Child Guidance

Toddlers

What We Saw: The teacher catches a toddler opening the classroom door to go into the hallway. She brings him into the room and shuts the door, telling him "That is not ok". Later, at pick up time, she sees him throw a toy. She sits down on the floor and pulls him into her lap. "See this toy? We do not throw this toy. We need to clean up." She lets him hold the toy for a minute. "Can you put it on this shelf?" She points to the shelf. "Put it on the shelf". He does, with her assistance, and then pulls a bucket off the shelf and dumps it. "Uh-oh, you dumped it out. Can you put them back in?" She helps him pick up the toys. "Ok!" She lets him help her turn the shelf toward the wall.

What It Means: The teacher watches this child closely, as he is very active. When he misbehaves, she provides him with clear limits, consistently enforced. She establishes gentle but firm physical contact with him, getting down on his level, and then gives him the message with short, direct statements. When she pulls the child into her lap, she helps him focus on the message she is giving about not throwing the toy. She lets him hold the toy for a moment, so he can focus his attention on it and what she is saying about it. Then she tells him what she does want him to do with the toy. She uses words to describe what he does in dumping out the bucket, again describing and encouraging a positive behavior. She models the picking up behavior she wants from him, and supports him in carrying it out. His behavior doesn't change a lot today, but this consistent approach will create big changes over time.

Toddlers

What We Saw: The children were sitting at the table for lunch. One child was experimenting with his fork at the table. He would bang it on the table one way and listen for the vibrations. Then he would tap it on the table another way and listen for the sound. He did this a few times. The teacher said to him, "Do you like the sound that makes?" He looked up and nodded. He ate a little more food and then experimented with his fork again. The teacher said to him, "That sound is hurting my ears. Can you stop please?" The child stopped experimenting and went back to eating his food. The teacher recognized this behavior as experimentation. She acknowledged that the child was interested in listening to the sound that was made when he tapped his fork to the table. She let him experiment for awhile so that his curiosity was satisfied. Then she let him know that the sound hurt her ears and that he should stop. This was respecting the child and his needs for exploration and experimentation.

What It Means: The teacher recognized this behavior as experimentation. She acknowledged that the child was interested in listening to the sound that was made when he tapped his fork to the table. She let him experiment for awhile so that his curiosity was satisfied. Then she let him know that the sound hurt her ears and that he should stop. This was respecting the child and his needs for exploration and experimentation.

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