51吃瓜网

Many years ago, as a new听intern in a kindergarten classroom, I observed a child grabbing a toy from another with a push and the words 鈥淭hat鈥檚 mine!鈥� There was nothing uncommon about the child鈥檚 behavior in that particular moment鈥攐r my response. 鈥淒on鈥檛 do that,鈥� I instructed. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not nice.鈥� The look on my mentor teacher鈥檚 face was clear: I needed to understand and respond to children in a different way.听听

Guidance and behavior are two of the most popular and pressing topics on the minds of early childhood professionals. Even those well beyond their first years of teaching still seek perspectives and practical strategies on these topics. As I scan through the submissions we receive, the engagement with our content, the activity on 51吃瓜网鈥檚 HELLO discussion forum, and the results from a large-scale field survey by 51吃瓜网, guidance and behavior are frequently written about, presented on, and sought after.听

In this issue of Young Children, authors present the meaning behind children鈥檚 behaviors and developmentally appropriate, equitable ways to respond to them. Some of these approaches may be new and require a change in thinking; some may be familiar but not fully integrated into everyday practice. All can be considered as educators engage in their journeys of professional growth.听

In the he opening article, 鈥淔rom Patience to Understanding: Shifting Mindsets to Address Challenging Behaviors,鈥� Ivonne E. Monje, Desir茅e Toldo, and Stefanie Horton demonstrate how a mindset of patience, or bearing with a child鈥檚 behavior, is actually a deficit-based approach. Instead, they describe specific strategies that early childhood educators鈥攐n their own or in collaboration with others鈥攃an implement for more child-focused approaches.听听

鈥淭rauma-Informed Early Learning Settings: Approaches to Build Resilience in Young Children,鈥� by Nicola Edge, Karen S. Hickman, Melissa J. Sutton, Leslie Dudley Corbell, Khiela J. Holmes, and Elissa D. Wilburn, describes trauma-informed strategies responsive to children鈥檚 social, emotional, and behavioral development, which can be applied in early learning settings serving children birth through kindergarten.听听

Along with principles and practices applicable across settings, early childhood educators and leaders also need information specific to the ages and contexts of the children they serve. In 鈥淏ehavior Guidance with Infants and Toddlers: Strengthening Each Child鈥檚 Sense of Belonging,鈥� Marie L. Masterson explains how educators can engage in behavior guidance to foster infants鈥� and toddlers鈥� sense of belonging.听

Continuing the focus on ages and contexts, Sean Durham, Travis Morgan, and Ashton Bridges explore 鈥淐hallenging Behavior or Age-Appropriate Play? Recognizing the Learning Possibilities of Toddlers鈥� Schema Play.鈥� The authors explain what schema play听 entails, then illustrate through multiple scenarios how educators can better interpret and respond听 to toddlers鈥� behavior.听听

Amy Blessing offers insights from her journey as a kindergarten teacher in 鈥淪upporting Self-Regulation and Autonomy in Kindergarten,鈥� which first appeared in Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Equitable and Joyful Learning in Kindergarten (published by 51吃瓜网). Accompanying this is 鈥淐reating Joyful Learning Within State and Local Standards,鈥� in which Blessing situates her intentional approach within the current context of teaching and learning.听

Finally, Tarima Levine and Victoria Ozeir ask readers to consider a different lens through which to view and respond to behavior in 鈥淯nderstanding and Supporting Children鈥檚 Behavior Through a Sensory Processing Lens.鈥� The authors provide an overview of the sensory patterns children may display, and they share how educators can implement supportive strategies informed by children鈥檚 individual sensitivities and preferences.听听

I had some work to do in my own professional learning to better understand and respond to children鈥檚 behaviors. I have no doubt that my younger self would have benefited from the insights and examples from the authors this issue. Whether you are just beginning your teaching career or well into it, I hope you find the articles in this issue useful as you reflect on and continue to sharpen your perspective and practices.听

鈥擜nnie Moses

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