Student Resource Area for: Guiding Children's Social Development and Learning, 6E
Chapter 15 - Making Ethical Judgments and Decisions
Exercise 15.6 Errors in Judgments Related to Children's Extreme Behavior
In each of the following circumstances, the adult takes an erroneous action. Decide what the error is and which of the following actions should be taken. Then click the “answer” link to compare.
1. Get to know the children in your group prior to making a judgment that any one of them is exhibiting extreme behavior.
2. Make a concerted effort to change a behavior by using appropriate guidance techniques before judging it extreme.
3. Confirm your judgment that a child's behavior is extreme.
4. Communicate to the family your concern that their child's behavior is extreme.
5. Seek out or recommend the type of professional who could deal most appropriately with a particular problem.
6. Provide emotional support to families who are seeking outside help for their child's extreme behavior.
7. Follow up on your recommendation that a child or family receive outside services.
8. Provide accurate, relevant information to the consulting professional.
9. Coordinate the way you deal with the child's extreme behavior in the formal group setting with the way it is being handled by the family and by the consultant to whom the child has been referred.
1. Ms. Morris has had other children in the Mannix family in her class before. She decides that if Llana, the youngest Mannix child, is assigned to her room, she will immediately suggest a special education referral.
Answer
2. For the past two days, Mr. Hoover has been using time-out with Lawrence each time he exposes himself to the other children. This is a strategy the school psychologist recommended. On the third day, Mr. Hoover gives up and reports that time-out didn't work.
Answer
3. In a meeting with six-year-old Greta's mother, it is revealed that the child frequently defecates in her pants when angry. Mrs. Kenyon, the helping professional, suggests that the family seek counseling, and she provides the names of qualified therapists in the community. Over the next several weeks, she says nothing more about the situation to Greta's mother.
Answer
4. In the teacher's lounge, Mr. Rafferty can often be heard complaining about Pamela's erratic behavior. The signs he describes do sound extreme. He has tried many things, none of which has made any difference. In fact, her behavior is getting worse. He is determined to keep working at it no matter what.
Answer
5. Every morning for the past month when Loretta arrives at the center, she rushes into the bathroom to throw up. Ms. Dalton, the helping professional, suspects that this is a result of her anxiety over her parents' pending divorce. During their scheduled conference, Loretta's mother seems so overwhelmed by her current life crises that Ms. Dalton decides not to worry her further by giving her details of Loretta's maladaptive behavior.
Answer