Notes for Chapter 10

Notes for Chapter 10

I. The Decision to Intervene

A. Considerations

·  hesitation may result from a need to feel like the children’s friend

·  teacher acts with firmness if safety or well-being are endangered

·  when the children know when the teacher will smile and when he or she will be firm, consistency has been achieved

·  teachers should not hold their own judgments as infallible

B. Situations that May Not Require Intervention

·  marginal mistaken behaviors—these behaviors are minor and may not actually be a cause for concern

·  bossiness—may simply be emerging leadership skills

·  arguments—it may be more beneficial to wait to see if the children can work things out on their own

C. Degrees of Firmness of Intervention

·  first degree: inviting choices

·  second degree: requesting choices

·  third degree: commanding choices

·  when putting choices to the child, the in-choice (the choice you want the child to make) should be made more attractive than the out-choice (the choice you would prefer the child did not make)

II. Quick Intervention Strategies

A. Negotiation Reminders

·  phrases that encourage children to talk things out and listen to one another

B. Humor

·  can be used as a tension reliever to diffuse problems that occur

·  can help to prevent mistaken behavior

C. Nonverbal Techniques

·  also known as “body language”

·  include eye contact, physical proximity, body carriage, gestures, and facial expressions

·  send children messages that can encourage or discourage behaviors

·  as children progress through the primary grades, they become attuned to the teachers’ use of body language

D. Five-Step Strategy for Addressing Mistaken Behavior

·  Step one: eye contact

·  Step two: eye contact with gestures

·  Step three: physical proximity

·  Step four: proximity with general reminder

·  Step five: proximity with direct comment

E. Brevity

·  young children have difficulty understanding lengthy explanations

·  concise statements that address the situation and motivate toward change are the objective

III. Behaviors Reported by Other Children

A. Child-Report

·  an alternate term for “tattling”

·  may not always be what it seems

·  can originate from a true concern or from a need for attention

·  teachers want reports that involve dangers to a child’s safety or well-being, such as a child wandering off, an injured child, or a child getting sick

·  for nonvital child-reports, a report box may be ideal—children fill out prepared “report forms” with words or pictures, and the teacher reviews them each day, with follow-up actions as needed

B. Possible Motives for a Child Report

·  they have experienced a problem and have come to the teacher for assistance

·  they have witnessed a problem and believe the teacher should know about it

·  to make contact with the teacher for attention

·  to find out what the teacher will do

·  they wish to control the teacher’s reactions

·  they wish to put another child in a difficult situation

IV. Intervention When Follow-Up Is Needed

A. Considerations

·  time is required if differences are to be steeled in ways from which all can benefit

·  in many situations, there should be no “hurried help”

·  when the teacher must give time to a situation, he or she does so either at the moment of the occurrence or later in the day

B. Problem-Solving Techniques When Follow-Up Is Needed

·  using reflective listening to teach self-calming and impulse management

·  guidance talks in which the teacher discusses what happened, helps the child understand why the behavior was mistaken, assists the child in understanding how all parties in the situation may have felt, brainstorms with the child alternative acceptable behaviors to use the next time in a similar situation, and asks how the child can help the other child feel better

·  including children’s ideas by involving them in the solution process

·  reconciliation, in which the teacher does not force apologies

C. Teacher-Child Conflicts

·  occur more frequently when the education program is less responsive to developmental needs, but are inevitable to some degree in all programs

·  the idea of teacher-child negotiation makes some teachers uncomfortable, but in the adult world, people at different levels in a hierarchy often negotiate

·  deciding to negotiate with a child does not mean relinquishing the mantel of leadership—it means using it with dignity and mutual respect

V. Why Take the Time?

A. Teaching Children Democratic Life Skills

·  this is at the heart of what good education is

·  children need to see themselves as worthy and accepted members of the learning community in order to succeed academically

B. Examples of Democratic Life Skills

·  the ability to see one’s self as a worthy individual and a capable member of the group

·  the ability to express strong emotions in nonhurting ways

·  the ability to solve problems ethically and intelligently

·  the ability to work cooperatively in groups, with acceptance of the human differences among members

·  the ability to be understanding of the feelings and viewpoints of others

C. Developmental Outcomes of Guidance

·  emotional development through the ability to see situations positively, express feelings acceptably, and resolve problems constructively

·  language development through the vocabulary, phrasing, and functional communication necessary for the resolution of difficulties

·  cognitive development by the information processing and critical thinking inherent in problem solving

·  physical development through freedom from the effects of stress, tension, and hostile feelings when problems remain unresolved or become aggravated

·  social development by learning life skills important for productive functioning as a member of the learning community and a democratic society

VI. A Matter of Ethics

A. NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct

·  provides a shared conception of professional responsibility that affirms the commitment to the core values of our field

·  P-1.1—“Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, intimidating, psychologically damaging, or physically harmful to children.”

·  P-2.5—“We shall inform the family of accidents involving their child, or risks such as exposures to contagious disease that may result in infection, and of events that might result in psychological damage.”

B. Create a Team Concept

C. Monitor Your Feelings Toward the Family

D. Understanding Parent Development

E. Choose Words That Avoid Value Judgments

F. Use Support Services

·  know the agencies in your area

·  know competent people with whom you can work at these organizations

·  refer to specific people, not just an organization

·  get an agreement from the family preferably in writing that they will participate

·  ask the family to predict what might prevent them from participating and ask for solutions

·  check on families’ ideas about solutions and arrangements

·  make sure you provide for a follow-up meeting

G. Problem Solving with Parents

·  Step one: describe the situation as a problem to be solved

·  Step two: generate multiple solutions

·  Step three: discuss the pros and cons of each suggestion

·  Step four: come to a consensus about which solutions to try

·  Step five: discuss how you will implement these solutions

·  Step six: agree to meet again to evaluate how these solutions are working so that you can change your approach, if necessary