Understanding and implementing clear behavioral guidelines is crucial, especially for young children navigating the complexities of school. Educators shouldn’t assume automatic comprehension of these expectations. Instead, early childhood teachers must proactively foster appropriate behavior by establishing clear behavior expectations and rules as a fundamental component of classroom management.
Understanding Behavior Expectations
Teacher assisting a child in a classroom activity
Behavior expectations are the overarching goals for how educators want children to conduct themselves. These expectations act as guidelines for behavior, applicable across all settings and to both children and adults. Example behavior expectations include:
- Be Safe
- Be Responsible
- Be Respectful
These broad aspirations provide a framework. Ideally, these expectations are school-wide, serving as a foundation for teachers to formulate specific rules and offer children clear behavioral guidance. Because young children might find these broad concepts abstract, teachers need to create specific, concrete rules to clarify these expectations within particular contexts and activities. Even in centers without school-wide expectations, teachers can establish their own to guide behavior.
Defining Rules for Specific Behaviors
Rules are distinct from expectations; they explicitly define the appropriate behaviors teachers want children to exhibit. These behaviors should be concrete, observable, and measurable, adapting to various settings like the classroom, lunchroom, or playground.
Teachers can use a matrix to specify rules reflecting each behavior expectation. This matrix helps maintain consistency across settings and clarifies how expectations vary in different contexts. For instance, the expectation “Be safe” translates differently depending on the location. In the classroom and hallway, it might mean “Use walking feet,” while on the playground, a more relevant rule might be “Sit on bikes, slides, and swings.”
The table below provides an example of how behavior expectations can be translated into specific rules across different settings:
| Behavior Expectation | Classroom Rules | Playground Rules | Hallway Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Be Safe | – Use walking feet | – Sit on bikes, slide, and swings | – Use walking feet |
| – Use gentle touches | – Use gentle touches | – Use gentle touches | |
| – Stay together | |||
| Be Responsible | – Follow directions | – Follow directions | – Follow directions |
| – Put toys away | |||
| Be Respectful | – Use kind words | – Use kind words | – Use kind words |
| – Take turns | – Use quiet voices |
Consider the insights from Amanda Peirick and Mary Louise Hemmeter on the differences between behavior expectations and classroom rules, and how establishing them can prevent problem behaviors.
Alt text: Amanda Peirick, an experienced educator, provides valuable insights on establishing classroom rules and behavior expectations for young learners.
Alt text: Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter discusses the significance of defining behavior expectations and rules to proactively address and mitigate potential behavioral issues in early childhood education.
Key Quotes:
- Amanda Peirick: “When I think about behavior expectations, I think about these sort of broad or general goals that we have… these broad concepts that organize what positive behaviors we want to have.”
- Mary Louise Hemmeter: “Expectations are broader statements about what we want children to do… the rules are more specific behaviors that would be tied to those expectations.”
By clearly defining both expectations and rules, educators create an environment where children understand what is expected of them, which reduces challenging behaviors and promotes a positive learning atmosphere.
Cultural Considerations in Behavior Expectations
Cultural context significantly influences behavior. Acceptable behaviors often vary culturally. Actions like talking while someone else is speaking, calling out in class, or making eye contact are all influenced by cultural norms.
A mismatch between a child’s culture and the teacher’s can lead to misinterpretations of the child’s behavior. Establishing clear expectations and rules helps children understand the different behavioral codes required in different settings. Respect and positive relationships with all children are critical. Adults should consistently monitor their behavior to ensure they respond fairly to all children.
Applying Expectations and Rules: An Example
Consider Mrs. Rodriquez, who is exploring aligning her classroom rules with her school’s behavior expectations (“We are safe,” “We are team members,” and “We are respectful”). She believes this approach can improve student compliance. By using these expectations as a framework for developing classroom rules, Mrs. Rodriquez can create a clearer and more consistent learning environment for her students.
By carefully considering What Rules Should Guide Your Behavior, educators can cultivate positive, respectful, and productive learning environments that benefit all children.
