developmentally appropriate practices guiding behavior in young children ellen marshall, ph.d. &...

Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Guiding Behavior in Young Children

Ellen Marshall, Ph.D. & Cathy McAuliffe-Dickerson, Ph.D.

Agenda

Q-Sort Activity Behavior and the Brain Standards and Behavior Self-Esteem Specific Positive Guidance

Techniques Challenging Behaviors Responsive Intervention


Workshop Objective

Investigate your understanding of young children’s behavior and explore positive strategies that are developmentally appropriate


Q-Sort Activity

From psychologyIt forces you to choose and prioritizeDiscuss and sort the statements…you must have four under each heading


The Developing Brain

Dramatic neurological changes during the early childhood years: Growth Mylenization Pruning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5_xONxlp-0


So?

The result is cognitive changes

Children can gradually hold more information in working memory (preschoolers can often focus on only one thing at a time)

Children become better at self-regulation…i.e., attention gradually improves


Nurture

Experiences play a HUGE part in brain development

Research on orphans


The Brain and Emotions

Hormones are released when emotions are aroused

There can be positive and negative effects

Adrenaline (epinephrine) enhances memory

Stress releases cortisol which can deteriorate cognitive functions


Fight or Flight

Intimidation, rejection, and feeling at risk can cause an overproduction of cortisolCan lead to misbehavior or withdrawalInhibits learning!


So?

This impacts your curricular activities

This impacts your guidance and discipline

Nurturing and stable relationships are essential

The teacher’s job is to be NICE!


Your Turn!

Review the Current Brain Research handout

Mark three items you already attend to in your classroom

Mark three that you need to improve

Discuss this information with your table-mates!


Quotes to Ponder…

"“Three principles from brain research – emotional safety, appropriate challenge and self-constructed meaning – suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to classroom teaching is ineffective for most students and harmful to some.”–Carol Ann Tomlinson and M. Layne Kalbfleisch, "Teach Me, Teach My Brain: A Call for Differentiated Classrooms.”


Quotes to Ponder…

“The brain takes in data only through the sensory perceptions that enter through the windows of the body's five senses.”

– Lawrence Lowery, “How New Science Curriculums Reflect Brain Research.”


Quotes to Ponder…

“New brain research shows not only that music is fun, but also that it improves our brain development and even enhances skills in other subjects such as reading and math…Music has the ability to facilitate language acquisition, reading readiness, and general intellectual development; to foster positive attitudes and to lower truancy in middle and high school; to enhance creativity; and to promote social development, personality adjustment and self-worth.”– Norman M. Weinberger, “The Music in Our Minds.”


Quotes to Ponder…

“Research shows that students who talk about how they and others think become better learners. The theory of mind that children acquire in the preschool years provides the conceptual foundation for the metacognitive skills they require in school.”

– Janet Wilde Astington, “Theory of Mind Goes to School.”


Multiple Intelligences

Now let’s throw this theory into the mix…

It is supported by brain research


Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner


Howard’s AHA!

He studied brain damaged patients – loss of their abilities based on the injury location in the brain

He found that one lost ability doesn’t imply another lost ability

He used brain-based criteria along with careful research from anthropology, biology, & psychology to identify the various intelligences


The theory of multiple intelligences… Does not ask how

smart are you? It asks, how are you

smart? Eight categories of

intelligence have been identified


Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)


The Personal Intelligences: Interpersonal & Intrapersonal Knowing one’s

emotions Managing emotions Motivating oneself Recognizing emotions

in others Handling relationships


Learn More!

Emotional Intelligence and quality curriculum experiences…what do they have to do with children’s behavior? http://video.google.com/videoplay?

docid=-2258298047476784389&q=Howard+Gardner&hl=en


Developmental Checklists

Brigance High Scope Preschool

Observational Record Kentucky Early Learning

Standards Texas Essential Knowledge

and Skills

BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR INTERPRETATIONS!!


TEKS: Written Expression

Pre-K Attempts to write messages as part of playful activity Attempts to use a variety of forms of writing (e.g., lists,

messages, stories) Kindergarten

Writing/spelling/penmanship. The student develops the foundations of writing. The student is expected to: Write his/her own name and other important words (K-

1); Write each letter of the alphabet, both capital and

lowercase


TEKS – Pre-KPersonal and Social Development Begins to show self-

control by following classroom rules

Begins to be responsible for individual behavior and actions

Begins to show greater ability to control intense feelings (e.g., anger).


Brigance Inventory of Early Development Check your knowledge of development! Remember to list an age range for each skill Example:

Totally cares for toileting needs, including flushing toilet and washing and drying hands without being asked Answer: 4 years – 5 years


What is this thing called self-esteem? Pair and Share: What is it and why is it

important? Why do you need to

look at your own self-esteem?

How does self-esteem relate to children’s behaviors?


Self Concept

Self concept is the way YOU see yourself based on the ideas received from others in your environment

Your self concept can be quite accurate or it can be distorted


Self Esteem

Self esteem is how we feel about ourselves

High self-esteem is absolutely necessary for a fulfilling life

Emotional Intelligence


Understand yourself!

Your own beliefs, values, and culture impact everything you do in the classroom

What pushes your buttons? What are your own past experiences? Why am I doing what I’m doing? Am I…

Open-minded? Whole-heartedly involved? Responsible?


Guidance versus Punishment

Can lead to more aggressive behavior in children

It’s embarrassing and humiliating It teaches that power can be used for control It promotes negative self-esteem It does not teach what is appropriate


Thought-Provoking Questions

What would happen if we didn’t have any rules or regulations?

What would happen if we substituted something else for rules?

What would happen if we evaluated separate incidences to see if they were “OK” or “not OK?”


Resource

Guiding Young Children: A Problem-Solving Approach (Third Edition)

Written by Eleanor Reynolds Published by Mayfield Publishing Company


Guided Imagery

You are my horses


Guidelines

Safety (physical and psychological) Responsibility Respect and dignity Respect for

property


Limits vs. Rules (p. 431)

Limits are based on values; rules are based on authority

With limits, power is shared; with rules; adults control all the power

With limits, you expect cooperation; with rules, you expect compliance, and breaking the rules require punishment



Limits are flexible and may be negotiated (when appropriate); rules are rigid, and may be broken

Limits encourage logical thinking; rules restrict logical thinking

With limits, circumstances count; with rules, circumstances don’t count

Limits bring respect; rules bring resentment



Limits foster independence; rules foster dependence

Limits promote decision-making; rules inhibit decision-making

Limits seek alternatives; rules restrict alternatives


Setting Limits

Information I-messages Choices Consequences Contingencies


Acknowledging Feelings

This always comes first!!! Helps children perceive guidance as

supportive, not punitive “You are really angry at Billy; I can’t let

you hit him. When you are ready to use your words to tell Billy how you feel, you may go back to the block area.”


I-Messages

(1) This is how I feel (2) about what you did (3) because…

(1) I’m upset that (2) when children finish playing with the blocks and they aren’t put (3) because now we have to wait to go outside.


Information

It’s just what it says it is: you just give the child (or children) information

“The blocks are still on the floor. Please finish putting them away.”


Choices

You can put the blocks away by yourself, or I can help you


Consequences

Natural Consequence: When you take the blocks off the shelf to play with them, you put them back on the shelf when you’re finished

Logical Consequence: When you don’t put the blocks back on the shelf, I can’t allow you to play with the blocks later in the day


Contingencies

When all the blocks are back on the shelf, you’ll be ready to choose another learning center


Which is which?

You can put the book away by yourself or I can help you.

The book is on the floor. When you put the book back on the shelf, you will

be ready to choose a different learning center. I get upset when I see books left on the floor,

because I’m afraid they might get torn. Books that are left on the floor can get torn, and

then we won’t have them to read.


Which is which?

When you’re ready to play in the block area without hitting, you may return to that area.

You keep hitting your friends in the block area; I’m going to have to ask you to choose another area.

Your friends don’t like it when you hit. You may play in the block area or choose another

center. I get upset when I see hitting, because hitting hurts.


Definition of Active Listening

Think of someone you know who is a “superb listener”

Active listening = “Listening from the heart”

Listeners (teachers) help teach children how to treat others

Over time, children will become more positive in their interactions because they will learn not to judge, blame or criticize!

+ = Active Listening


Tips for Active Listening

Listen with your ears, but also with your eyes and your other senses

Don’t agree or disagree (suspend judgment) Use body language to encourage

communication Restate what you believe you understand


Remember!

There are NO bad or wrong emotions!!!! Although we cannot allow any and all

behavior, we can accept all feelings Name feelings for the child

Helping children put a name to their feelings helps them learn to self-regulate their behavior


Negotiation

Which of these scenarios is negotiation? Which is not?

Analysis: What happened in the negotiation scenario? What happened in the other scenario?

Let’s do it again in slow motion…write down the steps I’m using…


Steps in Negotiation

Determine what the problem is Have the children come up with some ideas

for how to solve the problem Restate the children’s ideas positively Help the children choose the best solution Support their choice Give positive feedback


More Guidance Techniques to Try Play the Matching

Game! Help each other and

discuss the techniques!


What is challenging behavior? If it interferes with

other’s learning, development and play in the classroom

If it is harmful to the child or others

If it puts the child at risk for later problems in school


What do we know?

The amount of time spent in child care impacts child behavior

Aggressive behavior seen in early childhood tends to persist

Children can learn new appropriate behaviors

The most success involves the whole child-care or whole school policy

There are no formulas or recipes


What do we know?

Aggressive behavior can result from wanting control Physical aggression – most evident between 27-29

months of age We need to look at how to teach children NOT to be

aggressive Challenging aggression persists for 3-15% of

children Teachers are more likely to punish these children

than they are to catch them behaving appropriately!


The role of culture

Based on what adults encourage and discourage Example: Amish and

Zuni Indians U.S. parents tolerate

aggressive behaviors


Causes of challenging behavior Genes Temperament ADHD & ADD Pregnancy & birth

complications Substance abuse in

pregnancy Malnutrition Brain function problems

Parenting/teaching styles

Poverty Exposure to violence Tough times in society Media violence


So what’s your job?

Strengthen YOUR INFLUENCE by doing the right thing! The Brain Development, Standards, and Curriculum Self-esteem Positive Guidance Techniques Responsive Intervention


Responsive Intervention…when all else fails Meet with others for

ideas Do a functional

assessment of the behavior: Be detectives to figure

out what purpose the behavior has for the child

Look at the situation from the child’s point of view


The ABC’s

Antecedents – what triggers the challenging behavior?

Behavior – what you will observe and track…Joey hits and pushes others

Consequences – What happens immediately after the behavior?


Now what?

Find patterns Come up with a plan Meet with the family


Seek Expert Advice

What are your resources?

What do you do about children who may be emotionally or behaviorally disturbed?


Remember

Don’t make assumptions

Don’t take it personally Always do your best

By dealing effectively with children’s behaviors, you may be saving a

child’s life!


developmentally appropriate practices guiding behavior in young children ellen marshall, ph.d. &...

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