Optimizing Children’s Mental Health: The PBS Pyramid Model Part 1
Section 2: Introduction
Slide 2
This won’t be your typical training, but it will be the first step in an exciting process where you
receive clock hours and also experience the support of ongoing assistance and collaboration
with other professionals who want to see you achieve and maintain quality experiences for the
children and families you serve.
You’ve probably attended many workshops that gave you good information only to go back to
your centers and struggle with implementation. This experience will be different. You’ll have a
team behind you every step of the way so you can fully implement this information in your
center. Your skills will improve while the children’s behavior and development improve.
The grant team is comprised of Dr. Rick Peterson, Associate Professor and Extension Family
Life Specialist; Dr. Cheryl Grenwelge, Assistant Professor and Disability and Transition
Extension State Specialist; Dr. Stephen Green, Associate Professor and Extension Child
Development State Specialist; and Kim Hodge, Project Coordinator. They, along with your local
county Extension agent, will work with you and your staff to form a Professional Learning
Community, or PLC. The PLC will meet several times during the project to address any issues
you and your staff may be experiencing with implementing PBS in your center.
Section 3: Objectives
Slide 3
Let’s now take a look at the objectives for this course:
 We’ll explain the PBS Pyramid Model.
 We’ll review the areas of social and emotional development for children 0 through 5
years of age.
 We’ll focus on understanding the importance of responsive relationships in social and
emotional development.
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 We’ll look at children’s use of behavior and how their behavior communicates their
needs to others.
 Lastly, we’ll review the importance of the learning environment, transitions, and
classroom rules when supporting the social and emotional development of young
children.
Section 4: The PBS Pyramid Model
Slide 4
The PBS Pyramid Model was developed through a partnership of two centers: the Center on
the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, or CSEFEL, and the Technical
Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children, or TACSEI. They
worked together to develop the PBS method almost 12 years ago, and it’s been proven
through intensive research and replication to increase children’s social and emotional skills.
Each center has a website with many wonderful resources for you to explore.
Slide 5
Let’s take a look at this illustration of the PBS approach.
The basis of PBS follows the “Teaching Pyramid,” which includes four levels of practice to
address the needs of all children. This model supports social competence and prevents
challenging behaviors in young children.
The Effective Workforce level is in yellow at the base of the pyramid. By participating in this
project, you’ll receive ongoing training on best practices in young children’s social and
emotional development as well as support from the grant team, which is the foundation of the
PBS model.
The blue level has two important components. First is Building Nurturing and Responsive
Relationships with children and their families. It’s the first step to implementing PBS. Take the
time to get to know each child personally, and treat them with respect to lay the foundation
for a trusting relationship.
The next step in this blue level is creating a High Quality Supportive Environment. This step is
accomplished through appropriate classroom arrangement, predictable routines, planned
transitions, and establishing clear expectations or rules. When teachers spend time and energy
on building relationships and creating quality environments, the majority of children will
exhibit positive behaviors.
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Strong relationships and quality classroom environments can prevent 80% of the challenging
behaviors in your center.
Some children may need additional support with their social skills. The green level of the
pyramid, Targeted Social Emotional Supports, represents teaching children specific social skills
and behaviors that they need to meet the expectations of the classroom. For example, a
puppet may need to be used to provide an illustration of what a quiet inside voice sounds like,
or the children may need to practice sharing by role playing activities. These methods will take
care of the next 15% of challenging behaviors. Sometimes, we assume that children know the
correct social behaviors, but the words walking feet or use your inside voice may not mean
anything unless children are taught specifically what those behaviors look like.
Therefore, by building meaningful relationships, creating quality environments, and teaching
social skills, we can prevent 95% of the challenging behaviors in the classroom.
The remaining 5% is shown at the top of the pyramid and represents children who display the
most severe forms of challenging behaviors. Even with all of the other supports in place, some
children need Intensive Individualized Interventions or Individualized Behavior Support Plans
to address their specific behavioral difficulties and teach more appropriate social skills. These
plans are developed using a team that includes the child’s parent, teachers, center director,
county Extension agent, and the grant team. The child’s behavior is assessed, and the team
brainstorms interventions to develop a plan based on the assessment. The plan will be
implemented, and the team will meet to evaluate the progress and revise as necessary.
Slide 6
We’ll now watch a video made by CSEFEL entitled, Promoting Social and Emotional
Competence. While you watch, listen to the messages that are being communicated about
each level of the pyramid. Use the handout, Promoting Social Emotional Confidence Video
Worksheet, to record the messages you hear during the video on the left-hand side.
Section 5: Social and Emotional Development
Slide 7
This next section is devoted to understanding more thoroughly what is meant by early social
emotional development for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Here is CSEFEL’s definition: The term social emotional development refers to the developing
capacity of the child from birth through 5 years of age to form close and secure adult and peer
relationships; experience, regulate, and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate
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ways; and explore the environment and learn – all in the context of the family, community and
culture.
Let’s more closely examine this definition by looking separately at each key point.
Slide 8
So, what’s meant by “developing capacity”? Young children grow and change quickly, gaining
more skills in all areas of development, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional.
Think about the different abilities of a newborn, a 2-year-old, and 4-year-old. Appropriate
social and emotional development must be constantly viewed through the lens of what is
appropriate for the childʼs development. For example, we wouldn’t expect a 1-year-old to
describe how he’s feeling in words or sentences. We’d expect that a 4-year-old would
continue to have difficulty regulating her own emotions, but she would be much better able to
do so than an 18-month-old. Another example could be that we wouldn’t expect a 6-monthold to get up and walk about the room, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see a 2-year-old do
this. Social emotional development grows based on abilities and learning over time. It’s a
process, just like learning to talk, walk. and develop other skills.
Slide 9
What’s meant by “form close and secure adult and peer relationships”? Young children require
nurturing relationships with adult caregivers for healthy social emotional development. When
adults are loving, responsive, and consistent in their care, young children learn that they’re
valued and that their world is primarily satisfying and predictable. They learn through these
relationships how to interact with their peers and other adults.
Slide 10
What’s meant by “experience, regulate, and express emotions in socially and culturally
appropriate ways”? Joy, sadness and frustration are just some of the emotions that all children
experience during their first years. Children watch important adults to figure out how they
should feel and act in certain situations. With adult help, they increasingly learn how to control
or regulate their emotions so they donʼt get overwhelmed by their emotions.
The familyʼs culture affects the way in which parents believe emotions should be expressed.
What’s unacceptable in one family or culture may be entirely acceptable in another culture. In
some cultures or families, it’s perfectly acceptable for a 3-year-old to say, “Iʼm mad at
mommy,” or “Mommy, I donʼt like you.” In other cultures or families, that would be
considered an unacceptable expression of feelings.
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Slide 11
What is meant by “explore the environment and learn”? The drive to explore and master one’s
environment is inborn in humans. Young children’s active participation in their own learning
and development is an important aspect of their mental health.
Slide 12
What is mean by “all in the context of family, community, and culture”? Young children first
learn about relationships and feelings as part of a family. Think about how different cultures
express grief at funerals. All cultures and families experience sadness when someone they care
about dies; however, how the grief is expressed can look very different. For example, in some
cultures, it’s okay to cry loudly or yell. In other cultures, it’s important to keep your feelings in
and be stoic. Neither way of expressing grief is wrong; they’re just different ways of coping
and expressing oneʼs emotions. Children learn how to express and manage their emotions by
watching others around them.
Slide 13
So, why should we focus on social and emotional development?
• Social and emotional development impacts all other areas of growth and development.
It’s the foundation upon which all future development is built.
• What caregivers share with and give young children today, children will carry inside
themselves forever. The care we give young children helps to form who they become.
It’s imperative that we nurture their social and emotional development.
• Social and emotional development sets the “playing field” for school readiness and
lifelong success. Research shows that children who have healthy social and emotional
skills tend to learn better, are more likely to stay in school, and will be better able to
make and keep lifelong friends.
• Many programs focus on the cognitive and motor development of young children while
social and emotional skills get ignored. The ability to get along with peers and control
emotions are necessary skills for young children to be successful in school and
throughout their lives.
• Social and emotional skills are reflected in the behaviors of young children. Their
behaviors communicate to us what they are feeling, needing, and wanting.
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Challenging behaviors reflect a low level of social and emotional skill development. More
attention must be given to the social and emotional development of young children for them
to develop the skills they need to be successful adults in the future. Utilizing the principles of
Positive Behavior Support will help all children develop positive social and emotional skills.
Section 6: Building Nurturing and Responsive Relationships
Slide 14
One of our most important roles in supporting healthy social emotional development with
young children is to establish nurturing and trusting relationships. Through these relationships,
young children form close and trusting relationships throughout life.
Slide 15
Let’s consider the aspects of relationships.
• Relationships have emotional connections like love, security, and respect.
• The relationships endure over time.
• They have special meaning between the two people.
• They create memories and expectations in the minds of the people involved.
Our own prior relationships create feelings, expectations, and behaviors that we bring to each
new relationship, including those with the babies and young children we care for. Going back
to our own childhood, if we have a personal history of basically satisfying and supportive
experiences, we are likely to go into new relationships with the expectation that these
relationships will also be satisfying and supportive.
When we talk about children’s relationships, it is helpful to reflect on the role that
relationships have played in our own lives.
Slide 16
At this time, please respond to the questions posed in the Relationship Inventory Activity that
you’ve downloaded and printed.
We’ve included this activity to highlight the importance for all caregivers of very young
children to develop the capacity to reflect on why they do what they do or why they say what
they say to children.
Slide 17
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Why is it important to build relationships with children?
• First of all, it helps each child feel accepted in the group.
• It also assists children in learning to communicate and get along with others.
• Building relationships with children encourages feelings of empathy and mutual respect
among children and adults.
• Finally, it provides a supportive environment in which children can learn and practice
appropriate and acceptable behaviors as individuals and as a group.
The relationships we build with children, families, and colleagues are at the foundation of
everything we do with children. It’s important to build relationships with all children as a
context for supporting their social emotional development and preventing challenging
behavior. It will be easier to address challenging behavior if we already have a relationship
with the child.
Slide 18
Now let’s look at how you can build nurturing and responsive relationships.
Building a relationship is a compilation of interactions between two people. It’s done with a
careful balance of observation and interaction, which are both equally important in forming
strong and meaningful relationships with young children.
Think of how you approach a new employee at work. Typically, what you say and do is affected
by the other person’s response to you. If you smile at them and they smile back at you, it
encourages you to speak and introduce yourself; further observation will help you decide if
you should extend your hand for shaking and continue making small talk or asking questions.
Observing the other person’s responses give you clues on how to proceed with the formation
of the new relationship. The same holds true for relationships with young children. We do this
automatically because we have many experiences meeting new people. Young children have
limited experiences meeting new people, so it’s up to the teacher to take the lead and ensure
that the child is comfortable with the interaction based on observing the child’s reactions.
Here’s an example. You tell a child good morning and reach your arms out, offering to hold the
child, and the child buries their face in their parent’s shoulder. You’ll know by that observation
that your interaction was too strong, and next time you should approach the child more
slowly. Rushing a child to have an interaction that they’re uncomfortable with should be
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avoided. If you use observation during your interaction with a child, it will help you to be more
sensitive to the child and, in turn, help in forming the relationship with them.
Slide 19
Observation is a skill that’s vital to teaching young children. It gives the teacher insight into
how young children develop, why children do what they do, what makes them smile and
laugh, and what tasks are difficult for them. By carefully observing young children and
appreciating individual differences in their development, caregivers are better able to
understand a child and take actions based on those understandings.
Slide 20
By observing the children in our care, we can identify the child’s temperament, where the
child is developmentally, and pick up on non-verbal and behavioral cues.
Section 7: Temperament
Slide 21
Temperament is defined as the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person.
Each child is born with his or her own temperament or individual way of approaching the
world. A child’s behavior and approach to the world is shaped by his or her experiences and
interactions with the adults. Understanding a child’s temperament helps us provide more
responsive and sensitive care.
Some aspects of temperament are noticeable from birth and continue throughout life. From
the start, we each have a unique genetic makeup that includes our nervous system and the
way we take in sensory stimulation. For example, some people may like bright lights and loud
music; others prefer the lights low and the music quiet. Some people eat and sleep in pretty
regular patterns; others have no pattern at all. The concept of temperament helps us
understand that children engage with the world according to their inborn characteristics.
A large part of a caregiverʼs job is to adapt his or her own temperament to meet the needs of
the young child. For example, a caregiver who likes bright lights and loud music may need to
provide less stimulation by talking more softly and reducing the lights and other noise. The
degree to which this is managed is referred to as “goodness of fit.” The sensitive adult adapts
his or her behavior in such a way as to not require the child to make the adaptation, knowing it
would be stressful for the child. The adult seeks to match her behavior to meet the childʼs
needs.
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Slide 22
Here’s a list of different traits that help us understand temperament.
 Activity level. Is the child always active or generally still?
 Biological rhythms. Is there predictability of the child’s hunger, sleep, and elimination?
 Approach/withdrawal. How does the child respond to new situations? Do new people or
changes in routine stress out the child? Do they hide behind an adult, or do they
manage new people or unexpected changes with ease?
 Mood. Does the child tend to react with a positive or negative mood? Is the child
serious, fussy, or flexible?
 Intensity of reaction. When something happens, what is the energy level or strength of
the child’s emotional reaction?
 Sensitivity. What is the child’s comfort with levels of sensory information, such as
sound, brightness of light, feel of clothing, and new tastes or smells?
 Adaptability. Does the child manage transitions or changes easily?
 Distractibility. How easily does the child’s attention get pulled from an activity? Is focus
an issue?
 Persistence. How long does the child continue with an activity he or she finds difficult?
From these 9 traits, we classify three different temperament types into which many children
fall. Each of these three common temperament types is characterized by a trait that may
dominate the childʼs behavior.
Slide 23
The first temperament type we’ll discuss is the easy or flexible child. This child is generally
easy to care for. She adapts quickly to new situations, is biologically regulated, is optimistic in
her approach to new people, and generally has a positive mood. She tends to learn to use the
toilet without a lot of difficulty, sleeps through the night, and has regular eating and sleeping
patterns. She enjoys new people and places and typically gives mild signals of distress. Even
when very unhappy, this child may cry very little.
Slide 24
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The next temperament type is the feisty child, who is often the opposite of the easy or flexible
child. This child may be hard to get to sleep, and sleeping and eating patterns are irregular.
Toilet training may be more difficult because of irregular bowel patterns. This child may fuss or
cry at loud noises and is often wary of new people and things. He’s slow to warm up and may
escalate to temper tantrums quickly if frustrated. He may have frequent unhappy moods. This
child may be very noisy when even slightly unhappy.
Slide 25
The third temperament type is often called fearful, shy, or slow-to-warm. These children
often have difficulty adapting to new people and places. Their mood may not be easy to gauge
because it takes longer for them to engage with a group or a new activity. Their biological
rhythms may or may not be regular.
Slide 26
Why is it important to understand a child’s temperament?
By having understanding the child’s temperament, we can begin to anticipate what situations
may be easy or more difficult for him. We can nurture and support the child’s strengths, as
well as help the child learn ways to cope with challenges. We can adapt how we care for a
young child based on his or her temperament style. It’s an important part of and a way to
build and enhance relationships between adults and young children.
Some temperaments are easier for us to handle than others, but it’s still very important for
children to feel accepted for who they are!
Section 8: Social and Emotional Developmental Level
Slide 27
Careful observation can also reveal the social and emotional developmental level of the
children in your care. But why is it important to know children’s social and emotional
developmental milestones?
Some research indicates that families and caregivers are more familiar with cognitive
milestones and show less understanding of the social and emotional areas. This lack of
understanding may lead adults to have unrealistic expectations for young children, and may
ultimately lead to frustration. For example, you wouldn’t expect a 2-year-old to share or
verbally tell you what is wrong.
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Knowing these milestones helps us determine if a child is on track or if there may be a
developmental delay, which you wouldn’t know if you don’t know what’s appropriate for
various ages. In the same manner it helps us identify areas of strengths that a child may have.
Knowing general social and emotional development is necessary for intervening early to
maximize the effectiveness of interventions. The earlier the intervention is provided, the more
likely it is to be effective.
It is important to consider the developmental level of the children in order to plan activities
that will not be frustrating to them or too simple. Developmentally appropriate activities
prevent children from engaging in challenging behaviors.
Slide 28
By closely observing young children, we can pick up on verbal and behavioral cues. Young
children have developing verbal skills, so they often communicate non-verbally. Careful
observation can help to translate their non-verbal communication.
Slide 29
One way to structure our thinking about the behavior of infants, toddlers and young children is
to think about behavior as being an important form of communication that always has
meaning. The child’s communication expresses many things.
• What the child is experiencing. Is the child having a pleasant or unpleasant experience?
• What it’s like to be in that child’s body. Is the child comfortable or uncomfortable?
• What it’s like to be in that child’s world. Is it a calm, peaceful environment, or is it a loud
stressful environment?
Slide 30
Every communicative behavior can be described by the “form” and “function” of the
communication.
The form is the behavior used to communicate.
The function is the reason or purpose for the communicative behavior.
For example, a baby crying and squirming after having a bottle would be the form, and being
uncomfortable and asking to be burped would be the function of the behavior.
Slide 31
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Infants communicate in many ways, such as:
 Gaze aversion or looking away,
 Yawning,
 Expressions,
 Pushing out of the lips,
 Wrinkling the brow,
 Lip grimace or lip compression,
 Smiling,
 Tongue show,
 Brow raising,
 Dull look,
 Vocalization,
 Giggling,
 Crying, and
 Squealing.
Slide 32
They can also communicate through their movements, such as:
 Pulling away,
 Joining of hands,
 Arching back and stiffening,
 Clinging posture,
 Lowering the head,
 Hand to eye,
 Hand to ear,
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 Hand to mouth,
 Hand to stomach, and
 Reaching for caregiver.
Slide 33
Young children communicate in some of these ways:
 Words,
 Sentences,
 Eye gaze,
 Pulling on adults,
 Crying,
 Biting, and
 Tantrums.
Can you think of other ways they communicate?
Slide 34
Remember that the function of communication is the reason or purpose of the communicative
behavior. Let’s look at a list of functions of communication:
 Request object, activity, or person;
 Escape demands, like clean-up time;
 Escape an activity, like group time;
 Escape a person;
 Request help;
 Request social interaction;
 Comment, such as giving the caregiver feedback about something the child is expected
to do;
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 Request information, such as a child needing a more detailed description of an
expectation;
 Request sensory stimulation, such as the child is simply bored and can’t express that or
find something novel to do; and
 Escape sensory stimulation, such as the level of sound, light, or touch is too high for the
child to manage, and they’re asking for a reduction in the stimuli.
Can you think of other messages children may communicate?
Section 9: Communicative Behavior
Slide 35
In addition to observing the form of communication and the interpreted function, other
dimensions to consider are the intensity, frequency, and duration of the communicative
behavior.
 Intensity refers to the strength or power of the behavior.
 Frequency is how often the behavior occurs.
 Duration describes how long the behavior lasts.
It’s important to remember that some behaviors are appropriate for the developmental age of
a child, but the intensity, frequency, and/or duration can make the behavior challenging.
Here are a few examples:
 A 4-year-old refusing lunch one day would be looked at differently than if that child
refuses lunch several days in a row. This is an example of frequency.
 A 5-month-old who usually cries each morning for a period of 5 minutes before falling
asleep, cries for an hour and doesn’t settle to sleep. This is an example of duration.
 A 2-year-old throws herself down on the floor when she sees a child holding a toy that
she wants. She then jumps to her feet screaming, runs to the child holding the toy, and
smacks the child. This is an example of intensity.
Slide 36
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Please take a look at this picture of an iceberg. Focus on the “tip of the iceberg,” the part
that’s visible above the water. The tip represents the communicative behavior we can observe,
which is the form.
What lies beneath represents what’s going on “behind the scenes” within the child: what
they’re trying to communicate and what needs they’re trying to have met, which is the
function.
Through observation and reflection on the underlying meanings of children’s behavior, we can
begin to figure out what children are trying to tell us, or the function of their behavior.
Slide 37
Now we’ll watch a video clip to explore the meaning of behavior. During this viewing, focus on
Michael (Observing Michael?), the little boy across from the teacher. Jot down what he’s
experiencing and his perspective on the situation.
Now, we’ll watch the video clip one more time. This time, we’ll focus our attention on Arianna,
the little girl to the left of the teacher. What’s she experiencing, and what’s her perspective?
We used these clips to practice two skills:
 The first is observation, which is what we saw happen, the form of the behavior, and the
“tip of the iceberg.” he second is interpretation, which is what we thought might be the
meaning of the behavior, our hypotheses about the function of the behavior, and our
thoughts on what the “base of the iceberg” might be.
Keep in mind that it’s important to make observations and interpretations, but we must
always be clear about which is which. One reason is that interpretations can vary widely from
one individual to another.
Slide 38
Our next activity is designed to sharpen our observation skills. This time, we’ll view a video clip
of some preschoolers in a classroom (Boy with Truck?). Please this viewing of the video to take
in as much information as possible.
Now, let’s look at the Observations, Interpretations, and Questions handout that you’ve
already downloaded and printed. Record your observations while watching the clip again.
Remember, observation means that you record only what you see – the actual form of the
child’s behavior.
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Slide 39
Behavior carries meaning and communicates a message.
Translating a child’s behavioral cues takes practice. For example, when a baby first “smiles,” it
might mean “I’m happy” or “I like what I see.” When a baby “stretches two arms up,” he might
be saying, “Pick me up.” As a baby “points to a bottle,” she may be saying, “I want my bottle.”
In some instances, when children don’t have the language skills necessary to communicate
appropriately, they’ll resort to using challenging behavior as a means of communication. A
child who has limited social skills or has learned that challenging behavior results in meeting
his or her needs may also use challenging behavior instead of language
Slide 40
Let’s try to translate these behaviors.
• A 3-month-old screams and cries for long periods. Perhaps he has colic; maybe he wants
the caregiver’s attention; maybe he doesn’t know the caregiver or feel secure; perhaps
he’s uncomfortable or in pain; perhaps he is hungry, cold, or wet; or maybe it’s a new
environment, and he’s scared.
• A 17-month-old hits another child. He may want a toy the other child has; he may be
curious about what the child will do in response; he may want to play; perhaps the
other child is in his space; or he may not know what else to do to get his needs met.
• A 2-year-old says “no.” Perhaps he has heard “no” frequently and is experimenting with
language; he may be trying to have some power, control, and independence; he may be
trying to understand what “no” means; or he may not want to do something.
 A 4-year-old says, “You’re not coming to my birthday party”! She may be jealous; she
may be angry because her mom is out of town on business; she may not have had
enough rest; she maybe grumpy because she’s hungry; or she may want the other
child’s attention.
Slide 41
As we watch this next clip, try to determine what Andrew might be trying to communicate
with his biting (Biting Video?).
Slide 42
Some possible reasons for Andrew’s biting may include:
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• He may want the toy.
• He may want to play with the other boy.
• He may not know how to communicate in another way.
• Or he may have learned that biting is an effective way to get what he wants.
Slide 43
Challenging behavior often results in the child gaining access to something or someone, or
avoiding something or someone.
Slide 44
The bottom line is:
 Children engage in challenging behavior because “it works” for them.
 Understanding the message behind or the meaning of a child’s behavior gives us clues
as to how to intervene or respond in the most effective way.
 Understanding comes through careful observation.
Section 10: Pattern of Interaction
Slide 45
Along with observations, we must also give careful consideration to our interactions with the
children in our class.
Slide 46
Many of us have heard the term “attachment,” which is sometimes coupled with other words
like “secure” or “insecure” attachment.
Attachment is a pattern of interaction that develops over time as the child and caregiver
engage.
John Bowlby, one of the first writers and researchers to write about attachment, describes the
term “attachment” as the emotional bond that develops between a child and a caregiver.
So, how are interactions, relationships, and attachment connected?
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Repeated interactions allow the infant or young child to learn what to expect from others and
his or her caregiver. These repeated interactions lead to fairly predictable relationships.
It’s through this give and take pattern of “call and response” that infants and young children
form deep emotional connections with their caregivers.
Slide 47
There are two types of attachment: secure and insecure. The type of attachment is reflective
of the quality of the relationships between caregivers and children.
Babies arrive ready to engage in patterns of interaction. The infant is, in fact, biologically
“wired” to use his caregiver as a provider of comfort, or as it is sometimes called, a “secure
base.”
For example, when infants feel threatened, they turn to their caregiver for protection and
comfort. The caregiver’s consistent, accurate response to the infant’s signal of need, such as
crying, helps mold the attachment relationship into a predictable, back and forth pattern of
interaction that develops over the first year of life.
As another example, you’ve probably seen a toddler venture off to try something new but
keep looking back to make sure that the caregiver, his secure base, is still there and close by if
he needs them.
In contrast, when we as caregivers are unpredictable, unresponsive, insensitive, or even
threatening, insecure attachments develop. Insecure attachments can make children feel bad
about themselves and feel that they aren’t important. They may feel a lack of control over
their environment and may struggle to develop positive relationships with others.
Keeping this information in mind, we can begin to explore our own actions and strategies in
working with children and families to facilitate the development of strong attachment
relationships.
Slide 48
Think about this quote by Uri Bronfenbrenner, a famous developmental psychologist: “Every
child needs one person who is crazy about him.”
Bronfrenbrenner’s conviction that positive relationships – even one positive relationship with
a caregiver – can make a profound impact on a child’s development and should motivate us to
be that person for the children in our care.
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Slide 49
Let’s examine the metaphor, adopted from the work of Carolyn Webster-Stratton, of a piggy
bank to illustrate “making deposits into children’s emotional banks” as a way of building
positive relationships (Webster-Stratton, 1999). We make deposits when we do things to build
relationships; we make withdrawals when we engage in behaviors that are detrimental to
relationship building.
Slide 50
Here are some practical strategies that help build positive relationships with children.
• Greet every child by name.
• Get on the child’s level by squatting or sitting.
• Give them a wink and a smile.
• The most important thing to keep in mind is to be trustworthy. Keep your word, and tell
the truth. These are the most important qualities in any relationship.
• Play, following the child’s lead. It’s easy to spend most of our time giving directions and
correcting behavior. Play provides a context for focusing on more positive behaviors and
interactions and promoting children’s social skills and emotional development.
• Have families complete interest surveys about their child.
• Have a conversation over a snack.
• Conduct home visits several times a year.
• Listen to a child’s ideas and stories, and be an appreciative audience.
• Send home positive notes.
• Offer praise and encouragement.
• Share information about yourself, and find something in common with the child.
Slide 51
More ways to build positive relationships with the children include:
• Ask children to bring in family photos, and give them an opportunity to share the photos
with you and their peers.
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• Post children’s work at their eye level.
• Have a Star of the Week who brings in special things from home and gets to share them
during circle time. Make sure everyone has a turn.
• Acknowledge children’s efforts.
• Give compliments liberally.
• In front of a child, call the family to say what a great day she or he is having.
• Find out what a child’s favorite book is and read it to the whole class.
• Have the children make personal “All about Me” books, and share them at circle time.
• Write on a t-shirt all the special things about a given child, and let him or her wear it
around.
• Play a game with a child.
• Play outside with a child on the playground equipment.
• Go to an extracurricular activity with the child.
• Learn some of the key phrases in each child’s home language.
• Give hugs, high-fives, and a thumbs-up for accomplishing tasks.
• Simply hold a child’s hand.
Slide 52
• Call aside a child who has had a bad day and say, “I’m sorry you had a bad day today. I
know tomorrow is going to be better!”
• Tell children how much they were missed when they are absent for a day of school.
• Bridging home to school through the use of photos.
• Celebrate important events in children’s lives.
Slide 53
Let’s look at some concrete ways that teachers working with young children are going about
nurturing relationships with young children. This first clip has two vignettes of caregiver and
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infant interactions (Two Conversations with Babies?). As you view the clip, observe ways that
the caregivers encourage secure attachment and support social and emotional development.
How did the caregivers in this video clip promote a secure relationship? The caregiver is
holding the child or sitting close to the child; they use the child’s name; they’re speaking softly,
warmly, and in an engaging manner; and they’re reading and responding to the child.
How did the caregivers encourage the children to experience, regulate, and express emotions?
The caregivers used a calm voice; they responded to the child’s verbalizations; they followed
the child’s lead; they labeled the child’s actions; they demonstrated reciprocity, or the give
and take of interactions; and she responded to the child’s interest in the mirror and book.
How did the caregivers assist the child to explore the environment and learn? She held the
mirror and pointed things out in the book; she used the child’s name; she used the mirror to
support the child’s self-awareness; and she used language to describe what the child was
doing.
How did the caregivers promote the context of culture, family, and community? The caregiver
spoke to the child in the child’s home language.
Slide 54
Now, we’ll watch a teacher having a conversation with a child in her care (Adult-Child
Conversation?). As you watch, think about the Brofenbrenner quote from earlier. Do you think
this child feels like the teacher is “crazy” about her?
What does the teacher do to build her relationship with the little girl? The teacher had a
conversation with the child; she showed interest by asking the child questions about her
afterschool program and home; she played as a partner with the child; she followed the child’s
lead; she was sitting at the child’s level; and the teacher was a responsive listener.
Slide 55
Families and other significant caregivers have the most continuous and emotionally charged
relationships with children, and it is within these significant relationships that children learn to
experience and communicate emotion. Therefore, building positive relationships with the
babies and children you care for, as well as with their families, is essential to healthy
development.
Slide 56
Here are some ideas for building relationships with families:
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• Keep the lines of communication open between the program and families.
• Support and encourage parental involvement in activities.
• Learn from family members about their children, home, and family life.
• Share resources with parents about how to support the child’s social emotional
development.
• Share positive things the child did at the program.
• Conduct meetings with parents in an environment and time convenient for them.
• Assure parents about confidentiality and privacy rights.
• Implement activities that bring families together.
• Show respect to parents by acknowledging the good things they’re doing with their
child.
• Ask parents to share their unique resources with your program, such as their talents and
access to other resources.
Slide 57
Children take social cues from their teachers. They’re always watching how the important
adults in their lives interact with each other. Positive staff relationships are imperative to
modeling social skills to the children. Here are some ideas for building relationships you’re
your colleagues:
• Encourage teamwork; share your ideas and materials.
• Provide support; offer to help when you notice someone is struggling.
• Build trust among your colleagues.
• Be honest and kind to one another.
• Respect your co-workers’ talents and abilities.
• Acknowledge their accomplishments.
• Understand and respect each other’s backgrounds.
• Develop a shared vision, goals, and mission.
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• Have a sense of humor.
• Build cooperation.
• Avoid sarcasm; it’s confusing to children.
Section 11: Messages we Send to Children
Slide 58
Let’s take some time to reflect on the messages that we send to the children in our care.
Have you ever gone into a place where it’s obvious that you aren’t welcome? Even if no one
says those words, you get the message loud and clear. Children also interpret the unspoken
messages that we send to them. We’re now going to think about essential messages that we
want to send to the children in our care. These messages should communicate how valuable
the children are to us and how committed we are to them.
Slide 59
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to learn that your needs will be met so
you can feel free to relax, explore, and learn from the environment.
To help you, we’ll respond to your discomfort as quickly as possible so that you will be free to
relax and enjoy learning about your world. When you cry, we’ll respond to you quickly, and
we’ll speak to you in a soothing voice to let you know we’re coming. We’ll encourage you to
explore by allowing you to try to crawl, by providing you with safe toys to manipulate, and by
keeping the environment safe for you. However, we’ll stay close to assure you that we’re
nearby if you need us.
Slide 60
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to know that you can communicate
your needs effectively.
We’ll observe you carefully to try to accurately read and learn your individual cues. We’ll try to
meet your needs. We’ll respond to your attempts to use sounds and words by mirroring your
sounds and words. We’ll understand that your behavior has meaning and is communicating a
need, desire, wish, or feeling. We’ll talk to you often so you experience a great deal of
language and begin to understand the meaning of words and how they’re used.
Slide 61
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Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to learn to gradually and eventually
build your own skills to soothe, comfort, and regulate yourself.
To help you, we’ll learn and try many ways to soothe you when you’re upset. We’ll respond
when you cry or express needs. We’ll acknowledge your feelings. We’ll refrain from ignoring or
dismissing your feelings. We’ll mirror your emotions. We’ll stay calm to help you feel calm.
We’ll change the lighting and sound level, or take a walk with you to reduce stimulation if you
feel overstimulated. We’ll find novel and interesting things for you to explore if you’re seeking
stimulation.
Slide 62
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to know that relationships are positive,
and people can be counted on and trusted to keep you safe.
To help you along, we’ll keep you safe. We’ll respond to your needs. We’ll have fun with you
and show you affection. We’ll smile often. We’ll be present for you physically and emotionally.
We’ll work hard to form an attachment with you so you feel close and connected to us. We’ll
tell you when transitions are about to take place, such as if someone new is coming in or if we
are going to pick you up to change your diaper, or when it’s almost time to clean up for lunch.
We’ll maintain a consistent but flexible routine.
Slide 63
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to gradually learn to understand your
own feelings and express them appropriately.
To assist you, we’ll identify our own feelings and work to match our facial expressions to our
words and tone of voice. We’ll talk about emotions and use a variety of feeling words. We’ll
identify your facial expressions and those of the peers around you. We’ll ask about feelings.
We’ll accept all feelings yet encourage and guide you to practice ways to express your feelings
appropriately.
Slide 64
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to treat others with kindness and
respect.
We’ll treat you with kindness and respect. We’ll be warm and affectionate towards you. We’ll
hold you, pat your back, and hug you. We’ll look at you when we’re talking to you, and we’ll
speak to you at eye level. We’ll be gentle with you and remind you to do the same. We’ll be
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patient and remember that you’re learning how to behave. We’ll acknowledge and praise your
behavior when you’re kind to others. We’ll show appreciation when you’re kind to us. We’ll
speak positively to you and tell you what to do instead of what not to do.
Slide 65
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to appreciate your uniqueness and be
proud of who you are and where you come from.
So, we’ll honor and respect your family and community culture. We’ll ask your family
questions about their beliefs, rituals, traditions, and caregiving practices. We’ll attempt to
reflect your familyʼs beliefs and customs in our caregiving practices. We’ll respect your
temperament, preferences, needs, ideas, and desires.
Slide 66
Here’s a message being sent to children: We want you to feel competent. We want you to feel
good about your abilities and challenge yourself to do more.
To encourage these feelings, we’ll respond to your communication and needs. I’ll encourage
your efforts. I’ll praise your effort instead of your being by saying things like “You’re trying so
hard to crawl” and “Wow, that’s awesome” instead of saying “You’re so smart” and “You’re a
good boy.” I’ll recognize your strengths and encourage your interests. I’ll introduce you to new
things and encourage you to try new things.
Slide 67
Here’s a message being sent to children: We will accept who you are and refrain from trying to
change your temperament or preferences.
To encourage this, we’ll try to tell you what you can do instead of only what you cannot. For
example, we’ll say “We can go outside after lunch” instead of “No, you canʼt go out now.”
We’ll try to minimize the use of the words, “No,” “Don’t,” and “Stop.” We’ll refrain from
discouraging you and try to find appropriate ways that you can explore or follow your
interests, by saying things like “If you want to throw a block, we’ll try to give you a softball to
throw outside.”
As Dr. Suess says, “Be who you are and say what you mean, because those who mind don’t
matter and those who matter don’t mind!”
Slide 68
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When children receive messages that we value them as individuals, it lays the foundation for a
strong relationship to develop. Building a nurturing and responsive relationship is an essential
component to promoting social and emotional wellness. All who provide care and education
to children need to have knowledge about the impact of relationships on children’s social
emotional development.
Section 12: Observation and Self-Reflection
Slide 69
We’re better able to recognize the impact of our personal experiences on the messages we
send children in our care if we reflect on how we interpreted the messages we received in
childhood. This is why, as caregivers, we must build skills in observation and self-reflection.
What behaviors push your buttons?
How do these behaviors make you feel?
How does this impact your relationship with a child and his or her family?
This exercise will help us reflect on these questions. Take a moment and think of some of the
behaviors that “push your buttons” or bother you he most, or set off your temper.
What pushes one person’s buttons might be very different from what pushes another
individual’s buttons, depending on their past experiences with children, training, and level of
support for dealing with challenging behaviors.
Take a look at Hot Button handout. Fill in the top row with your own “hot buttons.”
Now, think of children with whom you have worked who have behaviors that “push your
buttons.” Complete the second row of circles by listing feeling words that reflect how you felt
when you were working with that child. Examples of responses might include: “It made me
frustrated,” “I feel like I don’t know what I am doing,” “It makes me mad,” “I feel like a
failure,” and “It makes me want to get another job.”
Now, write your response to the third question on the third row of circles on the handout,
“How do these feelings affect your interactions with children when they engage in these
behaviors?”
Slide 70
As caregivers of babies and very young children, it’s not always easy to be calm and supportive
when the children are behaving in ways that we don’t understand or that are causing
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problems for themselves or others. Many feelings or emotional reactions can make it difficult
to be effective with children. If we haven’t experienced relationships in our own personal lives
that helped us deal with stressful feelings, we may find it particularly hard to help a child who
is stressed. It’s important that all of us have the opportunity to think about and discuss the
impact of our past experiences on our current behavior and relationships with other adults
and children as part of ongoing professional development. Working to become more selfaware helps to separate our current feelings and reactions from those generated in past
experiences.
That’s precisely why it’s important to acknowledge our hot buttons and the situations that
trigger these feelings. It allows us to work on a plan and strategies for dealing with these
situations when they occur.
Slide 71
One useful strategy to use when trying to deal with a challenging behavior and the way it
makes you feel is to reframe the behavior. Let’s take a look at the Reframing Behavior handout
that you downloaded and printed at the beginning of this section.
In the left-hand column, there are examples of what a teacher is thinking in response to a
challenging behavior that pushes their button. In the right-hand column, are positive ways of
looking at that challenging behavior.
• “He whines from the moment he arrives until the time he gets on the bus to go home”
can be replaced with “He must really miss his family.”
• “She is clingy with her mother” can be replaced with “She might be slow to warm up in
new settings.”
• “I have to watch him like a hawk or he’ll run out the door and down the hall” can be
replaced with “He may not understand the expectations about staying with the group”
or “He may be not be engaged enough with what is going on in the classroom.”
• “She constantly knocks over other children’s block constructions or destroys other
children’s artwork” can be replaced with “Maybe she is frustrated because she does not
know how to work with those materials” or “She may be interested in other’s play, but
not know how to join it.”
Reframing our negative thoughts will help us understand the challenging behavior and
respond to it in a way that will help build a positive relationship with the child.
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Now let’s go back to your Hot Buttons handout. Take the behaviors that you recorded on this
handout and use them in the problem statement column on the Reframing Activity handout.
Record two or three of the behaviors that push your buttons, and consider how you can
reframe the behavior to interact with the child to build a more positive relationship with them.
Record your reframed thoughts in the right-hand column.
Slide 72
Remember, “More often than not, the child starving for love will ask for it in the most unloving
way.” Our behavior will either enhance our relationship with the child or detract from building
a secure relationship with a child.
• Children learn and develop in the context of relationships that are responsive,
consistent, and nurturing.
• Children with the most challenging behaviors especially need these relationships, and
yet their behaviors often prevent them from benefiting from the relationships.
• Adults’ time and attention are very important to children, and we need to be sure that
we’re giving them that time and attention at times other than when they are engaging
in challenging behaviors.
Section 13: Creating a High Quality Supportive Learning Environment
Slide 73
We’re now at the second blue level of the pyramid, High Quality Supportive Environments.
Our focus will be on how the learning environment prevents challenging behavior and
promotes social emotional development. You’ll learn to look at you classroom environments
through two different lenses: the social emotional competence lens and challenging behavior
lens.
Slide 74
What would you say is a definition of “learning environment”? The environment includes not
just the physical space and furniture arrangement, but routines, schedules, activities,
emotional tone of the space as well as the children’s sensory experiences.
Our goal is to investigate how the environment can be used as a powerful tool to promote
social and emotional engagement and to prevent challenging behaviors.
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Think across the age groups of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. As we discuss environments
designed to meet the needs of children, how can you best serve the children with whom you
work? For instance, how can looking at preschool environments inform an infant teacher?
How can learning about the “responsive environment” criterion from infant and toddler
programs help a preschool teacher assess her book area?
Slide 75
• Let’s talk about two sets of strategies related to the physical design of the environment:
traffic patterns and designing learning centers. The items listed on this slide –
minimizing large open spaces in which children can run, minimizing obstacles, and
considering the environmental arrangement as it applies to children with physical or
sensory disabilities – are major issues regarding traffic patterns in your classroom.
Slide 76
Here are major points to consider about the physical design of learning centers:
• Have clear boundaries so children know where the center begins and ends, and children
aren’t crowded together.
• Make sure that all children are visible to adults and that adults are visible to children.
• When learning centers are closed for some reason, indicate that the centers are closed
by using visual prompts such as a drape or signs like a circle with a slash through it or a
stop sign.
• Have enough centers for the number of children in your care and enough materials
within the centers so that children are engaged and not continually arguing over
materials.
• Consider the size and location of centers. For example, it’s best to avoid having a high
noise activity level center, such as blocks or dramatic play, located near a quieter
activity level center such as library or computers.
• Use developmentally appropriate and creative ways to limit the number of children in
centers if this is necessary. For example, you could laminate cards with children’s names
on them that can be moved into pockets at a center rather than posting a sign that says
“Two children only.”
• Organize materials, and keep them in appropriate places, according to the children’s
development of independence skills.
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• Have centers organized and ready to go when children arrive each day.
Slide 77
Imagine yourself in a classroom that you know well. Stand in center of the room and ask these
questions:
• Is there a clear entry to each center?
• Is each center inviting?
• Are there enough materials, such as three units of play per child allowed in center?
• Is there a system in place for entering and exiting centers?
• Are centers and materials or shelves labeled?
• Is there a rotation of materials?
• Are the materials highly engaging?
• Are the activities relevant to children’s needs, interests, and lives?
This is a way to start assessing the environment in a way that acknowledges that children must
be engaged and interested to grow socially and emotionally.
Important things to keep in mind are that the materials within centers need to be meaningful
and relevant to children’s needs, interests, and lives. For example, within the dramatic play
area, materials that are culturally appropriate should be available; and the pictures on puzzles
and in the classroom library should reflect the diversity within your community.
There should be culturally meaningful activities and materials in each center. Also, consider
using labels in multiple languages around the room. When possible, choose languages that
families in your program speak.
Centers need to be highly engaging and interesting to children. Build on children’s interests by
including materials and activities that children enjoy or express an interest in. If children tend
to stay in one or two centers, that suggests the other centers are not engaging or interesting
to the children.
Provide a variety of materials in each center. For example, related books can be added to each
center to support learning there. Writing utensils and paper can also be in a variety of centers.
Be creative!
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Change the materials or themes in centers on a regular basis. Listen to what children are
talking about. Create centers that build on their interests. Rotate materials within a center so
the same materials are not available all year. Let children help you choose the materials.
Slide 78
Let’s look at the two writing centers shown on this slide.
The top center has a nice storage shelf, a table set for four children, and the teacher took
advantage of placement by putting it near the chalkboard so the children can make use of the
large chalkboard. The main issues with this center are that it’s very cluttered and unorganized.
It would be difficult for the children to see what’s available. Without a clear set up of
materials, it also makes cleaning up very difficult for the children.
The center on the bottom is much more clearly organized. A trash can is handy, and there are
many examples of letters and words for the children to practice. Everything has its place,
which makes clean up easier for the children. On the down side, it’s very small so the children
may have space and boundary issues when using this center.
Slide 79
This circle area could be improved by removing the cushions. They invite children to climb, lay
down, and roll around. The walls are relatively uncluttered, which is good. The fewer visual
distractions, the better. It also seems a bit crowded depending on the number of children who
will be meeting here for circle. Other considerations would be to put some type of marks on
the floor so the children know where they’re expected to sit. The chair in the corner could be a
good option for a child who has trouble with distracting her friends or needs her space more
clearly defined to pay attention to the lesson.
Slide 80
A responsive environment is a crucial element of infant and toddler care. Caregivers decide
what babies, see, touch, and hear. They make decisions about how much fresh air, sunlight,
and exercise the baby will have. Caregivers create the physical spaces, choose toys and other
materials, and provide interactions that make up their learning experiences.
A well-designed infant and toddler physical environment can have a major positive impact on
the children’s social emotional development and also on their language, cognitive, and motor
development.
Section 14: Schedules, Routines, and Transitions
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Slide 81
What is the difference between a schedule and a routine?
A routine refers to a pattern established over time, something that a child learns to
“internalize” or is able to predict easily because of consistency. By routines we mean the
regular and repeated things we do each day and the way in which we do them.
When we talk about schedules, we tend to mean the time that we do something.
Infants and young children learn about people and the way the world works through their
daily routines, what people say and how they say it, and what people do and how they do it.
For infants, individualization of each child’s routine is essential. In other words each infant in
your care should be on their own schedule. Trying to have all infants on the same schedule is
inappropriate. Older toddlers and preschoolers also benefit from flexible but predictable
routines and schedules that allow them to organize themselves around what is coming next.
Predictable routines provided in the same way by the same people give young children a sense
of control and security, and it allows them to relax, explore, and learn from their environment.
Across the age groups, responsive consistent routines and schedules are used by caregivers
and teachers to enhance the quality of relationships between children and adults. They also
provide security and assure children that the world is a safe and interesting place to learn and
grow.
Slide 82
Keep children engaged by:
• Balancing the activities so there is a mix of one-on-one, small group, and large group
activities. Also provide a mix of teacher-directed and child-directed activities.
• Teach children the routine. We can’t expect them to follow the routine if we don’t teach
it to them. Knowing the schedules and routines creates an environment where children
are able to anticipate what will happen next, which in turn helps them feel more secure.
Can you think of children for whom this is especially important? How can adults support
children in learning schedules and routines? Here are some ideas.
• Be consistent with your schedule and routines. Children will be more likely to learn a
schedule if it’s implemented consistently.
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• Support children with verbal encouragement and positive touch as they go through the
day’s schedule.
• Post a visual schedule, and refer to it frequently throughout the day so children learn
what will happen next.
• Teach the schedule during circle time, using cues that all children understand. For
example, use pictures of real objects, when possible, and use simple symbols.
• Provide individual instruction to children who need more assistance, and use
individualized picture cues.
• When changes are necessary, prepare children for them by making an announcement at
opening circle and by using visual prompts, such as a stop sign, on a posted schedule to
indicate a change.
Always remind children of the changes. It’s important to remember that for some children
with disabilities, such as autism, changes in the schedule or routine can be a trigger for
challenging behaviors.
Slides 83-85
Prominently display a visual schedule. Discuss your visual schedule with the children, and
continue making references to it during the day and any time a child is struggling with
following the routine.
Slide 86
Consider how you can use a visual schedule to help the child in this scenario.
A new little boy arrives in your classroom, and he’s very scared. When Mommy says bye, he
screams, cries, pulls on her leg, and tries to climb up Mommy’s body.
You could encourage the mother to carry her son to where the visual schedule is posted.
Together, you could read through the schedule of the day, and show the child when his
Mommy will be returning to pick him up. It may be helpful to actually take photos of him with
his Mommy, and make an individualized schedule just for him with photos of him going
through the schedule.
Section 15: Transitions
Slide 87
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Moving from one activity to another is called transitioning, which can be very difficult for
young children. Challenging behaviors often occur during transitions, especially when all
children are expected to do the same thing at the same time and then end up waiting with
nothing to do. We know from research that children often spend a significant portion of their
preschool day making transitions between activities, so our goals should be to:
• Minimize the number of transitions that children have during the day.
• Plan transitions so a minimal amount of time is spent in them, and keep children highly
engaged during the transitions.
• Give children a warning before each transition.
• Minimize transitions during which every child has to do the same thing at the same
time.
• Structure the transition so children have something to do while they’re waiting. For
example, provide some children with helping roles during transitions.
• Teach children about your expectations for transitions. This can occur during group time
and should be reinforced throughout the day.
Just as with schedules, young children benefit from displayed visual cues for transitions. This
is especially important for those with special needs and for those whose second language is
English. Visual cues can help children anticipate transitions and assist them in knowing what to
do during transitions.
Slide 88
Here’s an example of a turn-taking visual transition. Each child has a photo with his or her
name and the word “turn” written below. Their photo is kept on a strip of Velcro along with
other children who want a turn at the computer. The timer is set for 10 minutes. When the
timer goes off, the child puts their photo away or at the end of the strip and notifies the child
whose photo is next. This technique will have to be guided by the teacher until the children
master it. Seeing that their photo is moving closer to the front each time the timer goes off
helps children to visually know that their turn is coming.
Slide 89
This is a visual example of where the children should go when they’re dismissed from circle to
go for outside play. Each child is given a color of feet to stand on while their friends are
dismissed. This gives them a visual cue of where to stand, as well as a concrete boundary of
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where their body should be. It’s a wonderful visual transition cue, but remember that young
children should never be asked to stand still in one spot for very long.
Slide 90
Let’s look at an example of an individualized transition cue. Cues like these can be made for
individual children who are having trouble with one part of the schedule. Showing the child
what he will be doing “first, next, and then” lets them see when they’ll get a chance to play
with the toys or play dough. These cues can be very motivating for a child who perhaps
doesn’t like circle time and table work but loves play dough.
Section 16: Giving Directions and Classroom Rules
Slide 91
Research shows that preschool children have high rates of not following their teachers’
directions. While this might be because of the child’s characteristics, it might also be because
of the way teachers give directions. Children may be confused and less likely to follow
directions when they are stated negatively, such as “Don’t run” or as a question, such as “Can
you clean up?”
The following points provide strategies that will increase the likelihood of children following
the teacher’s directions.
• The classroom rules should be consistent throughout the center. The center staff should
work together to come up with rules that are the same for every classroom.
• The rules should be stated positively. When children are given instructions, such as
“Don’t run,” a young child may only hear the word run. State the rule positively, such as
“Walk” or use your “Walking feet” to encourage cooperation.
• It’s important to state the rules simply. Often, when children don’t understand our
expectations, they’ll simply ignore them. An example of a rule that’s too complicated
could be “Do not climb on shelves, tables, or benches in the classroom.” A simplified
version of the same expectation would be “Feet stay on the floor.”
• Avoid phrasing a rule as a question. “Will you clean up” or “Clean up, please” gives the
child the option to say no.
• Give the child an opportunity to respond. Children take time to process our words. A
good guideline is to ask a child to do something, and then count to 5 before you repeat
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yourself. Repeating yourself sooner can interrupt the child’s thought process and cause
confusion.
• There should only be 3-5 rules, and they should be broad to cover most undesirable
behaviors. For example, “Be safe” can cover running in the classroom, throwing blocks,
standing on a tricycle, and stuffing too much food in their mouths.
• Post rules visually. When children are told what the rules are, it only engages one of
their senses, and they have to remember what they have heard. By posting the rules
with visual reminders, the sense of sight is also engaged. Teachers can also make
reference to the poster as needed.
Slide 92
Here are two examples of visual classroom rules. Notice that there are only a few rules, and
they are stated positively and simply. They are visual indicators so the children can review the
rules on their own. Remember to post these visual rules in a prominent area that is free of
clutter and on the children’s eye level.
Slide 93
Here’s a clip that shows a group activity in which children are beginning to learn the classroom
rules or expectations (I don’t have a video). The teacher is involving the children as she
systematically teaches them about the classroom rules and expectations.
Were the rules stated positively, and were they developmentally appropriate?
How does the activity help the children learn the rules?
The teacher used props so each child was actively involved in the activity. She also used visuals
as she stated each rule.
Section 17: Conclusion
Slide 94
Let’s review some of the major messages we’ve learned today.
1. The Pyramid Model, or Positive Behavior Support, describes an approach to promoting
social emotional competence in early childhood.
2. It’s within families and caregiving relationships that children learn to experience and
communicate emotion.
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3. To support the emotional wellness of infants and toddlers, as well as their families, we
need to be aware of our own emotional history.
4. Being observant and sensitive to the ways young children communicate contributes to
nurturing and responsive relationships, which is the base of the Pyramid Model, and
high quality supportive environments, which is the second level of the Pyramid Model.
5. All behavior is communicated in a form and serves a function.
6. Careful observation, reflection, and interpretation of children’s behavior takes practice!
7. The physical design of the environment can promote child engagement and prevent
challenging behaviors.
8. Schedules and routines are important to help children anticipate what will happen,
which makes them feel more secure.
9. Because challenging behaviors occur most often during transitions, transitions need to
be planned so minimal time is spent in them and children are engaged.
10. A few simple and positive classroom rules should be intentionally taught and reinforced
throughout the day.
Slide 95
Congratulations!!! This is end of session 1. In our next session, we’ll focus on designing and
assessing environments, developing social and emotional competence, and creating a plan for
a child demonstrating persistent challenging behavior.
Here is a parting thought: “When you are hugging a child, always be the last one to let go. You
never know how long they need it.”
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
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