Positive
Guidance
Techniques
Common Reasons Why
Children Misbehave
 Normal
behavior
for their age
 Natural curiosity
 Don’t know better
 Attention
 Power
 Revenge
 Feeling
inadequate at the
task
 The need to feel
they belong
Positive Behavior and Choices



In order to maintain control in a group setting,
consider the amount of children with the
space, safety, traffic patterns, and supervision
within the room.
When a child is misbehaving, the support
teacher can sit beside a child and
encourage them to participate.
When a child habitually throws a tantrum at
circle time because they do not get
attention, remove the child from the group
setting until they choose to calm down.
Positive Behavior and Choices
 Schedules
and routines are important
because they provide structure and
security for children which promotes
positive behavior & choices.
 This reduces tension and fears due to the
“unknown” thus reducing misbehavior.
 Misbehavior
is the result of no consistency,
schedule, or routines.
 Consistency
is key to smooth schedules
and routines.
Guidance and
Modeling
 To
model
appropriate
behavior and
actions. It is
continually done, a
caregivers daily
job.
Discipline
 Fair
firm and
consistent training
so children know
what is expected.
Punishment
A
penalty inflicted
for wrong doing
through
intimidation & fear.
Self-Discipline
 The
ability to
control one’s own
behavior by
personal choice.
Positive
Guidance
Techniques
8 Positive Techniques
Natural Consequence
Define
 Things
that
naturally happen
without parental
interference.
Example
 Child
doesn’t
come home in
time for dinner,
goes hungry
Limited Choices
Define
 Giving
a child 2-3
options so they can
learn autonomy
and decision
making.
Example
 Would
you like
apple juice,
orange juice or
milk?
Logical Consequence
Define
 Consequence
that
the caregiver sets
as a result of the
child’s choice or
action. Should
match the offense.
Example
 If
gaming longer
than told minutes,
the consequence
is no gaming for
the rest of the
week.
Time Out
Define
 Child
regains
emotions in a quiet
spot. Use sparingly.
Example
A
child hit another
child over dress up,
time out for 4
minutes (age of
child)
Positive Statements
Define
 Child
is told what
they can do rather
than what they
can’t do
Example
 Instead
of saying,
“Don’t throw sand
at your sister,” say:
“Keep the sand in
the sand box.”
Reverse Attention/Positive
Reinforcement
Define
 Focusing on the
child’s
accomplishments
and good choices
through praise and
ignore the
negative behavior
when possible.
Example
 “I
really like how
Brody is sitting so
quiet at circle
time.”
Redirection
Define
 If
a child is doing
something you do
not want them to
do, direct them
with another
option.
Example
 If
children are
fighting over dressup, “time to paint
on the easel.”
Modeling
Define
 Used
to show how
children can solve
their own
problems. Used to
show how children
can solve their own
problems.
Example
I
can hang up my
coat and find my
name on the rug,
can you?
APPLICATION: Provide appropriate
management solutions for dealing with
problem behaviors.
 Be
sure to list what positive guidance
technique you are using FIRST, then
proceed to explain what you will do.