Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
Chapter 9
Guidance in Early Childhood Education
An important component to teaching young children is learning how to discipline or
guide them. Guidance is teaching young children what behavior is appropriate and what behavior
is inappropriate. There are many methods available for teachers to use when working with
children. Some of them may be as simple as modifying the environment, arranging schedules and
routines to keep the children interested, making changes to transitions, and giving the children
praise. Others may require more thought and practice, such as active listening, I-messages, and
time in. The important thing to remember is that there are many options for assisting the children
with problem-solving and making changes to their behavior.
Children may have goals to misbehavior. These goals may be attention, power, revenge
and inadequacy. This knowledge can assist teachers in understanding why children are
participating in a certain behavior, and then can choose the most appropriate way of working
through that behavior with the child. Having ongoing communication with the families is an
essential component to guidance.
What are the Theoretical Foundations of Guidance?
• Having knowledge and strategies for guiding or disciplining young children is important
for early childhood educators.
• Social Constructivism: the approach to guidance is based on the belief that children
create their own reality and that subsequent behavior is based on experience interacting
with people and objects in their world.
• Learning Theory is also referred to as behaviorism.
o Operant learning is the process of gaining new knowledge or developing through
rewards from other people in the environment.
Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
• Social Learning Theory: Child learns from watching others.
• Dreikurs’ Guidance Methods: all humans have goals that underlie their behavior.
o Inappropriate behavior has an underlying goal or goals.
• Gordon’s Guidance Methods are based on humanistic theory.
o Problem-solving is the act of helping a child to think about and solve his or her
own guidance issue.
How does a Teacher or Parent Guide Behavior?
• Promoting optimal development
o Behavior expectations should be based on developmental knowledge of the
specific age group.
Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
• Natural and logical consequences are outcomes or the child’s actions and behaviors.
• Evoking positive and appropriate behavior in children occurs when children experience
natural and logical consequences.
• When teachers and parents set-up or change the environment in order to guide young
children’s behavior they are using environmental manipulations.
What Roles do Scheduling and Routines Play in Guidance?
• Schedules and routines help children to trust the environment and the adults around
them. They also help with guidance, keeping the children’s attention, and fostering
better behavior.
• Choice-making opportunities
o Promotes independence
o Self-monitoring of appropriate behaviors can occur
What are Some Specific Techniques for Guiding Behavior?
• Giving positive attention to appropriate behavior goes a long way to ensure that the
person demonstrated the behavior with repeat and value it.
Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
• Discussion consists of helping children to talk about their behavior or emotions, why they
are inappropriate, and what can be substituted that is more appropriate.
What Individual Needs of Children Should be Considered?
• Health: Children who feel unwell may not behave properly.
• Temperament: Teachers should adapt guidance techniques to the child’s personality.
• Peers: Teachers should help children learn communication skills that will help them make
friends.
How to Support Guidance Through the Use of Parents and Families?
• Building partnerships with families is essential to assisting children with changing their
behavior.
• The reflective practitioner:
o Recognizes the ethical nature of working with parents and families.
o Maintains a clear focus on the goal of enhancing human growth and development
in both parents and children.
Gordon Biddle, Early Childhood Education: Becoming a Professional Instructor Resource
What Types of Classroom Environments Help to Facilitate Guidance and Positive Behavior?