Trevor is a four-year-old boy currently enrolled in a privately owned daycare.
The preschool room he is in has 15 students and two adults. Trevor has
difficulty focusing and exhibits behavioral issues. Trevor often disrupts the
class, requiring the teacher to pause instruction and attend to him to ensure
his safety. His disruptive behaviors include throwing objects, screaming,
hitting other children, and frequent crying. The daycare owner has received
numerous complaints from parents. Some of the parents are considering
transferring their children to another center. Trevor’s mother believes that
his behavior is typical for a boy his age and that he will eventually grow out
of this phase.
As the teacher in the classroom, I would first take Trevor aside and speak to
him one on one. Getting down to eye level with Trevor helps form a
connection for Trevor to feel safe. I will ask Trevor what seems to be the
problem to gain a better understanding of what causes his behavior. I will
give Trevor clear instructions about acceptable behavior in the classroom.
Trevor needs to be reminded that he is not to throw objects, scream, or hit
others. I would tell Trevor that if something is bothering him or upsetting him
to come have a chat with me so we can talk about it. In my classroom I
would set up a behavior chart for each student. A behavior chart is one of
the easiest and fastest behavior modification tools available. Kids love the
immediate feedback offered by a reward system and a behavior chart can
help keep them motivated to stay on track. (Morin,2020) By having a sticker
rewards chart, each child will see how many stickers they have, and how
many are needed for a reward to be given. For example, rewards could be
stuffies, fidgets, and other inexpensive things preschoolers enjoy. I would
teach to the class, that some students need a little extra help with their
behaviors and that everyone has unique needs. I would demonstrate how to
be a good friend and include everyone in these demonstrations.
When talking to Trevor's parents, I would do so privately. I would ask
Trevor’s parents if I could call them after school or if they could stay behind a
few minutes after school pick up. I would ask Trevor’s parents what works at
home so I could try to stay consistent with his day. I would give positive
feedback to Trevor’s parents about the good behaviors that he did excel at
that day.
As a parent of a student in Trevor’s room I would be upset with the
behaviors. I would not feel comfortable with my child being subjected to such
behavior. I would schedule a meeting with the teacher to talk about how I
can help my child understand Trevor’s outbursts. If I can explain to my child
that Trevor is not being bad, he just has some difficulties. I would tell my
child to be kind and help Trevor when he/she could. If things continued to get
worse and worse, I would really have to think about what the safest option
for my child is.
Having a student with unruly behavior can affect the whole class. Teachers
trying to teach the lessons must stop and engage with said behavior. This is
taking time away from learning as well as anxiety for some students. In the
classroom I am an assistant in, we have a child diagnosed with Autism. His
daily behaviors include screaming, throwing his shoes, and running around
the classroom. We must stop the lessons to control him. The students are
fearful because his screams hurt their ears and they are afraid to sit next to
him in case he starts throwing things. I would role-play with the class to show
the children how ignoring Trevor’s inappropriate classroom behaviors can
reduce their impact. This approach takes some of the disruptive power away
from Trevor and helps the students stay focused on their activities. In our
classroom, a lot of the outbursts are attention seeking. If Trevor does not get
the attention from the behavior, it may reduce the behavior. Students can
also help Trevor by including him in activities and not treating him
differently. Children learn from others and having the children include
Trevor, will help teach him how to appropriately behave in the classroom.
In conclusion, Trevor's disruptive behavior became a significant issue that
needed to be addressed before it negatively impacted the teachers,
students, and their parents. Understanding what triggers Trevor’s behavior
and how it affects him will be crucial in redirecting his actions. By addressing
these triggers, Trevor and his classmates will experience greater success
and feel safer in the classroom.
