Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

In the modern world that we have today, it is felt that children grow

up so fast and seemed to be advanced in almost all physical growth.

Everything needs a change, education is no exemption.

In the past 4 years, massive educational reformation has been

implemented to adapt the worldwide standards. Formal education requires

a preparation, so that children may not being awe with it. Some children

need it as conditioning stage before formal education starts.

Increasingly common, early childhood care plays an important role

in children’s development and provides a valuable support to families with

young children. It is therefore important to understand the impact of these

services and to ensure their quality and accessibility.

Children as unique as they are have varied differences in

development and of behavior. There is a need to have different

motivational methods and strategies for children in the preschool so that

they may be developed accordingly.

Although under-investment in children is an identified problem in

low-income developing countries (LDC) and the establishment and use

of preschools has been advocated as a partial remedy, the readiness of

children and parents for preschool in LDC has been little studied.
 This paper assesses motivational techniques that parents report

using with preschool children in a rural Philippine municipality. The study

suggests some over-weighting by parents of academic achievement, but

otherwise more appropriate child-oriented behaviors were observed than

reported in some research. Motivation by parents also was associated

with preschool performance. This is according to the study Parent

Motivation Strategies and the Performance of Preschoolers in a Rural

Philippine Municipality by Monteflor, Williams,etc…

This study aims to identify the different motivational strategies and

techniques in dealing with the different behaviors for preschool children in

Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines.

Theoretical Background

Education in the Philippines is managed and regulated by

the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA). DepEd is responsible for the K–12 basic education; it
exercises full and exclusive control over public schools and nominal
regulation over private schools, and it also enforces the national
curriculum that has been put in place since 2013.

From 1945 to 2011, basic education took ten years to complete—

six years of elementary education and four years of high school
education for children aged six up to fifteen. However, after the
implementation of the K–12 Program of DepEd and subsequent ratification
of Kindergarten Education Act of 2012 and Enhanced Basic Education Act
of 2013, the basic education today takes thirteen years to complete—one
year of kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years
of junior high school and two years of senior high school for children aged
five up to seventeen. As of 2017, the implementation of Grade 12 has
started.

The school year usually runs from June to March, although it may

also end in April, depending on when the Holy Week is. Republic Act 7797
states that a school year may not exceed two hundred and twenty school
days, and that it may only start classes between the first Monday of June
and last day of August. While K–12 private schools are free to assign the
date of opening of classes anytime they want as long as it is within the
prescribed period, K–12 public schools have to follow a stringent school
calendar crafted by DepEd regardless of circumstances.
 HISTORY OF
EDUCATION

RELATED THE
STUDIES CURRICULUM

PRE-SCHOOL
MOTIVATION
EDUCATION
AL
STRATEGIES

BEHAVIOR SKILLS TO
MANAGEMEN BE
T DEVELOPED

CLASSROOM
MANAGEMEN DIFFERENT
T BEHAVIORS

COMMON
PROBLEMS
MET

Figure 1: Theoretical Framework

 ORIGINALLY, the Philippine public school system was organized to
facilitate the pacification of our nation during the American colonial period.
The Americans used education as a tool to conquer our free spirit just like
religion was used by the Spaniards to maintain our ignorance. Education
and religion were the means that allowed our foremost colonial masters to
rule over us.

Before the first Thomasites landed on our shores, General Arthur

MacArthur, commander of the American occupation force, asked the
United States government for a large appropriation for school purposes.
He said: “This appropriation is recommended  primarily and exclusively as
an adjunct to military operations calculated to pacify the people  and to
procure and expedite the restoration of tranquility throughout the
archipelago.”

Clearly, education was an instrument of colonization from the start.

It was never intended to liberate us from unenlightenment. We have to be
educated so we can be good colonials. Consequently, we have been very
good in performing this role since then. MacArthur’s successful strategy
was based on the general belief of influential American educators that
education primarily was a means of social control and an instrument to
end conflicts.

Early childhood education is a broad term used to describe any

type of educational program that serves children in their preschool years,
before they are old enough to enter kindergarten. Early childhood
education may consist of any number of activities and experiences
designed to aid in the cognitive and social development of preschoolers
before they enter elementary school.

How and where early childhood education is provided can be very

different from one state to the next – or even from one school to the next
within the same state. Preschool education programs may be designed
specifically for either three-, four-, or five-year olds, and they may be
provided in childcare and daycare or nursery school settings, as well
as more conventional preschool or pre-kindergarten classrooms. These
programs may be housed in center-based, home-based, or public school
settings, and they may be offered part-day, full-day or even on a year-
round schedule to include summers.

High quality child care can have a positive influence on children’s

development and school readiness by providing valuable educational and
social experiences. High quality child care is characterized as: 

Having well-qualified, well-paid, stable staff, low child-adult ratios, and

efficient management. 

o Offering a program that covers all aspects of child development

(physical, motor, emotional, social, language and cognitive
development).

Research shows also that only high quality provision can deliver
well-being and appropriate development to young children. As an
increasing number of mothers are in the workforce and most children ages
3 and older now attend a child care facility on a regular basis, it has
become critical that young children from all backgrounds should have
access to high-quality child care and early education.

In consonance with the Millennium

Development Goals on achieving
Education for All (EFA) by the year 2015,
it is hereby declared the policy of the
State to provide equal opportunities for all
 children to avail of accessible mandatory
and compulsory kindergarten education
that effectively promotes physical, social,
intellectual, emotional and skills
stimulation and values formation to
sufficiently prepare them for formal
elementary schooling. This Act shall
apply to elementary school system being
the first stage of compulsory and
mandatory formal education. Thus,
kindergarten will now be an integral part
of the basic education system of the
country.

Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and technical

development of the Filipino child for it is the period when the young mind’s
absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest. It is also the policy of the
State to make education learner-oriented and responsive to the needs,
cognitive and cultural capacity, the circumstances and diversity of
learners, schools and communities through the appropriate languages of
teaching and learning.

Is your child ready for kindergarten? Although each child is unique

and develops at his or her own pace, most educators and developmental
experts agree upon a certain set of skills as essential tools for further
development and achievement in school. 

The different skills includes: social skills, motor skills, reasoning

and concept development, language skill, reading skills, writing skills,
mathematics concepts, science, creative arts & music and social studies.
 When parents think about life in the kindergarten classroom, they
often picture story time, with kids enthralled by the teacher’s animation
or math, with the teacher kneeling at a child’s side to help her arrange a
set of blocks.  But while most parents are hard-pressed to admit it, the
thought of how their child’s behavior will fit into this picture-perfect scene
can be anxiety producing. The truth is that even for the most consistently
well-behaved child, the changes that are brought about during the
transition into kindergarten can cause difficult behavior. If thoughts like
these are keeping you up at night, relax. With the help of your child’s
teacher and a consistent classroom environment, a well-prepared child will
meet the expectations of kindergarten.

Here some expectations from a child who takes up Kindergarten:

can follow the lead of a teacher, and will honor the requests of authority
figures, treats people and materials with respect, understands that there
are class rules, and he follows them, knows that hurting someone
physically or emotionally is unacceptable, has an awareness of time, and
can distinguish between work time and play time, can follow two or three
unrelated directions at a time, can listen attentively for an appropriate
amount of time, knows how to take turns, share, and work in a cooperative
environment, takes on self-responsibility with toileting and mealtime needs
and does her best at all times.

If you checked off each expectation without a second thought, then

you’re in the clear if you stumbled on a few, not to worry. While teachers
hope that students come to kindergarten with all of these behaviors in
place, they also realize that the development of these behaviors happens
at different times for each child. A great teacher will recognize areas of
need quickly, and keep in communication about behavioral progress. Dr.
Meera Mani, Research Director for Preschool California says that a
parent’s role in helping behavioral success is to “know their child well, and
keep in close contact with the teacher.” Often, behavior breakthroughs
don’t occur until springtime of the kindergarten year.

As the school year begins though, make sure that your child is
ready to put his best foot forward. How much rest your child gets and what
he's eaten can directly affect his behavior. In order for students to be on
their behavioral marks, these healthy routines should be established
before kids take their first steps onto the schoolyard. “Make sure they are
well rested, well fed and have a sense of routine,” says Mani. Encourage
appropriate social and communicative behaviors. A child's ability to talk to
adults about her needs and convey frustrations in a calm way, shows
she's ready to thrive in a school environment. A child’s level of interest in
working and playing with peers is also a predictor of kindergarten
readiness, along with her ability to work independently. And of course
there is the ever-important direction-following piece. According to Mani,
your child’s ability to follow directions and follow the teacher’s lead can
strongly influence her level of behavioral success.

Most of all make sure that you point out great behavior when your
child displays it. Discourage whining. Set small goals for your little one,
and reward him when he makes you proud. Behavioral success in school
usually goes hand-in-hand with academic success, so it's a hugely
important skill. But at this age, appropriate behavior really depends on the
steps that you’ve taken to keep your child's body healthy and her mind
sound, as well as to prepare her by setting your own behavioral
expectations. It all comes down to helping your child achieve a balance of
“mind, body, and heart,” Mani says. And you can help.

Behavior problems often first appear in preschool and kindergarten.

Learn about shyness, separation anxiety in children, and other behaviors.
Our parenting tips share the causes of behavior problems in children, what
signs to look for, and how to deal with them. Behaviors like Oppositional
Defiant Disorder (ODD) can certainly be challenging for parents of
preschoolers or kindergarteners, but with feedback from other parents and
the experts, you will get a better hold on what you can do to help. Get
information on when to seek professional help for kids’ behavior problems
like ADHD, and what to expect during an evaluation. Once you have
confidence in your parenting approach, you’ll know how to handle the
many challenging times ahead.

Some children experiences problems including but not limited to:

bedwetting even if they are already potty-trained, conquering fears,
dealing with dyslexia, dealing with bad attitude and many more.

Classroom management is the key to teaching EVERYTHING in

ANY grade!  And it is extra important in Kindergarten where we often find

children that have never had any school experiences before.  Here is how

to start your kids off right in in Kindergarten or Pre-K so that you can

successfully teach the rest.

Obviously, Kindergarten and preschool teachers must teach

children all classroom expectations from the very beginning– from lining

up, to sitting and listening, and the list goes on!  So if you teach

Kindergarten or preschool, remind yourself daily how important it is to be

patient, and don’t get frustrated if progress is slow!  The less time your

students have been in school before, the longer it will take.  But setting up

your procedures and expectations will have huge pay-offs in the end, so

keep at it!

The students that will be entering your classroom on the first day of

school will bring with them a variety of experiences with behavior

management. Some may be coming from a preschool classroom where

many of these strategies have already been introduced, some may be

coming from a home where there was little to no behavior management,

and most will be coming from somewhere in between. What is most

important to remember for managing a classroom of small, impulsive

people is to set clear guidelines that let students know what is expected

from them, stick to them, and enforce them for all students.

Students of any age, but especially kindergarten, thrive in an

environment where they know what is expected of them. This means
having a clear set of rules that students can see posted somewhere in the
classroom. These rules should be written keeping in mind positive
classroom management strategies. Students can even be made
responsible for writing the classroom rules themselves. This can be done
by having a discussion with the students about how they think they should
behave in the classroom. Doing this will give the students ownership of
their classroom and their behavior, making them more likely to understand
and follow the classroom rules.

As a teacher, especially in early childhood education, it is very easy

to decide to let some students slide when it comes to classroom rules. As
you move through the day, you might find that some students are more
likely than others to stray from the expectations set by the classroom
rules. It does get quite exhausting to have to keep reminding a student to
raise their hand when they want to answer a question or share something
with the class (this is a situation that will come up often - kindergarten
students love to share every little detail of their day with everyone).

However, it is very important that you require students to stick to

the rules posted in the classroom. Though you may be teaching your
students everything from ABCs to math and science to social studies, do
not forget that they are very smart. Students will always know when you
are being lax with the rules and will quickly try to see how far they can
push boundaries. This is when it is most important that you consistently
enforce your guidelines.

One of your students (who we'll call Sherlock) enjoys launching into
long explanations about what he did last night with his friend, his mom,
and his friend's mom. He does this several times a day, most of the time
interrupting you or another student. While you may be exhausted from
reminding him (the 19th time) to please raise his hand if he has something
to say, it is important to keep doing so (even on the 113th time). You may
devise a strategy where you simply make eye contact and point to your
classroom rules to remind Sherlock what is expected of him.

Teachers have the potential of being the most influential person in

the classroom. In order to influence your students, be accessible where
they feel free to engage you on any topic. Students who walk in the
classroom without desiring to know what you are going to say and do are
your least motivated students. Be interested in their lives. If they know you
care, they will start to care, too, about what happens in the classroom.
While you are teaching, call them by name, keep your lesson content
relevant to their lives as much as possible.Keeping examples in your
lessons as close to real life as possible will motivate your students to listen
and participate. Being accessible motivates your students to initiate more
questions and be more open in what they have to say about class.

Effective teaching strategies that result in motivating students are

praising and rewarding students for participating. Communicate your
expectations to your students and how you think they can succeed. If your
students know you believe they can master the material you are teaching,
they will start to believe it, too. Positive feedback, especially when they do
not expect it, will serve to let them know you notice them and their work,
which will motivate them to do even better.
 Students who feel like their expected classwork is far too below
their capabilities or far too above their capabilities likely are not your
motivated students. Strive to be challenging by giving class assignments
that are just a bit above your student's current ability. They need to stretch
and attempt hard topics and assignments in class, but be careful you pick
just the right level of work. Use differentiated instruction or teaching
strategies that are different for different students' needs since not every
student is at the same level. Be enthusiastic about the topic you have to
teach, and you may even motivate your students to make a career out of
what they learned in your class.

Determining children's preferences for different classroom contexts

is important because, in addition to efficacy measures, preference data
may influence the adoption of classroom practices. The acceptability of
behavioral interventions has often been determined by inviting teachers or
caregivers to complete rating scales or questionnaires (Miltenberger,
1990). However, there are distinct advantages to determining the
acceptability of different teaching practices with the learners themselves.
For example, Dunlap et al. (1994) showed that incorporating a child's
preferences into instructional contexts resulted in less off-task and
disruptive behavior. Information about children's preferences may be most
important when factors that would typically influence the selection of
practices, such as relative efficacy or implementation effort, are similar
across practices.

A number of methods have been developed for determining young

children's preferences among food, toys, activities, and curriculum
materials (DeLeon & Iwata, 1996; Fisher et al., 1992; Foster-Johnson,
Ferro, & Dunlap, 1994; Roane, Vollmer, Ringdahl, & Marcus, 1998). In
spite of these advancements, procedures for accurately determining
preschoolers' preferences for classroom practices or teaching strategies
have not been described in the research literature. A general strategy for
directly determining preferences for protracted events or behavioral
interventions has, however, been described in several studies (Hanley,
Iwata, & Lindberg, 1999; Hanley, Piazza, Fisher, Contrucci, &Maglieri,
1997; Hanley, Piazza, Fisher, &Maglieri, 2005), and these procedures
may be applicable for determining young children's preferences for
classroom practices. Common features in these studies were the use of
(a) modified concurrent chains arrangements with (b) individuals who
could not readily express their biases due to (c) severe language
impairments or the complex nature of the assessed events. For
example, Hanley et al. (1997, 2005) determined children's preferences
among different function-based treatments for problem behavior by
recording each child's selections in initial links of concurrent chains in
which different treatments were presented in terminal links. In initial links,
children pressed colored switches located on a table outside the treatment
room. Pressing a switch resulted in exposure to a treatment procedure
inside the room, and each switch was associated with a different
treatment. Following repeated exposure to this arrangement, children's
responding in the initial link differentiated, suggesting preferences among
the treatments. In the current study, we applied a similar concurrent-
chains arrangement to determine preschoolers' preferences for different
teacher-led instructional practices.

Two general strategies for motivating children to participate in

teacher-led instruction have been described. First, reinforcers have been
embedded within the task itself (Essa, 2003; Herr & Libby, 1990; Mayesky,
1998). Second, reinforcers have been delivered following completion of
the task (Daly, Martens, Hamler, Dool, & Eckert, 1999; Freeland &Noell,
1999; Rincover& Newsom, 1985). The relative efficacy of embedded and
sequential reinforcement has been evaluated during skills training with
adults with severe disabilities (Thompson & Iwata, 2000) and interventions
aimed at increasing children's consumption of nonpreferred foods (Kern &
Marder, 1996). By keeping the type of reinforcement constant across
conditions and manipulating only the manner in which reinforcement was
delivered, these studies provided strong evidence for the superiority of the
embedded procedure.

However, sequential and embedded motivational systems differ in

other ways when integrated within teacher-led instructional activities. With
embedded motivational systems, teaching materials that are attractive
(e.g., colorful, iconic, multidimensional) and thought to be generally
preferred by children are used. Thus, children may automatically derive
reinforcement simply by manipulating instructional materials. By contrast,
preferred stimuli are systematically identified and then used as
consequences for correct responding with the sequential motivational
system. Therefore, in addition to the manner in which putative reinforcers
are delivered (embedded in materials or provided by a teacher after a
correct response), the type and, presumably, quality of reinforcers differ
across motivational systems. Although both systems have been evaluated
in preschool classrooms (Bryant & Budd, 1982; Driscoll & Nagel,
1999; Gordon & Williams-Browne, 2000; Warren, Rogers-Warren, & Baer,
1976; Zanolli& Daggett, 1998), their relative effectiveness or value to the
learners has not yet been determined.

In the current study, either embedded or sequential reinforcement

was implemented in two contexts. Thus, the teaching contexts varied
along two primary dimensions: the type and timing of reinforcement. We
also included an exclusively play-oriented activity devoid of teacher
instructions and an instructional context devoid of either motivational
system in our evaluation. Thus, four contexts were included as terminal
links in our concurrent-chains arrangement: instructions with embedded
reinforcement, instructions with sequential reinforcement, instructions only
(control), and no instructions (play). We compared measures of children's
correct responding and undesirable behavior while they experienced the
different teaching conditions to determine their relative effectiveness. We
determined children's preferences among the four classroom contexts by
allowing and measuring their selections of each context.

Most good students aren't born good learners. Yes, individual

personality plays a big part in a child's willingness to learn and their overall
disposition when it comes to schooling and education, but most children
who are good learners at some point had to become good learners. More
importantly, any student, who possesses the basic aptitude and receives
the right motivation, can become a good learner.

One of the biggest mistakes teachers and parents can make when
it comes to developing students and children who are good learners is to
limit learning to the classroom. While the classroom will likely be the
primary source of instruction, intellectual, social and academic growth
should extend outside the walls of the classroom – if you want to really
enhance a child's desire and ability to learn.

Studies show that children who are exposed to real world scenario
of learning environment are likely to develop good judgment than those
that are confined inside the classroom.
 THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This study will assess the different motivational methods and

techniques in dealing with the different behaviors of preschool pupils in
Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines: their efficiency and acceptability

The purposes of this study were to examine:

(a) Whether the motivation strategies used by parents are consistent

with a “balanced, holistic approach” to child development and

(b) Whether the parents’ motivational strategies are associated with

school performance.

(c) Whether the school manifest similar or better motivational

strategies as parents do.

The following are sought to answer the main problem:

1. Who are considered preschool pupils?

a. Age
b. Physical appearance
2. What are the legalities of preschool education?
3. Why is motivation important?
a. In education
b. For behavior
4. What are the different behaviors displayed by preschool pupils that
affect their educational preparation?
5. What are the different motivational strategies for the preschool by
their:
a. Parents
b. Teachers
6. Which of the motivational strategies seemed effective?
 a. Parents
b. Teachers
c. Peers
7. How effective and efficient are the identified strategies?
a. Excellent
b. Very satisfactory
c. Satisfactory
d. Poor
8. What other helpful motivational strategies do parents and teachers
employ for preschool pupils?
a. Rewards and incentives
b. Punishments
c. Others

Statement of the Null Hypothesis

There is no significant effectiveness and efficacy of the motivational

strategies employed by the parents or teachers for the preschool pupils.

Significance of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following people and institutions:

Department of Education. The department shall be able to look

closer into the challenges and design possible solutions.

School Administrators. They shall extend their knowledge and

skills on how to effectively motivate teachers and parents to not give up on
their children.

Parents. They shall be able to see the great need to cooperate well
with the teachers in order to give the best for their children.
 Other Stakeholders. They make include the local community,
which will be benefited once quality learners will be produced in the local
schools.

Pupils. The children shall get the needed quality education and be
able to compete well with other children in the regular classroom settings.
 THE DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONAL
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN
DEALING WITH THE DIFFERENT
BEHAVIORS OF PRESCHOOL PUPILS IN
CAMOTES ISLANDS, CEBU,
PHILIPPINES

OBSERVATIONS

QUESTIONNAIRES

RESULTS

Figure 2

Flow of the Study

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This will be a descriptive research using a questionnaire and was

supplemented by observation of the respondents which aimed to find out
the different motivational methods and techniques in dealing with the
different behaviors of preschool pupils in Camotes Islands, Cebu,
Philippines: their efficiency and acceptability.

Research Environment

This study was conducted at the preschools of Camotes Islands,

Cebu, Philippines.

Research Respondents

The respondents of this study are the parents and the teachers.

NUMBER OF
NAME OF SCHOOLS
TEACHERS

Sta. Cruz Elementary School 2

Cambat-an Elementary
2
School

Cabongaan Elementary
2
School

Sonog Elementary School 3

Tulang Integrated School 2

Esperanza Elementary School 3

Union Elementary School 3

Campo Elementary School 2

Paypay Elementary School 1

Consuelo Elementary School 2

Himensulan Elementary 1
 School

Dapdap Elementary School 1

Himangkungan Primary
1
School

Santiago Elementary School 1

Unidos Elementary School 1

San Isidro Elementary School 2

Dumalerio Primary School 1

Rosalia T. Lucernas
1
Elementary School

Daan Monte Elementary

1
School

Danao Primary School 1

San Francisco SPED Center

3
School

Lucio O. Arquillano Memorial

2
School

Research Instrument

The instrument used in this study was approved by the researcher

and their Professor

Transmittal letter: It was signed by our Campus Director, Subject

Professor, the Chairmen of Prof. / Gen. Education Discipline and
Technology Discipline, the Acting Deans of Academic and Technology
Department, and the to all the respondents of the study. It was signed to
avoid misconduct and for safety purposes.

Questionnaire: The researcher used a Likert-type scale

questionnaire as well as some close-ended questions. It was used to
gather data needed in the study. It was used to know what were the life’s
preferences of the in and out of school teenagers in their life.

Research Procedures

Upon securing permissions to proper authorities, the researcher

went to the research environment. They personally conducted the
interview with the respondents.

Gathering Data. The researcher gives enough time for the

respondents and to answer the questions given. Then collection of data
was done. The answers given by the respondents were tabulated and
analyze.

Treatment of Data.The data collected was gathered, tabulated,

analyzed and interpreted.
 Figure 2

Map of the Research Area

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
 To be able to understand well the contents of this study, here are
some words that are constantly mentioned in this study:

School

A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students (or

“pupils") under the direction of teachers. Used to identify the research

environment

Early childhood education;

is a branch of education theory which relates to the teaching

of young children (formally and informally) up until the age of
about eight. Infant/toddler education, a subset of early
childhood education, denotes the education of children from
birth to age two.

Performance

the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an

action, task, or function.

Motivation

the general desire or willingness of someone to do

something.

Behavior

the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially

toward others.

Teaching strategies
 Refer to methods used to help students learn the desired
course contents and be able to develop achievable goals in
the future.

Parents

is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a

parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring,
not necessarily age). A biological parentis a person
whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a
female through the ovum.

Technique

a way of carrying out a particular task, especially the

execution or performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure.

Teacher

is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge,

competences or values. Informally the role of teacher may be taken on by
anyone.

ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This study is composed of the following:

CHAPTER I – consists of the problem and its research design, research

methodology and the definition of terms

CHPATER II – consist of the presentation and analysis of data

CHPATER III – consist of the summary, findings, conclusions and

recommendation.