This is my third week on a job teaching five 4- and 5-year-olds in the morning.
I have to fight tooth and nail to get all five of them to listen to me for as long as one sentence.

The director was impressed because I have several years of experience and a couple of college degrees.
But if I can't get those five kids under control, she'll decide that I'm an imposter.

Here's what I've tried and doesn't work so hot:

■ Their favorite games are hide-and-seek and musical chairs. I've promised them one of those games if they behave. No luck.

■ When one child interrupts, I reinforce the four who are not interrupting. That's had some limited effect.

■ I get down on the offending child's level and speak softly to the child. The child goes limp and refuses to look at me.

Here's what I tried recently and might work:

■ For some reason, they behave perfectly fifteen or twenty minutes before lunch time. They gather around me and eagerly listen to me read them a picture book.
Could it be that they are accustomed to a schedule with which I am not familiar?

Then again, I am replacing a teacher who allegedly wasn't so hot. From what I hear of her, they probably didn't have much of any schedule. I wish I can find a diplomatic way to find out what the kids are used to.

■ This morning, after 9:30 circle time, I worked one-on-one with each child while the remaining kids used puzzles and toys in the same room. I limited them to only a few puzzles and toys in order to minimize the ordeal of clean-up.

That went tolerably well, but that could be because the director was in the room. I hope it will go over tolerably well when the director is not in the room.

Here's what I intend to try and might work:

■ The promise of hide-and-seek or musical chairs is probably too long-term for them. Moreover, individual rewards might be more effective than group rewards. I shall designate which child behaved the best in each session and ask him or her to choose the next activity.

■ The director made a call for more gross motor activities. She might be right.

Reply

Hi!
I applaud your investment in your own time and research efforts in improving your classroom management! What degrees did you get in school? I'm can imagine a lot of the things you learned can be brought in to your teaching in the classroom. Now you sound like you need practical methods to manage group care and up top date, proven guidance techniques. If you have decided you've accumulated quite enough degrees (more than one- I am impressed!), and are not interested in an ECE degree, my suggestion is to look into finding what you need from professional, accredited organizations with websites like the NAEYC. Also small time blogs are fun for ideas, but you never know their accuracy!
Welcome to ECE!
Calcare

Reply

http://www.naeyc.org/content/bullyin...itive-guidance
http://www.naeyc.org/DAP
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/d...ngs-19079.html

Just some links. I suggest searches using the following words: developmentally appropriate guidance techniques, democracy in the classroom ece, domain development early childhood education, play based curriculum, child-centered curriculum...

Reply

After reading your post, I feel like I need more information. Are the kids having difficulty following directions? The routine of your day? Are they doing the opposite of what you say to test boundaries? The strategies would be different based on what the specific behaviors are and when you are seeing them most.

For behavior, I have found this website to be an absolute lifesaver: http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu

Reply

Are they getting any outside time? I'd tend to agree with your director and add more gross motor activities to get rid of some of their energy. Kids love music and dance, maybe add a few favorite songs and do movements to them.

Reply

When I was having trouble teaching my six preschoolers (rowdy boys!), I started a journey to build up my individual relationships with each of them. We started having one on one time each day, I would ask about their interests and their families, and we would do a special project together once a week. It's been working really well, they listen better and have SO much fewer behaviors. Maybe because your relationships are so new, they just need some time to develop.

Reply

I agree with this wholeheartedly! When kids feel like they matter and someone is really listening to them, maybe their need for attention won't be so loud.
Even if their previous schedule is different than what you're presenting, I would think they will still adapt to yours. Just mix it up with movement/quiet/interactive and keep the flow going.
My worst moments are transitional times, like when it's time to pick up and get ready for lunch, etc. That's when I let the timer tell them it's time to ______ and they listen to that thing better than me; I tell them 'when the timer goes ding it's time to pick up'. Another thing I use from time to time is a train whistle. If it seems like every singe child forgot their ears that day, I give a good toot on the ole train whistle and heads pop up no matter what.

Reply

May find some ideas here: csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

Reply