This article is courtesy of The Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development.
Thomas was only 5 years old, but he knew the rules. He should have known that throwing a piece from a wooden puzzle across the room of his preschool class could have resulted in someone getting hurt.
His teacher might have felt well-justified in reprimanding him, giving him a time out or calling his mother. Some kind of consequence would seem to be in order, because that’s how children learn to follow rules. Right?
But she tried something different. Instead of viewing his outburst as bad behavior, she chose to understand it as a communication. So before scolding him for doing something wrong, she worked to understand what was bothering him.
The approach worked for a few reasons. It gave Thomas confidence the teacher was there to help him – not just hand out punishments. It also helped him in the ongoing process of learning to recognize strong feelings and what they mean – an important skill for developing healthy relationships and succeeding in school and life.
Read the whole story to learn about the developmental phase that led to Thomas’ outburst, what the teacher said to him, and other ways this gentle approach to undesirable behavior supports long-term success.
To Read the full article follow this link:
http://hannaperkins.org/an-alternative-to-punishment-for-misbehavior/
About Hanna Perkins:
The Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development helps children understand and manage their feelings for success in school and life; and works with parents and child-facing professionals to do the same. Services include a preschool and state-chartered kindergarten, mental health clinic for children and adolescents, and outreach/training for early childhood educators and other professionals.
Rique Sollisch
Great article with helpful thoughts on how to help a child use words, not his body to show how he feels. Great writing.