Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/writing-policies-that-support-your-programs-philosophy-and-the-needs-of-children-families-and-staff/5020933/
The teachers at ABC Learning Center arrive at work on Monday morning to find a memo in their mailboxes that reads, “Effective immediately, children who bully other children will be sent home for the day. If a child in your class bullies another child, please alert the office immediately.” As the teachers discuss this new policy, one of the two-year-old teachers interjects, “I heard that Brook’s parents were upset because they thought that she was being bullied and threatened to remove her if Alexi wasn’t kicked out.”Incidents like this happen all the time. When unpleasant things happen, preschool directors react by adjusting policies to fit their needs at the time. But often the reaction is so quick that the policy isn’t clear and all possible outcomes are not considered. As a result, the staff is unable to follow the new policy, and it is ignored and/or has to be rewritten.
At ABC Learning Center, each teacher defines bullying differently and subsequently enforces the policy differently. One teacher, Miss Susan, sends three toddlers to the office before noon for pushing and hitting. A few children in the three-year-old and four-year-old classes were sent home as well for various infractions. However, Miss ...