Proactive Classroom Management in Preschool

Classroom structure and teacher conduct that is likely to avoid the onset of problem behavior are referred to as proactive classroom management (PCM). PCM’s components have been proven to be effective in preventing problem behaviors and improving academic achievement.

Teachers may help youngsters develop their capacity to make prosocial judgments by believing in their good intentions and supporting their sense of control over their actions.

What is classroom management? 

The method through which instructors and institutions generate and maintain proper student conduct in classroom settings is known as classroom management. The goal of applying classroom management tactics is to improve prosocial conduct and academic engagement among students (Emmer & Sabornie, 2015; Everston & Weinstein, 2006).

Classroom behavior management techniques have been demonstrated to be successful for 80-85 percent of all kids when adopting a tiered paradigm in which universal school-wide assistance is offered. Some pupils may require more intense programming.

When adults are called out in front of their classmates and reported to a loved one, they feel ashamed and this is exactly what some instructors do to pupils when utilizing behavior charts.

That isn’t to suggest that behavior charts aren’t useful: Some teachers, for example, employ “caught being good” points when the class follows co-created behavior rules to foster respect and accountability without focusing on individual pupils. However, behavior charts may unintentionally communicate to kids that we believe they are unable to satisfy the demands of the classroom. They may also make studying uncomfortable and induce anticipatory worry, leading us to inform the person pupils that they’ve been a letdown.

Classroom management that works has the following benefits 

  • Establishes and maintains a well-organized atmosphere in the classroom.
  • Reduces bad behaviors while increasing time spent on academic activities.
  • Although successful classroom management results in several favorable outcomes for children, instructors report a lack of assistance in applying classroom management practices in a 2006 APA survey of pre-K through grade 12 teachers.
  •  Chaotic classroom settings are a significant concern for teachers, and they can contribute to high levels of teacher stress and burnout. As a result, it is critical to employ effective classroom management practices at the general level in a tiered paradigm, as they function as both preventative and intervention measures, promoting favorable student results.

Ways to go beyond the behavior charts in maintaining proactive classroom management 

Edutopia has come up with a 4Cs approach to manage the classroom to embrace a system of belief that assumes good intent and to actively express that idea to preschoolers.

1. Compassionate inquiry: Compassionate curiosity is a trauma-informed teaching method. It invites instructors to serve as nonjudgmental investigators to better comprehend what is going on in their students’ thoughts and lives. The more open you are to admit that you don’t know everything about your kids’ experiences or what they’re feeling, the more likely you are to perceive conduct as a mirror of those sentiments.

Instead of responding to behavior, practice compassionate inquiry by pausing and asking caring questions such as, “Is there anything significant on your mind today?” and then taking a keen look at the responses.

Preschoolers may not always be able to completely articulate their responses to your queries. You will most likely notice nonverbal signs that can provide insight if you give them your undivided attention.

2. Collaboration: Compassionate curiosity leads naturally to the development of a collaborative classroom. Students who believe you’ll be interested rather than angry are more inclined to be open about who they are, what they know, and what they want to learn more about. 

Putting in the time and effort to get to know your pupils gives them the motivation to invest in the classroom. Collaboration can take the following forms:

-Inquiring about pupils’ interests and passions.

-Creating activities that are tailored to their interests.

-You and your pupils should be teaching each other how to ask and answer questions.

-Treating and conversing with pupils with the same degree of respect that you want them to show you.

3. Choice: With choice, you collaborate with your students to select what they’re learning, why they’re learning it, and how they’d want to learn it. Allowing students to choose their activities and culture in the classroom teaches negotiation and compromise while also giving kids a sense of control over their surroundings and behaviors. While certain things may be unavoidable from a safety or curricular standpoint—or both—consider whether you need to say “no, we can’t do that,” and whether you can instead say, “let’s give it a try today.”

4. Unambiguous consequences: Using unambiguous and logical consequences ensures that the reaction fits the activity and is consistent for all students. It begins with pre-correction and prompting to inform pupils of the behavioral standards in a specific setting. If they continue to mismanage the issue after being allowed to fix it, a natural or logical consequence occurs—one that is rational, relevant to the problem and arises from the action. A natural consequence is an action’s inescapable conclusion. For example, a student who does not wear mittens in the winter will have freezing hands.

Logical consequences are also associated with actions, but they occur when we intervene before the activity causes harm to the learner. If the student in the previous example wished to play on an icy patch that was off-limits, the natural result—falling and getting hurt—would have to be substituted with a reasonable consequence, such as confining their play to a less attractive region.

Both natural and logical outcomes demonstrate the link between what students do and what occurs next, helping them to learn from their mistakes and understand that they can modify their conduct.

Other than this the teachers can adopt the following tips 

  • A tidy and well-organized classroom
  • Comfort and reassurance should radiate from you.
  • Give them the means to communicate their emotions.
  • Flexible Seating Charts 
  • Building Relationships

Footnote: Hope you like this article and found it helpful to use an effective classroom for your preschoolers. 

We need to provide a safe environment for toddlers to develop healthy self-esteem and self-control. They need to know that we are concerned about why they are struggling and that we want to assist them.

Carter Martin

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