Online Companion: A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom, 4e

Chapter 3

APPLICATION ACTIVITIES

Application activities allow students to interrelate material from the text with real-life situations. The observations imply access to practicum experiences; the interviews, access to teachers and parents. Students may compare or contrast observations and interviews with referenced ideas from the chapter.

  1. Misbehavior, an inappropriate term
    1. Respecting privacy, observe an incident in a classroom where a teacher intervened. Do you think the teacher regarded the situation as misbehavior or mistaken behavior? What difference did the teacher's decision make for the child or children involved? For the teacher? Compare results to ideas from the chapter.
    2. Respecting privacy, interview a teacher about common problems she sees involving children in the classroom. To what extent does the teacher seem to think misbehavior is involved? Mistaken behavior? Based on the teacher's responses and your reading of the chapter, what do you think are the main priorities of the teacher in leaning toward misbehavior or mistaken behavior? Compare results to ideas from the chapter.
  2. The concept of mistaken behavior
    1. Observe a problem situation in a prekindergarten, kindergarten, or primary grade classroom. Analyze the situation using the concept of mistaken behavior.
    2. The concept of mistaken behavior is a new one for many teachers. Talk with a teacher about the concept. What parts of it are they comfortable with; what parts are they not sure about? Compare your findings from the interview with ideas in the text about mistaken behavior.
  3. Relational Patterns
    1. Observe one child who is at two different relational patterns in two differing classroom situations. Which two relational patterns seem to be operating? Discuss differences in responses between the two children. Refer to the text to assist you in your responses.
    2. Briefly explain to a teacher the typical behaviors of children in each relational pattern. What for the teacher are the rewards and challenges of working with a child at each level? How do the teacher's comments compare with ideas from the text?
  4. The three levels of mistaken behavior
    1. Observe an example of Level One, experimentation mistaken behavior. What did you observe that makes you think the mistaken behavior is at this level? In what ways does recognizing this level of mistaken behavior help you to understand the child? Compare results to ideas from the chapter.
    2. Observe an example of Level Two, socially influenced mistaken behavior. What did you observe that makes you think the mistaken behavior is at this level? In what ways does recognizing this level of mistaken behavior help you to understand the child? Compare results to ideas from the chapter.
    3. Observe an example of Level Three, strong needs mistaken behavior. What did you observe that makes you think the mistaken behavior is at this level? In what ways does recognizing this level of mistaken behavior help you to understand the child? Compare results to ideas from the chapter.
  5. What are key considerations in understanding the concept of mistaken behavior?
    1. Observe an episode of conflict from just as it begins until after it is resolved. The conflict should include purposeful acts of aggression that might easily be called challenging. Record in detail what the children, and probably an adult, said and did during the episode. Referring to pages in the text, respond to your observation by analyzing the behavior in terms of its being intentional, aggressive, and challenging. Again referring to the text, discuss why the conflict does or does not seem to you to be mistaken behavior.
    2. Interview an early childhood teacher about the concept of strong unmet needs mistaken behavior, as it is explained in the text. Pointing out what the book says about Level Three mistaken behavior, ask the teacher the following questions: Does the teacher accept the idea that challenging behavior, which is often aggressive and on purpose, can be considered mistaken? Why or why not? Record in detail the dialog from your interview. Referring to ideas from the text, compare the text ideas with the conclusions of the teacher about mistaken behavior. Draw your own conclusions about mistaken behavior from the reading and interview.
  6. Communicating with parents about mistaken behavior
    1. Talk with a teacher about the approach she uses when talking with a parent about a problem the child is having in the classroom. What is important to the teacher to convey to the parent? How does the teacher's approach relate to the concept of mistaken behavior?
    2. Talk with a parent about the approach she would like a teacher to use if the parent's child were having a problem in the classroom. How do the parent's comments relate to the concept of mistaken behavior?

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

Bernal, G. R. (1997). How to calm children through massage. Childhood Education, 74(1), 9-14.

Corso, R. (2003). The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. Young Children, 58(4), 46-47.

Fox, L., Dunlap, G., Hemmeter, M. L., Joseph, G. E., & Strain, P. S. (2003). The teaching pyramid: A model for supportive social competence and preventing challenging behavior in young children. Young Children, 58(4), 48-52.

Fox, L., Dunlap, G., & Powell, D. (2002, Fall). Young children with challenging behavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Intervention, 4(4), 208-218.

Froschl, M., & Sprung, B. (1999). On purpose: Addressing teasing and bullying in early childhood. Young Children, 54(2), 70-72.

Gartrell, D. J. (2000). What the kids said today. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Gurham, P. J., & Nason, P. N. (1997). Why make teachers' work more visible to parents. Young Children, 52(5), 22-26.

King, M. (2003). Building an encouraging classroom with boys in mind. Young Children, 58(4), 33-37.

Loomis, C., & Wagner, J. (2005, March). A different look at challenging behavior. Young Children, 60(2), 94-102.

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WEB LINKS

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

Social Development in the Classroom

  1. Early Childhood Web Guide http://www.ecewebguide.com/
  2. National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health http://www.ncemch.org/
  3. Dr. Bruce Perry-Children's Self-Regulation http://teacher.scholastic.com
    Search for Bruce Perry

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AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES

[Childhood Depression] www.films.com

[Early Relationships: Habits of the Heart] www.insight-media.com

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

Childhood Depression. This video profiles a three-year-old boy and his mother; emphasizes the importance of encouraging young children to express their feelings. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, PO Box 2053, Princeton, NY 08543. 1-800-257-5126.

Early Relationships: Habits of the Heart. The importance of attachments early in life and the difference between secure and insecure attachments are investigated in this video. Insight Media, 121 West 85th Street, New York, NY 10024. 1-800-233-9910.

Reframing Discipline/Doing the Groundwork: Unit 1, From Stopping Misbehavior to Teaching Skills. This video is the first of three units that make up the REFRAMING DISCIPLINE Series. Doing the Groundwork is a practical visual approach to help teachers in reframing their responses to typical classroom conflicts from conventional discipline to a guidance, teaching skills approach. Includes a teaching video and interactive practice video, each 24 minutes. Educational Productions, 1997, 9000 SW Gemini Drive, Beaverton, OR 97008. 1-800-950-4949. http://www.edpro.com (Author comment: Big bucks, but worth it.)

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CHAPTER RELEVANT WEB SITES

Note: The following list of materials does not necessarily indicate author endorsement.

Social Development in the Classroom

  1. Early Childhood Web Guide http://www.ecewebguide.com/
  2. National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health http://www.ncemch.org/
  3. Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health http://www.ffcmh.org/
  4. Dr. Bruce Perry-Children's Self-Regulation http://teacher.scholastic.com/
    Search for Bruce Perry

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

What is inappropriate about the term misbehavior?

What is the concept of mistaken behavior?

What are relational patterns?

What are the three levels of mistaken behavior?

What are key considerations in understanding mistaken behavior?

How does the teacher communicate with parents about mistaken behavior?

OVERVIEW

Chapter Three presents a concept in line with the work of the self psychologists for understanding young children's behavior, that behavior traditionally considered as "misbehavior" is more constructively viewed as mistaken behavior. The chapter explores three levels of mistaken behavior, each with a distinct motivational source, and offers considerations for teachers in addressing each level. Considerations for acquainting family members with the concept of mistaken behavior are discussed.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • What is inappropriate about the term misbehavior?
  • What is the concept of mistaken behavior?
  • What are relational patterns?
  • What are the three levels of mistaken behavior?
  • What are key considerations in understanding mistaken behavior?
  • How does the teacher communicate with parents about mistaken behavior?

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DISCUSSION ACTIVITY

Think back to a classroom incident that you witnessed or were a part of when a teacher intervened. Use references from the chapter to determine what level or levels of mistaken behavior were involved. Did the teacher respond as though the incident was misbehavior or mistaken behavior? Why did you reach this conclusion?

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