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ACSI Early Educator Conference
Althea Penn, M.Ed.Adm., NAC.PDS
The handouts and PowerPoints are available at
http://speakerscore.com/empowered
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Empowered-Prayer
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
He will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16
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Empowered-Worship
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He
will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16
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Empowered-Love
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He
will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16
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Effective Discipline Principles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Discipline is teaching
Discipline is motivated by love
Discipline considers developmental levels
Discipline considers learning styles
Discipline considers personality styles
Discipline considers the antecedent or cause
Discipline ensures the child’s basic needs are met
Discipline requires a nurturing teaching style
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Discipline defined
To instruct or educate;
to inform the mind;
to prepare by instructing
in correct principles and
habits; as, to discipline
youth for a profession, or
for future usefulness.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
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Principle #1
Discipline is not
punishment, but
instruction.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed
according to Your word. Your word I have hidden in my
heart, That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:9, 11
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Teaching the Whole Child
 Holistic
 Multi-sensory
 Active
 Combination of
experiences
Education comprehends
. . . instruction and
discipline intended to
enlighten the
understanding,
correct the temper,
and form the
manners and habits
of youth, and fit them
for usefulness in their
future stations. ..
Noah Webster
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Principle #2 The motive is love…
"My son, do not make light
of the Lord's discipline, and
do not lose heart when he
rebukes you, because the
Lord disciplines those he
loves…" Hebrews 12:5
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Principle #3 Developmentally appropriate
Design the learning experiences
and the environment—the
physical classroom arrangement,
materials, activities, schedule,
curriculum, and teaching methods —
to the developmental levels, personality and
learning styles of the children in order to
promote growth… NAEYC
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Principle #4 Consider Learning modalities
o Visual
o Auditory
o Kinesthetic
“Each mind has its own method.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882
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Crib to classroom
Auditory infants are
attuned to sounds
and words…
 Talk early
 Rapid vocabulary
growth
 Enjoy listening to
books
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Visual infants
 Attracted to colors,
shapes and motion
 Excellent eye hand
coordination
 As toddlers…blocks,
beads, puzzles
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Kinesthetic infants
 Reach milestones early
(crawling, walking, etc.)
 Well coordinated
 Confident in bodies
 Physical contact
 Like being held and rocked
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Visually-What are your students
seeing each day?
Audibly-What are they hearing each
day?
Bodily-What are they feeling each
day?
God’s love, Word, and Spirit
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Principle #5 Consider personality types
Principle #6 Consider the antecedent
(preceding event) or cause
Three primary causes of misbehavior
 Unmet need (rainy day-exercise)
 Lacking a specific skill (confusion-stop,
look, choose or exploration)
 Mismatch between child and the
environment or schedule (nap time)
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Principle #7
Ensure The Child’s Basic Needs Are Met
“People take time! Dealing with discipline
takes time. Children are not fax machines or
credit cards. When they misbehave they are
telling us that they need help in learning a
better way. They are telling us that there are
basic needs not being met that are motivating
the behavior.”
Allen N. Mendler, What do I do When.. .?
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Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Principle #8 Nurturing teaching styles
Positive guidance helps to broaden
egocentric views…
Model pro-social behaviors:
sharing, helping, cooperating
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Providing a nurturing classroom:
1. Developmentally appropriate program
2. Teacher interaction – positive, effectively
communicate, support, observe, motivate and
discipline each child
3. Behavioral expectations –realistic and
consistently reinforced limits (redirection and active
listening)
4. Modeling - caring relationships
5. Mastery of basic knowledge,
skills and core competencies of
early childhood development
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Early Childhood Educator Competency
To support social and emotional development
and provide positive guidance.




Time out
Developmentally inappropriate for 0-3 yrs.
Isolating
Rejecting
Terrorizing
Ignoring
National Health & Safety Standard 2.039
http://nrc.uchsc.edu
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Discipline Philosophy Self-evaluation
1. Methods
2. Behavioral expectations
3. Communicating expectations
4. Conflict resolution methods
5. Problem solving methods
6. Solution follow through
7. Environmental factors
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Effective Discipline Principles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Discipline is teaching
Discipline is motivated by love
Discipline considers developmental levels
Discipline considers learning styles
Discipline considers personality styles
Discipline considers the antecedent or cause
Discipline ensures the child’s basic needs are met
Discipline requires a nurturing teaching style
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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
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ACSI Early Educator Conference
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
He will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16
The handouts and PowerPoints are available at
http://speakerscore.com/empowered
EMPOWERED
EMPOWERED
Effective Discipline Techniques
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
He will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16
Do not hold back discipline from
the child (Proverbs 23:13).
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I tried to teach my child with books
He only gave me puzzled looks
I tried to teach my child with words
They passed him by often unheard
Despairingly I turned aside
"How shall I teach this child?"
I cried
Into my hand, he put the key
"Come, he said, play with me."
--Anonymous
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Key Techniques
1. Positive Guidance
Limit the use of words such as no, don’t
stop. Use positive terms to guide
behavior…”Please walk, thank you.”
“Jim is playing with…you may use it when
he is finished.”
“Puzzle pieces are not for throwing. Lets
put them in their places together.”
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2. Redirection
• Explain why behavior is
unacceptable/poor choice
• Distract their attention
• Timer to set a limit for play
• “You want to play with the truck, but
Michael is using it right now. Your
turn…”
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3. Classroom rules, expectations and activities
that are realistic and DAP
• Assist in developing class
ground rules for behaviors
• Typical vs. atypical behavior
Biting when teething
Parallel vs. cooperative play
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to
each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a
journey. Matthew 25:15
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4. Limits, consequences and choices that children understand,
and that promote self-control
Natural consequences should
reflect choices
• “Run when you should walk and you slip and
scrap your knee.”
• Letting others go first, opening doors for
others, being careful around younger children
or older adults, pride in keeping a clean work
area, taking care of materials and equipment
So also Christ… though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience
by the things which He suffered. Hebrews 5:8
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5. Limits and consequences that are consistent and
applied equally to all children
• Love the un-loveable
• Consider student perceptions
• Incentives and rewards-fair
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5. Limits and consequences that are consistent and
applied equally to all children (EXAMPLE)
• Post classroom rules in devotional or circle time area
• Keep them simple
Toddlers
Helping hands
Walking feet
Listening ears
Indoor voices
Looking eyes
Preschoolers
WQ-Work Quietly
FD-Follow Directions
RO-Respect Others
RP-Respect Property
SS-Stay Seated

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6. Desired behavior modeled by
teachers/caregivers
• Follow the golden rule…treat others…
• Model social graces and role play good choices
•
•
•
•
•
and consequences (enjoy when we take turns…)
Be organized and prepared for each activity
Maintain a neat and orderly classroom-clean as
you go
Arrive early and greet each child at your door
Daily health check – regular breaks-recharge
Maintain a positive solution oriented attitude
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7. Minimal use of negative consequences
• Hold children accountable
• Help them learn from experiences
• Communicate to the child they are
good/acceptable although their
behavior is not acceptable
• Safe place or quiet area for reflection and
time to wind down when over stimulated by activity,
surroundings, or circumstances beyond their control (i.e. divorce,
separation, anxiety)
• Comfort both - when a child acts out
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8. Build relationships with each child
by listening and observing
• Consider your own temperament traits and
learning style
• Identify your preferences
• Make a list of children’s behaviors that bother
you
• Incorporate each child’s learning style in
developing instructional activities
• Auditory – Help remind of transitions
• Visual – Sort and store
• Kinesthetic – Store items, lead action songs
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Mary
treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19
9. Enlist parents as partners
• Communicate daily
• Build warm, caring
professional relationships
• Compliment child to
parent
• Share information with
honesty
and compassion
• Indicate areas of success
and concern
• Select behaviors to
improve/target
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Encourage Parental Involvement
Discuss the importance of
having open parent
communication and
techniques used to make it
happen, also
discuss the importance of
parental involvement.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should
go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
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10. Reinforce good behavior
• Smile, use the child’s name often
• Praise good behavior
• High expectations for student achievement
• Expect the best
• Provide acceptance, affirmation, affection,
attention and appreciation through eye contact,
high fives, gentle tone of voice, positive facial
expressions, body language, respect and
individuality
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Purposely use positive words
Awesome!
Great!
Good going!
Marvelous!
I am proud of
you!
Super!
Fantastic
I like that!
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Magnificent!
Fascinating!
Mark 11:23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever
says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast
into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but
believes that those things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he says.
11. Plan lessons, follow consistent daily
routines and smooth transitions
Think through lessons and prepare materials
before class.
Plan smooth transitions between
daily routines and train children
from day one
Be consistent and display emotional stability.
Proverbs 10:9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who
perverts his ways will become known.
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12. Arrange the classroom to promote
self-discipline
• Adequate personal storage space
• Materials students use should be visibly stored and
•
•
•
•
accessible
Designate sleeping, learning centers or subject
areas and eating areas
Arrange the room so that the teacher you can
observe and monitor all activity at all times
Use wall space for display, storage and learning
enrichments
Keep busier areas separate from quiet spaces
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12 Key Effective Discipline Techniques
1. Positive guidance
2. Redirection
3. Classroom rules, expectations and activities that are realistic and
DAP
4. Limits, consequences and choices that children understand, and
that promote self-control
5. Limits and consequences that are consistent and applied equally to
all children
6. Desired behaviors modeled by teachers/caregivers
7. Minimal use of negative consequences
8. Build relationships with each child by listening and observing
9. Enlist parents as partners
10. Reinforce good behavior
11. Plan lessons, follow consistent daily routines and smooth
transitions
12. Arrange the classroom to promote self-discipline
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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
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