A challenging behavior is a pattern of conduct where a child does not obey rules, expresses feelings in a serious or intense way, refuses to follow guidelines that are in place for his well being and safety, and does not show understanding about consequences or danger.
As educators, we have the responsibility to observe, understand, and redirect challenging behavior. Below are 5 suggestions for identifying and addressing challenging behaviors in your setting:
Guest Post
by Andrew Roszak
Executive Director, The Institute for Childhood Preparedness
With natural disasters on the rise, many child care programs have endured floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe weather conditions. These programs face many obstacles when re-opening, including a lack of electricity, supplies, fresh drinking water, and food, as well as the on-set of fear and mental health conditions in children.
We are always searching for new ways to make child care providers and teachers more resilient. One new trend is to incorporate principles of STREAM into early childhood education – to help students learn about S: Science, T: Technology, R: Reading, E: Engineering, A: Arts, and M: Math.
In the absence of a standard operating environment, and without creature comforts – such as electricity, providers may want to think about how they can incorporate the principles of STREAM in a post-disaster setting.
by Kelley Jilek
New situations mean change, which can be hard for many (young, as well as older) people to cope with. However, if the new situation is welcoming, we experience less anxiety and stress, which makes it easier for us to adjust. This is especially true for young children. Any kind of transition can be difficult for them. This includes separating from loved ones at the start of the day, moving to a new facility, or even transitioning to a different classroom within a facility. Infants, toddlers, and preschool children have limited coping skills, so it is up to the adults in their lives to help them.
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