Effective Strategies for Managing Disruptive Behavior in Preschool: Insights for Early Childhood Educators

When there's nothing to do, children naturally run, talk, and play. Therefore, educators should keep them engaged in continuous physical activities to minimize idle time. Provide materials for coloring and drawing, organize activities like forming lines or circles, and, during the first 1-2 weeks, guide them until they become accustomed. Later, a simple gesture from the teacher can prompt the children to follow the set pattern, promoting discipline while keeping the class silent. Additionally, incorporating games, music, storytelling, and art can contribute to maintaining order in the preschool class. During free periods, tell interesting stories, sing songs learned before, or have drawing sessions with colored pens. Encourage sculpting while you're away from the class.

By incorporating these activities, not only do you instill discipline in the children, but you also create an environment that is enjoyable and conducive to learning in the preschool setting.

Capture children's attention with playful commands or striking the ruler on the table to make them focus on you. Afterwards, share interesting stories or organize games for them to play.

For instance:

Use a tambourine to grab everyone's attention, say 'good job' to encourage good behavior, and practice having children speak sitting nicely. If the children are not attentive, request everyone to repeat it louder.

Sometimes the classroom gets too noisy, leaving teachers feeling stuck, exhausted, and yelling without much effect. So, why not try to identify the reasons behind the noise and come up with appropriate solutions tailored to each case? In this approach, the teacher simply observes and investigates what excites the children and finds ways to captivate them.

For example: if the noise is due to some overly energetic and playful children, the teacher can strategically seat the most active ones closer for easier management. This can be an effective way for the teacher to instill discipline in the class.

Or in another scenario, if the children are arguing over toys causing disturbance, the teacher can address it in the following ways to avoid affecting other children in the class.

• Option 1: Approach the two children and inquire about the reason behind their argument. Then gently advise them, ''We should play together, share and take turns. That's what good friends do!'' After that, the teacher can sit with the two children and play together.
• Option 2: Approach the two children and ask what game they are playing. Suggest that they include the other children and teach them a simple game, like guessing the color of a car and its parts. The two arguing children will have to take turns guessing, and the teacher acts as a referee. Once the children are happily engaged, they will start playing on their own.
• Option 3: Ask the children what game they are playing and why they are arguing over a particular toy. After that, gently stroke their heads and advise them not to argue but to share and cooperate. This way, the game will be more enjoyable, and the children will gain the love and respect of the teacher, grandparents, and parents, who will also play with them.

Instilling discipline in children is crucial. Right from the beginning of the school year, teachers should cultivate the habit of listening to commands (using a bell, clapping hands, or a specific musical instrument sound - fixed from the start of the year). This way, the entire class will maintain order and attentiveness when the teacher gives instructions.

For instance, in the case where children run around the classroom or don't put toys back in their designated places, the teacher can try creating a story and narrate it to the kids:

In this classroom, there are many adorable and beautiful friends, but they often take toys without putting them back in the right place. The toys feel sad, and some even cry. The chair cries alone because it's not put back properly... Now, does anyone in our class want to help these friends? (Select 1-2 students to tidy up). Today, before taking toys, remember to observe and see where the teacher placed them. After playing, make sure to put them back in the same spot; otherwise, the toys will be sad and cry because they are not in the right place. Remember not to grab toys! When you grab toys back and forth, the toys will hurt and cry a lot... It's really sad for them!...

If you want the children to sit still, ask them to close their eyes and practice yoga. Imagine walking into a forest with cute friends and beautiful flowers, meet a monkey along the way... Create a story for the children to imagine...

Typically, young children love to be praised and rewarded, so teachers can use this psychology to maintain order in the classroom. According to some teachers, a simple yet effective approach is to divide the children into 3 teams and have them compete in being the quietest and most orderly. The team that remains silent the longest will be acknowledged as the well-behaved team. Although simple, this method has proven to be quite effective and has been widely adopted by many teachers.

Children respond better to affirmative language like 'Do...' (instruction) rather than 'Don't' or 'No...' (prohibition). Directives like 'Don't...' or 'No...' inform children about what not to do but fail to explain the desired behavior as an alternative to the unacceptable one. Therefore, it's generally more effective to tell children what to do (e.g., 'Speak softly') rather than instructing them what not to do (e.g., 'Don't shout'). In managing the classroom to prevent disorder and noise, instead of saying 'Don't talk anymore' or 'forbidding the children from talking,' and using various threats, simply instruct them on what to do with respect, alongside being firm when necessary. By being strict with both the children and oneself regarding discipline and classroom decorum, your class is sure to stand out!

When dealing with children, it's best for teachers not to speak loudly or shout to maintain order. In case the class becomes disorderly, the teacher can invite everyone outside, line up, and re-enter the classroom in an orderly manner. If the teacher wants the children to speak softly, the teacher should set the example first. To instill order during lessons, the teacher should avoid chatting with other adults while teaching. If there's an important matter that requires discussion, the teacher should apologize to the children after the conversation. To earn the children's respect for discipline, the teacher needs to lead by example, and the children will always look up to the teacher as a role model.