Keeping it Positive!

Hi Early Childhood Professionals! This month’s edition is on keeping things positive in your classroom. This is sometimes a challenge when you have one (or two, or three, or more) students who will just not cooperate. It is easier to turn to the negative: “Stop doing that!” “NO!” “You can’t do that!”

In an effort to ease your day, I am hoping to offer some helpful tips for you early childhood educators and students of www.cdaclass.org. When you start to feel the urge to yell, which may happen frequently, instead, turn around and yell something positive, about a student who is doing something positive.

For example, instead of screaming at Michael for taking all of the trucks/cars in the play area, turn to Johnny and say, “I love the way Johnny is sharing his toys with Carla.” You can also try, “Look how nicely Johnny and Carla are playing together.” Be sure to say it loud enough for others to hear, make eye contact with the children who are doing the right thing, and then continue to praise others as you see it necessary.

If you have a reward system in your room, such as Class Dojo (check out my blog from last month), a sticker chart, behavior calendar, reward tickets, etc.), be sure to make it obvious that the students who are on task, following directions, sharing, doing the right thing, etc., are getting rewarded. This is easier to do with preschool children, than toddlers and infants, but you can start at the toddler age so by the time the child makes it to the preschool room, he/she understands how their positive behavior is rewarded.

In my classroom, I use a check system on the board for students who follow directions the first time. When I am tired of waiting for other students to catch on, I walk over to the board and continue to give checks to those following the expectations. When that one student tries to challenge me and ignore the directions, of course I want to erase, or delete his/her check. But instead, I continue to give checks to other students. At the end of the week, the student with the most checks is rewarded with either extra recess time, computer time, etc. Trying to keep it positive my early childhood friends!

Enjoy the Fall season!

Instructor Tiffany