ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

I agree 100% with Gwen Morgan. Just because someone has a degree that does not make them a good teacher. Good teachers come from being able to recgonize a child's needs, educational upbringing and cultural diversity, just to name a few. Like Gwen said, placing these cerdential requirements we have precious time being put in making potfolios instead of that time being spent with the children at need.

I am currently in the midst of completing a thesis on pre-k boys with "high energy" (PO). Behavior is a large part of the paper, so thank you for bringing this to us for discussion. I agree with Barbara Kaiser (and gained much from her NAEYC workshop) in that culture is not addressed as it should be, and blaming parents benefits no one. The classroom environment AND outside play time (thank you Jim Greenman) also became critical parts of my paper as did teacher training.
How can we expect teachers to know what to do, how to react unless we start discussions with them, beginning with, how they were raised. Do most teachers have the necessary training needed and support in their work with children to support the children in their classrooms? From my observations I say not.
Another point I'd like to mention is that today's children have different life experiences, and the media is to blame for much of the increase in the aggressive behavior we witness in early childhood classrooms (indoor and out).

The more technology we put in our society the less time we have to interact with our kids. Parents are parenting with gestures - no more voice hell-o or let's go. Parents are on the phone, hand gestures, fingers to the lips, head shaking and nodding approval are what greets many children after a long day away from a parent.

As the co-author of Challenging Behavior in Young Children and Facing the Challenge, I believe that you have identified appropriate risk factors, but have not defined them well.

1. The cultural issue is really about the fact that childcare and school do not respect or validate the skills and acceptable behavioral norms that children bring with them from home. Instead we alienate children who don't understand or agree with our values or means of communication.

2. Blaming parents instead of partnering with them does not solve the problem or teach anyone new skills. Some teachers work with children who live in neighborhoods that they (the teachers) are afraid to walk through. We need to understand what these children cope with on a daily basis rather than blame their parents.

3. We need to look at the environment in terms of childcare and school. We can't change the planet, but we can create classrooms where all children feel welcome and have the space and materials they require to flourish.

4. Children deserve qualified, professional and engaged teachers who have the skills to manage behavior and create a positive social climate and sense of community in the classroom. However, there is so much more involved. This bullet goes back to the age old idea that if you are prepared, relevant, know the content well, the children will leave all their problems at the door. Well, we know that just ain't so!

I would suggest that it is a combination of these factors that contribute to difficult behaviours rather than one factor. I would also like to add to that list with the idea that teachers today do not allow any sort of expressive, play especially for boys. They instead label it misbehaviour or unacceptable when children play superhero or any bad guy good guy dramatic play. If children get too excited or rambunctious it is stopped in case things should get out of hand. This prevents expression of emotions which may later come out as aggression. I have worked as an ECE since the 70's and see a difference in what play is allowed.

I go with "professional," as long as we understand that professional teachers are not defined by their degrees or the children's test scores, but by their knowledge and skills in early education and caring. A good and professional teacher can read behavior, and understand it culturally, developmentally, and personally. That teacher has had experience in working with children of the age group, and of the cultural and language group. She had theoretic knowledge of child development, and she has how-to skills in teaching and relating. Our current credentials are not producing enough such teachers. When it does, we will have less mis-education of young children