Carsyn Guitrau

EDCI 3382

Reflection Journal #1

When the students were sitting on the carpet during a lesson, one student had a hard time

keeping still and staying on the carpet. He was rolling around and flipping on the carpet. The

teacher did not acknowledge his behavior. Then he began to lay on his back and put his feet in

the air and began swinging them around. The teacher then began speaking to him and told him

that he could make a choice. She said that he could sit on the carpet with the class or he could sit

in a chair away from the class. He said that he wanted to sit on the carpet with the class. He sat

still for a couple of minutes and then began to wonder around the classroom and play with the

toys in the centers. This time, the paraprofessional went up to him and took his arm and brought

him back to the carpet. She fussed at him and told him to not move from that spot. He began to

roll around on the carpet again until I asked him if he would like to sit by me on the carpet, in

which he agreed and calmed down.

One thing that stood out to me in this scenario was the different styles of discipline

provided by the teacher and the paraprofessional. I feel that the discipline style of the teacher is

better than that of the paraprofessional. I have preconceived thoughts about this due to the book

we read over the summer, “Guidance for Every Child: Teaching Young Children to Manage

Conflict.” The teacher used guidance, whereas the paraprofessional used punishment. I believe

that punishment does not fix incorrect behavior but feeds it instead. After the paraprofessional

punished him, he began to act up again. I acted by asking him if he would like to sit next to me.
This gave him a choice and caused him to feel like he was in control of his own behaviors, in

which he calmed down.

Principle 1.2 of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct says “We shall care for an educate

children in positive emotional and social environments…” A positive emotional and social

environment is one that reinforced positive behaviors instead of punishing negative one. This is

part of “creating a caring community of learners” which is the first guideline for developmentally

appropriate practice. This means that every child feels valued in the classroom and consist of

respectful and positive relationship among everyone in the classroom.