Although this advice applies to all students, it’s crucial for students who tend to act defiantly. Redirect behavior. Kid are a joy, but you do have to be prepared to deal with those kids who try to be difficult. It's natural to be overcome with frustration, resentment, and anger. kheyward on September 10, 2011: I love teaching. One specific example that was provided to help with challenging behaviors in preschool was playing a game moving at various speeds – fast mode (cheetahs), moderate speed (giraffes), and slow speed (tortoises). Normally the space bubble or zone of comfort is about 50cm around us. Give the child an opportunity to explain her behavior. As an early childhood educator, it is your job to ensure the safety and well-being of the students in your care. If a student has a delay that has yet to be diagnosed, his learning difficulties may cause him to act out in class. Excluding the student from a fun activity that the rest of the class is participating in may capture the child's attention, as he’ll notice how much fun the “well-behaved” students are experiencing. This series includes a how to article outlining strategies to manage disruptive preschoolers as well as an article discussing normal preschool behavior that may be percieved as negative or inappropriate. The start of the school … When children aren’t there, put up your posters and calendar and make sure the classroom is beautiful with large plants, attractively displayed books, and a pleasing color scheme. 2. If a child is acting out in class, find a way to correct his behavior in a subtle way without distracting the rest of the class. Let kids be involved in making the rules. Teachers who adopt a relationship-building approach to classroom management by focusing on developing the whole person are more likely to help students develop positive, socially-appropriate behaviors. Keep a detailed log. Kindergartners are lively, inquisitive and affectionate kids who reward their teachers with their abilities and creativity. Monitor your classroom. I use Microsoft Excel, but you could simply use a notebook. Be firm, yet calm when you speak to the child. Giving him a job to take pride in will often wipe away his need to act negatively to gain attention. Before the meeting ends, be sure the parents know which direction you are going to take when dealing with behavior difficulties with their child. Attempt to include some of their suggestions into your action plan. Maintaining an open line of communication with the parents about the rules and discipline policy is important. For older children, offer unfamiliar and challenging experiences to keep them engaged and motivated in their learning. For students that you suspect may need an accelerated or modified lesson plan, consider individualized planning. Presenting a visual history puts the behavior in perspective. Routinely providing new or different materials and props can stimulate children’s curiosity and inspire them to try new things. Whatever the reason, meetings with parents do not have to be confrontational, difficult or scary. Applying Positive Discipline in the Classroom Understand the difference between punishment and … Preschoolers are very keen on the "why" of everything. Write down any ideas the parents may have regarding discipline techniques, reward systems and creative guidance. Try not to be biased when it comes down to classroom policies. Parents want what is best for their child, and you are their partner in meeting that need. Record a video of your classroom to get a sense of how children and teachers interact. 1. Avoid Power Struggles. Young children need guidance when it comes to figuring out how to deal with big feelings like anger, sadness, and frustration. Add a few more clues to a patterning or sequencing activity for a child who struggles with the activity. They may be afraid that the parents will be unwilling to hear any of their concerns, or worried about disappointing the parents or not meeting their expectations. Remember that an angry pupil has a large personal space bubble around them. Before dictating a set of classroom rules, ask your students how they would like their peers to behave. Or, if the child is just not quite at the same academic level as his peers, either excelling or struggling, this can cause behavior difficulties and disruptions to the daily plan. Establish consequences depending on the severity of the offense. Begin every day with a promise to yourself that you will not let any of the previous day’s incidents or behaviors influence the way you handle today’s challenges. Be sure they understand how you are going to deal with things at school and make sure they agree that this is the best approach. Master the art of distraction. Even if a teacher feels like they have … Have them discuss what kind of an environment they would like to have in class. Most preschool-age children are still developing their social skills and adjusting to classroom dynamics, where the rules may be different from the rules of their home. Praise Your Child's Effort. Involve the parent. At a young age, children don’t always have the skills to tell us what they want, need, or feel. Listen to and take to heart anything the parent suggests, since they do know their child best. Do you have a difficult student in your classroom that has exhausted your bag of tricks? For example, if you have planned a sequencing activity for a small group, manipulative or math lesson, consider modifying it to make it appropriate for the learning level of your disruptive student. The timeout strategy is an additional approach that may help diffuse a heated situation. These children need to feel that despite any difficulties, you’ll still care about them, recognize their successes, and actively include them in the classroom community. It helps establish a solid foundation for rules and guiding principles. Sometimes, there is a lot more to a disruptive student than just simple behavior modification can fix. This means that it will often fall on your shoulders to come up with solutions to simple classroom management and behavior issues. Forget punishment until you’ve had time, at least a month or two, to figure out the problem. The FLIP IT ® strategy from the Devereux Center for Resilient Children is a four-step sequence that you can use to help your students learn about their feelings, gain self-control and reduce challenging behavior. Implement the "time out" method to deal with difficult behaviors. Ideas for a Preschool Country Theme: Exploring the Differences Between Urban and Rural, Recommended Reading for Home School Curriculum: Beginner to Advanced, Grades 1-5. Put the behavior in the left-hand column and start checking off behaviors when you see them occur. Children, especially young children, are learning new ways to communicate all the time. Establishing limits is necessary when you encounter difficult children in a preschool classroom. The first, and arguably the most important, tip for dealing with difficult students is developing a relationship with them. Tell him that you need his help and he is to show his younger friend all of the important things he needs to know about preschool. Catch your child being good and point it out. Make sure your conversation is private. Be sure to highlight the child’s positive traits as well as any negative behaviors you may be facing. Cultivate Responsibility on a Student-by-Student Basis. Try a classroom reward chart. This can be useful when meeting with the child and parents. Many difficult children will try to negotiate and plea their way out of a punishment. Each child deserves a clean slate. Chastising her in front of the class may escalate the situation. Try redirection. It is a skill … Many times, a disruptive student is looking for a way to stand out or be special and may attempt to get the attention he seeks in a negative way. Avoid a power struggle or argument. This forces kids to focus. In order to shadow effectively, a teacher must be available to run the rest of the classroom without your help for at least a few hours. Consistency is the most important part of a discipline policy. Knowing ahead of time what will trigger a negative behavior or disruption to your daily routine will help you plan accordingly. Anel Laj began her professional writing career more than 10 years ago as a sports journalist for the Los Angeles Daily News. Relationships with students provide the foundation for trust, something that is critical if progress is going to be made in correcting the unacceptable behaviors. She earned her Master's in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. Tell her clearly that you are angry with her behavior and not her. 25 Sure-Fire Strategies for Handling Difficult Students. Accept the possibility that this may be a difficult day or circumstance, and be prepared to make the best of it. Establish a Class Code of Conduct. Here are some effective methods other early childhood educators like you have used to deal with difficult behavior in the classroom: Praise good behavior while ignoring negative behavior. Disciplining preschool children entails a structured plan with consistent methods. Dealing with Rebellious Children. Lecturing, scolding, and yelling will cause all students to dislike you, … Some examples include taking the toy away from the child or withholding privileges such as recess or play time. Anticipate impending high-risk situations, and try to avoid or minimize them. If children are fighting in one center and not another you can limit the number of children in each area or make a particular area bigger. Hold a conference with the student. When kids feel good, their behavior is positive. A simple behavior observation technique that works well with very young children is shadowing. Do not bargain. For example, if he’s throwing crayons on the floor, approach his desk, remove the crayons and explain that coloring time is over because he is not using the materials appropriately. Approach the parent meeting prepared with observations, documentation, pictures, artwork and other materials that you can share with the parents. Offer an attention-seeking child the chance to be an older “buddy” to a new or younger student. Speak to the parents regarding any outbursts, violence or disrespectful behavior. Although by this time the child would have started talking, it is unlikely that he/she will be able to … All Rights Reserved. When this happens, children are likely to behave in ways that are confusing or challenging to their parents and caregivers. Praise motivates children … If the behavior was a single incident, then a firm verbal warning reiterating the classroom policies and importance of following rules should be your first step. Hold a conference with the student. Remove her from the class activity; explain to the child what classroom rule was broken and why it was inappropriate behavior. There are many reasons as to why children act out. You are the teacher and establishing your boundaries and rules are important if you want to be successful. Working in conjunction with the parent can help curb difficult behavior. The advice: “If you want kids to listen, lower your voice instead of raising it. “If you see a toddler or preschooler on the verge of a tantrum, you can … If children are running around the room you may need to see if the furniture arrangement could be adjusted to eliminate runways. If you apply the rules to one student, make sure you enforce those rules when dealing with other children. With shadowing, a teacher follows a consistently disruptive student through her entire day. Add an extra challenge for a child whose academic level soars above the rest of the class. It is useful to routinelypractice calm responses to emotionally charged situations with co-workers to create a series ofcommon verbal responses to use when a problem emerges (e.g., “OK, you’re not ready, I’ll wait,”“Looks like you need a break,” “No big deal,” etc.). Cast your worries aside, there are several simple classroom management and behavior modification techniques that you can try when you meet a challenging child. The strategies that will be described for dealing with the most difficult of students are in many ways just that—unconventional. Currently, she is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. When it comes to being a teacher, it's only a matter of time until you encounter students who seem intent on disrupting your lesson plans and creating chaos. Draw on past experiences with students, but don’t necessarily rely on them. Negotiate and plea their way out of a discipline policy is important n't like it when you see them of... Implement the `` time out '' method to deal with those kids who reward teachers... Establish a class Code of Conduct being good and point it out on the severity of school... Code of Conduct not tolerate her behavior complete, a teacher follows a … Dealing other... 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