UNIT 1- Guiding Children’s Behavior

Direct and Indirect

Methods for Guiding
Child Behavior
includes techniques that build on a positive classroom
environment by focusing on the individual child,
setting realistic expectations, and recognizing
appropriate behaviors.

 include verbal and nonverbal (physical) guidance.

Basically, telling children what to do.

 used to respond to children’s mistaken behavior as it

occurs.
 Basic Guidelines
Communicate with children in a respectful manner
that validates the child’s feelings.

Provide children with the acceptable behavior.

Assist the child in learning an appropriate behavior.

Clarify the classroom rules and expectations

providing reasons for the limits.

Model the behaviors you want children to follow.

The following are common
direct guidance methods:

a) Offer children manageable

choices.
b) Change the situation.
c) Redirect children and offer
acceptable substitutes.
d) Logical consequences.
e) Facilitate problem solving.
 refers to strategies that are used in establishing a
positive classroom environment including room
arrangement, consistent routines, class rules, and
developmental activities.

 Indirect guidance methods are used to prevent

behavior issues when developing the physical
environment, class rules, and program content.
Indirect Guidance Methods Divided
Into Four Areas.

Curriculum and
Physical Space Program Schedule

Recognize and
Respond to
Children’s Positive
Expectations
Behavior
 Techniques for Enhancing Self-esteem and
Self-control in Young Children

Accept Students for Increase Students’ Help Students Develop

Who They Are Sense of Ownership a Sense of
Responsibility
 Promote Self-
Advocacy Skills
Help Students Establish
Self-Discipline

Teach Students to Cope

with Mistakes and Failure
Provide Positive Feedback
and Encouragement
 Knowledge and Practice of
Professional Standards of Conduct
1. Respect the rights of children as laid out in the
United National Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1991) and commit to endorsing these rights.
2. Understand the vulnerability of children and their
dependence on adults.
3. Respect the relationship between children and
families and acknowledge this in all interactions with
children.
4. Ensure that all children and their families with special needs
and disabilities have access to appropriate support services.
5. Ensure that each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and
family structure are acknowledged and valued.
6. Advocate the right of each child to play and learn in an
environment that meets the needs of children with and without
disabilities.
7. Provide all children with a language that they know, as well as
support children in maintaining the use of their home language
and in learning English.
8. Advocate and ensure that children are not discriminated
against on the basis of gender, age, ability, economic status,
family structure, lifestyle, ethnicity, religion, language, culture or
national origin.
 Community Resources for
Supporting Children and Families
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN
-promotes the quality of care of children birth to 8 years old through
educational and developmental services.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE (NAFCC)

-promotes professional development and quality standards of care
for Family Child Care providers.

HEAD START
-early education programs that focus on school readiness and
providing comprehensive services (such as health and nutrition) to children
and their families.

FAMILY SUPPORT AND WELL-BEING

-Resources to promote families’ health, safety and financial security.
Strategies for Supporting Children’s
Social Development
 1. Start the day with a check-in.
2. Work in partnerships.
3. Teach them how to work in a group.
4. Help kids understand how to have a conversation.
5. Model good behaviour.
 The Differing Needs of
Children in Their Various
Developmental Stages as
Related to Behavior
Kohlberg’s stages of moral development
Kohlberg identified three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional,
conventional, and post-conventional. Each level is associated with increasingly
complex stages of moral development.

Level 1: Pre-conventional
A child’s sense of morality is externally controlled. Children
accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and
teachers.
Stage 1: Obedience-and-Punishment Orientation
Stage 2: Instrumental Orientation

Level 2: Conventional
A child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal
relationships.
Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
Stage 4: Law-and-Order Orientation
 Level 3: Post-conventional
Throughout the post-conventional level, a
person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more
abstract principles and values.

Stage 5: Social-Contract Orientation

Stage 6: Universal-Ethical-Principal Orientation
 The Impact of Individual, Family,
and Community Influences in
Guiding Children’s Behavior

Children’s behavior is influenced by their age and level of

development, their environment, and the adults who care for
them. Caregivers need to understand that children experiment
and make mistakes as a normal and expected part of their
development. It is important to have reasonable expectations
that are consistent with each child’s age, developmental stage
and abilities. Caregivers need to take time to offer
developmentally appropriate guidance and explanations to help
children gain confidence, competence, and problem solving
skills. Caregivers can be more effective in guiding behavior and
supporting children when they have an understanding of the
different developmental stages and abilities of children they care
for.
 Children’s experience in
their family and culture influences
their behavior. Knowledge about a
child’s family and cultural
background as well as respect for
different value systems will help
caregivers respond sensitively to
the varying approaches to raising
and caring for children.

Caregivers who understand

and appreciate principles of child
development and family and
cultural influences will develop
attitudes and practices which are
based on realistic expectations of
children’s behavior.
People
Children learn to interact
with each other by seeing what
the adults around them do.
Adults need to create an
environment that promotes trust,
security, and comfort for the
child. An adult’s verbal and
physical communication skills
are critical in modeling the
positive behavior they wish
children to learn.
 Impact of Culture and Experience on
Guidance
Multiple factors that can influence how we, as adults, respond
to a child’s behavior, including how we were raised, our personal values
and beliefs, and our understanding of child development:

 The age at which a child feeds or dresses herself or himself

 The age at which a child uses the toilet independently
 Whether and when a child sleeps independently
 The amount and nature of eye contact between children and adults
 Expectations for how adults and children talk to one another (e.g.,
acceptability of questioning adults, talking over one another, etc.)
 The ways adults and children show affection (hugging, etc.)
 A mismatch between our own
expectations and a child’s behavior (or family’s
priorities) may cause tension. It is important to
understand the variability in behaviors that
might be culturally determined. In attempting
to do that, it may be helpful to reflect on how
your own upbringing influences how you view
child guidance.
 Strategies for Recognizing and
Mitigating the Manifestations of
Stress in Children

Stress is a part of everyday life and can affect anyone

who feels overwhelmed — even children. Prolonged,
unreleased stress or sudden, very intense stress can cause
physical and emotional illness. Children learn how to cope
with stress early in life by watching those around them deal
with the pressures of life. We need to identify sources of
stress early in children’s lives and teach and model healthy
coping techniques for children of all ages.
 SOURCES OF CHILDREN’S STRESS

Family stressors can Stressors outside the

include: family can include:
• Birth of a sibling • Chronic illness or other health
• Moving issues
• Death of a family member • School
• Death of a family pet • Poor quality child care
• Poverty • Natural disasters
• Neglect of abuse • War
• Divorce of parents, or • Violence
separation from a parent
• Domestic violence
Signs and Symptoms of Stress
 Sleep disturbances
 Physical complaints (stomach aches,
headaches)
 Change in appetite
 Change in speech patterns and abilities
 Difficulty making choices
 Problems with attention or
concentration
 Withdrawal
 Aggressive behavior
Reducing Stress
Proper rest and good nutrition can boost coping
skills.
Provide and maintain consistent routines so the
child knows what to expect.
Provide daily opportunities for vigorous exercise.
This is a natural stress reducer.
Build relaxation periods into the routine. Everyone
can practice stretching, tensing and relaxing muscle
groups, and deep breathing.
 Teach alternative strategies for destructive or
inappropriate behavior.

Provide children’s books as a way to explore and

express emotions. Books can help young kids identify
with characters in stressful situations and learn how
they cope.

Make time to be silly. Sometimes children feel

better when you spend time with them on fun (and
silly) activities.
References:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/kohlbergs-
stages-of-moral-development/
https://www.virtuallabschool.org/preschool/guidance/lesson-1
https://www.early-education.org.uk/sites/default/files/Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf
file:///F:/Module-5C.pdf
https://blog.brookespublishing.com/7-ways-to-foster-self-esteem-and-resilience-in-
all-learners/
Thank You!