Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Critical Reflection 3
Fabiola Nunez
Pacific Oaks
HD 426
Summer 2018
Professor Honor
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REFLECTION 3
It is said that that classroom is the second teacher in a classroom. A classroom can help or
hinder how children behave and learn. Putting thought into the arrangement of a classroom as
well as what is accessible to the children and what is off limits can help prevent unwanted
behaviors.
In the book, “Children with Challenging behavior”, it is stated that, “Early educators have
seen dramatic results after closely examining their environment for elements contributing to
problem behavior and then simply making appropriate adjustments.” When an educator sees a
challenging behavior, they must first observe the situation and see how other influences might be
contributing to this behavior. There are several questions an educator might ask themselves, for
example are the material organized, do the centers have a clear purpose and does the physical
organization allow for adult observation? After you have done your observations there are a few
tips to keep in mind when arranging your space. Some examples are creating rooms within
rooms, carefully arranging areas and keeping groups small. These are all helpful tips to prevent
unwanted behaviors from children. By observing the children you can see if the classroom layout
is encouraging positive behavior or active interaction. If you see children fighting for art supplies
you can see that maybe you need to set up more areas for the children to create art. If you see the
children being able to pick up toys they want to play with as well as easily put them back then
you can see that the area is set up to promote positive behavior.
By setting up the classroom in a way the children can move around freely they will gain
self-confidence and be less reliant on the teacher to hand them toys. Allowing them to help clean
up the classroom gives them ownership of their classroom and it will make the children more
likely to help clean up without unwanted behaviors. Another strategy to help encourage positive
classroom behavior would be to have clear and set standards for the children. According to
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REFLECTION 3
Brault, “he scene might have been (different) if the toys that were off limits had been out of
reach or covered up, or the adults had been available to monitor the play.”(Pg. 12) Here the child
was reprimanded and felt confused because she was not aware that there had been rules
established about what toys could be played with and which toys were off limits. In response the
child cried and did not want to stay in the classroom. By simply putting away the off limit toys
Special consideration for children with special needs begins with learning about the
special need. An educator can do research or even speak to the family to see which would be the
best strategy to use with each individual child. In “Challenging behaviors in young children”,
they state that one must “first, search out his strengths-what he can do, not what he can’t do –
and build a relationship” By addressing each child individually the educator will be better able to
individualize a plan for the child. Having help from an Individualized Education Plan can also
help address any issues that might arise with that specific child. One point the book stresses is
children to move around freely while allowing the adult constant supervision. Rules have to be
clear and established so the children can know their limits and therefore prevent unwanted
behaviors.
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REFLECTION 3
References
Brault, L. & Brault, T. (2005). Children with Challenging Behavior: Strategies for Reflective
Thinking. Phoenix, AZ: CPG Publishing. ISBN: 78-1882149452
Kaiser, B. & Rasminsky, J. S. (2012). Challenging behaviors in young children: Understanding,
preventing and responding effectively (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 10-
0205342264