Behavior techniques used in group care settings for aggressive and non-compliant preschoolers.

Abstract

There is increasing concern over the number of young children who exhibit challenging behaviors in early childhood settings. The question addressed in this comparative case study is: What classroom management techniques do teachers use with preschool children ages 3 to 4 who exhibit non-compliant and aggressive behavior? A secondary question, was how do teachers narrate the effectiveness of these techniques and their centers’ behavioral management plan in responding to non-compliant and aggressive behavior of young children? This study examined three preschool teachers’ behavior management techniques and practices in controlling non compliant and aggressive child behavior across two different pre-school settings. Three preschool teachers participated in face to face audio recorded interviews. Fifteen questions were asked on a range of topics including: teacher’s behavioral management techniques, school-wide behavior intervention plans, teachers’ narration on the effectiveness of these techniques and their centers’ behavior management plan in responding to non-compliant and aggressive behavior. Responses to each question were transcribed, examined and critiqued for common themes using highlighter coding. The results of this study indicate several commonalties amongst the behavioral techniques teachers used in addressing negative behavior and promoting positive behavior within the classroom and each center’s overall philosophy on responding to challenging behaviors.