Child Guidance

Child Redirection Philosophy

Gads Hill Center recognizes and understands that children do not always have control of their bodies, minds, and behavior; therefore it's the responsibility of teachers and educators to help redirect the students when inappropriate or negative behaviors are displayed. Educators and teachers must provide consistent, positive, developmentally appropriate, and adaptive approaches when guiding children. Gads Hill Center has adopted the practice of redirection as its formal approach to supporting children's behaviors in the classroom. Redirection is a technique that educators and teachers should use to help children understand what appropriate behavior is and how to manage their behaviors. Redirection is used to promote preferred behavior, prevent injury, reduce punishment, and promote the learning and exploration of young children. All teachers and educators are expected to engage in positive redirection practices as outlined and avoid using negative redirection, such as grabbing, pulling, or any sort of physical or mental punishment.

Redirecting Child Behavior

What is Redirection

Redirecting behavior is a technique that involves changing the focus of a child's attention from an undesirable behavior to a more positive one. It interrupts and redirects a child's behavior to avoid conflict, escalation, or acting out, giving them ways to calm themselves down. With redirection, the caregiver is still in control, but the child feels like they are too. This helps the child feel more secure, making them less likely to continue the negative behavior. Redirecting behavior should be used when the child is engaging in a behavior that is:

Inappropriate
Harmful
Disruptive
Unsafe
Destructive

Redirection will look different based on the situation and the child's age. However, it acknowledges the child's feelings, gives them choices and helps them find a more constructive way to express themselves.

Verbal Redirection

Verbal redirection involves verbally requesting a behavior. The teacher first explains to the child that the behavior they are displaying is inappropriate and then explains to them what is acceptable. This will help the child understand the correct way to behave.

Example: A child is standing on a chair. Say: “Please don't stand on the chair. Our feet belong on the floor. Chairs are meant to be sat on.”

Physical Redirection

Physical redirection involves the same technique as verbal redirection while also adding physical direction. Teachers can use a gentle and nurturing touch to redirect the child away from inappropriate behavior.

Example: A child is standing on a chair. Say “please don’t stand on the chair. Our feet belong on the floor. Chairs are meant to be sat on,” while gently placing your hand on the child’s back to help them sit down in their chair, making sure they don’t fall.

Guiding Children in Conflict

There are ways that parents can help children through conflict. Some suggestions are below: Manage your own emotions first. Do not address a situation when you are upset or angry. Empathize with the child’s feelings. Let them work through the emotions driving the negative behavior by creating a safe, compassionate space and setting limits with empathy. Children will be more likely to accept the limits when they feel understood. Teaching kids to restore the harm that was done.

For example: If a child knocks down another student's block structure, say, "what do you think we can do to help what happened?" give the child time to think by pausing; if there is no response, you might say: "maybe we can help to rebuild his tall building."

Redirection with Toddlers

Toddlers do not often understand what the word “no” or "stop" means and why they cannot engage in certain behaviors. Teachers and educators should show children at this age what appropriate behavior is. For instance, if a child hits, the teacher they can redirect the child to another topic, location, or activity. Teachers can redirect the behavior by getting out activities or a game the child enjoys that are similar or engages the same senses that the negative behavior is. Teachers can also ask leading questions to redirect the behavior. For example, teachers can ask what they want to do later in the day.

Example: If the child is biting, say " please don't bite me it hurts, if you would like to use your teeth, here is a teething ring for you to bite."

Approaches to Redirecting Behavior

Biting: Make sure to pay lots of attention to the biting victim FIRST before you deal with the biter. Notice the behavior at the child’s level. Give a very direct command that is easy to understand. “You bit Sarah. She is hurt. You may bite the teether. We don't bite our friends.” Offer the child something that is o.k. to bite (i.e., teether, pacifier, food, etc.) If you think you understand the motivation for the behavior, you can include this in the noticing stage. “You bit Sarah. I know you were mad because she took your truck, but we don't bite our friends. When you bite, it hurts.”

Hitting: Replace a high-energy behavior with something of equal value that is more appropriate. “You kicked Sam. You had a lot of energy in your body. Your foot hurt Sam’s body. You may kick this ball. We don't kick our friends” or “You kicked Sam because he took your place in line. You were frustrated about that, and he wouldn’t move. If you feel frustrated, you can kick this ball right now. We don't kick our friends.”

Refocus: Maybe you have a child who is dumping baskets of toys as the rest of the class is preparing to go outside. Try distracting a child with a very direct task. “You dumped the puzzles on the floor because you wanted to see what would happen. Will you take this baby to Miss _____ so she can put it on the shelf?” or “Take this book and put it on the table”. The more interesting or unusual you make the task, the more likely the child will be to respond. “Can you go and look out the window right now to see if there are any animals outside? I will put this basket on the shelf and then bring your shoes to you.” Be creative and individualize what sort of distractions you create for children. Once they are calmed down and have been cooperative, take the time to discuss their behavior with them. “It helps me when you clean up the toys. I like to go outside after the room is clean,” or “It is good we put your shoes on to go outside. Now your feet are safe, and they won’t get wet.”

Ask Questions: Catch a tantrum-ing or upset child off guard by asking them a compelling question. “You screamed because you felt so angry that it wasn’t your turn. You were upset because you wanted to take another turn. (Give the child a moment to hear your words). Do you know what I had for breakfast this morning?” Sometimes an interesting inquiry is just what a child needs before they are ready to engage in any sort of rationale or reasoning for their behavior. Sometimes when you are at a child’s level, it can be even more calming or interesting to them if you whisper or speak a question quietly in their ear. Remember: when emotions are high, according to our Conscious Discipline module and modern research, children are operating from a more primal region of the brain and are unable to use higher-order thought. They need to feel safe and calm before they are able to begin a dialogue about how to change their behavior or why it isn’t working.

Relocation: When a child is behaving aggressively, get down to their level, notice the behavior, and then move them to a different location of the classroom with something engaging. “You are throwing the dishes in the kitchen at the wall. You have a lot of energy in your body, and you seem angry. We’re going to the climber now, and you can climb and slide.” After moving them to a different area or activity, you can model appropriate behavior for them or talk to them about their choices in simple language. “You are climbing and sliding because you have a lot of energy! When your body is full of energy, you can use it for exercise. You may not throw dishes or hurt friends. You may climb on the steps and slide on the loft.”

Set clear expectations: If the child doesn't know what is expected of them, they are more likely to misbehave. Set clear expectations from the onset and stick to them.

Conflict Resolution

Toddlers & Emotional Regulation

Defining Expectations

Classroom Supports and Planning for Child Behaviors

Staff will implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (see also Social Emotional Development Policy) to prevent challenging behavior and to teach emotional literacy, friendship skills, self-calming skills, and problem-solving skills. General classroom guidance will emphasize giving children clear directions that are positively stated, using redirection, giving positive and specific feedback, and teaching classroom rules and expectations.

Occasionally, staff may be unaware of a child’s potential for dangerous behavior, which may occur very quickly and with little warning. Each classroom will develop (or update) a Dangerous Behavior Site Plan before children return to school in the fall. The Dangerous Behavior Classroom Plan will include the following:

A designated safe and appropriate place in the classroom and outside the classroom where an adult can take a child to be away from peers for the purpose of assisting the child to calm and self-regulate.
A procedure for quickly exiting the children from the classroom away from the dangerous behavior. A staff member will remain with the child at all times; children will not be placed in seclusion (involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room from which the student is physically prevented from leaving.
Ways of quickly communicating to the rest of the team (including regular parent and community volunteers) with a signal word so that the plan can be quickly implemented without a lot of discussion.

Challenging behaviors will be documented using the GHC Anecdotal form, and formal incident form and in the child’s electronic file when appropriate.

Staff will share behavior concerns with families in a timely manner and will work with families to develop strategies and interventions.
Staff will access Early Childhood Education Coordinator or Infant Toddler Specialist as needed for behavior observations in the classroom and classroom-wide behavior support strategies.
Education staff will work family and teaching staff to obtain a mental health consultation.
If appropriate, Education staff and Education Manager will work with family and teaching staff to refer child for mental health services and/or special education evaluation.
Staff will utilize First Response Strategies (verbal, physical and environmental) when addressing challenging behavior. First Response Strategies are something a teacher does to prevent or de-escalate a child’s dangerous behavior.
When challenging behaviors persist or are dangerous to self or others, staff will work with family to acessaccess Behavior Support. If appropriate, referrals may also be made to mental health or special education services.
If a child’s behavior requires special support during the time of referral and assessment, the Regional Manager, and the ECE Team or EHS specialist will be included in planning the support.
Behavior Support may include a Behavior Plan. A Behavior Plan is an individualized, intensive intervention based on information collected by the family and teaching staff (BIRS, family interview, etc).
Behavior Plan will be developed by the family, teaching team, and Education Coordinator or Infant Toddler specialist with support from partnering agencies as needed.

Behavior Plan will include:

Description of behavior of concern including triggering events and maintaining consequences.

Prevention Strategies

Replacement Skills that will be taught
Strategies for when the new skills or the challenging behavior occurs
Staff will implement behavior plan and meet with team regularly to discuss progress and modify plan as needed.
Behavior Plan will be documented in the Behavior Plan table in the Education Domain of the child’s electronic file.
The use of corporal punishment or seclusion is strictly forbidden. Use of such methods will result in disciplinary action.
Withholding of food, access to the bathroom, or mental/emotional punishment including but not limited to name calling, ridicule, yelling, or threats is strictly forbidden. Use of such methods will result in disciplinary action. Food and/or physical activity may not be used as a punishment of reward.
Continual communication with parents and guardians must be maintained concerning the child’s behavior and ongoing documentation and progress reports are required. Staff will be sensitive to different cultural beliefs and values. Ongoing documentation may include Injury Log for monitoring, BIRS reports, updates to the child’s electronic file, and classroom observations.
Challenging behavior in the classroom can have a cumulative effect on teachers’ mental, physical, and emotional health. Staff wellness and resilience is a priority and ECECs and RMs will work with their MH consultant to schedule time for teaching teams to access MH consultation time for themselves either individually or as a team.

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