School plays a powerful role in children’s lives and it is second only to the family in terms of potential influence. According to Scheuermann and Hall (2008) school experiences shape a child’s life beyond academic preparation; the quality of a child’s school experience is an important predictor of success later in life; and children and youth who successfully manage the academic and social challenges of school typically have more positive post-school experiences than children who struggle academically or socially. Therefore, one could assume that effectively managing the classroom environment can potentially help to increase the quality of the child’s education experience. Effective discipline and management in early childhood education begins before the teacher ever steps foot inside the classroom. According to Sprick (2009) “to effectively manage and motivate a class of students, you need a clear vision of your ideal classroom-what it should look like, what it should sound like, what it should feel like to a class member or visitor, and what you want your students to accomplish” (p.15). One’s “vision”, as described by Sprick (2009), will lead to the planning and implementation of a classroom management plan. The purpose of this analysis is to review the current literature on important researched based strategies for effectively implementing an early childhood education classroom management plan, and to analyze important trends and issues within the field.
Sprick (2009) describes seven tasks to help educators establish a clear vision for their classroom: understand how to shape behavior, understand motivation, identify long range classroom goals, develop guidelines for success, maintain positive expectations, implement effective instructional practices, and initiate and maintain family contacts; and by attending to all seven of these tasks, one can create a clear vision for the look, sound, feel, goals, and accomplishments of their class and the foundation for an effective management plan that will help achieve their vision (p.15).
One way to shape behavior inside the classroom is by effectively arranging an efficient daily schedule. According to Brophy and Evertson (1976) how one schedule subjects across a day and how one schedule tasks within an activity can have a tremendous influence on student behavior. Effective scheduling of tasks should provide enough variety that students wouldn’t find it difficult to keep their attention focused on the task at hand, while also taking into consideration the maturity level of the students and degree of skill that the instructor has in presenting various tasks and activities.
Another way to shape behavior inside the early childhood education classroom is by strategically placing student desks according to the observed needs of the students by the instructor to create a positive physical space. A well designed physical space prevents a wide array of potential behavioral problems (Evans & Lowell, 1979). Unfortunately, as an instructor, one does not always have control over the physical space in which they are expected to teach. This can be caused by a variety of reasons such as being a “floating” or “specialist” teacher where the instructor visits the classroom of another teacher; or having student desks that are drilled in place. When these challenges surface, it is important for instructors to change what they can and make the best out of what they cannot change (Sprick, 2009, p.70).
Creating and maintaining effective rules and procedures also helps to shape discipline in early childhood education classroom. As adults, we have rules and procedures about where we are to stand in line in grocery stores, when we must pay bills, how long we are allowed to keep movie rentals, how much we pay in taxes, and who can receive services from various social service agencies. Breaking these common rules or procedures can result in fines, or even incarceration, therefore, it is vital for instructors to communicate the importance of rules and procedures inside the early childhood classroom. According to Brophy and Good (1986), the extent to which students know the rules and know how to follow them is positively correlated with appropriate behavior. Educators must however, consider the rules of the district and the school in which they work. Scheuermann and Hall (2008) offer a few suggestions when it comes making rules: state the rules in positive terms, keep the number of rules to a minimum, set rules that cover multiple situations, teach students the rules by setting an example for rule following behavior, make sure that the rules are appropriate for the students’ ages and developmental levels, and finally, be consistent in enforcing the rules.
Additionally, instructors can help with discipline in the early childhood education classroom by preventing challenging behaviors through high quality instruction. Generally speaking, students who are academically deficient experience significantly more negative interactions, more punitive consequences, less demanding academic tasks, and less instructional time with the teacher because of a greater frequency of disciplinary actions that remove these students from the classroom (Leone et al., 2003). Conversely, high achieving students typically experience greater behavioral and social success in school (Catalano, Loeber, & Mckinney, 1999). Therefore, it is vital for instructors to offer high quality instruction to their students to prevent them from entering the negative social cycle described above by Leone et al. (2003). According to the above referenced research, one could assume that preventing students from becoming academically deficient could potentially save them further punitive consequences once they reach adulthood. Instructors must be intentional when planning and implementing curriculum to help shape the future of the student because evidence suggests that increasing academic engagement (i.e., the extent to which students are actively involved in academic responding) may result in increased on-task behavior and lower levels of inappropriate behavior (Sutherland & Wehby, 2001).
Finally, many schools are preventing challenging behavior through the use of school wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. In the late 1990s, a series of school shootings brought increased criticism of schools for a lack of discipline and problems with drug and alcohol use among students (Sugai & Horner, 2002). As a result, actions taken by schools have included adopting a zero tolerance policy, installing metal detectors or conducting random security checks, conducting random locker searches, placing school safety officers on campus, requiring identification badges for everyone at school, requiring clear book bags for students, requiring all visitors to sign-in, and requiring students to remain on campus during lunch periods (Hoffman & Sable, 2006). Although these punitive, controlling responses were intended to make schools safer and more disciplined, no credible evidence exists which indicates that these approaches achieve those outcomes (Leone et al., 2003). This lack of evidence and perceived lack of effectiveness has lead many school leaders to implement the positive behavioral intervention and support system. Scheuermann and Hall (2008) describes the positive behavioral intervention and support system as being comprised of a broad range of systematic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behaviors with all students. It is the integration of four theoretical elements: operationally defined and valued outcomes; behavioral and biomedical sciences; research validated practices; and systems change to both enhance the broad quality with which all students are living/learning, and reduce problem behaviors (p.175). Additionally, Scheuermann and Hall (2008) add that over the past decade, numerous studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals that document the effectiveness of school wide positive behavioral interventions and support (p. 183).
In conclusion, discipline in early childhood education is vital to the academic success of each student, as well as helping to socialize students while preparing them for adulthood. It is critical for instructors to have a vision for their classrooms and how they plan to successfully educate each student inside their class-regardless of any outside factors that may affect student learning and motivation. Instructors who are not familiar or comfortable with classroom discipline and management have many researched based resources at their disposal, and should help themselves become more effective by exploring these options.
References
Brophy, J., & Evertson, C. (1976). Learning from teaching: A developmental perspective. New York: Longman.
Catalano, R., Loeber, R., Mckinney, K. (1999). School and community interventions to prevent serious and violent offending. Juvenile Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Evans, G., & Lowell, B. (1979). Design modification in an open-plan school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 41-49.
Hoffman, L., & Sable, J. (2006) Public elementary and secondary students, staff, schools, and school districts: School year 2003-2004 (NCES 2006-207). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
Leone, P.E., Christle, C.A., Nelson, C.M., Skiba, R., Frey, A., & Jolivette, K. (2003). School failure, race, and disability: Promoting positive outcomes, decreasing vulnerability for involvement with the juvenile delinquency system. College Park, MD: The National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice.
Scheuermann, B.K., & Hall, J.A. (2008). Positive behavioral supports for the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Sprick, R. (2009). Champs: A proactive and positive approach to classroom management. Eugene, OR: Pacific Northwest Publishing.
Sugai, G., Horner, R.H. (2002). The evolution of discipline practices: School-wide positive behavior supports. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 24, 23-50.
Sprick (2009) describes seven tasks to help educators establish a clear vision for their classroom: understand how to shape behavior, understand motivation, identify long range classroom goals, develop guidelines for success, maintain positive expectations, implement effective instructional practices, and initiate and maintain family contacts; and by attending to all seven of these tasks, one can create a clear vision for the look, sound, feel, goals, and accomplishments of their class and the foundation for an effective management plan that will help achieve their vision (p.15).
One way to shape behavior inside the classroom is by effectively arranging an efficient daily schedule. According to Brophy and Evertson (1976) how one schedule subjects across a day and how one schedule tasks within an activity can have a tremendous influence on student behavior. Effective scheduling of tasks should provide enough variety that students wouldn’t find it difficult to keep their attention focused on the task at hand, while also taking into consideration the maturity level of the students and degree of skill that the instructor has in presenting various tasks and activities.
Another way to shape behavior inside the early childhood education classroom is by strategically placing student desks according to the observed needs of the students by the instructor to create a positive physical space. A well designed physical space prevents a wide array of potential behavioral problems (Evans & Lowell, 1979). Unfortunately, as an instructor, one does not always have control over the physical space in which they are expected to teach. This can be caused by a variety of reasons such as being a “floating” or “specialist” teacher where the instructor visits the classroom of another teacher; or having student desks that are drilled in place. When these challenges surface, it is important for instructors to change what they can and make the best out of what they cannot change (Sprick, 2009, p.70).
Creating and maintaining effective rules and procedures also helps to shape discipline in early childhood education classroom. As adults, we have rules and procedures about where we are to stand in line in grocery stores, when we must pay bills, how long we are allowed to keep movie rentals, how much we pay in taxes, and who can receive services from various social service agencies. Breaking these common rules or procedures can result in fines, or even incarceration, therefore, it is vital for instructors to communicate the importance of rules and procedures inside the early childhood classroom. According to Brophy and Good (1986), the extent to which students know the rules and know how to follow them is positively correlated with appropriate behavior. Educators must however, consider the rules of the district and the school in which they work. Scheuermann and Hall (2008) offer a few suggestions when it comes making rules: state the rules in positive terms, keep the number of rules to a minimum, set rules that cover multiple situations, teach students the rules by setting an example for rule following behavior, make sure that the rules are appropriate for the students’ ages and developmental levels, and finally, be consistent in enforcing the rules.
Additionally, instructors can help with discipline in the early childhood education classroom by preventing challenging behaviors through high quality instruction. Generally speaking, students who are academically deficient experience significantly more negative interactions, more punitive consequences, less demanding academic tasks, and less instructional time with the teacher because of a greater frequency of disciplinary actions that remove these students from the classroom (Leone et al., 2003). Conversely, high achieving students typically experience greater behavioral and social success in school (Catalano, Loeber, & Mckinney, 1999). Therefore, it is vital for instructors to offer high quality instruction to their students to prevent them from entering the negative social cycle described above by Leone et al. (2003). According to the above referenced research, one could assume that preventing students from becoming academically deficient could potentially save them further punitive consequences once they reach adulthood. Instructors must be intentional when planning and implementing curriculum to help shape the future of the student because evidence suggests that increasing academic engagement (i.e., the extent to which students are actively involved in academic responding) may result in increased on-task behavior and lower levels of inappropriate behavior (Sutherland & Wehby, 2001).
Finally, many schools are preventing challenging behavior through the use of school wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. In the late 1990s, a series of school shootings brought increased criticism of schools for a lack of discipline and problems with drug and alcohol use among students (Sugai & Horner, 2002). As a result, actions taken by schools have included adopting a zero tolerance policy, installing metal detectors or conducting random security checks, conducting random locker searches, placing school safety officers on campus, requiring identification badges for everyone at school, requiring clear book bags for students, requiring all visitors to sign-in, and requiring students to remain on campus during lunch periods (Hoffman & Sable, 2006). Although these punitive, controlling responses were intended to make schools safer and more disciplined, no credible evidence exists which indicates that these approaches achieve those outcomes (Leone et al., 2003). This lack of evidence and perceived lack of effectiveness has lead many school leaders to implement the positive behavioral intervention and support system. Scheuermann and Hall (2008) describes the positive behavioral intervention and support system as being comprised of a broad range of systematic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behaviors with all students. It is the integration of four theoretical elements: operationally defined and valued outcomes; behavioral and biomedical sciences; research validated practices; and systems change to both enhance the broad quality with which all students are living/learning, and reduce problem behaviors (p.175). Additionally, Scheuermann and Hall (2008) add that over the past decade, numerous studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals that document the effectiveness of school wide positive behavioral interventions and support (p. 183).
In conclusion, discipline in early childhood education is vital to the academic success of each student, as well as helping to socialize students while preparing them for adulthood. It is critical for instructors to have a vision for their classrooms and how they plan to successfully educate each student inside their class-regardless of any outside factors that may affect student learning and motivation. Instructors who are not familiar or comfortable with classroom discipline and management have many researched based resources at their disposal, and should help themselves become more effective by exploring these options.
References
Brophy, J., & Evertson, C. (1976). Learning from teaching: A developmental perspective. New York: Longman.
Catalano, R., Loeber, R., Mckinney, K. (1999). School and community interventions to prevent serious and violent offending. Juvenile Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Evans, G., & Lowell, B. (1979). Design modification in an open-plan school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 41-49.
Hoffman, L., & Sable, J. (2006) Public elementary and secondary students, staff, schools, and school districts: School year 2003-2004 (NCES 2006-207). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
Leone, P.E., Christle, C.A., Nelson, C.M., Skiba, R., Frey, A., & Jolivette, K. (2003). School failure, race, and disability: Promoting positive outcomes, decreasing vulnerability for involvement with the juvenile delinquency system. College Park, MD: The National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice.
Scheuermann, B.K., & Hall, J.A. (2008). Positive behavioral supports for the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Sprick, R. (2009). Champs: A proactive and positive approach to classroom management. Eugene, OR: Pacific Northwest Publishing.
Sugai, G., Horner, R.H. (2002). The evolution of discipline practices: School-wide positive behavior supports. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 24, 23-50.
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