APPROACHES TO

DEALING
WITH CHALLENGING
BEHAVIOUR
Rainbow Nursery
October 2019

Sammy Fugler
Developed by Sammy Fugler
BA (Hons), PGCE, MA, MBA
Today’s aims

■ To improve behaviour in the classrooms

■ For staff to have higher expectations of the children’s behaviour
■ To support staff to develop a consistent approach
■ For staff to develop skills and strategies to respond quickly and authoritatively to
behaviour
Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Ground Rules
Use ground rules as a basis for promoting positive
behaviour and discouraging unwanted behaviour
Ground Rules

Think about the ground rules

You are about to see, and think
about WHY
We have chosen to show you these?
Ground Rules

1. No Pushing
2. No Biting
3. No Bikes inside
4. No bullying
5. Always have fun
What ground rules do you have in the
gan?
■ Eating only at the table
■ Outside toys stay outside
■ Treat our friends gently
■ Sit down through the whole circle time…
Ground Rules

■ Use ground rules as a basis for promoting positive behaviour and

discouraging unwanted behaviour

■ Use only positive language in the rules

■ A few rules, that are clearly reinforced; regularly (Catchy)

■ Consider displaying them

Thinking about your rules

Spend some time in your team groups

considering the kinds of rules that may
be relevant to your classroom right
now… create a list, and discuss how
and where you may display these and
discuss them with your children
Make some rules!
Using books about behaviour can
help to reinforce and provide
‘rationale’ for rules that you have
in the classroom.

The books can help children

understand the reasons for the
rules

The books can provide

opportunities to talk positively
about the rules, away from
stressful situations or specific
behaviour incidents
Rules for the practitioners
Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Language is powerful

Write a list of all the

NEGATIVE
language you
can think of…
KEEP IT CLOSE
Look after and cherish these words, keep
them close to your soul, and use them
forever more!

THROW IT
AWAY! Write a list of all the
POSITIVE language
you can think of…
Avoid ‘nagging’ – be clear and positive
with children
List of positive behaviour
Positive behaviour
■ Co-operating with each other
■ Encouraging each other
■ Helping others
■ Asserting oneself
■ Full involvement in a chosen activity
■ Taking on new challenges
■ Showing empathy
■ Taking responsibility
■ Sharing
Encouraging positive behaviour

■ Clear rules
■ listen to and observe what children communicate both verbally and
non-verbally;
■ praise and respond appropriately to all forms of children's
positive
behaviour
■ promote and reinforce positive behaviour by example;
Focus on desired and not undesired
behaviour
State what you WANT the child to do…. Rather than commenting on what you do
NOT
want the child to do
Make sure the environment you have
created will ENGAGE children
 Make sure that children know what they
are doing / what their options are

Stop that! Do
something Everyone
sensible!
Play nicely tidy up
out here for

Choose Just 10 minutes

somethi
ng wait
to do…
!
 Praise quickly and consistently. Make sure
children understand WHY you’re praising
them
It was lovely that
you helped Jilli
Good job!
I can see you settle when
have got really she
came in this
messy – well
Thank you for done for morning!
letting Eddie taking
gofirst with the part so well!
Wow! Great scissors,
great
sharing!
Look out for ‘good’ behaviour (catch
them being ‘good!)
State what is expected… rather than
pose as questions

Would you Do you want to

like to go
outside
tell me what
now? Can you go with happened?
Sivan now?

Can you Do you want to

pick help me tidy
up?
that
up?
Key concept

Children should not be allowed to hurt

themselves or other people either physically or
verbally, or destroy property. They must learn
how to control themselves instead of other
people controlling them.
Tips and thoughts for developing self-
control
■ Children learn emotional regulation from our modeling
■ Children take their cues about anxiety from the adults and peers around them
■ Every time we set a limit that the child accepts, they are practicing self-control
(three more, and then its Romi’s turn)
■ Punishment doesn't encourage self-discipline because the child isn't actually
choosing to stop; they are being forced
 Talk clearly, simply, and often about
behaviours that matter
Now is the
time to listen Take turns
and follow
directions
Being helpful with the
can make you
and others
bimbas
Reading feel happy
time is
quiet
time
Keep rules and expectations simple, and remind
children often when it’s time to follow them
Establish routines

Young children may not be able to

tell time, but they do become
accustomed to the cadence of a
regular schedule. When they know
that story time will be followed by
outdoor play, active children may be
more able to sit quietly while their
teacher reads.
Realistic expectations | Attention span

Acknowledge that young children have limited

attention spans by alternating learning activities that
require quiet, focused attention with opportunities for
independent play and learning activities that include
movement.
Gain attention respectfully
"We can’t control the world, but we can control how
we respond to it. Once you realise that will power is
just a matter of learning how to control your
attention and thoughts, you can really begin to
increase it."
Children making choices

The process of learning self-control and self-discipline is

linked closely with how a child feels about themselves and
their relationship with the world. Its our role to help build and
strengthen children’s ability to determine for themselves
what is right and what is wrong, and how to control their own
behaviour.
 Proximity and touch

• Closeness can help children stay

calm and focused
• Consider sitting between two
children
• Hold a child on your lap
• The ‘shoulder’ touch
• Show affection (especially in
relation to unwanted touching -
hitting, pushing etc)
Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Unwanted Behaviour

What is it?
The context of behaviour is important
3 Key behviour considerations:

■ Disengaged
■ Disruptive
■ Unacceptable
 Matching game
#Disengaged #Disruptive
#Unacceptable
Some strategies
■ Counting down…
■ Clapping or clicking
■ Distraction
■ Eye contact
■ Reassuring physical contact
■ Tones of voices and volume
■ Very clear instructions – bite size
■ Key words ‘focus’ or ‘welcome back’ or ‘and… listen’
■ Honesty… “I’m feeling….”
■ Moving a child
Respond positively

■ Promptly identify children’s unwanted behaviour when it occurs

■ Identify changes in that child’s behaviour that are unusual for them
■ Use knowledge of the child and their background to interpret their behaviour

■ Use strategies appropriate to that child, when responding to their behaviour

■ Give the child support if required
■ Regularly review the strategies that you use
■ Create effective opportunities for children to express their negative feelings safely
Steps to Intervention…
• Help the child understand that his/her behaviour is up to them
• If necessary, remove the child from the situation and keep him/her
with you. If behaviour persists, act calmly and promptly.
• Discuss feelings and rules after a reasonable period of calm.
• Involve the child in the decision of when to go back because taking
responsibility for his/her own behaviour is an important part of
instilling self-control
• Help the child be acceptable when he/she does come back so that
he/she has the experience of substituting unacceptable behaviour
for acceptable
Be consistent
Provide choices

Providing choices is also a valid prevention

strategy for children, which often avoids
power struggles
Model problem solving skills

■ Did you ask for it back?

■
Is there another one you can use? ■
What else could you do?
■
What could you say to him?
■ Shall we look for it?
 Summarise how you dealt with the
problem, this will support them for
‘next
time’
Use natural and logical consequences

■ Jumping off the wall bars onto other

children
■ Emptying the earth from the plant pots
all over the floor
■ Peeing over the toilet seat on purpose
■ Jumping around on the stairs
■ Putting gan toys in their bags
■ Running away to the lobby when going
to the garden
Provide opportunities for children to
make amends
Avoid asking children to say ‘sorry’
Quick think!

Effective strategy or not?

Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Every Child is different

Every child is different, every situation is different,

therefore; every response needs to be different.

There is not one approach, but there are many

approaches. We must find the right approach and the
right strategy for each situation
Reflective Practitioner
Reflective Practice tour…
Key messages

1. Clear expectations
2. Positive learning environment
3. Consistent framework
4. Reflect
Lets review our earlier scenarios…

■ Green - Disengaged
■ Orange – Disruptive
■ Red - Unacceptable

■ 1st Response
■ Follow up response

H
ow can you support and develop self
control?
HOW WILL YOUR
CHANGE
YOUR APPROACH AFTER
TODAY?
Reflective practice