REPORTED BY:

DIMAGUILA, LOURDES E
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
A strategy for managing problems or
undesirable behaviors that are usually pre-
existing by:

Eliminating an undesirable or inappropriate
behavior
Reinforcing and teaching positive social
behaviors

CHILDREN ATTENDING
PRESCHOOL
Each child entering the classroom comes from
a different environment
Each child comes equipped with a different set
of behaviors, skills, knowledge, and attitudes
Most children coming to preschool are unaware
of what is expected of them
Some children will come to preschool with pre-
existing conditions that may increase the
likelihood of them displaying behavioral
problems.
ROLE OF PRESCHOOL
To help child adjust to preschool
environment, rules, and activities
To accommodate individual and group
needs of children entering the
preschool
Support the child in developing the
skills and knowledge to perform well,
socially interact, and enjoy the
preschool experience
WHAT ARE CHALLENGING
BEHAVIORS
Repeated behaviors that interfere/prevent
learning
Repeated behaviors that prevent positive
social interactions
Examples:
Tantrums
Hitting, biting, pushing, pulling hair, spitting,
etc.
Swearing, using negative language, shouting,
ridiculing others, etc.
Destroying property, games, materials, etc.
Withdrawing, not interacting, refusing to obey
rules

WHY SHOULD WE ADDRESS
THESE BEHAVIORS
Children with serious behavioral problems (who
do not receive necessary attention and
assistance) are more likely to:
Fail in school
Be less productive citizens
Develop more serious behavioral problems
Delinquency
Aggression
Anti-social behaviors
Drug abuse
WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE
PRESCHOOL
Identify and assess behavior problems early
Assist child in learning and applying more
appropriate behaviors and responses
Enhance childs knowledge, skills and capacities to
respond and interact in the learning environment and
with others
Provide positive reinforcement and build childrens
self confidence and esteem
Support parents and child with home based
activities
Refer children for additional assistance
THE PRESCHOOL
CURRICULUM
The curriculum should have:
A strong social skills development component
A holistic approach addressing childs physical,
social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual
development
A strong communication, language skills and
literacy component
An interactive and play based approach
including using the arts, movement,
indoor/outdoor play, problem solving approaches
STEP 1: DEVELOPING POSITIVE
SOCIAL SKILLS
All children entering the preschool have a
right to be supported in developing positive
social skills.
Each child will enter the preschool with his/her
own package of social skills that may be in
line with preschool identified social skills.
Key role of teacher/caregiver is to assist all
children in developing their social skills.

SOCIAL SKILLS SHOULD
SUPPORT:

Childs ability to interact positively with
others
Childs own sense of self respect
Childs respect for others adults and
children
Childs self confidence and esteem
Childs sense of belonging to a group

SOCIAL SKILLS ARE DEPENDENT ON
THE CHILDS SOCIO-EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Socio-emotional development is based on the childs sense of:

Social competence (knowing what to do and say when with others)
Capacity to participate in individual and group work,
Understanding and ability to participate within a group setting like
taking turns, managing behavior, regulating ones behavior, not acting
out or overstepping rights of others, ability to play in groups of 2 or
more children.


(CONTINUATION)
Responsibility (acting responsibly to self and
others)
Sharing and taking turns
Not harming others verbally or physically
Not destroying property of preschool or others

Respect (rights of self and others)
Readiness to explore new things willing to
explore and learn new things
Pro-social and helping behavior positive
attitudes towards others
Capacity to follow directions

SOCIO-EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED)
Usually there are different levels of socio-emotional
development:

Childs ability to express his/her emotions
Childs ability to cope and adapt to different settings and
groups
Childs understanding that others have feelings, needs,
rights
Childs ability to empathize with other (this is based on
development and maturation)
Childs ability to maintain relationships and interactions
with others
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT
SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Below are five simple activities to carry out in the
classroom.
These activities should be done during the first days
of the preschool opening with all children of the
preschool.
These activities should be repeated on a daily basis
until almost all of the children have learned how to
perform them correctly and in the correct situations.

THE TEACHER SHOULD OBSERVE
CHILDREN DURING THE ACTIVITY:

Do any children show attention problems (cannot
focus, easily distracted, forget what is happening
around them, play with other items or bother other
children)
Do any children have speech problems cannot
pronounce certain words, cannot hear well, etc.
Do any children seem very shy, withdrawn, fearful
of other children

Continue to observe these children. Position yourself
near them so you can provide more hands on and
direct assistance throughout the activities.
Do some children show lack of comprehension and
have difficulty understanding and following
instructions
Record your observations over time and see when
the childs behavior seems to improve or get worse
Provide one to one assistance and guidance to the
child at a later time
Continue to repeat this activity with them until they
have mastered it. This may take reinforcement,
encouragement, praise, and lots of repetition.

SOCIAL SKILLS TEACHING CHILDREN
HOW TO INTERACT PROPERLY AND
RESPECTFULLY IN THE PRESCHOOL
Select 5 phrases you want children to learn to use
appropriately:
Hello, my name is ____. What is your name?
Please, I would like to use this.
Excuse me, I would like to say something.
Please stop doing that, it is bothering me.
Lets take turns.you can go first.
Write each of these phrases on big posters. In
bright, fun colors. Make at least 3 copies of each
phrase.
Post these phrases throughout the classroom.


SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Suggested Activity #1
Hello, my name is
Suggested Activity #2
Please, may I?
Suggested Activity #3
Excuse me, I would like to say something
Suggested Activity #4
Please stop doing that!
Suggested Activity #5
Lets take turns you can go first



STEP 2: DEVELOPING COGNITIVE
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Childrens cognitive development includes the ability:
to process sensory information,
to analyze the incoming information,
to be able to use the information in short and long
term memory processes,
to use the information in making comparisons,
generalizations, and taking decisions.

CHILDREN WITH POOR COGNITIVE
SKILLS WILL DEMONSTRATE
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS BECAUSE:
they either cannot perform the task
cannot remember what they are required to do
cannot use previously learned information to help them
problem solve.

WHAT TO DO?

Supporting their cognitive development skills usually
improves behavior problems.
Remember cognitive development doesnt mean force
feeding children with information.
It is encouraging children on how to use the information
around theminternal processing of information.

SUPPORT COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH YOUR CURRICULUM-
BASED OBJECTIVES
Cognitive-language development
Analytical skills and mental problem-solving
This is usually done through asking questions likeWhat
happens next? Who do you think did it? How can we solve this
problem?
Concentration and memory
Keep children focused on the task. Keep them close to the
materials, ask them questions, stand by their side, guide them,
ask them to tell you what they are doing, and what they will do
next. Provide encouragement and reinforcement.
Asking questions like, What did you do yesterday? What did
you do this morning?
(CONTINUATION)
Early numerical abilities or knowledge of numbers
Repeating numbers, singing rhymes that have numbers in them
Knowledge of letters
Singing the alphabet song, having the alphabet and words posted throughout
the classroom and asking child to point and pronounce specific letters and
words
Language and symbol recognition
Fill the classroom with signs and words (red light, green light, stop signs,
crosswalk, quiet sign, smiles, handshake, etc.
Label things in the classroomdoor, window, books, bathroom, kitchen, wall,
bookshelf, etc.
Ask child to focus on word and say the words on a daily basis
Basic literacy
Read stories to children, have the child sit nearby you or in a place that you
can have direct eye to eye contact.
Ask questionswhat will happen next, how does the character feel, what
would you do in this situation.

SUGGESTED GAMES THAT DEVELOP
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT :

Suggested Activity #6
I Spy(I See)
Suggested Activity #7
Memory Games
FIRST STEPS IN
THE PRESCHOOL SETTING
Set clear, positive, well defined rules and expectations
for children
Identify any children who may need more targeted
assistance and support in understanding and following
the rules and expectations.
Modify the classroom environment to accommodate the
needs of children who are experiencing difficulties in
observing rules (give more open space, provide separate
time out and rest areas, mark off specific space for a
child, etc.)
Identify additional types of activities to assist the child in
learning the rules and practicing them more frequently.

PREPARATORY ACTIONS
Meet with parents and collect information on the child needs,
behaviors, concerns, likes and dislikes
Develop set schedules and routines that are easy to follow and remain
consistent
Set up clear signals when activities begin, will soon end, and what to do
after an activity is completed
Carry out activities that encourage and support positive interactions
between children shared accomplishments in building, painting,
physical games, etc.
Talk to children in clear sentences. Make sure they understand what is
expected of them.
Tell children what the rules are and what will happen if they do not follow
ruleswe must all take turns so that we can each have a ride on the
swing, if you push or shove others to get to the swing, you will be asked
to sit on the side and will lose your turn.
Consistently and constantly observe children reinforce and encourage
positive behavior and guide children who are not following the rules
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IN THE
PRESCHOOL
Write up/Draw the 4 or 5 rules that you want children to
follow and post them in strategic locations throughout
the preschool.
These rules should be easy to follow
Identify what you WANT the child to do and not what they
SHOULD NOT do.
They should be easy to implement
Explain the rules to the children, demonstrate what is
expected, and have children act out the rules one by one
make sure each child understands what the rules are
and why they should follow the rule.


Be consistent in observing children as they implement the rule
reinforce positive behaviors and encourage children who are not
obeying on how to follow the rules. If a child repetitively disregards
the rules then identify 2-3 consequences (child cannot participate in
an activity for 5 minutes, the child will have to repeat the appropriate
behavior, the child will not get a sticker, etc.)
Constantly observe children, move close by them and observe what
they are doing
Provide them with reminders (Now we are going to eat.what are the
rulesPick up the toys and games and put them away, line up, and
move to the bathroom to wash our hands!)
Observe children who seem to have difficulty following the rules and
identify what is the cause lack of attention, forgetting, in a hurry, etc.
Assist child in learning how to apply the rulestep by step instruction,
acting out the behavior, providing immediate hands on assistance in a
repetitive manner until the child learns the behavior (provide consistent
reminders when necessary.)
Reinforce positive behavior with rewards that the CHILD likes.

5 STEPS
Explain (why and what is expected)
Demonstrate and Model (teacher and child)
Rehearse/ Guided Practice (reinforce positive
behavior)
Perform Independently (consistent
observation and guidance for children)
Review/Reteach (not all children learn at the
same rate, individual differences in applying
rules)

HELPING CHILDREN TO LEARN
POSITIVE BEHAVIORS
Preschool activities should be kept between 10-15 minutes. For children
experiencing difficulties divide activities into smaller parts (5 minutes) and then
move to next activity or task.
Teacher should provide one to one assistance and guidance with children
hands on, close and personal interventionsAhmed here is your crayon, here
is your paper, where do you want to sit? Keep the child focused and move
them through the activities.
Support children in partnering with one another children learn from one
another and can be mentors. This will allow them to complete activities
together and raise likelihood of success.
Place signs, written words, pictures in certain places to remind children what to
dosmile, share wash hands pick up toys listen talk quietly etc.
Set up a reward systems for good behavior.children gather points for
listening, washing, etc. At the end of the day they get a sticker, take home a
book, or get to be the first one in line if they have gathered a certain number of
points.

STUDENTS WHO DONT FOLLOW
RULES/EXPECTATIONS
All behavior happen within a particular
context
All behavior serves a purpose
Children learn to behave or misbehave
based on whether it addresses their
needs
Understanding why children act the way
they do is the first step in problem solving
WHY CHILDREN MISBEHAVE
Sometimes to escape from doing an activity, task or
event that they do not like or feel incompetent in
Sometimes to get attention
Sometimes because they may have difficulty in
performance and comprehension
Personal reward and gratification
To be in power, to take control over others, or revenge

Teacher must observe childrens behavior to determine
possible causes for misbehaving and the reward the child is
receiving for acting this way.
PRE-DISCIPLINE
Before thinking about how or what kind of disciplining program you
want to support:

Ensure you develop a warm, considerate and supportive relationship with
the child. Without this, the child is less likely to be responsive to you.
Always demonstrate positive, appropriate and
Observe the childs/childrens behavior and be able to identify quickly
changes in the childs behavior and emotional state so that you can
interfere quickly before the behavior or emotion gets out of control
Teach the child to identify and communicate his/her emotional states,
identify behaviors or situations that are upsetting to them, to seek out
assistance when they need it
Help the child to learn how to control their behaviors and prevent them
selves from carrying out negative behaviors (those that hurt themselves
or others)
Assist the child in calming down first. Then address the problem and how
it impacted on self and others
Help the child to understand how the other child feels, help them to talk to
one another
Develop and foster positive, supportive relationships with the child

DISCIPLINE
No type of physical punishment is acceptable.
Disciplining is a way of positively educating a
child.
Time out
Remove child from setting
Remove toy or game
Reduce attention and reinforcement to child
REINFORCEMENT AND REWARDS
Praise and approval for good behavior good job, nice
drawing, you are smart, etc.
Modeling appropriate behavior teacher talks quietly, listens,
takes turns, is polite, smiles, etc.
Positive programming rewarding small steps in each of the
activities as the child performs them by developing new
skills holding crayons, lining up, holding books, sharing
toys
Shaping reinforcing behaviors that are similar to the
positive behaviors you are seeking. Smiling at child who is
playing well with others, encourage child who is helping to
pick up toys
Token economy giving child points for each good behavior.
Points can then be exchanged for a reward child gets to
pick which activity they will do or wants to do
STEPS IN ANALYZING
CHILDS BEHAVIOR
Teacher should discuss the following issues in
consultation with other teachers who may also be
interacting with the child:
1. What behavior is of concern to the teachers?
2. When does this behavior appear:
a. Identify potential causes for the behavior child is
frustrated, child is tired, child is uninterested
b. Who is around the child? Where is this behavior more
likely to take place at?

3. What happens after the child misbehaves?
a. Do other children give the child what he/she wants?
b. Does the child get to stop doing the activity?
c. Does the child get more attention?

INTERVENTION PLAN
1. Identify potential
causes for childs
behavior
2. Teaching strategies
a. Communication and
expression
b. Skills
3. Consequences are in
place
1. Child is tired, hungry, unable to
perform the task, is being
ignored by the children.
2. Teacher supports child in
expressing what their needs
are I am hungry, I am tired, I
do not want to do this activity,
no one is playing with me
Teacher supports development
of skills lets read together,
get the blocks from the top
shelf, stand in line
3. Teacher reinforces positive
behavior and explains to child
what happens if they do not
follow the rulestime out, lose
a turn, etc.


BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN
Identify what behavior you want to change
Set the goal.
Discuss with the child what the goal is and how you will
work together to achieve
Decide what social skills are needed to perform the
behavior
Decide what performance skills are needed to perform
the behavior
Decide on what curriculum or environmental
adaptations are needed
Decide on what consequences child will receive
Types of reinforcement
Types of discipline
PROBLEM BEHAVIORS
Is the child demonstrating any of the following behavioral problems:
Aggressive Behavior: Hitting, Biting, Pushing, Tantrums, Destroying Property/
Injuring Self, Swearing, Non compliant behavior

Communication problems not able to speak, not fluent in speech, speech
articulation problems, problems with voice, non-communicative, non-responsive,
other

Personal care not able to dress alone, not able to use toilet properly, poor
hygiene habits, problems eating

Physical disability visual, hearing, motor, gross motor, fine mother, mental or
psychological problems, seizures,

Psychological problems poor attention, withdrawn or isolated behavior, lacks
concentration, anxious, fear of separation, loss of interest, depressed, hyper active

Academic problems poor logico-mathematical skills and knowledge, poor pre-
literacy and/or literacy and writing skills, poor comprehension of
science/exploration/curiosity .

INITIAL ACTIONS TO TAKE
Discuss problem with other teachers and parents to get more information
on behavior and causes
Review class dynamics is behavior happening during certain hours of the
day, during certain activities, with certain children?
Does the child do better in small group work, large group work, individual
play/work
Does the child perform better when there is more space around him/her
Does the child perform better when he/she is in quiet area or separate
from the group
Does the child do better when you give them small, short, clear tasks with
directions
Does the child do better when he/she is given more freedom and selection
of activities
Does the child need more breaks
Does the child need more one on one contact and assistance
INITIAL ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT
Break down the exercise or task into smaller, shorter steps
Support the child with one on one assistance two to three
times
Guide him/her on the activity
Demonstrate for the child what behavior or outcome you
are seeking
Role model the behavior or show child a model of what is
expected
Giver feedback consistently and reinforce good behavior
Change activity if child appears very frustrated
Allow the child more time to complete the activity
Encourage the child to continue with work and reinforce
Change the activity slightly by making it easier or using
different colors, materials, etc. so the child remains
engaged and interested
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Discuss the plan with the parent
Identify what actions can be done at home
to eliminate the negative behaviors
Identify means of sharing information
Identify set plan of action to adopt within the
home environment
Agree upon reinforcements and disciplinary
actions.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS/CONDITIONS
Attention Deficit
Hyperactive Disorder
(ADHD
poor attention
impulsivity
overactive behavior

The frequency, duration
and severity of these
behaviors is constant.
Emotional and
behavioral
disorders
Autism
Learning
difficulties
Special needs


CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Discuss behaviors and
interventions with parents
Identify additional
support networks outside
of the preschool if
necessary
Support other childrens
understanding of
differences in children
and tolerance and
acceptance
Discuss need to
coordinate plans and
support mechanisms
within the preschool or
through parent
involvement
Set realistic
expectations and goals
for the child
Support child-child
partnering
SLOW AND STEADY
Preschool and home involvement are
necessary
In preschool cooperation and coordination
is necessary
Allocation of additional support from
specialists should be sought when
necessary
Consistent, thorough work with the child
usually will lead to progress
THE END.