Greetings! Teaching young children to follow rules and meet our expectations can be challenging! Fortunately, there are some time-tested strategies to 1) teach children our expectations and to 2) motivate them to meet our expectations. Some knowledge that we want young children to gain or skills we want to them to perform are optional; however, there are some expectations ("Get ready for learning") that children simply must do. One good way to teach them the routines is to do it explicitly. That is, you get them all together and you tell them the expectation and why they need to learn it ("To get ready for learning, children must sit on the rug ), then you model the 3 - 4 steps of the routine, with pictures if possible, that go along with the routine's steps. For example, if you and another adult can arrange it, one of you takes on the role of the teacher, and one takes on the role of the child. The adult says, "We are going to get ready for learning, so come sit on the rug", and holds up a picture of a child sitting on the rug. The adult role-playing the student will need to be somewhere else in the classroom, then talk out loud the words "I will get ready for learning by sitting on the rug" and then the pretend student walks over to the rug and sits down. The "teacher" says, "Good job, coming over and sitting on the rug, (insert child's name)! You are now ready for learning! What are you ready to do?" and the pretend student says, "I am ready to learn". Gives a smile and a high-five, then says "What is your body doing that tells me you are ready to learn?" The student replies, "My body is sitting on the rug!", and smiles. The picture is used as necessary to scaffold the child into making the correct verbal response. If necessary, you can provide descriptive feedback to the student who is following the routine so that a nearby student catches on that if they want a high-five from you and to receive a smile, they need to do the same thing as the student who is compliant with your statement.
Now that the adults have modeled the first part of the routine ("I do it"), you can have the children actually do it with guidance from you ("We do it.") When they are able to do it well with minimal guidance, you can drop the pictures, then you can have them do it independently ("You do it"). This can take place over the first week of starting-up your program. Of course, you will have to add other elements to the routine, such as sitting criss-cross, apple sauce, keeping quiet hands and feet, etc., as it matches your definition of "ready for learning". You will also have to teach "Getting ready for lunch", "Getting ready to enter the hallway", etc., so they know that the expectations for "Getting ready" can vary, depending on the up-coming task, More information on this type of process for teaching children to meet various types of expectations across various settings are outlined in this resource:
www.rtinetwork.org/learn/rti-in-pre-kindergarten/developing-socially-competent-and-emotionally-resilient-young-children. There are also great resources at
www.pyramidmodel.org , a multi-tiered social-emotional intervention model for young children, at
www.pbis.org/community/early-childhood, and in the book "Implementing Positive Behavior Support Systems in Early Childhood and Elementary Settings", authored by Stormont, Lewis, Beckner, and Johnson, published by Corwin Press in 2008. Best wishes for a joyful experience developing socially competent and resilient young children!
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Robin Miller Young
Sugar Grove IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-15-2019 12:22 PM
From: Janeen Vanrassan
Subject: Children refusing & not following expectations
Hello! In reading your situation the feedback has been great! might I add that don't stress yourself if you don't need too. When you have a child who is content to play with toys, away from the group, let them. You did not state the age of the child, if that child is 2 years then bring your expectations down, it is not imperative that every child sit still thru a book reading. Most teachers make the mistake of placing higher expectations than is necessary on children before they are ready. For your mixed group only the 5 year olds may be mature enough to sit. Even then trial and error is the order of the day for you. Once you see that is not working, and you've lost the group, switch it up. Let them have that free play, as long as everyone is engaged in something then its alright. Learn to go by the interests of your children and what times they are most accommodating. They may be ready for a book, that they choose or bring in, before rest time, not every single day before lunch or outside play. Ask for parents to come in and read, or older siblings. Children don't adjust well to abrupt changes, let them know step by step what is coming and give them accolades when they do such as 'I really like how Angie is putting away her toys', or Nathan is waiting so patient! Good Job Nathan! . Also change up your book time with finger puppets and felt board stories, with plenty of participation from your group. It gets boring fast with just the same person reading all the time. Hope this helps!
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Janeen Vanrassan
Training & Curriculum Specialist
USAF 92 FSS/FSFC
Fairchild AFB WA
Original Message:
Sent: 01-13-2019 09:29 PM
From: Lacey Sessions
Subject: Children refusing & not following expectations
Hello,
I am the head-teacher at Mountain Kids Preschool. We just opened a new class for ages 3-5 (although one child is 2 years old). There are 8 children total in the class and 6 are new as of last week. It has been VERY challenging to help them follow the routine and expectations in the classroom. When I say something like, "ok, we are going to sit at the rug for a story," one child refuses and says, "no!!!" And wants to keep playing with the toys. (Same thing with any transition really). What can I do or say? Is there a developmentally appropriate "consequence?" I have said, "if we want to do fun things in school, we need to follow the rules." She barley looks at me and just can't seem to stop whatever she is doing.
Then during story time they all want to be up and playing with the toys. Which I understand that it is not developmentally appropriate to have young children sit. I am only asking for about 5 minutes. I know I can do some gross motor movement with them during this time, but I feel it will be hard to have them sit back down on the rug afterwards.
This class has 8 children and one teacher. I am at a loss. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
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Lacey
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