Child Care Answers - Blog

ProKids, INC Presents

Effecting Individual Child Behavior and the Group Dynamic

June 9, 2012 at the ProKids, Inc Indianapolis from 9am-12pm

$30 Registration fee and includes light refreshments

All participants must register online at http://www.utsprokids.org/login.asp

Training Agenda:

This three hour session will focus on three distinct aspects of shaping children’s behavior and positively affecting the group dynamic of your childcare facility or classroom.

1. Environment & Workplace Culture

2. Planning and Communication (Thinking Outside the Box)

3. Strategies & Techniques

This session is designed to encourage teachers and childcare providers to focus on all three of these components, to value their impact on child behavior and to analyze each when problem-solving scenarios involving behaviorally challenging children.

When a child demonstrates challenging behavior, we typically jump directly to Strategies and Techniques, or even punishment/consequences. We often skip, or invest very little time, seriously considering that components 1 & 2 might also hold some answers and get the results we are searching for.

I will propose in this session that we miss many opportunities if we fail to consistently utilize all of the tools in our arsenal. In fact, investing time in Components 1 & 2 might even prove to result in change that (1) impacts the entire group dynamic (staff, children, and families), (2) that is longer lasting, (3) and is more effective.

Alas, don’t fret, we will spend considerable time on Component 3. I am, after all, a Behaviorist. We all want to discuss “what to do when…” Shaping a child’s behavior when it consistently interferes with their development and safety, or the development and safety of others is critical. Until a child is able to reasonably conform to the social and behavioral norms of any given environment in which they find themselves, they will struggle to benefit fully from what those environments have to offer.

We will discuss how you and your staff can address a variety of challenging behaviors. You will have an opportunity to share Strategies and Techniques that are effective in your environments and learn from the experiences of other session participants.