Helping hands

Listening ears

Quiet voices

Looking eyes

Walking feet

Q: How do you introduce the rules to the children?

A: At the beginning of the year, on the very first day and every day thereafter, we review the rules carefully as a group.  I begin by asking the children "Does anybody know why we come to school?".  After a few responses (usually not correct ones) I prompt them and say "We come to school to LEARN."  Next, I tell the students that learning is like "getting smart" (they usually understand that much better) and in order to learn we have to follow some rules; this is when I introduce the rules chart with pictures.   I tell them that there are five very important things we must do in order to learn and I say the rules out loud as I point to them on the chart.  The next day when I ask these questions a few more students will be able to answer them, and finally after several days everybody should be able to answer the questions.  After the initial few weeks of this type of review I switch to having our Leader of the Day (LOTD) point to the rules on the chart and the Leader says them for us or picks friends to say each one.  This process helps the children internalize and take ownership of the rules.

Q:  Does your district or school use a specific method of discipline?

A: Yes, our district advocates the use of Love & Logic. (see resources below)  I think Love & Logic works very well with this age group, however it does take a lot of patience and typically a more experienced teacher to make it work.  I have seen many new teachers become easily frustrated and give up on L&L too quickly.   Love & Logic works by making the child responsible for his or her actions, giving the child choices to make and then helping the child follow through.  Love & Logic does require a little "tweaking" to make it work in an early childhood setting, the examples in the book are all geared for older students.

Q: What about behavior charts, stoplights, or card/ticket pulling systems?  Do you use any of those methods?

A: No.  Those types of systems make more work for the teacher and are punitive, I believe in being positive and working smarter, not harder.  Behavior charts, stoplights, and card/ticket systems are a lot of work to keep up with and require lots of prep work and complicated rules.  None of the aforementioned systems hold the child accountable or have any flexibility, they are all or nothing and they are also negative and out in the open for everybody to see.  It is demeaning for a child to have his ticket pulled and everybody to see that he has been "bad", what does that teach the child other than to be ashamed? Or maybe not get caught the next time?  I would prefer to have a personal connection with a child and help him solve his problems by giving him choices and empowering him, these are valuable life lessons that a child will be able to internalize and use in daily life.  Acknowledging a child's good behavior is far more powerful than acknowledging his bad behavior.

Q: What about rewards, prize boxes, or treasure chests?

A: No, see the answer above.  Rewards and prize/treasure chests are expensive!  I would much rather spend my money on instructional items for the classroom and not junky trinkets that will become lost or broken within 5 seconds, often resulting in fights or tears.  Also, what are we teaching children by giving them rewards when they "behave"?  They are being rewarded for doing something that they should be doing anyway.  The biggest reward they can receive is the gift of learning how to make their own choices and the good feelings that come with choosing to do what is right for the sake of doing the right thing. 

Q: I've seen the treasure chest in your classroom, what do you use it for?

A:  I admit, I do have a treasure chest but I don't use it for behavior, I use it for special occasions.  For example, our students must have a monthly fire drill that is often terrifying for little children the first few months of school, many of my students do not speak English and they will cry and scream when they hear the loud noises and flashing lights.  Although we practice and model, model, model what to do in a fire drill, the unknown is still very scary for four year olds so I allow them a trip to the treasure chest after each fire drill. They are also allowed a trip to the treasure chest on their birthday.  The day after report card day our students must return their report cards *signed by the parent* and it is often quite a difficult task.  The parents often don't look in the backpack or check the folder so it is up to the child to remember to get the parent to sign and return the report card.  If they return their report card signed they get a trip to the treasure chest.  This year I added a new criteria for the treasure chest, never losing or breaking your ID badge.  I had several students who took excellent care of their ID badges and never lost or broke them so they received a trip to the treasure chest, I think it's important to instill a sense of pride in taking care of your things. 

Q: If you don't use behavior charts, tickets, stoplights, or prizes then how do you get them to behave?

A: This is a question I am asked frequently by visitors and the answer is both simple and complicated at the same time.  First, I establish mutual respect, then I spend lots and lots of time modeling how to make good choices and role playing different scenarios in the beginning of the year.  The modeling and role playing is very time consuming but really pays off in the long run.   If you want your students to share then you have to invest the time in the beginning teaching them how to share.  If you want your students to clean-up on cue then you have to take the time to teach them how to do that too.  We cannot take simple things for granted, everything must be taught, modeled, and role played with this age group to ensure success. 

Q: How do you get them to respect you? 

A:  I use techniques from Conscious Discipline to create a "School Family" where the students feel connected to one another and the teacher.  Establishing this family unit really helps diminish behavior issues.  See the resources section below for the Conscious Discipline book.

Q: What do you do when you're trying to read a story and they just can't sit and listen?

A:   Before beginning any group activity such as a read aloud I always review the rules first.  You don't always have to use the rules chart, I also made individual cards for the pocket chart using the same pictures we used for the poster (see resources section at bottom) and amend the rules a bit to fit with a read aloud.  Our read aloud rules are: "Eyes on the reader, ears listening, hands in your lap, criss-cross applesauce, quite as can be"  I hold up each card and we review each rule out loud as it is placed in the chart.  This will eliminate most problems before they begin, however if anybody needs a reminder I use a Love & Logic technique and say "Oh, how sad, I will continue reading when everybody is ready." and I put my book down and fall silent gazing into space quietly.  This works like magic!  Don't give in and make eye contact, don't signal anybody out by name, just sit quietly.  Soon they'll all be staring at you and you can begin reading again.  In the beginning the pauses may be as long as 30 seconds to one minute, but soon they will only be a few seconds in length.  Consistency is the key with this technique, it may not work like magic the very first time you use it, but persistence pays off.  I think this technique sure beats the old "Be quiet!"  "Stop it!"  and "Sit down!" technique.

Resources