Classroom Management

Strategies for fortifying preschoolers’ social emotional development

What do we mean when we say classroom management?

• Classroom management is everything that allows us function smoothly as a group during our day.

• It is not about who has the power

Do you ever feel like this?

A great teacher realizes…

• Students who are actively engaged are less likely be disruptive

• When activities are varied and creative allowing the preschooler to move naturally throughout the environment, exploring with all five senses they are less likely to become bored or frustrated and engage in undesirable behaviors.

A great teacher realizes…

• Transitions are an important part of the day and need to be planned for

• Because small children have short attention spans, they are unable to sit for extended periods of time. Planning simple activities, such as songs, or stories during transition times will help keep the children from getting bored and out of control.

A great teacher realizes…• Small children need time to transition from one

activity to another.• If you have a group that has a difficult time

transitioning from one activity to another, use a timer to count down the last five minutes of an activity. You may also want to use a timer during clean-up time. Preschool students often have difficulty focusing on cleaning up, and the timer gives them a goal and a finite time to complete their task.

A great teacher realizes…

• Schedules are important. Knowing what to expect from day to day gives preschoolers a sense of security and enables them to thrive. Your schedule should be age-appropriate, and allow plenty of room for flexibility.

A great teacher realizes…• Preparation is the key. Expecting preschoolers to sit

diligently and wait for you to cut out patterns, and collect supplies for an activity is unrealistic. Having all of your materials prepped and ready to go will prevent the kids in your classroom from getting bored and participating in disruptive behaviors.

• Keep your classroom materials organizedIf your classroom materials are organized, it will make managing it easier. You won't have to spend twenty minutes trying to remember where you put the crayons.

A great teacher realizes…

• The environment is part of classroom management.

• Take a look at your classroom set up. Classroom arrangement has a lot of influence on kids' behaviors. For instance, a lot of open space may encourage kids to run indoors or partake in horseplay. Take the time to arrange your pre-school environment to minimize behavior problems.

Take a look at this class…

Now look at this class…

Which classroom has a lay out that will prevent children from running?

Classroom A Classroom B

Which classroom will help children to know where materials go?

Classroom A Classroom B

What is Social-Emotional Learning?

• Emotional learning- The knowledge of skills needed to recognize and self regulate feelings. (Epstien p.4)

• Social Learning- The principals and strategies for interacting successfully with others. (Epstien p.4)

What are the components of Social Emotional Learning?

• Emotional Self-regulation and self-awareness– Responding to experiences with an appropriate range of immediate or

delayed emotions – recognizing and being able to control ones feelings (Epstien p.6)

• Self knowledge and understanding– Knowledge of social norms and customs (Epstien p.6)

• Social skills– Range of strategies for interacting with others– Is assisted by cognitive development. (especially perspective taking

and empathy) (Epstien p.6)

• Social dispositions– Enduring character traits, such as curiosity, humor, generosity, open or closed

mindedness, argumentativeness and selfishness; shaped by innate temperamental differences and environmental influences (Epstien p.6)

Why is Social-Emotional development important in preschool?

• Positive social-emotional development provides a base for lifelong learning.

• Social skills and emotional self-regulation are integrally related to later academic success in school.

• Prevention of future social and behavioral difficulties is more effective than later remediation. (Epstien p.10)

How does Social-Emotional Learning tie in with Classroom Management?• As students learn to control their emotions,

problem solve, and resolve conflicts they are learning to move about the classroom in increasingly appropriate ways.

• The word Discipline comes from < Latin disciplina (“instruction”) and discipulus (“pupil”) from discere (“to learn”) It’s a process of learning!

What is the teacher’s role?

• Model• Facilitator • Scaffolds children’s problem solving and

conflict resolution skills• Mediates conflicts

Working with young children to resolve conflicts.

• Even in the most harmonious of classroom communities there are conflicts

• The teacher’s role is moderator and facilitator not problem solver.

• How can we help young children resolve their own conflicts?

What is Conflict Resolution?

• Conflict resolution is the use of appropriate, non aggressive strategies to settle interpersonal differences.

• Remember children are learning and they are not born naturally with the ability to resolve conflicts, so avoid labeling children’s behavior in negative terms, think of it as making a mistake, not misbehaving.

Why do children have conflict in the classroom?

• Children are egocentric (focused on own needs)

• They do not intend harm or mean to be selfish, think of it as being goal oriented.

• They see violence or verbal abuse in the media or at home and recreate it without having learned it is unacceptable.

What needs to be in place for children to be able to resolve conflicts?

• Empathy• Ability to recognize and label emotions• Sense of community• Able to engage in cooperative play• Value diversity• Framework for moral behavior

What steps can be taken to prevent conflicts?

• Make sure the classroom routine is consistent and limits and expectations are clear.

• The classroom is organized and labeled• There are a variety of appropriate materials

and plenty of them. • Keep transitions to a minimum

Steps for helping young children resolve conflicts.

1. Approach calmly, stopping any hurtful actions.

• Stay calm• Check your emotions think of how you are

going to react. • Stop anyone from getting hurt. (actions or

words)• Show concern not alarm• Focus attention on solving the problem not

who is to blame.

2. Acknowledge children’s feelings. • Children have all encompassing feelings because they live in

the present. When emotions are high they are not thinking straight.

• First soothe any children who are upset. • Ask to hold any objects that are in dispute• Acknowledge and respect children’s feelings name the

emotions and encourage students to name their own emotions. Repeat the words they use.

• Help by interpreting children’s feelings for one another• Be sincere for example make eye contact, use warm

concerned voice, touch or hold children in non threatening ways

3. Gather Information• Observe behavior and collect information• Do not jump to conclusions• Ask neutral questions such as what happened? or What is the

problem?• Be an active listener• Stay neutral, consider gathering information from bystanders. • Be patient- it could take time for children to calm down and

find the words to explain the situation. • Do not assign blame find out the reasons behind the

behavior. Was it an attempt to play? Was it anger? (this helps in guiding children to a solution that meets their needs)

4. Restate the problem

• Make sure you understand correctly by restating the problem in simple terms.

• Check with the children. • Be prepared to change your statement if the

children correct you. • Rephrase any hurtful remarks the children

make. For example: “He’s stupid” say “You are angry at him because he knocked over your blocks”

5. Ask for Ideas for solutions and choose one together

• Ask children for ideas for resolving the conflict. “What can we do to solve this problem?”

• If no one offers any, suggest one or two.

6. Be prepared to give follow up

• A short while after children start to carry out the conflict resolution plan check back to see if its working.

• Acknowledge their efforts with a simple observation. “You are playing side by side with the blocks”

• Stay near children, if conflicts reemerge repeat steps until all children are engaged in play.

Talk about conflict resolution when its not happening

• During group time- use role playing or puppets

• During snack time or outside time you can review a conflict that happened with one or more children when the emotions are not so high

• Read books about conflicts and children solving them.

Phrasing directions positively

• DON’T THINK OF AN ELEPHANT!! • What did you think of?

Phrasing directions positively

• Our brain works in pictures, and since no and don’t are abstract we don’t register them as quickly.

• This is even more true for the young child who does not yet have the life experience to think of acceptable alternatives quickly, and when in the midst of high emotions.

Phrasing directions positively

• If you tell a small child Don’t hit! He or she is more than likely going to think of biting, pinching, kicking or other alternatives similar to the one he or she was doing.

• Their thinking skills have not developed sufficiently for them to redirect immediately to another acceptable way of expressing anger.

• The young subconscious mind cannot differentiate between the commands

''Don't Hit'' and ''Hit.'‘

Phrasing directions positively

• Take a moment and think of how many times you say the words: No, Don’t, Stop, You can’t do that… etc.

• Now think how your day would be if someone said that to you as many times.

• How would you feel? Annoyed? Frustrated? Angry? Rebellious?

• And we are only talking about what we say at school our children also hear these negative phrases and nagging at home.

Phrasing directions positively

• To redirect a child's behavior it is essential to give clear and positive directions.

• Saying ''don't'' or ''stop'' is ineffective.• Phrase the negative in positive terms.• Instead of saying don’t run say you need to

walk in the classroom.

Phrasing Directions positively

Phrasing directions positively is not the same as letting the child have his way. The teacher remains in control of the situation and does not allow negative behavior.

When phrasing things positively it is important to phrase them in a way that will lead to the desired outcome. If you say Do you want to? or Let’s go.. it sounds like a choice when it is not really a choice. Instead, say you need to or its time to... Remember to keep your voice calm but firm.

Phrasing Directions Positively

• Don’t run

• Don’t throw the playdough

• Stop doing that!• Quit yelling!

• Use walking feet. Or Walk in the classroom.

• Only use the playdough on the table.

• You need to.. *be specific

• We use quiet voices inside

How can These phrases be positive?

• Don’t Hit!• No jumping on the

table.• Don’t bring the toy to

school.• Stop teasing her.• You can’t eat now.

• Don’t climb that!• Stop picking the

flowers.• No kicking!• Don’t push in line• Quit making faces at so

and so.

Bibliography

• Me, You, US: Social Emotional Learning in Preschool Ann S. Epstein, PhD (2009)

• NAEYEC (eds.) Vol.2 No. 4 Conflict Resolution [teacher’s lounge section] Teaching Young Children

• Maren Schmidt (2009) Giving Positive Directions retrieved from http://www.shininglightreading.com

• Ellen Booth (2007) Off to a Great Start: Creating an Effective Classroom retrieved from http://www2.scholastic.com