Behaviour

[Guest]

Hi there, I am looking closely at behaviour of children in the Foundation Stage. If you have a few minutes I would be grateful if you could jot down all the factors that you think affect behaviour. This will help to inspire my 2500 word assignment I have talked myself into doing. It`s for a Certificate in Early Years Education. I have just decided to study again after 13 years in the classroom!!

[hali]

Hi Gwen, good luck with your studying..

from a personal point of view i think social attutudes and upbringing of a child has a lot to do with behaviour problems, respect for adults has totally gone out of the window, life style and living conditions, medical problems, and family life are the main ones...im sure many others will add more for you...will keep thinking.

[Rea]

Hi, there are some comments on the thread posted by Sue 'I just dont get it' about childrens behaviour. Good luck with your studies, hard going back to it after years isn't it?

[Guest]

Hi Gwen

I'd agree with all that has been suggested so far and would add children being subjected to a curriculum or teaching style that does not meet their learning needs. In our reception classes, we have just moved from quite a 'formal' KS1 type day to one that is much more in line with FS curriculum and there has been a real improvement in behaviour. Good luck with the studying!

[Guest]

I agree also with the comments made above - there are so many issues that effect behaviour - often a mixture of several things which makes 'pinpointing' one thing difficult.

 

In addition to the v.good comments made I would say that children less 'free' to be children that they have ever been, and with many constraints for various reasons it can seem like if a child at age of four cannot sit still for 20 minutes then there is something wrong with them (sorry a personal rant!)

 

I have often heard pracitioners say - if only she/he could let of some of that energy but feel that they cannot provide this for the child.

[catma]

Does social deprivation/dysfunctional or "unconventional" family units etc predetermine poor behaviour? If that were the case then many inner city schools would have no hope at all!! Do schools in affluent areas with more 2 parent families etc have no behaviour problems at all?? Many children I have taught have lived in appalling conditions, with no money to speak of and many diverse and interesting family units, but didn't present as appallingly behaved children.

 

If anyone watched the "Super nanny" programmes or similar those children shown had DREADFUL behaviour, yet came from affluent 2 parent families so where does that leave us??? I don't really know.

 

My pet theory is that we are reaping the legacy of Thatchers Children. A decade+ of self centred policy and government created a "me now" society. People talk of " their rights" but have no concept of their responsibilities. You can have what you want by simply taking it and noone can tell you otherwise because that would infringe your rights. I can behave how I like because you can't tell me what to do. A common sense of society and ALTRUISM has gone completely.

 

Within that children have to know different behaviours, those of society = school and those of the street where different rules might apply. You have to learn you cannot beat up the boy who cusses your mum in school but you might be compelled by the "Rules" to do so if he did it on the way home. You are allowed to excuse your own behaviour by blaming the actions of others or condoning your own bad behavour through deluded excuses, "I've got a temper", "I don't care", "I always lose it", "it's how I am" Children are confused by all these different states of mind that are presented to them. They are searching for a mystical thing called "Respect". On the street it means now that you are all powerful and everyone else gives into you. What they do not get is that respect is a two way street and you have to give it to get it.

 

Children now also have a strong sense of their "rights". They have a sense of being able to manipulate situations because they know of the ties that bind a teacher's hand metaphorically. I had to restrain a Y5 child once who was hitting another child quite violently. He rounded on me because I had had the temerity to stop him doing what he wanted. "you can't touch me" he shouted. I replied that actually I was allowed to use reasonable restraint in preventing danger to others and so he shut up but the threat was there.......touch me, i'll have my parent onto you and you will be in trouble........

 

Working in the inner city gives a glimpse of this complicated sub culture that many children exist in, how the merest "cutting of the eyes" at someone or saying"yer mum" to someone is the invitation to explode in a frenzy of violence because someone has dissed you. But understand it??? I'm not sure I ever will.

[Helen]

A very interesting post, Catma; the content of what you say is shocking, yet I do agree with you. I also get the impression that many people are out for what they can get, irrespective of others, and that this is then passed onto their offspring who believe someone, somewhere "owes" them.

On a more personal level, my experience with children who exhibit poor behaviour leads me to think that their basic care needs are a deciding factor in how they behave when they get to nursery, school, etc. A child who has been looked after, fed, given clean (ish!) clothes, walked/driven etc to school with an unrushed chat with Mum or Dad or another carer, often arrives in a good state of mind, ready and motivated to learn. A child who is rushed into the setting, holding a piece of toast and wearing yesterday's dinner-stained clothes, tired and grumpy isn't going to be in the best frame of mind to learn and behave. A bit of a sweeping statement I know, but I can only speak from my limited years teaching primary and nursery aged children.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone so far. It`s good to know that so many of us agree on a range of factors and that there is no one solution that fits all cases.

[bubblejack]

I agree with all the points made.

We now live in society where any adult can access money to buy almost anything. I know many people who borrow money without giving a thought to how they can pay it off long term ,their criteria for borrowing is can they afford the minimum monthly payment to cover the minimum interest payment.Both parents are under pressure to work even if they have young children. Parents come in stressed and grumpy and often can't spend a few minutes settling their child in.Parents can access good quality childcare so I wish they would stop feeling guilty and spoiling their children with material things. I feel that many of my parents are scared to say no when their child demands things.

Some of my pre-school children come from disturbed homes where they see and hear arguing and abuse. I have looking after child for many years and have noticed that their is a serious decline in parents behaviour which passes on to their children.

[Rea]

I agree that parents are to blame for a lot of children's behaviour, but where did todays parents get that attitude? They are children of my mom and dad's age(probably a bit younger) and I know for certain that my parents and their contemporarys would never of bought their children up to be so self centred. Perhaps it is a legacy of Thatchers government? I really dont know the cause, I'm just thankful that if it is outside influences then it hasnt caught my children (It did get my sister-in-law and her family, but thats another story about money grabing, state fed wasters ) I think (and this is a purely personal observation, with no offence intended) that some of it has to do with being a single parent, my best friend who is on her own gives in to demands for kittens, riding lessons, days out, toys, DVD'S the list goes on. I know she cant afford it, but she always gives in and has explained to me in the past that the children's dad never does anything for them. It's a fair comment (he's a pig) but my children with both parents working dont have so many demands met, indeed dont make the demands. Very complicated issue I think.

[Guest]

hi all, i have been working with small groups using a mixture of playground games ,group games , circle time and sharing.

this has mainly been with children with language and communication needs. alot of the children just need help in communicating with each other either by being shown how to ask for something nicely ,waiting for a turn or even having the confidence to join in .

i am becoming aware of children who don`t play games that involve taking turns , sharing etc so they simply don`t know how to. this has a real impact on their behaviour.

on a positive note i have seen improvement with all the children that join in with the group time and we have great fun too! maddy.

[Rea]

Well done Maddy a postive response about behaviour.

[Guest]

I totally agree with every one's opinions and feel you bring up some very important factors. I worked for a year in a referal unit for primary aged children with emtional and behavioural difficulties who had been excluded from mainstream school. I feel that the main thing I learnt from working closely with these children was that there are numerous factors that contribute to a child's behaviour - and these would vary on a day to day basis therefore it was extremely difficult to offer a solution. The observation that worried me the most was that some of the parents did not build upon their child's self confidence and the children had no aspirations, felt they could not change their behaviour as they were not worth praise and they deserved punishment. I was shocked when one parent told her 8 year old son when he grew up he would end up in jail -and as they say if the cap fits wear it!