Understanding and Guiding Childrens Behaviour:

ED1003

Behaviour Management Plan

Giulia Pasquale
20160520
Context

This Behaviour Management Plan has been written to accommodate children

aged three to five. It addresses behavioural challenges, ways to respond to

these issues and ways to guide young children to attain the skills necessary

to eventually be able to manage problems themselves and even prevent

them from occurring in the first place.

Personal Philosophy

Children are beautiful and unique beings, whose uniqueness should be

treasured. In any Early Childhood setting, each child should be respected,

valued and made to feel as though they belong. Despite a childs behaviour,

early childhood educators should respond with sincerity, working hard to

understand each child deeply in order to meet their individual needs. As an

educator, I will strive to ensure my students acknowledge and accept their

own individuality so that they can flourish, spread their wings and make their

mark on the world.

Behaviour is what children do to interact, meet their needs and make sense

of their world. It is an observable expression of thinking and feeling, driven by

a sense of security and attachment that is formed at birth. Children learn

behaviour through socially referencing the things they hear and observe.

Ferris Miller (2016) describes behaviour as learned helplessness.

Behaviour is instinctive until children come to cognitively understand and

practice it. This occurs over time with consistent and positive guidance by a

loving and nurturing adult. As children come to understand their behaviour,

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they become capable of managing it for themselves. Childrens behaviour is

a reflection of their needs. Whether a childs behaviour is a cry for help or an

expression of pure joy, it is strongly influenced by what surrounds the child.

The social and emotional context of a childs environment deeply affects how

they respond to their surroundings and to the opportunities they are

presented with. Factors that influence a childs behaviour ultimately influence

the childs ability to learn. These include how a child feels emotionally at any

given time or in any given setting; the childs ability (or inability) to self-

regulate their emotions; the childs temperament and attachment; the

physical environment; the childs developmental progression; and even

external factors affecting the childs health and wellbeing.

Misbehaviour is any challenging behaviour that a child presents. Although it

is often believed that misbehaviour is a form of disobedient and mischievous

behaviour intended to drive an educator or parent to insanity, misbehaviour

is really just a visible expression of a childs feelings or needs. Some

common misbehaviours of three to five year old children may include

fidgeting, ignoring, tantrums and in more severe cases, physical aggression.

The role of the Early Childhood educator when presented with these types of

behaviour is to understand the underlying causes of it. Children often

misbehave because they cannot contain their happiness, they are tired,

frustrated, hungry, ill, or what is expected of them is not developmentally

appropriate. Ultimately, misbehaviour occurs when there is a lack of harmony

between the child and their educator. Therefore, it is imperative that

educators build positive relationships with all children.

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Young children need constant guidance. Guidance is an adults underlying

responsibility to protect children and facilitate pro-social behaviours

necessary to function as active, responsible and compassionate people. It

involves the intentional and well-informed decisions that educators make,

which are influenced by their philosophy of learning and development.

Guidance should be varied in order to meet each individual childs needs,

meaning it must be developmentally appropriate. Guidance should promote

the skill of self-regulation. Teaching children to be active self-regulators is an

important step in guiding them towards positive behaviour. Self-regulation

involves how the child manages their own emotions and behaviours. It is a

proactive process that requires the child to have a sound understanding of

the difference between positive and negative behaviour, and of what is

expected of them. Guiding childrens behaviour encompasses the concept of

reinforcement. Positive reinforcement involves the giving of a pleasant

reward for compliant behaviour. Positive reinforcement teaches children

acceptable ways of behaving whilst offering them a sense of intrinsic

motivation. Increased internal motivation will help children grow to become

self-sufficient and resilient adults. External reinforcers that praise children,

either verbally or with objects, may need to be given to encourage

compliance. However, it is extremely important that external reinforcement is

not given too regularly, as children become reliant on receiving rewards, thus

creating an increase in extrinsic motivation, which discourages resilience and

autonomy.

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Every time a child walks into the door of an early childhood classroom, they

should feel as though they are safe and that they belong and feel confident

they will receive the very best guidance, care and support possible. In my

classroom, I will strive to adopt an authoritative interaction style. This style of

teaching requires two-way communication between the educator and the

children with collaboratively-developed rules (Ferris Miller, 2013).

Authoritative teachers create a democratic classroom climate in which their

students rights are protected. They provide students with clear guidance,

support and encouragement. By adopting this teaching style, I hope to guide

my students towards self-controlled behaviour, cooperation with their peers

and being motivated to achieve their best.

Theoretical Stance

Urie Bronfenbrenner was a socio-cultural theorist whose systems theory

evolved around a bio-ecological model. He believed that the best way to

understand a childs development is within the cultural context of the childs

family and community (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Bronfenbrenner strongly

asserted that children are active participants in shaping their development

through the interactions and relationships they have within their environment

(Kearns, 2010). Bronfenbrenners systems theory defines five layers of

environment, which he described were nested structures, similar to that of a

set of Russian dolls (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). The child sits at the centre of

the model and each layer surrounding the child is viewed as having an

extremely powerful influence on their development (Berk, 1994). The

microsystem is the layer closest to the child, containing structures with which

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the child has direct contact, including their family, school peers and church

group. The mesosystem represents the interrelations within structures of the

microsystem. Next is the exosystem, which comprises of structures that

affect or are affected by the child, but do not directly involve the child. These

structures include neighbours, extended family friends and mass media. The

macrosystem includes the culture, laws and customs of the country in which

the child lives. Finally, the chronosystem considers the concept of time and

how it allows for changes in the environment to occur (Santrock, 2007). The

multiple environmental layers evident in each childs world mean that there

are many possible courses of development and that both nature and nurture

are responsible for how children develop (Berk, 1994).

Bronfenbrenners theory highlights the environment as the main influence on

childrens development. The external systems of a childs environment have

a powerful impact on how they develop, and thus how they behave. A childs

interactions and experiences within the five complex environmental layers

determine how they express their needs. Examining a childs environmental

context is crucial in understanding the reasons behind their behaviour.

Traumatic issues within a childs microsystem and exosystem, such as

poverty and violence, can trigger problematic behaviour (Santrock, 2007).

Behavioural indicators of conflict within these environmental systems may

include poor academic performance, malnutrition, poor personal hygiene and

avoidance of other people (Department for Child Protection and Family

Support, 2010).

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A key idea underpinning the Bio-ecological Systems Theory is that children

learn the majority of their behaviour within their microsystem, however with

age, the systems that sit furthest away from the child gain an increasing

influence. Another key concept of the theory is that the external systems

alone dont just affect a childs behaviour. Internal systems such as the

childs emotional and biological structures also influence behaviour. Finally,

the relationships that form between the child and their educator significantly

impact on the childs behaviour and development (Paquette & Ryan, 2001).

Hence, it is the educators responsibility to utilise the information about each

childs environment to better understand how to satisfy their needs and

abilities. The educator must also establish and maintain positive relationships

with families, working in partnership with parents and carers in order to

support children in the classroom. (Kearns, 2010).

It is important to consider the effectiveness of Bronfenbrenners model in

terms of when it can and when it cannot be applied to classroom situations.

Bronfenbrenners theory is valuable in that it recognises the uniqueness of

each child. Although it is important to acknowledge the individuality of a child,

what is regarded as normal in one childs world may not be transferable into

the lives of other children. Thus, when using the model, each childs context

should be carefully considered.

American psychiatrist William Glasser formulated his Choice Theory in 1998.

The basis underpinning Glassers Choice Theory is the belief that the only

behaviour one can control is their own (Roeckelein, 2006). Glassers

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philosophy of an internal choice-control mindset explains why and how

people make the choices that determine their behaviour (Glasser, 1998). The

theory proposes that individuals choose their own actions, thoughts and

behaviours as a result of personal internal motivation. This internal

motivation prompts individuals to behave in ways that fulfil five basic innately

human needs: love and belonging, power, freedom, fun and survival. All

behaviour is purposeful, with the intention of satisfying one or all of these five

needs, which are satisfied through the interactions one has with others and

through ones quality world pictures (the things that make their life valuable)

(Robey, Burdenski, Britzman, Crowell & Smith Cisse, 2011).

Choice Theory proposes seven caring habits, which replace seven deadly

habits. The deadly habits exploit a sense of external control psychology,

which is highly destructive to relationships (The William Glasser Institute,

2010). Glasser suggested that the habit of criticising be replaced with the

caring habit of supporting; blaming be replaced with encouraging;

complaining be replaced with listening; nagging be replaced with accepting;

threatening be replaced with trusting; punishing be replaced with respecting;

and finally, bribing or controlling using rewards be replaced with proactively

negotiating differences.

Glassers approach helps educators understand behaviour, but it offers

limited prevention strategies for serious problem behaviour. To ensure

positive behaviour from children, involvement from all environmental systems

may be required. Notwithstanding that this may be difficult to achieve, the

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methodology encourages autonomy in children, as it requires them to

exercise a sense of control and freedom to ultimately make decisions that

will positively influence their behaviour.

These theories hold great truth, value and purpose for me in that they both

strongly influence my philosophy. I truly believe, like Bronfenbrenner, that

children are products of their environment and that a nurturing atmosphere

where all systems work in conjunction with each other are vital for healthy

development and positive behaviour. I also agree with Glasser in that self

choice plays a major role in the way a child behaves.

Social/Emotional/Educational Aims

The main focus of an early childhood classroom behaviour plan should be for

children to prosper as members of the class and ultimately successful

citizens within the wider community. In order to achieve this, certain social,

emotional and educational goals should be put in place. The skills developed

in the classroom should lay the foundation for proficiencies needed later in

life. The expectations placed upon young children must always be

developmentally appropriate; they must be reasonable, achievable and

relevant to the children.

Young children should be guided towards developing a range of social and

emotional skills. One such skill is self-awareness, which is the ability to

recognise ones own emotions and how they influence their behaviour

(CASEL, 2007). Becoming socially and emotionally competent requires

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children to extend this awareness to others. Social awareness is the ability to

empathise with others regardless of their backgrounds and to consider all

views (CASEL, 2007). Self-management is also important and requires that

children regulate and control their own feelings and behaviours effectively

(CASEL, 2007). As children develop and learn through their relationships

with others (Moore as cited in Kearns, 2010), it is imperative that students be

encouraged to strive towards developing their relationship skills. Students

should have the ability to establish and maintain relationships through clear

communication, cooperation and active listening (CASEL, 2007). It is also

crucial that children aim towards making responsible choices. Responsible

decision making is the ability to make practical and appropriate decisions by

considering morals, safety concerns, social norms and the impact of ones

actions on self and others. (CASEL, 2007).

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) should be a core educational objective in

the early childhood setting. The importance of SEL can be seen in the way it

improves mental health and academic achievement; promotes motivation,

commitment and positive relationships; and provides children with skills

necessary to cope with challenges (KidsMatter, 2009). For young children to

demonstrate that they can successfully manipulate social-emotional skills,

they need to prove that they possess pro-social skills such as sharing, turn-

taking and active listening. Such skills allow children to interact effectively

and respectfully with adults and other children (Wardle, 2003).

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Practice

Certain practices need to be put in place in order to ensure that children

meet their social, emotional and educational goals. Three to five-year-old

children need strategies and routines that foster autonomy, such as toilet and

drink breaks, how they enter and exit the room and how noise levels should

be adjusted depending on the circumstances (Marsh, 2008). In order to

protect the rights of children to learn and grow personally, a welcoming, safe

and caring environment in which children feel as though they belong should

be created. For example, in my classroom, I will ensure each child has their

own place to keep their belongings, personalised with their name and a

photo of themselves. Noticeboards will be decorated with family

photographs, family trees and pictures of interest to foster a sense of

belonging. To support successful and enjoyable learning experiences, the

curriculum must be altered to meet individual needs. Recognising childrens

success and achievements is vital in building positive self-esteem and

intrinsic motivation. This can be realised through positive reinforcers such as

Jones Preferred Activity Time (PAT) (Fredric H. Jones & Associates

Incorporated, 2014). In facilitating self-regulation and helping children cope

with stress, children should be provided access to a quiet or secret space

where they can go in order to recoup and refresh.

In support of misbehaviour prevention, I will ensure that rules and

expectations are clearly stated at the beginning of the year and consistently

applied. Children should be given the opportunity to be involved in the rule-

making process so that rules are relevant to their needs. Whole-class

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lessons will be taught on concepts of pro-social skills and manners to make

these notions more permanent. When intervening during times of

misbehaviour, it is important that children are not singled out. Thus, in my

classroom, I will respond to misbehaviour in a calm and sensitive manner; for

example, I may use the low-key technique of the touch to stop misbehaviour

and re-establish a safe learning environment in a way that few (if any)

students witness it occur (Bennett & Smilanich, 1994). In extreme cases of

misbehaviour, such as, if a child acts aggressively towards other children, a

physical outlet may need to be provided in order for that child to express

strong emotions in a safe and healthy way. This could be facilitated by

allowing the child to briefly retreat outside to run around the oval before

returning to the classroom in a calm state.

2504 words

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References

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caring approach. Toronto, ON: Bookation.

Berk, L. (1994). Child development (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development:

Experiments in nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
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Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2007).

Social and emotional learning core competencies. Retrieved from
http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/core-
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Department for Child Protection and Family Support. (2010). Child abuse
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