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Chapter 6 |
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The major components of child guidance include nurturing each child's self-esteem, helping children develop skills in dealing with social-emotional issues, and allowing children to grow toward independence and self-control. Children are better able to deal with emotions when adults accept children's feelings as valid, are calm and direct in dealing with feelings, assist children in verbalizing emotions, and present alternative ways of dealing with emotions. Planning the physical environment and building relationships are important components of the guidance process. Physical and verbal guidance strategies help teachers deal effectively with young children. Discipline procedures such as "I" messages, natural and logical consequences, behavior modification techniques, and problem-solving strategies are all useful in the early childhood classroom. It is important to develop procedures for dealing with routines such as arrival and departure, transitions, snack/meal time, toileting, and rest times. Careful observation, allowing children to resolve at least some of their own problems, defining limits of acceptable behavior, and helping children become more prosocial are all important in guiding social interactions. Guidance of children in groups is another important task for teachers of young children. The physical setting, careful planning and organization, and mixing active and quiet times all help make these experiences more effective.
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