Developing a Guiding Policy

Directions:
You are a new director of a child care program. The owner of the center, who
doesnt have any early childhood background, asks you to write a guiding policy for
the program. You will use all that you have learned in this class to write a guiding
policy. Please look over the criteria in the scoring guide below. All criteria need to
be included in your policy. Helpful hints are below.
Helpful hints:
Look through each learning plan what did we discuss, what activities did
we do, what was the assessment.
Organize your policies in certain categories: philosophy (hint: you might
want to use the first few chapters in the power of guidance), environment
(environment power point in class), teacher (teacher behaviors, self
evaluation-teacher strategies handout), child (observation, temperament,
developmentally appropriate activities).
Example: Each teacher will have 3 charts in their rooms. Rules,
Responsibilities, and Routines. The rule chart will be developed with the
children, the rules will be stated positively with pictures, there will be less
than 6, all rules will be developmentally appropriate. The responsibility chart
will
Your policies should be yours! What do you believe about guiding childrens
behavior? If it is your center what policies do you want your teachers to
follow? What are best practices of guiding childrens behavior? Do they
follow licensing regulations?

Scoring Guide Policy Development Guiding

Rating Scale:
3: Accomplished demonstration of the criterion; met criterion adequately
2: Did not fully demonstrate the criterion; needs additional work or clarification
1: Did not demonstrate the criterion; item missing, incomplete, or incorrect

Scoring Guide

Criteria

Ratings

Policy includes students philosophy on guiding childrens behavior.

Policy promotes positive behavior and self-esteem.

3
3

Policy shows evidence of class participation (readings, discussion

boards, and reflecting)
Policy includes environmental considerations. (classroom arrangement,
rules, responsibilities, routines, transitions, curriculum, activities,
organization.
X5

Policy includes teacher techniques (role model, planning, relationship

building, voice, guiding techniques, observation) X5

Policy includes strategies to communicate to parents (behavior plan,

relationship building, notes home, etc.)

Guidance policy prohibits punishments, threats, spanking, hitting,

pinching, shaking, or inflicting any form of corporal punishment.

Guidance policy adheres to state regulations.

Policy is well thought out and reflects best practices in guiding

childrens behavior

Policy is written using good spelling and grammar

Assessment includes a copy of scoring guide at the beginning or end of

the presentation or paper.

Yes 1

Total Score Earned

__55___/ 55

Students Name ____Ashley Villarreal_____________ Date ____12/19/13___________

Instructors Comments:

Philosophy
The philosophy of the center is to provide the children and families with a warm and
loving environment where the children are able to grow and learn in a safe
environment. The center will provide the children with a safe, fun, and simulating
environment where they are able to experience all areas of their developmental
needs to continue to grow. The children will always be encouraged to push to their
full potential and aided in their journey along the way through using positive words
and modeling.

Guiding Behavior
Our center revolves around positive guidance for children. We believe in promoting
the positive with the children instead of focusing on the negative. The children will
be rewarded with praise and positive reinforcement for the good things they do.
When a child does something that needs to be addressed the teacher will use
positive words and modeling to show the child other options that they can partake
in instead of the negative choice. Our center in no way, shape, or form believes in
punishment. By using positive guidance instead of punishment the children are able
to learn and grown from the experience and keep a positive self-esteem.

Environmental Considerations
Classroom arrangement: The classroom will be set up into different areas where
the children are able to freely go about and play. The different areas of the
classroom are set up to aid the children with their learning and developmental
growth. The classroom will also have a cohesive flow that will aid in keeping the
children safe, and engaged.
Rules: The children are expected to follow three rules. They are 3 simple rules and
they are positively stated as to what the children should do instead of what they
cant do. The rules are as follows 1. Be respectful to friends and others 2. Use kind
words 3. Use walking feet.
Responsibilities: The children will be given small jobs and responsibilities around
the classroom. Things like calendar helper, line leader, bathroom helper, snack
helper, and table washer. The children will rotate duties. This will help the children
grow their sense of responsibility and also give them a sense of importance.
Routines: Each classroom will have their daily routines posted. We use routines to
help the children feel secure and safe as well as be able to know what comes next
and what is expected of them. Throughout the day the children will have center
time, outside time (weather pending), free play, lunch time, snack time, nap time,
art, gym, and music. We give the children two free play times for a minimum of
thirty minutes each time because we believe children learn through play.

Transitions: The children will go from one activity to another through different
songs and small games. This is to help the children to continue learning and keeps
from having down time to disengage.
Curriculum/Activities: The teachers will follow the creative curriculum model.
Each teacher has a book available for you to look at in their classroom. The teachers
will work with the children to hit developmental goal and will work their learning
needs into their daily play areas as well as the activities they plan. If you ever have
any type of ideas as to things you may want to see your child learn please feel free
to communicate that with the teacher and if at all possible and appropriate for all
the children the teacher will try to incorporate that into their plans as well.
Organization: The teachers will send home a newsletter at least once a month and
they will include a calendar of events for the month as well as what the themes are.
Each week the teacher will post their lesson plans for that week so you are able to
see what the children will be doing each day. The classroom will always be neat,
clean and organized and safe for the children as well.

Teaching Techniques
Role Model: The teacher will model the proper behaviors as well as the skills and
language for the children to see. This is a teaching technique that will help to both
demonstrate as well as reinforce what the children should be doing in a positive
way. The children will also be able to model off of peers as well.
Planning: The teachers will be working with the creative curriculum to plan what is
developmentally appropriate for the children in their classroom. The teachers will
have their lessons plans posted that week for the parents to be able to see what it is
their children are doing for the week as well as send home a newsletter at least
once a month to keep parents informed of what is going on in the classroom. The
teachers will be fully prepped for the day and will have everything organized and
ready for your children each day.
Relationship Building: Relationships are very important for not only the children
but for the teachers and parents as well. The teachers will always be open for
communication. You will have the teachers classroom number, as well as e-mail to
be able to keep in communication with the teacher. It is very important to us that
you feel comfortable with your teachers and that your children do as well. We will
have a family night once a month where parents are able to come and participate
with their children and meet with other parents and teachers to build relationships
and hopefully friendships that will last a lifetime.
Voice: The children will be spoken to in a respectful tone, and volume. When
speaking with the children teachers will be at their level and using kind and caring

words with the children. It is all about respect and making the children feel
comfortable.
Guiding Techniques: Our center believes in positive guidance. The children will be
encouraged to do the correct things and shown options to correct things they may
have done incorrectly by demonstration or shown other options. There will never be
any type of physical, psychological, or emotional punishment ever inflicted on the
children at any point in time. This also includes at parents request. If there is ever a
concern please notify the director immediately.
Observation: Observations of the children will be done and recorded by the
teacher and put in each childs portfolio for the parents to see during conferences.
The observations are of what the children are doing on a daily basis that will be able
to show their abilities.

Communication with Parents

Behavior Plan: If a child is struggling with certain behaviors we may implement a
behavior plan. The plan is not to discourage your child and point out when they are
bad, however it is to point out when they did something positive to guide them
away from the negative behavior with positive reinforcement. Things like sticker
charts, or earning special play time, or a special prize usually are able to help
encourage the positive behavior we are looking for and guide the child away from
the negative behavior without making the child feel shamed for it. It often works
best when it is both at school and at home, or that the adults are all on the same
page. If you feel like you might want to start a behavior plan if you are having
issues with something please talk with your teacher and they will be more than
willing to help out if they are able.
Relationship Building: Each month the director, teachers and parents will have
the opportunity to have a curriculum meeting. This is a time where all three groups
are able to get together to discuss what they would like to see done in the
classrooms and will be able to voice any types of concerns they may have as well.
At the end of the meeting the teachers will be available for any type of one on one
conversation if needed. Our center has an open door policy as well. If a parent or
somebody close with the child would like to they may come and volunteer or spend
some time in the classroom with the child. We just ask that if it is not a parent and
they will be regularly spending time in the classroom on a volunteer basis that they
be willing to have a background check done for the safety of the children. As
always if you ever have comments questions or concerns please feel free to
communicate that with your teacher in any way you see fit, via phone call, e-mail,
note, or face to face communication. Your input is important to us.
Notes Home: Child will on occasion get sent home with notes. This does not mean
that it is a bad thing. Notes home just mean that we have something we would like

to communicate with you. We prefer if we are able to verbally talk with you,
however understand that with busy days and children it can sometimes not happen.
Notes are just another way to insure you are kept in the loop and feel part of the
team.