YIKES! – With these next blogs I want to help with reactions to unwanted classroom behaviors. Let’s start with recognition of the behaviors that need a reaction. Not everything a child does needs a disciplinary reaction – or even any attention at all. You will drive yourself nuts reacting to things that make no difference to the learning process at all. Do what we talked about earlier (Data About Discipline #1) and what they did on MASH and all the other TV doctor shows – TRIAGE. Save your energy for Harmful Behaviors – those that hurt or threaten to hurt a child, any child, any adult, the equipment and materials needed for learning, and the learning process itself. (Belching and nose picking do not deserve attention).
Here are Triage Systems for Annoying, Distracting, Personally Unsafe, and Harmful Behaviors From Infants Through Five Years
Reactions – Remember that these are natural behaviors for each age group, so when we react to them we do so with the understanding that this is what young children do to express themselves as they maneuver through life. Expect these things to happen – in times of hunger, overfullness, fear, stress, boredom, frustration, fatigue, or just for the heck of it to attract your attention.
There are a number of ways to react to behaviors that can help to reduce or eliminate them. Keeping a common sense triage system in mind and learning to distinguish between behaviors that are ‘worthy’ of a great deal of time and effort and those that are more easily handled is the best way to determine reaction. For annoying and distracting behaviors, try these:
Ignoring – Ignoring means boycotting or giving no active attention to a child exhibiting an irritating behavior until that behavior changes to an appropriate one. Ignoring is only done with behaviors that are annoying but do not cause any interruption of the learning process. Boycotting has worked since the 60’s – ask your hippie grandmothers.
Redirecting – Redirection is distracting a child from a negative behavior by calling his attention to a new toy, experience, or activity. It works best with babies and toddlers who are easily fooled distracted. It works best if there are lots of interesting things to redirect a child’s attention to, so check out your classroom for child-centered, enjoyable, action-based experiences.
Natural Consequence (“Tough Beans” Moments) – Allowing a natural consequence to occur means taking no action to stop the results of an annoying or distracting behavior after a warning or reminder has been given. Natural consequences can only be allowed to occur if they are not harmful. Examples might be telling a child, “If you cannot use your walking feet in our line, I will hold your hand”, and then taking his hand if he runs; or calling attention to the fact that there is no more sand in the sand box because a child threw it over the fence. This is a teaching moment, not an “I told you so” moment, so it should be done calmly and matter-of-factly to help the child understand cause and effect and can see that his negative action had a negative consequence. It’s kind of a “Them’s the Breaks” moment, but it is stated this way, “Oh, that’s too bad, isn’t it?” (nothing more).
Even though everything a child experiences is a learning experience, everything you experience with a child does not have to be a TEACHING experience. There is no need to belabor these opportunities to lecture, preach, and nag. Let the learning from these moments come naturally.
Next Blog: Reacting to More than Nose Picking
Teach 'Em the Way They Learn 