"And are we treating chronically misbehaving children as though they don't want to behave, when in many cases they simply can't?"
These two really stuck out to me. I have time and time again thought about how we can teach children how to control their impulses.
Now, I work with young children and this article discusses elementary age. But it begins with us, in the preschool setting.
Being an Educational Specialist in a preschool, a lot of my time is spent problem solving and redirecting those kids. It doesn't stop there at our school. I then must be an example for the teachers by keeping my cool and showing teachers how to calm an angry or mischievous preschooler.
It's so easy for teachers to ask for a break from the child who is sucking all of the attention from the other children. Initially, I am able to step in and focus on this child while the teacher continues with their lesson. By mentoring and guiding the child, I get to show the teachers tools for times like these. There must be a shift at some point for the teachers to learn the cues and triggers that set the child off. They also must check their emotions and be aware of ways that their response may be hurting instead of helping.
We have their development on our side. They have yet to develop these skills to regulate their feelings. This is where the article below comes into play. We must not allow the child to come into the classroom and feel like it's going to be another day of consequences, another day of threats or another day of an exasperated teacher who just needs a vacation. We are the driving force for these preschoolers social emotional development. It doesn't stop when they leave the classroom either. We must partner with the parents and let them know what's going on in the classroom so we can mold the children as they develop and figure out the ways of the world.
Below is the link about a whole new look at those kids and being the change in their world to set them up for emotional success.
No comments:
Post a Comment