Teaching Expectations to Young Children 1

Appropriate Social Behavior: Teaching Expectations to Young Children

Malgorzata Zdunska

International Teacher College

Universitas Pelita Harapan

Dr. Jeffrey Spanogle

17th February, 2017

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The article Appropriate Social Behavior: Teaching Expectations to Young Children

written by Deborah Carter focus on classroom behavioral expectation, and at the same time

explain how to teach those behaviors to the young children. The author is focus on two

important steps, which are defining and teaching expectation. In the first one, Carter stands

that it is really important to make your expectation clear enough, so the children can

understand them. Those expectation should help us to set some specific rules among the

children. We should explain them how to take care of themselves, and their friends, how to

behave in the classroom, and what kind of values are important. The second step described in

this article involves four stages that teacher should focus on, which are; tell- tell your

students what do you expect from them, and why; show- show them how to display those

expectation, and give them examples; practice- give them the opportunities to exercises what

they have just learned; and lastly; feedback- tell them what they did good, and what they still

have to improve. In the article we can read that the early stage of teaching behavioral

expectation is very important. Moreover, this is our responsibility to create a safe, and

positive environment where children can learn, and develop their characters. Deborah Carter

in her article stands that it is really important to set a specific rules and expectation in the

classroom, where children can learn from it.

I am positively encourage through the article Mrs. Deborah Carter wrote . I think we

can learn many useful things from her. She is simply giving us the basic tools how to work

with kids. In the simple way she is explaining how to teach the discipline at school. However,

I think that we do not have to only apply those advices only as a teacher. We can use them at

home as a portents. Moreover, she is explaining step by step how to meet children

expectation in the classroom. She is giving practical advices which are tell, show, practice

and feedback. In my opinion those four steps are very important, because there are the

foundation of shaping the students behavior. They are very easy to apply them in the
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classroom. As I was reading this article, I could better understand how important and voluble

is to be systematic when you are teaching children. By everyday routines and right setting we

teach the youngest one how to behave and act. We are teaching them what is important, and

why we have those certain rules.

I am truly encourage through Carter article. I believe that her advices about teaching

children right behavior will be useful for me when I will have to prepare my own lesson

plan, when I become a teacher. This article help me to understand what kind of rules and

expectation I should have in my classroom to be able to create a proper lesson plan, to teach

children, and shape the right values. The good think is that we do not have to use those

techniques only at school, but as well in other places where we are working with children.

The article is easy to read, and in interesting way introduce us how to approach behavior in a

classroom.

We can learn that a children behavior in the classroom have a huge impact on the

whole group, on the relationship with others, and most of all on their own future. As a future

teachers we have to prepare the right lesson plan that includes to set some rules and values.

Our duty is to teach kids, guide them, and encourage. We should be creative, and find a way

to shape their behavior. Like Deborah Carter says children behavior can impact all areas of

their lives.
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Works Cited

Carter, D. R., & Pool, J. L. (2012). Appropriate Social Behavior: Teaching Expectations to

Young Children. Early Childhood Education Journal,40(5), 315-321.

doi:10.1007/s10643-012-0516-y