Establish an engaging environment to prevent discipline issues. Keeping the children actively participating in activities reduces the chances of misbehaving. Learning centers allow the children to choose an activity that fits their interests and ability levels. This child-directed selection of projects increases the likelihood of the participant sticking with the activity instead of causing problems. Create a sense of acceptance and respect within the child-care setting to encourage children to follow the guidance that teachers provide.
Close supervision of the children allows the care providers to catch behavior problems as they arise. Providers also learn the personalities of the children and how they interact, allowing them to identify situations that may lead to misbehavior. When a child shows signs of a behavior issue, redirect her attention to another activity. Draw the child away from a classmate who may have a conflicting personality. Redirecting children often allows them to become immersed in different activities without further difficulties. Some students require frequent redirection to stay on task and avoid behavior problems.
When redirection fails to work, removal from the situation offers an alternative. Some children need a new environment to regain composure after incidents upset them. The location for a student who needs a break depends on the facilities and the degree to which the student misbehaves. A quiet corner in the classroom with pillows provides one option for a time-out zone. Other options include a walk around the child care facility, a break in the director's office or a visit to another classroom within the facility. The change of environment often brings a child back to a calm state so he can return to the room.
Extreme discipline problems call for parental involvement. The discipline options for child-care employees limit the possible responses to a child who consistently misbehaves. A collaboration with the parents to resolve the issues aids in handling the child. Communicate with the parents frequently to establish an open relationship. Reserve calls to the parents during the work day for major infractions of the child-care rules.