Child Management Policy: date- 14.11.11
Rational:
Teaching staff will follow a positive behaviour plan to ensure all individuals feel comfortable within the Centre environment.
RULE TO FOLLOW:
(taken from Playcentre guidelines)
No child is free to hurt another child,
No child is free to prevent another child from working at a chosen activity,
No child is free to take equipment from another child,
No child is free to destroy another child’s work,
A child is not free to damage, destroy, and abuse equipment.
Te Whāriki -children are to be taught to “respect people places and things”.
Ways in which the adults (staff & parents) will influence play.
Adults will influence play & so encourage acceptable behaviour by:
- Setting the scene: i.e. structuring the environment. How do we do this? Review of areas of play and how children use these areas is to be documented, with reflective questions challenging teacher thinking as to best ways to challenge child thinking, using the environment.
- Providing a range of equipment which is safe and stimulating,
- Support play without applying pressure: ie. be the silent sitter giving children support by being quietly present,
- Interacting verbally by: listening, suggesting when appropriate, extending, observing things in the environment, conversation and discussion, anticipating and remembering, allowing the children to dictate the speed and direction,
- Teaching new skills: the technique of holding scissors, rolling out clay, threading beads; not create, but by teaching the skill the child is then better able to create for him/herself,
- Taking part in the play as one of the group,
- Teacher lead instruction: i.e. telling a story, teaching a song etc.
- Registering approval or disapproval: by use of agreed techniques such as: ‘choice’ where the child is making the ‘choice’, or the ‘behaviour continuum’ where the child is supported is his/her autonomy.
Choice technique is a technique that values child autonomy as the teacher feeds back to the child that they themselves are making the choice. E.g. “what food are you going to choose from your lunchbox?” If the ‘choice’ is given the teacher does not then respond with “Oh, you haven’t made a healthy choice, choose again and make it a healthy choice” This takes the decision away from the child and indicates the child makes poor choices.
The behaviour continuum is a continuum that also values child autonomy. Teacher support is valued but as the child is supported in negotiating with their peers teachers then remove their support gently until the child becomes the one to negotiate things that are fair and just.
Teachers in discourse will become more skilled at valuing ‘child choice’ and in noticing, recognising and responding to child autonomy using the behaviour continuum tool. Each child is a learner so revisiting areas of child behaviour is part of the role of teachers of young children.
The teachers of Aroha Early Learning Centre will support and manage children by exercising the following strategies:
- Getting up and moving close to give support,
- Saying, “you’ve got a problem, we’ll try that again”,
- Modelling appropriate behaviour,
- Feedback which is meaningful to the child. How do we ensure we give specific meaningful feedback to the children we value and teach?
- Value good asking & listening which is meaningful and reciprocal between adults and children.
- Using the ‘choice’ technique, and so supporting children in their autonomy and responsibility for their own actions,
- Using the ‘behaviour continuum’ and so supporting children in developing skills to help negotiate fairness and just resolutions to their problems and conflicts.
Information regarding an individual incident will be reported to parents in a confidential manner and if necessary recorded in the accident book, recording nature and times of injuries.
Cultural and family/whānau values will be taken into account at all times.