Developing Guidance Skills

Developing Guidance Skills

Guidance Direct and indirect actions used by an adult to help chidren develop internal controls and appropriate behavior patterns. Guidance is a positive form of discipline. Discipline Training that develops self control. More recently has become strict control to enforce obedience. Punishment A form of discipline that does little to respect children. Intended to humiliate or hurt. May involve removing privileges or reprimanding physically.

Guidance Punishment • Builds self esteem • Respects • Gives hope • Encourages • Is loving • Lowers self esteem • Degrades • Angers • Discourages and embarrasses • Denies affection

Direct Guidance • Verbal and nonverbal cues, such as eye contact, a smile or a look • Use simple language • Speak in a relaxed voice • Children will listen to and respond to calm, quiet, relaxed tones of voice. • Only use high – pitched, loud voices in emergencies.

Be positive

Offer choices with care • Allow them to follow through with their choice • Do not give them a choice when it is clear you want them to do something specific • Encourage independence and cooperation • Be firm • If the child throws a temper tantrum, do not give in • Be consistent

Provide time for change • Gives children an adjustment period • Prepares them for new activities and new surroundings • Consider feelings • Teach them about recognizing, understanding and expressing feelings • It is best to discuss feelings in small groups or one – on – one

Intervene when necessary • Interrupt only when you can add knowledge or promote safety • Intervene if children are excluding others • When children are impolite • When children are arguing over property Four chairs at the science table are all being used and Zachary wants to sit down, too. When he sees that there is no room, he starts getting distressed. How would you use direct guidance to handle this incident?

Indirect Guidance • Outside factors that influence behavior • For example, a well planned center makes supervision easier, thus will make children feel safe • Children's independence can be encouraged through the physical set up. • Using the bathroom should be something a late toddler/preschooler can do themselves. Bathrooms should be easy to find and all appliances should be at the child's level. • Low hanging hooks and shelves designed for children to put up their own belongings.

Techniques for Effective Guidance • Positive Verbal Environment • Use active listening • Use children's names in conversations • Model politeness: please, thank you, excuse me • Positive Reinforcement • Rewarding positive behavior • For example, telling a child thank you and smiling because they held open the door • Be careful not to use positive reinforcement for undesired behaviors (ie, laughing at a child acting silly)

Using consequences • A result that follows an action or behavior • Natural consequences: experiences that follow naturally as a result of a behavior • EX: if they forget to put away an art project, it might be thrown away • Logical consequences: deliberately set up by an adult to show what will happen if a limit is not followed. • Consequence should be related to the behavior as much as possible • For example, if Kalli hits Kaitlyn with a toy car, tell Kalli to stop. Remind her the consequence if she does not stop. The consequence might be that her toy car will be taken away.

Warning • When children fail to follow a limit, you must remind them that they are misbehaving and their behavior will have consequences • First state the misbehavior. Then state the consequences • EX: Mandy, blocks are not to be used like guns. If you use the block as a gun, you will need to leave the block area.

Time Out • Involves moving a child away from others for a short period of time • Used when a child's disruptive behavior cannot be ignored • Used to help a child regain self – control • Should not be used as punishment.

I – Messages • Tells the child how you feel about his/her behavior in a respectful manner • Does not place blame • “When I see you hitting Tim, I am unhappy because you are hurting him. I want you to stop hitting Tim.” • Effective Praise • Specific, sincere, constructive, individualized • Instead of saying “Good job,” say “I like the way you picked up the puzzle and returned it to the puzzle rack.”

Redirecting • Diverting attention away from / distracting • Ignoring • Do not encourage inappropriate behavior • If it is not dangerous, avoid giving the child attention • Mr. Tipton has noticed when Chelsea wants something she whines and uses baby talk. Mr. Tipton tells Chelsea that he will not pay attention to her until she uses her “big girl” voice.

Encouraging • You can do it all by yourself! • You know how it works • I know you can fix it

Promoting a Positive Self – Concept • Be encouraging, even in your discipline. • When wanting children to be quiet – instead of saying they need to be quiet because they are too noisy, ask them to make less noise because it is disturbing you. • If a child spills juice, how should you react?

What activities can ECE teachers create to help build positive self esteem?

Developing Guidance Skills