| "Not While I'm Wearing the Hat" | | | | key to both behavior guidance and the prevention of |
| Teaching preschool is never a walk in the park. One | | | | negative behaviors. And positive reinforcement doesn't |
| moment you're trying to sooth a crying child while | | | | just have to be kind words either. |
| tearing apart two others who are fighting over the last | | | | For example, the child could be rewarded by being |
| black pipe cleaner for their art project. For this reason, | | | | allowed to sit at the teacher's desk for the remainder |
| teaching preschool requires a never-ending supply of | | | | of the class. Or they could be permitted to bring their |
| patience balanced with enough authority to get the | | | | favorite classroom toy or game home for the night. |
| kids to listen. | | | | This teaches the child a sense of responsibility in |
| One great way to keep from being interrupted when | | | | remembering to bring the toy back the next day. |
| teaching preschool is to use a visual focal point to | | | | Another great reward for good behavior can be that |
| remind the children not to speak, such as a hat. Unless | | | | the child gets to choose which story is read during |
| children are bleeding, they cannot speak while the | | | | story time, or what craft everyone gets to do after |
| teacher is wearing the hat, even to ask a question. | | | | lunch. By being allowed to make choices for the entire |
| This helps to teach restraint and patience, as well as | | | | grow, the child is endowed with a sense of group |
| the value of listening to others. The hat could even | | | | responsibility. |
| coincide with the theme of the month, such as a Santa | | | | Finally, another great reward for positive behavior is to |
| hat around the holidays and a baseball cap in the | | | | phone the child's parents, preferably in front of the child |
| spring. | | | | just to let them know what a great kid they have. This |
| Great Expectations... but not too great | | | | will make the child feel special since the teacher is |
| When teaching preschool, remember to develop | | | | taking time from their busy day just to deliver a |
| expectations specific to each child as opposed to the | | | | compliment to the person which most children are |
| notion of where they should be developmentally. Some | | | | trying hardest to impress. |
| children are able to wait five minutes for something | | | | The Golden Rule: Have Fun! |
| whereas others can only sustain one minute of waiting | | | | Speaking of delivering compliments, make sure not to |
| before their attention wanders. Similarly, some children | | | | forget about supporting the other members of the |
| are out like a light during nap time while others simply | | | | teaching staff and parental volunteers. A little thank |
| will be unable to fall asleep, especially at the beginning | | | | you now and then will go a long way. And at the end |
| of the school year. | | | | of the day, the most important thing to remember |
| When a child succeeds in meeting or exceeding their | | | | when teaching preschool is to have fun. When the |
| own set of expectations, always make sure to | | | | children can sense that the teacher is having fun, they |
| reward them with positive reinforcement, which is the | | | | too will share in this sense of amusement. |