CROSS VIEW EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

BEHAVIOR/GUIDANCE PLAN

When parents and children walk into the classroom, they will see a loving, well-organized Christian environment. We want the children to feel comfortable and secure and to experience God’s love in their lives. To reach this goal there are several points to remember:

The teacher is a crucial component.

Young children are able to do things for themselves.

The physical environment is an important factor in management and discipline.

Keeping these points in mind, the staff shall follow the behavior/guidance plan set up for Cross View Early Childhood Center. The plan is divided into three areas:

Preventive Discipline, Unacceptable Behavior and Persistent Unacceptable Behavior.

I.	Preventive Discipline

The staff shall model appropriate behavior. Staff shall use language that is acceptable for the children to use. Staff shall not do things that the children are not allowed to do; for example, sit on table, chew gum.

The staff shall give positive reinforcement for acceptable behavior.

Reinforcement can be given:

Verbally to a group or individual

With a smile or hug

With a sticker or certificate

To an individual or group by giving a special activity to them

Staff shall intervene when children are being teased or rejected by others. This can be the beginning of bullying and is not appropriate. Staff shall guide children to respect others feelings and differences by showing positive behavior and talking about the feelings of others. Staff shall continue to model acceptance of all children and implement the philosophy outlined in our anti-bias curriculum.

The staff shall anticipate problems that may develop and have alternate solutions. For example: If you are going to finger-paint with 15 children at once, there will be problems with getting paint shirts on, washing hands and cleaning up. An alternative would be to letting a small group paint while the other children were playing and then switching the groups.

Room arrangement may cause problems by allowing too few or too many children in one area. The staff in the room need to discuss this and make some changes when necessary.

If there is an area in the room that may require more staff supervision, then one staff person should position herself/himself by this area to monitor the behavior. Presence in the area may be enough to keep the behavior acceptable.

At times, the weather, holidays or special events affect the children’s behavior. If a particular lesson is not being well received by the children, the teacher needs to make a quick evaluation.

Is one child having difficulty following the activity or the majority of the group?

Is this an appropriate activity for the group?

Do we need something calmer or with more movement?

The teacher needs to revise, alter or change the lesson to meet the child’s needs.

Rules and guidelines need to be set and the children need to know these guidelines.

The staff needs to be consistent with the guidelines that have been set up in each area.

Unacceptable Behavior

Children are constantly trying the rules for they are learning their boundaries and gently need to be reminded of them. Following are four ways to modify the unacceptable behavior. Taking into account the situation and the child, the staff can then use the appropriate principle.

Redirect

When a problem occurs, the staff can redirect the child to another activity. This is especially useful when there are similar toys that the children can be directed to or when it is just the beginning of a confrontation and a serious conflict can be avoided when the adult intervenes.

Talk and Show

Communicate to the child why this behavior is inappropriate (hurts friends, hurts toys.) Then the staff person should show the child an appropriate way to handle the situation (talk to your friend, toy is used this way.)

Choices

At times, the most appropriate method to handling unacceptable behavior is by giving choices. This method can work when you need the child to do something. For ex: “Jane, please put your toy in your cubbie or would you like me to do it?” This is also very effective with older children when they are being disruptive. For ex: “Johnny, you have a choice. You can stay and listen to the story or continue what you are doing and sit at the table.” There are times when a child needs to be alone and can be given the choice of going into the quiet area.

Removal of toys/equipment

When toys/equipment are being consistently misused, there is a time when removal for the duration of the period may be necessary. At this point, the children’s safety may be in jeopardy and/or breakage of the equipment. Toys/equipment can be re-introduced into the room with an explanation of proper use.

Persistent Unacceptable Behavior

Consequences and Separation

After other forms have been tried and the unacceptable behavior persists, the child should be made aware that a “time out” will be the consequence for behavior that threatens the well-being of the child or other children in the center.

The child shall be directed to the time out chair. The chair should be in a part of the classroom where the child can be continuously seen and heard by a program staff person.

Children should know why they are taking a time out.

Children who are on a time out may return to the group when the child has stopped of brought under control the behavior that precipitated the separation. When the separation abates or stops, the staff person should then discuss with the child the acceptable behavior that needs to be followed, and the child can return to the activity.

Separation Report

All separations from the group must be noted on a daily log. The notation in the log shall include the child’s name, staff person’s name, time, date, and information indicating what less intrusive methods were used to guide the child’s behavior and how the child’s behavior continued to threaten the well-being of the child or other children in care. If a child is separated from the group three times or more in one day, the child’s parent shall be notified and notation of the parent notification shall be indicated on the daily log. If a child is separated five times or more in one week or eight times or more in two weeks, the procedure in III. B4 must be followed.

Persistent unacceptable behavior of a child will be observed and recorded by

the staff.

The staff shall try forms of positive reinforcement and forms of modifying behavior as previously described.

The staff will record their response to the child.

Parents will be informed of the behavior on the daily note.

The teacher and director shall meet with the parents if behavior persists and develop a plan to modify the behavior.

Unacceptable Behaviors (including biting) for Children under two: Children should be removed from their current situation and placed in another area of the classroom and engaged in another activity with the teacher’s help. These children do not understand their actions and need to be redirected from the situation.

PROHIBITED ACTIONS

The Center prohibits the following actions by or at the direction of a staff person:

Subjection of a child to corporal punishment. Corporal punishment includes,

but is not limited to, rough handling, shoving, hair pulling, ear pulling, shaking, slapping, kicking, biting, pinching, hitting and spanking.

Subjection of a child to emotional abuse. Emotional abuse includes, but is

not limited to, name calling, ostracism, shaming, making derogatory remarks about the child or the child’s family, and using language that threatens, humiliates, or frightens the child.

Separation of a child from the group except as provided in Sec. III, Part A.

Punishment for lapses in toilet habits.

Withholding food, light, warmth, clothing, or medical care as a punishment for unacceptable behavior.

The use of physical restraint other than to physically hold a child when a containment is necessary to protect a child or others from harm.

The use of mechanical restraints, such as tying.

Process for unacceptable behavior:

When you feel there is a child in your classroom with an unacceptable behavior:

Chart Behaviors/situations that you have observed.

Parents should be informed of the behavior on their child’s daily note.

Staff members will share with the director what they have observed about the child’s behavior.

With director’s approval, arrange for a meeting with parents to discuss observations/concerns. (Meeting: teacher, parents, and director)

Develop a one month plan with the parents to modifying the challenging behavior.

During this time two things can happen:

Parents and teachers work together and the behavior improves.

The unacceptable behavior still persists and we need to call in a consultant to help and observe: Washburn Child Guidance, Center for Inclusive Child Care, Fraser School, or school district with parent’s approval.

Continue to document the child’s behavior.

At the end of one month a follow up with be done:

If the behavior improves contact parents by phone, email, or talk to them in person.

If the behavior has not improved, a 2nd meeting will need to take place. If the child’s behavior does not improve following suggestion of Washburn Child Guidance, Center for Inclusive Child Care, Fraser School, or school district, the director will start the proceedings to remove the child from the center. Offer recommendations to the parents for other centers better suited for dealing with the behavior.

BEHAVIOR/GUIDANCE PLAN FOR:

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This plan was developed by the parents, teachers and director.

Date:

Length of Plan:

Behavior to Modify:

Steps to be Taken:

I have discussed with the staff the behavior and approve of this plan to modify my child’s behavior.

We have read this plan and will follow it with the above stated behavior.

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