Framework for managing children's behaviour

1. Approaches to Dealing
with Challenging
Behaviour
Rainbow Nursery
June 2017
Sammy Fugler

2. Ice Breaker
Introduce yourself to your
partner and tell them ONE
thing about yourself
that you do not share!

3. Ice Breaker
Feedback… what did your
Partner say???

4. Just a thought…
Its not EASY to share
things… BUT we ask
children to do it all
the time!

5. Key messages
1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect

6. What ground rules do
you have in the gan?
» Eating only at the table
» Outside toys stay outside
» Treat our friends gently
» Sit down through the whole circle
time…

7. Ground Rules
Think about the ground rules
You are about to see, and think
about WHY
We have chosen to show you these?

8. Ground Rules
1. No Pushing
2. No Biting
3. No Bikes inside
4. No bullying
5. Always have fun

9. Ground Rules
» Use ground rules as a basis for
promoting positive behaviour and
discouraging unwanted behaviour
» Use only positive language in the rules
» A few rules, that are clearly reinforced;
regularly (Catchy)
» Consider displaying them

10. GROUP 1:
What makes a positive
learning environment?
GROUP 2:
What makes a negative
learning environment

11. FEEDBACK

12. Negative language
Write a list of all the
NEGATIVE language
you can think of…

13. THROW IT AWAY!
Try HARD not to use any of these
words…..

14. Positive language
Write a list of all the
POSITIVE language you
can think of…

15. KEEP IT CLOSE
Look after and cherish these words,
keep them close to your soul, and
use them forever more!

16. Positive Behaviour
What is it?

17. Positive behaviour
» Co-operating with each other
» Encouraging each other
» Helping others
» Asserting oneself
» Full involvement in a chosen
activity
» Taking on new challenges
» Showing empathy
» Taking responsibility
» Sharing

18. Encouraging positive
behaviour…
How can we ENCOURAGE
these things?

19. Encouraging positive
behaviour
» Clear rules
» listen to and observe what children
communicate both verbally and non-
verbally;
» praise and respond appropriately to all
forms of children's positive behaviour
» promote and reinforce positive behaviour
by example;

20. The behaviour Charter
» Make sure the environment you
have created will ENGAGE children
» Make sure that children know what
they are doing / what their options
are
» Look out for ‘good’ behaviour
(catch them being ‘good!)

21. » As far as possible ignore ‘bad’
behaviour (try not to nag)
» Try to praise quickly and
consistently. Make sure children
understand WHY you’re praising
them

22. Key concepts…
Children should not be allowed to hurt themselves or
other people either physically or verbally, or destroy
property. They must learn how to control themselves
instead of other people controlling them. Discipline
comes after building self-control.

23. Children making choices
The process of learning self-control
and self-discipline is linked closely
with how a child feels about
themselves and their relationship
with the world. Its our role to help
build and strengthen children’s
ability to determine for themselves
what is right and what is wrong,
and how to control their own
behaviour.

24. Unwanted Behaviour
What is it?

25. Some strategies
» Counting down…
» Clapping or clicking
» Distraction
» Eye contact
» Reassuring physical contact
» Tones of voices and volume
» Very clear instructions – bite size
» Key words ‘focus’ or ‘welcome
back’ or ‘and… listen’
» Honesty… “I’m feeling….”

26. What do you do?
How do you respond?
Work in pairs to reflect on
This question!

27. Respond positively
» Promptly identify children’s
unwanted behaviour when it occurs
» Identify changes in that child’s
behaviour that are unusual for
them
» Use knowledge of the child and
their background to interpret their
behaviour

28. » Use strategies appropriate to that
child, when responding to their
behaviour
» Give the child support if required
» Regularly review the strategies that
you use
» Create effective opportunities for
children to express their negative
feelings safely

29. Managing Children’s
Behaviour:
When dealing with children’s
behaviour staff need to be clear
about the difference between
‘disengaged’, ‘disruptive’ and
‘unacceptable behaviour.
Taken from the Camden Play Service
Procedures, 2002

30. Disengaged
Disengaged behaviour may indicate
that a child is bored, unsettled or
unhappy. With sensitive
intervention you can often assist a
child to re-engage in purposeful
activity

31. Disruptive
Disruptive behaviour describes a
child whose behaviour prevents
other children from enjoying
themselves or learning

32. Unacceptable
Unacceptable behaviour refers to
the overall policy and may include
issues around discrimination,
violence, bullying, destruction of
equipment

33. Steps to Intervention…
• Help the child understand that his/her behaviour is up
to them
• If necessary, remove the child from the situation and
keep him/her with you. If behaviour persists, act
calmly and promptly. Explain why certain privileges
have been removed.
• Discuss feelings and rules after a reasonable period of
calm.
• Involve the child in the decision of when to go back
because taking responsibility for his/her own behaviour
is an important part of instilling self-control
• Help the child be acceptable when he/she does come
back so that he/she has the experience of substituting
unacceptable behaviour for acceptable

34. Every Child is different
Every child is different, every situation is
different, therefore; every response needs to
be different.
There is not one approach, but there are
many approaches. We must find the right
approach and the right strategy for each
situation

35. Reflective Practitioner

36. Final thoughts…
MEMO’s from your students!
Taken from The art of teaching,
Elaine Rubinoff

37. » Don’t spoil me. I know quite well I
shouldn’t have everything I ask for.
I’m only testing you
» Don’t be afraid to be firm with me.
It prefer it sometimes. It makes
me feel secure.
» Don’t let me form bad habits. I
have to rely on you to detect them
in the early stages.

38. » Don’t make me feel smaller than I
am. It only makes me behave
stupidly big.
» Don’t correct me in front of other
people. I’ll take much more notice
if you ask me in private.
» Don’t protect me from
consequences. I need to learn the
painful way sometimes

39. » Don’t make me feel my mistakes
are sins. It upsets my sense of
values
» Don’t take too much notice of my
small ailments. Sometimes they
get me the attention I need.
» Don’t nag. If you do I’ll have to
protect myself by appearing deaf

40. » Don’t make rash promises. I feel
badly let down when they are
broken
» Don’t forget I can’t always explain
myself as well as I’d like. This is
why I’m not always very accurate
» Don’t tax my honesty too much.
I’m easily frightened into telling lies

41. » Don’t be inconsistent. It completely
confuses me and makes me loose
faith in you
» Don’t tell me my fears are silly.
They’re terribly real!
» Don’t tell me you’re perfect or
infallible. It gives me too greater
shock when I find out that you are
neither

42. » Don’t ever think its beneath your
dignity to apologies to me. An
honest apology makes me
surprisingly warm to you.
» Don’t forget I love experimenting
and can’t go on with out it. SO
please put up with it!

43. Lets review our earlier
scenarios…

44. New Case Studies…

45. Questions…?