According to Healtychildcare-wa.org, verbally stating appropriate behavior is more influential in changing behavior than giving a list of don'ts. Telling children what they should be doing provides better clarity and emphasizes positive actions. For example, instead of "don't shout," saying "please use a quiet voice when playing" gives an expectation of what is appropriate. Another important reminder is that children often forget the rules from day to day, so repetition is crucial.
EducationWorld.com reminds teachers that words are not enough to teach appropriate behavior--and that discipline should primarily be proactive. An example of this would be teaching preschoolers to walk in a straight, quiet line. The teacher discusses with the students how they should behave in line. Then she stands up and demonstrates walking quietly. She might engage the students and ask for a few volunteers to join her, or she might have a few students demonstrate both correct and incorrect ways of walking in line. This type of modeling reinforces to the students how they are expected to behave while giving them a mental image of the proper behavior.
Logical consequences strive to match the disciplinary action with the incorrect behavior. Logical consequences look for the opportunity to re-teach appropriate behavior by making a connection to the child's actions. For example, instead of punishing a child who did not wash his hands before snack with a time-out, a logical consequence might be to have the child go back and wash his hands before allowing him to eat snack. In this way, the student is not only being held accountable for his actions, but he's also learning how to correct his behavior.
According to BetterKidCare.psu.edu, giving children choices helps build a sense of security and allows them to grow as individuals. Teachers may give students options as a informal warning to correct behavior. For instance, if a child is sitting in the back of a large group during reading time and is starting to get distracted, the teacher might give the student the option to come sit in the front of the group or engage in the lesson from the back. These options give the student the opportunity to regulate his behavior while placing the responsibility of learning back on the student.