Proactive Strategies to Support Classroom Routines and Schedules

KCCTO-KITS Infant-Toddler Specialist Network

Sarah Holmes, M.S.

Anna Nippert, M.S.

David P. Lindeman, Ph.D.

May 2018

Kansas Inservice Training System

University of Kansas Life Span Institute

Adapted for accessibility and transferred to new website October 2022

 

The KCCTO-KITS Infant-Toddler Specialist Network is a program of the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, Inc. and the University of Kansas Life Span Institute at Parsons and is supported through a grant from the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ Child Care and Early Education Services. However, information or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Letter from the Director

May 2018

 

Dear Colleague,

Routines and schedules are an everyday occurrence in both our personal and professional lives. They are regular, essential, sometimes boring, maintenance activities like meal time, running errands, getting ready for bed, taking baths, greetings, playtime, etc. Daily routines and schedules provide children opportunities to make choices, along with a sense of comfort and safety because they are able to anticipate and know what will happen next.

Creating and implementing consistent, predictable routines and schedules for young children is paramount when discussing proactive strategies that support development and growth. Consistent, predictable routines and schedules influence children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development by building self-confidence, curiosity, social skills, self-control, communication skills, and more. 

This packet will discuss the importance in understanding developmental milestones, relationship building, and information gathering through observations as foundations for effective classroom routines and schedules. In addition, you will find specific techniques, strategies, and environmental supports that can be utilized as you develop and implement routines and schedules in your classroom environment. 

We hope that you will find that the packet contains helpful information. After you have examined the packet, please complete the evaluation found at the end of this packet. Thank you for your interest and your efforts toward the development of quality services and programs for young children and their families.

Thank you for your interest and your efforts toward the development of quality services and programs for young children and their families. 

David P. Lindeman, Ph.D.

KITS Director

 

Back to top of page

Understanding Routines and Schedule

Reflection: Take a moment to write down two or three routines/schedules that happen in your classroom or program every day. Currently, how do you teach and/or support these routines/schedules with the children in your classroom or program?

Dictionary.com defines Routines and Schedules as: 

  1. Routine = a customary or regular course of procedure; commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals, typical or everyday activity; regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure; an unvarying and constantly repeated formula, as of speech or action; convenient or predictable response.
  2. Schedule = a plan of procedure, usually written, for a proposed objective, especially with reference to the sequence of and time allotted for each item or operation necessary to its completion; a series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period.

What is the difference between these two definitions? One could argue there is no difference. While, yet another might suggest that a routine falls within a schedule. I don’t always go to bed at the same time (schedule), but I always do the same things to get ready for bed (routine). For the purpose of this packet, the terms 'routines' and 'schedules' will be referred to interchangeably. 

When we further define routines and schedules through an early childhood educator lens, we see that they are: 

  • Regular, essential, sometimes boring, maintenance activities: free play-time (getting engaged/staying engaged), meal time, transitions, washing hands, using the bathroom, greetings, good-byes, etc.
  • Powerful and dynamic teaching tools that can help children learn positive, responsible behavior while teaching language and social skills.
  • Can be supported using pictures and/or objects.
  • Allow opportunities for children to make choices by providing guidance on who will do what, when they will do it, and how they might do it.
  • Should take into account: the balance of activities (loud/quiet), the tempo or pace of activities, children’s attention spans, children’s moods/alertness, how many adults will be in the room during that time, any other activities happening in the room (i.e. speech therapist).

Defining routines and schedules helps us better understand their importance in our classrooms and programs. However, it isn’t enough just to know what they are, or even just to implement them, we must be consistent in our development and implementation of classroom routines and schedules.  

Consistent routines and schedules:

  • Provide children and adults comfort and a sense of safety when they are able to anticipate/know what will happen next.
  • Influence children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development by building self-confidence, curiosity, social skills, self-control, communication skills, and more.
  • Help children and adults understand the expectations of the environment and reduce the frequency of unsafe/undesired behaviors.
  • Help children and adults become, and stay, more engaged throughout the day.
  • Help children to develop time concepts as they anticipate what comes first in the day, second, next, and last.

Reflection: The definitions noted above will guide you as you explore the roles developmental and brain-based knowledge, relationships, and observation have in enhancing routines and schedules.

 

Back to top of page

Understanding Developmental Milestones, Appropriate Practices, and Brain Basics

Developmental Milestones

Children typically develop in a predictable timeline and sequence in physical, emotional, social, and cognitive areas of development.  While we know skills do not emerge at the same time for every child, there are general age ranges when we expect certain skills to emerge.  We refer to these as developmental milestones or age-appropriate practices.  Developmental milestones can help you begin to understand the child’s current skills and what to expect next, helping you plan activities, routines, and schedules that will support the child as they work toward mastering higher-level skills.  Understanding age-appropriate developmental milestones is an important first step when thinking about how to best support the routines and schedules in your classroom.  However, it is important to note that there is variation in development between children, so care should be taken assessing the skills a child has already developed, compared with the skills listed for a particular age.

In addition to age-appropriate developmental milestones, developmentally appropriate practices that include individual-, and social or cultural-appropriateness must be considered when planning daily activities, routines, and schedules.  Individual appropriateness emphasizes and values each child’s uniqueness and respects diverse learning styles, personalities and intelligences. Social or cultural appropriateness requires an understanding and respect for the diversity of families and communities so that learning experiences are meaningful and relevant for children. 

Along with developmental milestones and appropriate practices, early childhood professionals must have a basic understanding of the brain and how it works. The human brain is the only unfinished organ at birth, continuing to develop through adulthood. (Center on the Developing Child, 2018(a), Schiller, 2015). A young child’s brain is most plastic, or flexible, during the first three years of life, forming more than 1,000,000 neural connections per second! (Center on the Developing Child, 2009).  When we provide high quality environments that include rich activities, opportunities for practice and making mistakes, responsive caregiving, and consistent, predictable routines and schedules, we support and encourage children’s development of self- regulation. Stronger self-regulation has been shown to predict school performance, relationship building, and decreased behavior issues. (Rosanbalm & Murray, 2018)

“Self-regulation has a foundational role in promoting wellbeing across the lifespan, including physical, emotional, social, and economic health and educational achievement. Self-regulation can be defined as the act of managing thoughts and feelings to enable goal-directed actions. This means, for instance, finding ways to cope with strong feelings so they don’t become overwhelming; learning to focus and shift attention; and successfully controlling behaviors required to get along with others and work towards goals.”  - Rosanbalm & Murray, 2018

Explore the following article to learn more about brain architecture and its role in future  learning, behavior, and health. In Brief The Science of Early Childhood Development.

Explore the following article to learn more about executive function activities for 6- to 18-month-olds. Promoting Self-Regulation in the First Five Years: A Practice Brief

There are many wonderful resources for accessing developmental milestones.  The Center for Disease Control’s “Learn the Signs, Act Early” resources can provide you with developmental milestones for children, ages birth to five.  To access these milestones, go to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Learn the Signs Act Early website (.pdf)

In addition to the developmental milestones, the “Learn the Signs, Act Early” website gives you access to free materials to order or download, a 1-hour training module for early care and education professionals, a Milestone Tracker app for parents and professionals, information on what to do if you are concerned about a child’s development, and many more resources on learning the signs of typical and atypical or delayed development. 

As you examine the developmental milestones that most closely match with the children in your care, you will begin to see predictable patterns of development that may guide your construction and implementation of classroom routines and schedules.  

 

Put It into Practice!

Option One: First, read through the vignette “All About Me – Adam” below.  Next, download and print the “Your Child at 2 Years” developmental milestones checklist (page 13) from “Learn the Signs, Act Early” link above.   Finally, check each milestone you believe Adam has mastered, based upon the information in the vignette.  (Answer sheet in Section 5)  

Option Two: Complete the steps above for a child currently in your care.

All About Me! – Adam  

Adam turned two-years-old two months ago and has been in Anna and Cristina’s classroom for the last nine months. He is an easy-going child, often smiling and running to the door to greet other kids and teachers when they enter the room. The teachers have noticed Adam starting to interact with his peers more intentionally during play. Yesterday in dramatic play, he found a bottle buried in the bucket, handed the bottle and a baby to a peer and said, “Feed baby.” After watching Adam stand on tip toe to stack seven blocks with another child (Look Ms. Tina! We made tower! It’s soooo big!), Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area. “Can you draw the tower you just made with on this paper? Look, like this.” Cristina started drawing lines on the paper, and the boys drew a couple of lines and then knocked the blocks over to build again. 

Adam and Cristina spend time first thing in the morning reading books in the cozy area. He loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Big Red Barn, and Freight Train. Cristina has been pausing at the end of a phrase and prompting Adam to finish it – which he has started to do. Adam likes to turn the pages, even when he’s been asked to wait until the page is done, and point to and name the animals and items in the books. When he doesn’t automatically point and name the animals or items, he is able to answer questions when Cristina points to them. The Freight Train book has been great to help him learn and name shapes and more colors. 

Adam is always the first one to run out onto the playground! He is able to climb up the three stairs on the climber, holding onto a teacher’s hand or the rail. Anna has spent time modeling for Adam kicking, throwing, and catching basketball-sized balls, and has noticed he tends to throw using his left hand more often that his right. 

Adam really enjoys music and movement activities, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “Jump Up and Down” being among his favorites. When all the kids gather together and sing the “Good morning song” and “Jump Up and Down”, Adam joins in, singing the names of each child and copying the actions named in the songs. 

Occasionally, when children get too close to him or when he has used his words and the other child doesn’t comply with his request, Adam will scream and/or push and/or bite. The teachers have been very consistent in modeling words and phrases for all the children, “Tell him I don’t like it when you take my toy, please give it back.” The teachers have noticed Adam repeating some of these words in his interactions with peers, “That’s mine!” “No.” “Give it me!”. Adam is starting to pull his own pants down when it’s time to use the toilet, though he still needs help to get them all the way down. With little reminders like, “Flush the toilet and wash your hands.”, he sticks his hands in the water to wash and asks for soap and says “I make bubbles!”. Anna has been working with Adam to use his foot to operate the pedal on the trash can, instead of his hand.  

 

Answer Sheet: Learn the Signs, Act Early assessment of Adam

Social/Emotional

  • Copies others, especially adults and older children
    • Anna has spent time modeling for and has noticed he tends to Adam kicking, throwing, and catching basketball-sized balls, throw using his left hand more often that his right.
  • Gets excited when with other children
    • He is an easy-going child, often smiling and running to the door to greet other kids and teachers when they enter the room.
  • Shows more and more independence
    • Adam is starting to pull his own pants down when it’s time to use the toilet, though he still needs help to get them all the way down. With little reminders like, “Flush the toilet and wash your hands.”, he sticks his hands in the water to wash and asks for soap to “make bubbles!”. Anna has been working with Adam to use his foot to operate the pedal on the trash can, instead of his hand.
  • Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)
    • Adam likes to turn the pages, even when he’s been asked to wait until the page is done, and point to and name the animals and items in the books.
  • Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games
    • Yesterday in dramatic play, he found a bottle buried in the bucket, handed the bottle baby to a peer and said, “Feed baby.” Cristina started drawing lines on the paper, and the boys drew a couple of lines and then knocked the blocks over to build again.

Language/Communication

  • Points to things or pictures when they are named
    • When he doesn’t automatically point and name the animals or items, he is able to answer questions when Cristina points to them.
  •  Knows names of familiar people and body parts
    • Adam really enjoys music and movement activities, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and “Jump Up and Down” being among his favorites. When all the kids gather together and sing the “Good morning song” and “Jump Up and Down”, Adam joins in, singing the names of each child and copying the actions named in the songs.
  • Says sentences with 2 to 4 words
    • The teachers have noticed Adam repeating some of these words in his interactions with peers, “That’s mine!” “No.” “Give it me!”. …..he sticks his hands in the water to wash and asks for soap and says “I make bubbles!” After watching Adam stand on tip toe to stack seven blocks with another child (Look Ms. Tina! We made tower! It’s soooo big!), Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area. 
  • Follows simple instructions
    • With little reminders like, “Flush the toilet and wash your hands.”, he sticks his hands in the water to wash and asks for soap and says “I make bubbles!”
  • Repeats words overheard in conversation
    • The teachers have noticed Adam repeating some of these words in his interactions with peers, “That’s mine!” “No.” “Give it me!”
  • Points to things in a book
    • Adam likes to turn the pages, even when he’s been asked to wait until the page is done, and point to and name the animals and items in the books.

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) 

  • Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers
    • Yesterday in dramatic play, he found a bottle buried in the bucket, handed the bottle and a baby to a peer and said, “Feed baby.” 
  • Begins to sort shapes and colors
    • The Freight Train book has been great to help him learn and name shapes and more colors. 
  • Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books
    • Cristina has been pausing at the end of a phrase and prompting Adam to finish it – which he has started to do.
  • Plays simple make-believe games
    • Yesterday in dramatic play, he found a bottle buried in the bucket, handed the bottle and a baby to a peer and said, “Feed baby.” After watching Adam stand on tip toe to stack seven blocks with another child (Look Ms. Tina! We made tower! It’s soooo big!), Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area.
  • Builds towers of 4 or more blocks
    • After watching Adam stand on tip toe to stack seven blocks with another child (Look Ms. Tina! We made tower! It’s soooo big!), Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area.
  • Might use one hand more than the other
    • Anna has spent time modeling for Adam kicking, throwing, and catching basketball-sized balls, and has noticed he tends to throw using his left hand more often that his right. 
  • Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.”
    • When all the kids gather together and sing the “Good morning song” and “Jump Up and Down”, Adam joins in, singing the names of each child and copying the actions named in the songs. With little reminders like, “Flush the toilet and wash your hands.”, he sticks his hands in the water to wash and asks for soap and says “I make bubbles!”
  • Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog
    • Adam likes to turn the pages, even when he’s been asked to wait until the page is done, and point to and name the animals and items in the books

Movement/Physical Development 

  • Stands on tiptoe
    • After watching Adam stand on tip toe to stack seven blocks with another child (Look Ms. Tina! We made tower! It’s soooo big!), Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area. 
  • Kicks a ball; Begins to run; Climbs onto and down from furniture without help; Walks up and down stairs holding on; Throws ball overhand
    • Anna has spent time modeling for Adam kicking, throwing, and catching basketball-sized balls, and has noticed he tends to throw using his left hand more often that his right. 
  • Makes or copies straight lines and circles
    • Cristina brought paper and crayons over to the block area. “Can you draw the tower you just made with on this paper? Look, like this.” Cristina started drawing lines on the paper, and the boys drew a couple of lines and then knocked the blocks over to build again. 

 

Back to top of page

Understanding Relationships, Interaction Techniques, and Teaching Strategies

Reflection: Take a moment to think back on your childhood and about a positive relationship you had with an adult. It could be a teacher, a coach, a relative, etc. What do you remember most about that person? How did you feel when you were with that person? What things (actions, traits, strategies, etc.) did they utilize to build and maintain that relationship with you? 

In addition to understanding developmental milestones and brain development, professionals must recognize and value the importance of relationships, interactions techniques, and teaching strategies when working with young children. When viewing the Pyramid Model, developed by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), one sees that nurturing and supportive relationships form the foundation for building strong social-emotional competencies in young children. Children rely on positive adult and peer relationships to guide positive social interactions throughout their lifetime. The development of positive, stable, committed relationships with adults who provide consistent, nurturing care helps children to: understand they are important and can count on others, develop a positive sense of self, and gradually acquire an understanding of theirs and others emotions, leading to the development of positive social skills.  

Below, you will discover specific interaction techniques and teaching strategies that will aid you in building positive adult-child and peer-peer relationships in your classroom. 

 

Stay calm AND Approach the Situation with Positive Intent

You are the only person in control of your emotions. No other person can make you feel sad, happy, angry, etc. If you meet big emotions like anger and upset in kind, the end result is often more anger and upset. However, when you meet big emotions with calm, empathy, and understanding, the end result is problem solving, self-discipline, emotional regulation, and relationship building. We are feeling creatures and think, not thinking creatures that feel. 80% of what we communicate is done through body language. If your body shows that you are angry or upset, others will read that, make assumptions, and act based upon those assumptions. A child with an activated stress response does not hear words, they look to body language, posture, and tone of voice to gather information. When a child is exhibiting big emotions, model calm for them by taking a deep breath, counting to 10, smiling, and projecting calm and positive body language, because breath and movement are the two most effective ways to dampen the stress response. You are teaching children the important skill of empathy through your use of positive body language that mirrors the words you are using. Teaching them to “read” others by scanning for the feelings behind the words. People who are able to watch, listen, and observe the actions and emotions of those around them are often the most successful in life.  

“Our intention as we approach a situation will influence the outcome in profound ways. If a person approaches with the intention of attack, we can sense it and become guarded. If a person approaches us with an open heart and mind, we feel that too! Intention has the invisible power to bond us together, enhance honest communication and foster goal achievement.” - Conscious Discipline 

 

Be Consistent AND Follow Through

As noted in Section Two, when we provide high quality environments that include opportunities for practice and making mistakes along with consistent, predictable routines and schedules, we support and encourage children’s development of executive function and self-regulation. Children are trying to make sense of their world – when you respond differently in a situation or from child-to-child – you change the rules of the game each time! When everyone understands the expectations, and those expectations are taught and reinforced consistently by all teachers in the room, children and adults learn and grow. An additional aspect of consistency is the concept of follow through. Basically, when you say you are going to do something, DO! Children learn to trust your guidance when they can expect that you “say what you mean and mean what you say”. As adults, we want to ensure that we don’t inadvertently send a message to a child that a misbehavior is okay simply because we didn’t take the time or effort to follow through. This aspect of consistency is vital to building a trusting relationship grounded in understanding expectations of one another. 

 

Interacting During Play

We’ve often heard that play is the work of children. How does this statement influence your role as the teacher? Does it make you a supervisor? A mentor? An evaluator? A guide? Children look to adults for rules and expectations, how one should act in a given situation. As teachers, free-choice/free-play time provides you vast opportunities to teach children the expectations of the classroom and of them as individuals. During free-choice/free-play time, sit down and play! Be involved, ask questions, make suggestions, offer alternatives, listen to the children. Always be alert and ready for children that need help or guidance. 

Recognize, Name, and Accept Children’s Emotions 

As adults, we often rush to make it better or tell children “you don’t have to cry, don’t be sad.” However, this method can lead children to be unsure of what they are feeling or even ashamed of how they feel and act. 

“Emotional understanding is critical to positive social relationships and peer acceptance. Children who can interpret emotional signals accurately are more likely to respond appropriately to others and are less likely to become angry and aggressive. The more adults acknowledge children’s emotional reactions and explain emotional signals, the better children become at interpreting them.” (Creative Curriculum, 2010) 

For example, “It looks like you are feeling angry. Your hands are doing this (making fists), your face is doing this (clenched up, glaring), and you hit Seth. Are you feeling angry?” It is important to note that no one can make you feel an emotion. Someone may do something that is hateful or hurtful, but we get to choose how we feel about it and the actions we take as a result of that feeling. 

For example: Anna takes Sarah’s toy, Sarah hits Anna, Anna starts to cry. You might be inclined to say, “Look Sarah, Anna is crying, you made her sad!”  Instead try, “Ouch Sarah, hitting hurts. Anna is crying, let’s see if we can help her.”  In Section Five, we will discuss environmental print and materials that will assist in recognizing and naming emotions for children. 

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.” - L.R. Knost, The Gottman Institute 

 

Helping Children Manage Big Emotions

Once we help children recognize and name their emotions and actions, the next step is to teach them how to express them in a safe way.  

As you continue to develop relationships with your children, you will get a feel for how to best approach and respond to their big emotions in an individually appropriate way. For some children the simple act of acknowledging how they feel, putting words to it, and offering a solution or release from the big emotion is what they need. 

For example: “You are feeling mad? It’s okay to feel mad! I feel mad too sometimes. Our hands are for soft touches and playing with toys, not for hitting. Let’s get a squeezy ball for your hands to help them get calm.”  

For other children asking them to calm down and talk about it before they are ready will likely result in their emotions to become bigger and their actions to become more unsafe. It is important you give them the time and space to regulate/take a break while you stay near them to ensure safety for all. Don’t forget to come back to them once they are calm and talk about it.  

For example: “You are feeling mad? It’s okay to feel mad! I feel mad too sometimes. Our hands are for soft touches and playing with toys, not for hitting. I’m going to stay right here and keep you safe.  When you are ready to talk, I’ll be right here to help you.”  

 

Helping Children Take a Break  

“Taking a break” can be a very powerful strategy for children to learn. It is of the greatest importance to note that “taking a break” does NOT mean “time out”!  Time out (i.e., sending a child to sit alone and think about what they’ve done) is not a developmentally appropriate discipline strategy for children under the age of six, it is punishment. It is important that young children have an adult to coach them through the self-regulatory process of connecting what they did (action) to a consequence (result of the action).  

Taking a break or helping a child to leave an area where she is playing unsafely (after you have tried redirection several times) or is having a difficult time controlling her emotions, can help her learn to soothe herself and regain control. Some children do calm more quickly when they can be by themselves in a safe, quiet place. However, sending a child to calm his/her body when they don’t yet have that skill, is like asking them to drive a car! Go with them and provide a safe place for them to decompress. Once the child has calmed her body, acknowledge and encourage her for doing so and then talk with her about what she could do differently next time.   In Section Five, we will discuss some tips and tricks for setting up and utilizing a safe space for your classroom/program.  

Partner Role Plays – Recognize, Name, and Accept Children’s Emotions and Helping Children Manage Big Emotions/Take a Break (Page 2)

 

Providing Alternatives and Choices 

Providing children with the ability to make choices throughout their day gives them a sense of control that promotes problem solving, self-discipline, emotional regulation, and relationship building. It is important that when you offer choices, that you are comfortable with the child choosing either of the options. In addition, ensure the choices you give children are both desirable options. (i.e., “You can lay on your cot with your blanket or sit on the couch.”  Not, “You can lay on your cot with your blanket, or you don’t get your blanket.”). For infants and non-verbal children, look for recognition that choices are being offered by watching their eyes, facial expressions, gestures, and movements. 

 

Providing Redirection 

Redirection offers children acceptable alternatives to unsafe behaviors and actions. Often, these unsafe behaviors and actions are the child’s way of telling you they are working through a developmental milestone and/or they don’t understand how to achieve a goal. When your redirection asks a child to get engaged in a different task, it is important that you go with them and ensure they know how to do what you’ve asked. When providing redirection, you might often hear the word “NO” from the child. This is a completely acceptable answer for a child to give you! No can be a very powerful word for a child. Children must be given the freedom to tell adults “no”, so they are comfortable doing so in situations where they need to say it to stop something from happening (being molested, being taken/lured away from their parents, offered drugs, etc.) You can practice “no” with children by asking them silly questions – which also stretches their cognitive capacity and skills. 

Partner Role Plays – Providing Alternatives, Choices, and Redirection (Page 3)

 

Helping Children Manage Conflicts with Peers 

Conflict between children will happen in your program – how you choose to react to it and guide children through it will greatly affect the routines and schedules that occur during your day. It is important that we help children begin to understand and take responsibility for unsafe or hurtful interactions. We’ve talked above about helping children identify big emotions and actions and giving them replacement phrases/strategies to use when unsafe or hurtful behaviors occur. You might note that making children apologize is not one of the suggested strategies. Making children apologize for an action made with an as yet undeveloped prefrontal cortex does not help them build a connection between what they did and why they did it. Instead, it teaches children that saying sorry absolves you of any wrong doing and keeps them from understanding their responsibility in and the consequences of the action. If we desire of children respect and empathy, we must first model it for them. Encouraging the child to ask what they can do to help the other child and/or modeling the apology are affective strategies that help children begin to understand the consequence of actions. (Butcher & Fletcher, 2012, Zero To Three, 2016). 

Role modeling appropriate replacement language during peer conflict is a powerful tool to build a child’s capacity for self-regulation! Depending upon their age, the children may repeat you or say some of the words you model, or you might do all the talking. In either situation, you are providing those children the language to reference in future situations.

 

Acknowledge and Encourage Positive Behaviors and Interactions Among Children

Acknowledging and meaningfully encouraging children’s positive interactions with their peers promotes problem solving, self-discipline, emotional regulation, and relationship building. When we name the positive behaviors that encourage positive peer relationships, we are providing the road map for future interactions and relationships.  For example, “Thank you for helping Sarah pick up her coat! That was really helpful!” OR “Thank you for using your words and telling Adam you don’t like it when he hits you and to give you a soft touch. That helps him remember what to do next time.” 

Partner Role Plays – Helping Children Manage Conflict with Peers and Acknowledging and Encouraging Positive Behaviors and Interactions Among Children (Page 5)

 

Reflection:

Now that you have learned more about the importance of relationships and some specific strategies to enhance your interactions, think about your role as an educator and the relationships you are building every day with the children in your care. Can you identify, within yourself, any of the actions, traits, strategies from the childhood relationship you listed at the beginning of this section? If yes, HOW do you use them in your everyday teaching interactions to build relationships? If not, how can you utilize the specific strategies listed above to build your everyday teaching interactions?  

Now that you have some specific interaction techniques and teaching strategies in your tool box, let’s move to Section Four and learn about the Power of Observation! 

 

Back to top of page

The Power of Observation: Watch and Reflect

Utilizing what we know about developmental milestones, brain development, relationships, interaction techniques, and teaching strategies can only be successful if professionals are good observers of children. What does this mean? As professionals, we must take time to step back and watch children during their daily routines and interactions. As we watch, we should be looking at observable behaviors and actions from many angles to help us learn more about each child. When watching, it is important to think about your perceptions and biases. How you choose to view a behavior and/or action (your perception), either positively or negatively, will frame how you react to said behavior and/or action. Our brain seeks out information to CONFIRM what we already believe, along with the beliefs and choices we wish to justify. This can create a biased way of thinking and information gathering.

For Example: “Sarah is such a bad kid! She messes up everything!” 

To support that belief, your brain focuses on the following events: Sarah knocked over a puzzle that Anna was playing with. Sarah chose not to come to the table at lunch. She did not take a nap and had to be supervised the whole time. When it was time to come inside from the playground, Sarah would not come to the door. 

However, your brain failed to focus on: Sarah helping Tanisha pick up the blocks when it was time for breakfast. She served herself and passed the food at breakfast. Sarah sat quietly on her cot for 20 minutes reading books before getting up. On the playground, Sarah rode the bike (with the pedals) all by herself! 

If you assume Sarah is a problem child, you will see only the negative behaviors, while continuing to gather information to support that belief. However, when you give weight to the positive/neutral behaviors, you will see that Sarah is a typical toddler who is helpful and kind, and thrives when provided consistent guidance from and interactions with others.

 

Consider the following list of questions when observing children.  As you read through the questions, think of Adam’s vignette, the example of Sarah above, and/or a child currently in your care.    

  • “Where is the child physically in the room? Where does he spend his time”  (Near others? Alone? Always in the same area?  Moving from space to space continually?) 
  • “What are the other children doing, and how does she respond to their activity?” (Watches? Joins? Avoids? Doesn’t seem to notice others?)
  • “Where are the adults in the room and how does he respond to their presence or absence?” (Stays near adults? Doesn’t seem to notice adults? Wants to interact with adults by talking, showing, giving objects? Becomes distressed as adults come and go?) 
  • “How does the child interact with other children or adults in the room?” (Staying near?  Avoiding?  Asking to play? Watching/Laughing/Talking?  Takes Turns?  Hitting/Taking Toys/Crying? Helping Others?)
  • “What is she doing with materials/toys?”  (Mouthing? Filling/Dumping? Stacking? Throwing? Pretend Play?) 
  • “What language, verbal or non-verbal, is the child using?” (Eye contact? Smiling? Crying? Screeching? Arching away? Cuddling? Looking away? Singing? Using spoken words? Hitting/pushing/taking?)
  • “How does he respond to verbal/non-verbal redirection and classroom expectations?” (Complies with one- or two-step directions? Independent in completing tasks or needs adult assistance? Beginning to meet some classroom expectations without reminders?) 

 

Reflect

After observing and identifying concrete, observable behaviors and actions, you must also reflect on what these behaviors and actions might mean.  Reflection requires that we look for the reason or function driving a child’s behaviors and actions. This knowledge helps us build a more complete understanding of how to help that child learn and thrive. When reflecting on children’s behaviors and actions we often make incorrect assumptions about the motivations or purpose driving said behaviors and actions. Only YOU have the power to change your perception of the situation! It is important to remember that EVERY behavior/action is a request for something! Often, the children that need the most help, ask for it in the most challenging ways. A helpful acronym to remember when looking for the reason driving a child’s behavior/action is: HALT. When a child is engaged in a behavior/action and you don’t understand why, remind yourself to HALT and ask if the child is (H)ungry, (A)ngry, (L)onely, (T)ired.  The signifiers of Angry and Lonely are not meant to be mutually exclusive. Angry is meant to remind you to look for an emotion driving a behavior or action. Lonely is meant to remind you to look at the role relationships has in driving a behavior or action. 

The following reflective questions will guide you in your quest to find the reason(s) behind the behaviors and actions you observe: 

“How do the child’s behaviors, cues, and actions match or not match with developmental milestones and/or brain stages for children her age?”

“How do I know if the child is developing positive relationships with other adults and peers in the classroom?”

“How do I know if the child is being appropriately challenged with the activities and materials I’ve provided? How do I know if he is overstimulated?”

“How do I know if the child is beginning to become distressed?  Is this perhaps due to other children, adults, materials, or physical space?”

“How do I know if the child understands the expectations of the classroom?” 

 

Put It into Practice

After reading again through Adam’s vignette, answer as many of the “watch” and “reflect” questions as you are able. How does your limited amount of knowledge about Adam affect your ability to answer these questions?  

Now, think about a child currently in your care. This might be a child that you find it challenging to define the “why” behind his/her behaviors and actions. Answer the “watch” and “reflect” questions for this child. Did you find that your knowledge of that child made it easier to answer these questions?  

By observing children during their daily routines and interactions, and reflecting on what this tells us about the children in our care, we begin to develop a holistic view of each child. This view provides us a better understanding of their developmental knowledge and skills, how they establish relationships and interact with others in the program, and what drives or motivates their behaviors and actions throughout the day. 

This is powerful and necessary information needed to best support the routines and schedules in your classroom.  As we become better observers of children’s development, daily routines, and interactions, we are able to identify the most effective strategies and supports needed to help children successfully engage in the classroom routines and schedules. Section Four of this TA packet will provide concrete auditory and visual cues and supports. These cues and supports, along with the interaction techniques and teaching strategies from Section Two, can be used to enhance the routines and schedules for each child in your classroom.  

 

Back to top of page

Environmental Supports

Concrete Auditory and Visual Cues and Supports

Understanding the importance of development, relationships, and observation aids our set-up of an environment that supports classroom routines and schedules for infants and toddlers. Keep the following topics in mind when setting up your classroom environment: Environmental Arrangement, Teacher Zoning and Positioning, Choice of Equipment and Materials, and Concrete Auditory/Visual Cues and Supports. 

Environmental Arrangement refers to the arrangement of equipment and materials and space provided for children both indoors and outdoors. There are many wonderful resources to reference when creating classroom environments.  The Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale – 3 (ITERS-3) is designed for use in center-based childcare programs for infants and toddlers up to 30 months of age, this tool can be used by program directors for supervision and program improvement, by teaching staff for self assessment, by agency staff for monitoring, and in teacher training programs.  

To check out a copy of this tool please visit the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) and type in the title in the search box: Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale – 3. Family childcare providers can access the Family Child Care Environmental Rating Scale (Revised) (FCCERS-R) from the ECRC in the same way.

As part of your environmental setup, it is important to think about Teacher Zoning and Positioning. An environment that does not allow for safe supervision by the teachers/providers within it, is not a quality environment. 

  • This section has worksheets for classroom positioning and room arrangement. To receive a digital copy, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, KCCTO, Proactive Strategies, All Resources zip file.'

Choice of Equipment and Materials refers to the items you put into your environment once you have set it up. In addition to environmental set-up, the ITERS-3 and FCCERS-R provide suggestions of the types and amounts of materials you would expect to see in a quality environment.  

Once you have your environment setup safely and materials and equipment have been chosen and displayed, it is time to add in concrete cues and supports that tell children how to use the environment and materials. Please note, any environmental change you make should be tested for at least two weeks before making any further changes. Doing so gives children the opportunity to interact with and operate within the environment. However, if a part of the arrangement becomes a safety issue (children keep tripping over a carpet corner), please make immediate changes (moving a shelf to cover the corner of the carpet) to protect the safety of the children.  

Below, you will find examples of some common concrete auditory and visual cues and supports that can be implemented into any infant and toddler classroom or home environment. 

 

Emotions Boards

Providing children with concrete examples and representations of what emotions look like, helps them build an understanding of what emotions mean. When children begin to understand what emotions are and mean, they are better able to identify what they are feeling and begin to express that in a safe and developmentally appropriate manner. Knowing that children are visual learners, it is most effective to use real pictures when representing emotions. Using the faces of children currently in your care in these pictures can be a powerful teaching tool. When children see their own and peer faces representing emotions, their brain makes a connection that says, “See! You can do this! This is what it looks like when you are feeling happy. This is what it looks like when Sarah is feeling sad.” 

 

Calm/Cozy/Safe Area

When young children are learning about emotions and how their bodies experience these emotions, it can be helpful to provide them a designated space in which to explore those emotions. This area should be comfortable, inviting, big enough for one child, and easily supervised by any adult in the room. This area is NOT to be used as a punishment, for time out, or as a way to keep a child contained. 

 

Materials to Help Children Manage Emotions 

We know that young children use their senses (sight, hearing, touch, smells, and taste) to learn about the world around them. (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009) “Research findings connect children’s sensory experiences with brain activity and the development of the perceptual and behavioral competencies.” (Schiller, 2015) Materials placed in a Calming Area that promote sensory exploration, like sensory bottles or texture boards, ensure that they can have repeated and varied experience that lead them to deeper and more complex thinking. (Barbre, 2013). 

 

Classroom Expectation Boards

When you first started your job, you were most likely given a list of duties and/or expectations. These duties/expectations told you what to do and how to do it in order to succeed in your position. You may revisit these duties/expectations from time to time, checking in on your progress, or maybe once a year during an evaluation with your supervisor.  When we remember that play is the work of children, we are able to apply this same line of thinking (providing duties and expectations at the start) to the children in our care. Children and adults learn and grow, when everyone understands the expectations of the classroom, and  those expectations are taught and reinforced consistently by all teachers in the room. Expectation Boards provide children a consistent, visual reminder of what is expected when they engage in certain areas and/or with certain materials. 

Expectation Boards can be used in many different ways throughout your room/program. You might have an “Indoor Expectations” board, an “Outdoor Expectations” board, a “Climber Expectations” board, etc. The more consistent, visual guidance you can provide children throughout their environment, the more quickly they will come to understand and meet the expectations.

Some guidelines to keep in mind when creating Expectations Boards:

  • For infants and young toddlers, each board should have no more than 1-3 expectations.
  • For older toddlers and preschool/school age, each board should have no more than 3-5 expectations.
  • Expectations MUST be positively stated. Each expectation listed should tell them what TO DO, instead of what NOT TO DO.
    • Tip: LITTLE rule, BIG rule (most often tied to SAFETY).
      • “We keep our feet on the floor, to keep our bodies safe”
  • Each written expectation should have a real picture displayed alongside, showing the child what the written words mean.
  • When age-appropriate, encourage the children to share their expectations for an area or material. (How would you be safe when playing outside? What are some things we can try when we want a turn?) When children help define the expectations, they are more likely to follow the expectations.

 

Visual Schedules 

Young children’s brains are not able to process abstract concepts such as time and detailed, multi-step sequences. When you tell a child, “We’ll do that later.”, that could be 15 minutes or five hours! Like Expectation Boards, Visual Schedules provide children a more concrete guide of how their day might go or of the specific steps in a routine. Children with separation anxiety can be put at ease when you show them that pick-up time is at the end of every day. The child who wants to play outside right now, can be shown on the visual schedule that, “First, we play inside. Then, we go outside to play.” Visual Schedules can be used for the classroom as a whole, or with one individual child who might benefit from assistance with things like  separation, transitions, napping, etc. Routines like hand washing can be better understood with a visual schedule posted in the bathroom. 

Some guidelines to keep in mind when creating a Visual Schedule:

  • Visual Schedules should be displayed in a completely linear or horizontal fashion. Young children have not yet learned to process information from left to right, top to bottom.
  • The entire day should be displayed at all times and it is unnecessary to assign specific times to each piece of the day.
  • Real pictures should accompany any written words used to describe each piece of the day. For all children, birth to preschool, the focus should be on the pictures used to describe that piece of the day.

Timers

If Visual Schedules provide children a more concrete guide of how their day might go, you could say that timers provide children a more concrete guide regarding specific spans of time within their day.   

Timers can be used to prepare children for an upcoming transition and to model and encourage turn taking for children. The use of timers to model turn taking with materials is most appropriately used with older toddlers. Giving toddlers opportunities to practice turn taking with peers during the day, helps them build social-emotional skills. Turn taking should be initiated by children and modeled and supported by adults. (Miller, 2011) 

 

  • This section has a pdf on using timers. To receive a digital copy, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, KCCTO, Proactive Strategies, All Resources zip file.'

 

Material/Storage Labels 

Labeling the materials, and places those materials belong in your classroom, aids children in developing a sense of responsibility and accomplishment within the classroom environment.  In addition, labeling materials and where they belong, creates print awareness in a concrete and meaningful way.  As children develop print awareness, they begin to understand that written words are related to the words they use to communicate. As children’s books have illustrations that explain the meaning of the text, written material labels should have pictures to accompany and further “explain” their meaning. Labeling classroom items and areas with the languages spoken in your classroom provides a sense of acceptance and inclusion for all children. Providing pictures of children engaging with materials in a specific area provides a guide they can reference as they continue to scaffold their current understanding of how things work. 

  • This section has environmental checklists. To receive a digital copy, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, KCCTO, Proactive Strategies, All Resources zip file.'

 

Planning for Transitions 

Planning for transition times (going from inside to outside, from free play to meal time, etc.) is vital to ensuring the successful implementation of your daily routines and schedules. Young children have not yet developed the concept of “time”, but are beginning to gain a sense of the ”order” to events in their day. The most meaningful thing you can do to support your daily routines and schedules is to be consistent from day to day, teacher to teacher. 

When planning transitions within your routines and schedules, it is important to remember that infants and toddlers learn best in small groups and should be encouraged/allowed to come and go from daily, free-play activities as they so choose. Children’s bodies learn well when they are moving, so giving directions and guidance during transitions through music, song, and action, meets that need along with teaching them the expectations of the classroom.  

  • This section has lists of activities and a worksheet for planning. To receive a digital copy, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, KCCTO, Proactive Strategies, All Resources zip file.'

 

Put It into Practice

  • This section has implementation plan. To receive a digital copy, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, KCCTO, Proactive Strategies, All Resources zip file.'

 

Back to top of page

References

Introduction

Ostrosky, M., Jung, E., Hemmeter, M.L., Thomas, D. (2017). Helping Children Understand Routines and Classroom Schedules: What Works Brief. Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Standards and Accreditation Assessment Items Standard 1: Relationships. (2017). [ebook] Washington DC: NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs, p.1. Retrieved Jan 10, 2018 from https://www.naeyc.org/academy/files/academy/Standard%201_Sept%202017_0.pdf - Webpage has since been removed. 

Warren, S. (2017). Secrets of Creating Highly Engaging Developmentally Progressive Social Routines with Young Children. [Presentation]. Presented at the Division for Early Childhood's 33rd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families. Portland, Oregon. 

Zero to Three. (2010). Creating Routines for Love and Learning. Retrieved from zerotothree.org/resource/creating-routines-for-love-and-learning/ 

Section 1

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S., eds. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 (3rd ed.) Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Dodge, Diane Trister. (2010). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool : Volume 1: The Foundation 5th. Washington, D.C.: Teaching Strategies.

Warren, S. (2017). Secrets of Creating Highly Engaging Developmentally Progressive Social Routines with Young Children. [Presentation]. Presented at the Division for Early Childhood's 33rd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families. Portland, Oregon. 

Section 2

Bailey, B. (2015). Conscious Discipline Building Resilient Classrooms. Oviedo, FL: Loving Guidance, Inc.  

Barbre, J. (2013). Foundations of Responsive Caregiving: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos. St. Paul, MN: Red Leaf Press. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Retrieved from cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html. 

Center on the Developing Child (2009). Five Numbers to Remember About Early Childhood Development (Brief). Retrieved from developingchild.harvard.edu. 

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2016). 8 Things to Remember about Child Development. Retrieved from developingchild.harvard.edu. 

Center on the Developing Child. (2018a). Brain Architecture. Retrieved from developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/.

Center on the Developing Child. (2018b). Executive Function and Self-Regulation. Retrieved from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executivefunction/ - Webpage has since been removed.

National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Retrieved from www.nimh.nih.gov/health/educational-resources/brain-basics/brainbasics.shtml - Webpage has since been removed.

Rosanbalm, K. D., & Murray, D. W. (2018). Promoting self-regulation in the first five years: A practice brief (OPRE Brief #2017-79). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Schiller, P. (2015). The complete resource book for infants: experiences for children from birth to 18 months. Lewisville, NC: Gryphon House, Inc. 

Section 3

Bailey, B. (2015). Conscious Discipline Building Resilient Classrooms. Oviedo, FL: Loving Guidance, Inc.  

Barbre, J. (2013). Foundations of Responsive Caregiving: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos. St. Paul, MN: Red Leaf Press.

Butcher, K., & Fletcher, J. (2012). Forced Apologies Can Negatively Impact Childhood Development. Retrieved from canr.msu.edu/news/im_sorry_not. 

CSEFEL: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (2017). Retrieved from csefel.vanderbilt.edu/. 

Dodge, D. Trister. (2010). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool: Volume 1: The Foundation 5th. Washington, D.C.: Teaching Strategies. 

Miller, K. (2000). Things To Do with Toddlers and Twos – New and Revised. Teleshare Publishing Co., Inc. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Standards and Accreditation Assessment Items Standard 1: Relationships. (2017). [ebook] Washington DC: NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs, p.1. Retrieved Jan 10, 2018 from: https://www.naeyc.org/academy/files/academy/Standard%201_Sept%202017_0.pdf - Webpage has since been removed. 

Rosanbalm, K. D., & Murray, D. W. (2018). Promoting self-regulation in the first five years: A practice brief (OPRE Brief #2017-79). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

ZERO TO THREE. (2016). How to Help Your Child Develop Empathy. Retrieved from zerotothree.org/resources/5-how-to-help-your-child-develop-empathy. 

Section 4

Barbre, J. (2013). Foundations of Responsive Caregiving: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos. St. Paul, MN: Red Leaf Press. 

Dodge, D. Trister. (2010). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool: Volume 1: The Foundation 5th. Washington, D.C.: Teaching Strategies. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Standards and Accreditation Assessment Items Standard 1: Relationships. (2017). [ebook] Washington DC: NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs, p.1. Retrieved Jan 10, 2018 from: https://www.naeyc.org/academy/files/academy/Standard%201_Sept%202017_0.pdf - Webpage has since been removed

Section 5

Barbre, J. (2013). Foundations of Responsive Caregiving: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos. St. Paul, MN: Red Leaf Press.

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S., eds. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. (3rd ed.) Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). (2017). Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes Regulations. Retrieved from http://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/regs/daycare_groupdaycare_regs.html - Webpage has since been removed 

Miller, K. (2000). Things To Do with Toddlers and Twos – New and Revised. Teleshare Publishing Co., Inc. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Standards and Accreditation Assessment Items Standard 1: Relationships. (2017). [ebook] Washington DC: NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs, p.1. Retrieved Jan 10, 2018 from: https://www.naeyc.org/academy/files/academy/Standard%201_Sept%202017_0.pdf - Webpage has since been removed. 

Texas Education Agency. (2013). Print Awareness: An Introduction. Retrieved from www.readingrockets.org/article/print-awareness-introduction. 

Rosanbalm, K. D., & Murray, D. W. (2018). Promoting self-regulation in the first five years: A practice brief (OPRE Brief #2017-79). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

Schiller, P. (2015). The complete resource book for infants: experiences for children from birth to 18 months. Lewisville, NC: Gryphon House, Inc

 

Back to top of page

Packet Evaluation

Please take a few minutes to complete the brief online survey above. Your feedback is central to our evaluation of the services and materials provided by KITS.

 

Back to top of page