Re: MANAGING BEHAVIOR

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@AUSTARMETRO.COM.AU>]

Dear Angela
Have you considered teaching them 'whole body listening'?

When you need them to sit and listen (really hard for this age group who
have a concentration span of their age + 3 so that is 6 - 8 minutes) ask
them to show you how their whole body is listening - feet are still, legs
are crossed, bottom is flat on the floor so we can use its 'cushions', arms
and hands are still in their laps, mouth is closed, eyes are looking, ears
are listening, and brain is thinking.

It doesn't take them long to learn what you want, and if someone is a bit
wriggly and interfering with others, you just have to ask "Are your hands
listening?"

Kids will sit still for a story but it has to be well-chosen and well-read.
Opportunities for interaction really keep them involved so if there is a
repetitive phrase, invite them to join in or make animal noises or hand
movements to go with the characters.  If it is a little long, invite them to
stand up and 'show me how the elephant was moving" or 'what sort of voice
would the fairy use?" or whatever.

Have a special story-telling story and chair where they know that this is
the time for listening and enjoying and sharing.  Teach them the behaviour
you want, reinforce it by saying something like "I know Sasha's ready to
listen because she's ....." or a quick word of praise for someone doing the
right thing especially if they have found it tricky in the past.  Kids this
age are anxious to please and that's all it takes.

Not stars or stickers or stuff like that because they only encourage the
expectation of reward for what really amounts to learning good manners.  And
they lose their value if they are handed out constantly, and the kids forget
what they got them for!  (Now, that will set the cat among the pigeons!)

If you are doing a craft activity, or whatever, only give one or two
instructions at a time - let the kids carry them out and then be ready for
the next instruction.  They are so keen to get started they don't hear
anything past the first sentence, let alone remember it.  And have a model
of the finished product to show them so they can see what it is they are
trying to achieve.

Kia ora
Barbara

Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T. 02 6205 7241
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@austarmetro.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au

-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]On Behalf Of Fields, Angela - JELV
Librarian
Sent: Saturday, 1 September 2001 4:58 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: MANAGING BEHAVIOR


I am a librarian at a school for 3-5 year olds and I am looking for some
type of incentive or behavior management system that might work.  Naturally,
this age group is very squirmy and easily distracted. I hope someone has
some good ideas for this age group because I am a new librarian.



Angela Fields
Library Media Specialist
Jessamine Early Learning Village

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