Understanding and responding effectively toward preventing challenging behaviors

Teachers of young children are reporting that within the learning environment they are witnessing more challenging behaviors that must be addressed through providing strategies for bullying, fighting, inattentiveness and other behaviors.  On this topic the strategies that are presented by Dr. BKW Early Childhood Educational Services (http://bwilliamson2001.wix.com/Drbkw-Ece) are the latest research-based ones to help children develop more social competence and emotional control that will enhance their cognitive development as well.

According to Klass, Guskin, and Thomas (1995) has defined challenging behavior as any behavior that

1.       Interferes with children’s learning, development, and success at play,

2.       Is harmful to the child, other children, or adults, and

3.       Put a child at high risk for later social failure.

Children with behavior problems will often find themselves rejected by their peers in the learning environment.  From the experiences of disliked and ridiculed it will wound his/her self-esteem and self-confidence where may feel isolation and deprived the opportunities through developing and practicing the social and emotional skills. 

Here are some of the strategies discussed in the presentation.

1.       Start every day with a clean slate, smiling and listening carefully to provide positive feedback.

2.       Catch the child being good and when behaving appropriately, praise specific act in conjunction to giving extra time and attention.

3.       Create a special signal that is exclusive for you two that is used when appropriate behaviors are demonstrated.  Remember the secret sign, handshake or password will make this way of communicating FUN.

4.       Feelings beanbag toss – promote children’s ability to identify and name feelings based on facial expression in self and others.

5.       Act as a role model including emotions and actions for all to follow.

6.       Creating tattling jar or telephone where children will tell whatever actions that have happen.  NOTE:  The teacher must clearly define the different actions that need immediately attention for help and others that can be told to the jar and/or phone.

7.       Create an A-B-C analysis plan for child who needs specific behavior hierarchy of strategies (Kaiser & Rasminsky, 2003).

8.       Create space in classroom as a “peace table” or “peace rug” to discuss and resolve conflicts.  Also, can use the five problem solving steps (Committee for Children, 1992).

9.       Calming-Down-Steps that are (a) How do I feel?, (b) Take three deep breaths, (c) Count slowly to five, (d) Say, “calm down” to yourself, and (e) Talk to a grown up (Committee for Children, 1992).

Research shows that whatever strategies implemented toward prevention it is more likely to be effective when

ü  It starts early (Becker, Barham, Eron and Chen, 1994),

ü  It continues over a long period of time (Reiss and Roth, 1993),

ü  It is culturally developmentally age appropriate (Gagnon, 1991),

ü  It works on several fronts at the same time such as at school as well as at home (Reiss and Roth, 1993), and

ü  It takes place in real-life their natural settings (Guerra, 1997).

For more in-depth strategies and techniques presentation, I can be contact via email at drbrenwilliamson@gmail, #DRBKWEC or write comment here.  Let’s elevate the challenging behaviors and build a learning environment to expand their knowledge base through manipulating materials for application with other high level thinking skills.

Pictures taken in Susan Blanton's classroom.

 

References:
Becker, J. V., Barham, J., Eron, L.D., & Chen, S. A.  (1994).  In L. D. Eron, J. H. Gentry, & P. Schlegel (Eds.),
     Reason to hope:  A psychosocial perspective on violence and young, (pp. 435-446).  Washington, DC: 
    American Psychological Association.

Committee for Children (1992).  Second step:  A violence prevention curriculum for preschoolers and
     kindergartners (1^st Ed.).  Seattle, WA:  Committee for Children.

Gagnon, C.  (1991). Commentary:  School-based intervention for aggressive children:  Possibilities,
     limitations, and future directions.  In DJ. Pepler & K.H. Rubin (Eds.).  The development and treatment
     of childhood aggression, (pp. 449-455).  Hillsdale, NJ:  Erlbaum.

Guerra, N. G. (1997).  Violence in schools:  Interventions to reduce school-based violence.  Paper
     presented at the meeting of the Center for Studies of Children at Risk, Hamilton, ON.

Kaiser, S., & Rasimsky, J. S.  (2003).  Challenging behavior in your children.  Boston, MA:  Allyn and Bacon.

Klass, C.S., Guskin, K.A., & Thomas, M.  (1995). The early childhood program:  promoting children’s
     development through and within relationships.  Zero to Three, 16, 9-17.

Reiss, A.J., Jr., & Roth, J.A.  (Eds.).  (1993).  Understanding and preventing violence.  Washington, DC: 
     National Academy Press.