Get With The Program
Many child care providers utilize classroom behavior programs as a tool to influence children's behavior. Behavior programs can be as simple as using stickers to reinforce appropriate behavior to more sophisticated programs that monitor the quality of children's behavior over time using quantitative measures. These might include the use of check marks on a daily schedule, popsicle sticks placed in an envelope or, for one program I recently encountered, hole punches on an index card. Providers sometimes incorporate colors into behavior programs, for example, using the spectrum of a traffic light to denote behavioral expectations . . . green for go, yellow for slow down and red for stop. At home, behavior programs are often used in conjunction with "potty" training to support children's transition to independent toileting.
Unfortunately, many classroom behavior programs appear to be structured solely to provide a punitive response to inappropriate behavior. Often a program stands by idle or inert until misbehavior occurs, then is activated to impose a negative consequence on a child or to threaten an impending consequence. However, threats and negative outcomes are apt to increase children's levels of stress and, consequently, contribute to misbehavior. Indeed, an abrupt loss of status in a behavior program may actually trigger an outburst or tantrum. It will certainly signal trouble ahead if children perceive that a loss in program status is equivalent to "all is lost".
Recognize that young children have difficulty understanding how to integrate their behavior into an emerging concept of self. Because they tend to think in concrete terms, children may have a difficult time separating what they do from who they are. Therefore, behavior programs that focus exclusively on providing consequences for misbehavior may be contributing to feelings of loss and low self-esteem. In children's eyes, a behavior program may appear primarily as an indicator of their "goodness" or "badness" (see my post, No Bad Kids). Moreover, some care-givers may reinforce this impression of good or bad by using symbols in their behavior program that create either positive or negative associations, such as smiley faces versus "frowny" faces or promoting such concepts as green means good and red means bad. Sometimes we'll use a program to label behavior outright, leaving no doubt what we consider good or bad.
Our ability to effect children's behavior is greatly diminished when we approach these programs only as tools to consequence misbehavior. When control of the program is administered by the caregiver, there is little motivation for children to make an effort to modify their behavior or, moreover, participate in the program in any meaningful way. For behavior programs to be successful, they should provide frequent opportunities for providers to interact with young children regarding appropriate behavior, as well as provide children with opportunities to participate in the program in meaningful ways. More on this in my next post.
