The Early Childhood Education Philosophy of Guiding Behaviors
It is the philosophy of early childhood educators to provide an environment in which children are supported and understood. This happens through creating a positive environment, daily interactions and being knowledgeable about children at an early childhood age.
Becoming educated so teachers are able to have an understanding of children and their behaviors is important. Daniel Hodgins, author of Get over It, has many books and articles about guiding children’s behaviors and reasoning for children’s behaviors at a developmental level. His approach to guidance is asking all teachers to make sure the children are understanding what you are asking. It is important to know what is appropriate to expect from children and to look into why they are behaving those ways. Teachers should consider the developmental level of children and to think as they think. Not only should age be considered but ability and individual characteristics in what is considered developmentally appropriate. To guide children it is important to use words that are direct, rather than have room for interpretation and misunderstanding such as ‘nice, kind, and friend”. Guiding children means to promote success in children rather than failure. By understanding that children have unmet needs and the behaviors are directly related to those unmet needs helps teachers to know how to shape the behavior. Teachers need to recognize what rules are necessary to teach, and display them as positives rather than negatives. (Hodgins, 2013)
It is important when analyzing children’s behaviors to look at what you can change as a teacher rather than trying to change the child. The details of the environment the child is active in can directly affect behaviors. The environment teachers currently have set up may have worked for children in a previous class, however, if you are seeing mistaken behavior it may not be the best set up for the current group of children and then changes need to be made. The amount of spacing, colors, and other objects around the room can be arranged and strategically placed to prevent and promote behaviors in certain areas around the room. (Hodgins, 2013)
Guidance techniques are used to help children develop the solutions to their problems. “The goal is to help the child learn from the mistake, not punish him for making it” (Gartrell, 2004). The overall goal is to teach the children what behaviors are not acceptable and why. If all teachers do is punish them once they have made a mistake, there is no learning opportunity for correction. Children then need to be given opportunities to display the correct behavior. Saying to children ‘it is not okay to kick Sally, but it is okay to kick this ball’ provides them with an alternative option and teaches them what is meant to be kicked and what is not okay to be kicked. If only punishment is used it is more likely the child will make the mistake again because he/she was not taught why that behavior was unacceptable. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistaken behavior is just that, a mistake. When children are taught the correct way to behave their mistaken behaviors lessen. And even when mistaken behavior still occurs, developmental level needs to be considered and other outlaying factors. During a developmental time with new environments and
situations children are learning what is acceptable and what is not.
Tools that can be used to guide behavior include proving the children with power. Allowing children to make choices when appropriate, or giving children acceptable choices and allowing them to choose. Encouraging children rather than praising children is essential for developing self-worth and positive self-esteem. Other ways of guiding behaviors include ignoring undesired behaviors and allowing for natural consequences to
occur because of a behavior. Logical consequences should be used whenever possible. An example of this may be of Sally decided to throw and scatter the whole bin of blocks because she was upset, then Sally needs to pick up those blocks. It is the philosophy of early childhood educations to guide the behaviors through positive techniques that promote understanding and positive learning over punishment. (Hodgins,
2013)
Guiding children’s behavior is maintained when teachers have an understanding of children at an early childhood age. Understanding children and their behavior begins by having knowledge of developmental levels, individualization, gender differences, and factors that affect children’s behaviors. Teachers that have understanding do not need patience. “If I rely on patience, there is a chance of it running out, resulting in inappropriate teacher behaviors. If I rely on understanding, and this understanding is based on sound developmental theory, it will never run out” (Gartrell, 2004). By continuing education teachers will continue to understand the different challenging behaviors and then be able to respond appropriately because an understanding of why the children are acting that way has been learned and accepted. It is the philosophy of early childhood educators that and understanding over patience is a must. “Enthusiasm and joy can result as understanding teachers welcome student behaviors that patient teachers find irritating” (Gartrell, 2004). The overall mood and attitude of a teacher is important when analyzing an early childhood room and challenging behaviors.
It is the philosophy of early childhood educators to promote positive well-being and experiences for children. By guiding children into positive decision making and teaching them alternative choices teachers eliminate the need for punishment and allow children to feel powerful, dignified, and unique.
Sources:
Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance: teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood classrooms. Australia: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
Hodgins, D. J. (2013). Get over it!: relearning guidance practices.
It is the philosophy of early childhood educators to provide an environment in which children are supported and understood. This happens through creating a positive environment, daily interactions and being knowledgeable about children at an early childhood age.
Becoming educated so teachers are able to have an understanding of children and their behaviors is important. Daniel Hodgins, author of Get over It, has many books and articles about guiding children’s behaviors and reasoning for children’s behaviors at a developmental level. His approach to guidance is asking all teachers to make sure the children are understanding what you are asking. It is important to know what is appropriate to expect from children and to look into why they are behaving those ways. Teachers should consider the developmental level of children and to think as they think. Not only should age be considered but ability and individual characteristics in what is considered developmentally appropriate. To guide children it is important to use words that are direct, rather than have room for interpretation and misunderstanding such as ‘nice, kind, and friend”. Guiding children means to promote success in children rather than failure. By understanding that children have unmet needs and the behaviors are directly related to those unmet needs helps teachers to know how to shape the behavior. Teachers need to recognize what rules are necessary to teach, and display them as positives rather than negatives. (Hodgins, 2013)
It is important when analyzing children’s behaviors to look at what you can change as a teacher rather than trying to change the child. The details of the environment the child is active in can directly affect behaviors. The environment teachers currently have set up may have worked for children in a previous class, however, if you are seeing mistaken behavior it may not be the best set up for the current group of children and then changes need to be made. The amount of spacing, colors, and other objects around the room can be arranged and strategically placed to prevent and promote behaviors in certain areas around the room. (Hodgins, 2013)
Guidance techniques are used to help children develop the solutions to their problems. “The goal is to help the child learn from the mistake, not punish him for making it” (Gartrell, 2004). The overall goal is to teach the children what behaviors are not acceptable and why. If all teachers do is punish them once they have made a mistake, there is no learning opportunity for correction. Children then need to be given opportunities to display the correct behavior. Saying to children ‘it is not okay to kick Sally, but it is okay to kick this ball’ provides them with an alternative option and teaches them what is meant to be kicked and what is not okay to be kicked. If only punishment is used it is more likely the child will make the mistake again because he/she was not taught why that behavior was unacceptable. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistaken behavior is just that, a mistake. When children are taught the correct way to behave their mistaken behaviors lessen. And even when mistaken behavior still occurs, developmental level needs to be considered and other outlaying factors. During a developmental time with new environments and
situations children are learning what is acceptable and what is not.
Tools that can be used to guide behavior include proving the children with power. Allowing children to make choices when appropriate, or giving children acceptable choices and allowing them to choose. Encouraging children rather than praising children is essential for developing self-worth and positive self-esteem. Other ways of guiding behaviors include ignoring undesired behaviors and allowing for natural consequences to
occur because of a behavior. Logical consequences should be used whenever possible. An example of this may be of Sally decided to throw and scatter the whole bin of blocks because she was upset, then Sally needs to pick up those blocks. It is the philosophy of early childhood educations to guide the behaviors through positive techniques that promote understanding and positive learning over punishment. (Hodgins,
2013)
Guiding children’s behavior is maintained when teachers have an understanding of children at an early childhood age. Understanding children and their behavior begins by having knowledge of developmental levels, individualization, gender differences, and factors that affect children’s behaviors. Teachers that have understanding do not need patience. “If I rely on patience, there is a chance of it running out, resulting in inappropriate teacher behaviors. If I rely on understanding, and this understanding is based on sound developmental theory, it will never run out” (Gartrell, 2004). By continuing education teachers will continue to understand the different challenging behaviors and then be able to respond appropriately because an understanding of why the children are acting that way has been learned and accepted. It is the philosophy of early childhood educators that and understanding over patience is a must. “Enthusiasm and joy can result as understanding teachers welcome student behaviors that patient teachers find irritating” (Gartrell, 2004). The overall mood and attitude of a teacher is important when analyzing an early childhood room and challenging behaviors.
It is the philosophy of early childhood educators to promote positive well-being and experiences for children. By guiding children into positive decision making and teaching them alternative choices teachers eliminate the need for punishment and allow children to feel powerful, dignified, and unique.
Sources:
Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance: teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood classrooms. Australia: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
Hodgins, D. J. (2013). Get over it!: relearning guidance practices.