior guidance where children learn to control and direct their behavior, as they become independent and self- reliant Children’s compliance and teachers’ control

Behavior and Academics Cognitive Development Social Development Behavioral Characteristics Since cognitive development, social development, and behavioral characteristics are interconnected, early childhood professionals recognize that it is just as important to teach children how to guide their own behavior, as it is to teach them academics.

Community of Learners In a community of learners... all children share responsibility for the social, physical, and learning environment of the classroom; the learning community is child centered; all activities are centered on children’s growth and development; practices used to teach for guiding behavior is for the benefit of the child.

Democratic Living Early childhood professionals should focus on teaching children how to live in a democracy. Borrowing from John Dewey’s ideas, the classroom can become a miniature democracy and should exhibit these key foundational practices:  Cooperative living and learning  Respect for children  Time and opportunity to discuss behavior and develop strategies to guide behavior  Character education in order to promote responsible behavior  Civil behavior (i.e., how to treat others well and expect that you will be treated well)

Using the Social Constructivist Approach to Guide Behavior The social constructivist approach to guiding behavior is based on the premise that children construct behaviors based on what is learned from experiences and then make decisions that lead to responsible actions.

Vygotsky’s Ideas and Guiding Children’s Behaviors Children’s learning and behavior are socially mediated by interactions with more competent peers and adult. Children are able to regulate their behavior as they master language and appropriate social relations. Teachers use scaffolding methods such as conversations, modeling, questions, etc., to guide children in their ZPD. Private speech allows the child to problem solve and engage in self- regulating behaviors. Private speech allows the child to problem solve and engage in self- regulating behaviors. Teachers can help children move beyond behaviors and social skills in their ZPD to higher levels of responsible behavior and social interactions (see Figure 12.1). During adult-child discourse teachers talk to children about how they might solve problems, cooperate with others, and use other behaviors that lead children to learn new skills.

Steps for Guiding Behavior 1. Use Constructivist Guidelines Strategies based on constructivist ideas are particularly beneficial when working with young children as they learn to guide and regulate their behavior. 2. Clarify Your Beliefs About Guiding Behaviors Developing a personal philosophy regarding your beliefs about children, guidance, and child rearing helps you decide what you want to do and how you want to do it with respect to guiding behavior.

Steps for Guiding Behavior 3. Meeting Children’s Needs Maslow’s hierarchy of needs should be considered when developing strategies to teach children how to guide and regulate their behaviors. The following needs should be attended to:  Physical needs  Safety and security needs  Belongingness and affection needs  Self-esteem  Self-actualization

Steps for Guiding Behavior 4. Help Children Build New Behaviors Help children learn that the locus of control for their behavior is internal rather than external. They are primarily responsible for the their behavior. Helping children build new behaviors is enhanced when appropriate behaviors are affirmed and acknowledged.

Steps for Guiding Behavior 5. Empower Children When children build new behaviors, they develop a sense of responsibility and confidence. Without responsibilities, children may become bored, frustrated, and eventually discipline problems. Children are empowered when teachers: Give them responsibilities Give them choices Support them in their efforts to be successful

Steps for Guiding Behavior 6. Establish Appropriate Expectations Expectations for young children should be both high and appropriate. Setting limits and developing classroom rules promote appropriate expectations. 7. Arrange and Modify the Classroom Environment Classrooms should be arranged so that they support appropriate behavior. The influence of the physical, emotional, social, and instructional environment of the classroom on children’s behavior should be considered.

Steps for Guiding Behavior 8. Model Appropriate Behavior Modeling plays a very important role in helping children guide and regulate their behavior. Both teachers and parents lay the foundation for children's’ development of appropriate behavior. 9. Avoid Problems A focus on building responsible behavior results in less time needed to solve behavior problems. Sometimes this means ignoring inappropriate behavior. This strategy is most effective when combined with positive reinforcement for desired behaviors.

Steps for Guiding Behavior 10. Develop Partnerships with Parents, Families, and Others Connect with families in order to gain insights about children's’ behavior and to collaborate on guiding children's’ behaviors. Share your philosophy of guiding children's’ behavior either face-to –face or via a web site Share your philosophy of guiding children's’ behavior either face-to –face or via a web site Share classroom rules and expectations with parents Organize meetings with parents where you can share what you understand about guiding childrens’ behavior Make yourself available to parents to discuss questions or concerns they might have about their child’s behavior

Steps for Guiding Behavior 11. Use and Teach Conflict Management Teach children ways to manage their conflict. There are a number of reasons children could benefit from conflict resolution strategies such as:  Doing something else  Talking it over  Taking turns  Sharing  Saying “I’m sorry”

What’s next Importance of guiding young children’s behavior Meaning of discipline Relationship between behavior and academics Characteristics of a community of learners Foundational practices of democratic living Premise of social constructive approaches to guiding behavior Vygotsky and guiding behavior Zone of proximal development Scaffolding Adult-child discourse Private speech 12 Steps for Guiding Behavior