Inquiry 3
| Site: | MoodleHUB.ca 🍁 |
| Course: | Early Learning and Child Care 30 Modules |
| Book: | Inquiry 3 |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Thursday, 18 September 2025, 3:26 PM |
Description
Created by IMSreader
1. Inquiry 3
Session 4: Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Inquiry 3: Alternatives to Time Out
Important: Always remember the following guidelines:
- Never use time out or isolation as a threat.
- Never humiliate a child in time out.
- Never use a set chair or corner for time out.
Sometimes children become over-stimulated, lose control, and get into situations where they need time to regain control. The child care provider can move the child away from the situation in order to give the child time to regain control, but the child should not be placed into a consequence called “time out.” Time out has often been used as a punishment and it has been learned that punishment does little to teach children appropriate behaviour.
Consider the following guidelines for removing a child from a situation:
- Redirect the child only when it appears the child has lost control. The purpose of the redirection is to give the child time to regain control.
- The child should be redirected to another area within the play space (e.g., reading centre)—not in a separate area—where the child cannot be bothered by others. To avoid any shame or humiliation, the location should not be a set “chair” or “corner.”
- Explain why you are moving the child. You could say, for example, “Billy, I want you to sit over here with me until you are ready to play with Sally without hitting. We cannot hit our friends because it can hurt them. We need to talk with our friends and use our words instead of hitting them.”
- Stay with the child and problem solve the situation. Be sure to follow the steps for problem solving outlined earlier in this session.
- When a child returns to the group, notice the child’s positive behaviour and encourage the behaviour.
Challenging and/or Difficult Behaviours
Important: If you are losing control, ask for assistance and then, if necessary, remove yourself from the situation.
Sometimes, regular guidance strategies do not seem to work and a child acts out in ways that are frustrating to the other children and/or to the child care providers. It is very important to get advice from your supervisor or program director when you are feeling frustrated.
Some difficult behaviours faced by child care providers are direct (like hitting, pushing, biting) while others are indirect (like bullying, ignoring rules). There are many reasons why a child may have challenging behaviour—it could be connected to a health problem, a family problem, or some other life events (like divorce) that are putting stress on the child.
Important: Physical punishment (such as hitting and spanking) and emotional neglect (such as humiliation, isolation, or withholding food, shelter, clothing, or bedding) is illegal and must never be used in a child care setting.
Most children respond well to the prevention and guidance techniques discussed in this session. Blaming yourself, the child, or the family isn’t productive or appropriate. Getting advice and support is appropriate—use the resources available to get support and assistance.
1.1. Learning Activity 3
Session 4: Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Learning Activity 3: Practise Communicating Guidelines and Intervention in a Positive Way
Focus
Child care providers help children follow a guideline when the provider states in a positive way the behaviour or action expected from the child and gives a simple explanation of why that behaviour is important. Children also learn to follow and understand guidelines when child care providers intervene by redirecting the children’s play or by engaging the children in problem solving.
Directions
Complete this activity with a partner from your class.
Step 1: Consider the following statements:
- “Stop throwing the sand all over the floor.”
- “Don’t throw the puzzle pieces.”
- “Stop hitting Jessica.”
- “Don’t ride the tricycle near the swings.”
- “Stop climbing on the cupboard shelves.”
Step 2: Choose two of the negatively stated guidelines listed in Step 1. You may not choose the first guideline, as it is used as an example below.
Step 3: Suggest a way to state each of the two guidelines you selected in a positive way. State how you would explain to the child why the guideline is important.
For example, instead of saying “Stop throwing the sand all over the floor,” you could say, “We need to keep the sand in the sandbox, so that we have enough sand to play with. Once the sand is on the floor, we have to put it in the garbage.”
Important: Be sure to discuss your creative ideas with your teacher before starting your work. This will ensure that the format you choose is acceptable to your teacher.
Step 4: Write or perform a script for each of the two guidelines you chose that explains or shows the following:
- a child or children not following the guideline
- how, as the child care provider, you would intervene
One written script or performance should show you intervening by redirecting the child or children’s play. The other written script or performance should show you stopping the behaviour and engaging the child or children in problem solving.
Your written script or performance should include both the actions you and the child or children would do, and the words you and the child or children would say.
Step 5: Review the Student Rubric for Learning Activity 3: Communicating Guidelines and Intervening in a Positive Way. Assess the quality of your work and make any necessary adjustments.
Checking In
Save your work and your self-assessment in the appropriate sub-folder of your course folder, or otherwise present your work to your teacher.
1.2. Learning Activity 4
Session 4: Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Learning Activity 4: Establishing a Policy for Guiding Children’s Behaviour
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Focus
The more child care providers think about guiding practices and guidelines for guiding children’s behaviour, the better they will be able to use the guidelines and communicate them to the children.
Directions
Step 1: Go to an acceptable child care facility and observe and/or discuss with the other child care providers the guidelines that have been established.
Step 2: Complete Learning Activity 4: Establishing Guidelines for Guiding Children’s Behaviour.
Checking In
Save your completed learning activity in the appropriate sub-folder of your course folder.
1.3. Learning Activity 5
Session 4: Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Learning Activity 5: Policy for Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Focus
It is important that child care providers are familiar with and able to discuss with parents how children’s behaviour will be guided at the child care centre. Centres should have a guidance policy that informs staff and parents how issues with children’s behaviour will be handled.
Directions
Step 1: Read and use the following resources to complete this activity.
- Checklist for Supporting Positive Behaviours
- Sample Child Care Behaviour Management Child Guidance Policy
- Jump Frog Daycare Child Guidance Policy
Step 2: Complete Learning Activity 5: Policy for Guiding Children’s Behaviour.
Step 3: Review the Student Rubric for Learning Activity 5: Policy for Guiding Children’s Behaviour. Assess your work and make any necessary adjustments.
Step 4: Complete the Reflections section of the Student Rubric.
Step 5: Share your policy with a colleague at the child care facility where you have been completing components of this course. Ask your colleague to give you feedback on the following questions:
- Is the difference between guidance and punishment clearly explained or shown in a way that families will easily understand?
- Are the guidelines stated in ways that are positive and respectful, and so that they will be clearly and easily understood by families?
- Is it clear what intervention strategies will be used and when they will be applied?
- Is it clear what ages of children are cared for at the centre?
- Are the guidelines and intervention strategies age-appropriate?
- Is the policy well-written and are the ideas clearly and easily communicated?
Step 6: Based on your colleague’s feedback, make any necessary changes to your policy.
Checking In
Save your completed learning activity in the appropriate sub-folder of your course folder.