I recently had a prospective parent ask me about my discipline policy. This mom was very thorough with her questions, and rightly so. Sending your child to a stranger for a few hours or even days can be a very scary thought. I know this very well, as I have two children of my own. I told this parent that rarely do I have large problems with preschoolers. Most situations I deal with require a gentle reminder, kind suggestion or a listening ear. Here's a little insight on how I deal with things in our class.
Sharing
A very common problem in preschool is having to share. For some children it is their first time in a large group setting. There are lots of new and interesting toys to play with and sharing them can be difficult. If there is an issue with sharing I first like to wait and see if the children can work it out on their own. If things aren't working out, I will step in and give them the words to try...."When you are finished with that toy can I play with it?", "Can we look at that book together?" Sometimes the child may say no and then we talk about how that makes us feel when we don't get a turn and I offer alternative solutions...."Yes, I know you would really like that toy right now and that is making you sad but did you see what's in the blue bin today? Let's go look at that."
Children love to share their stories especially at circle time. This can be fun and it is something we do a lot but when everyone is talking at once or not listening to each other or to me then we have a problem. I find if I set clear expectations at the beginning of the year then things run smoother. We have to have listening bodies at circle time and this means sitting with our legs crossed, hands in our laps and facing the front. Of course, I am not a drill sergeant about this but I do find that if the class is getting a little rowdy I can just say "oh, show me your listening bodies!" and everyone settles down pretty quickly. Raising hands when you want to talk is something I encourage. I also use lots of little sayings to get the group back on track..."One, two, three! Eyes on me!" is one of my favourites!
"Zip my coat!", "I want the red one!", "Gimme that!" When I hear these things I will say "Oh you mean please zip my coat.", "Can you think of a nicer way to ask me that?" A gentle reminder is all it takes to hear nice words.
Because I am the only adult in the room, I am often the first person that everyone turns to for help. I start every year by telling everyone that we are a family of friends and as such we must help each other out. This is what I teach them to say if I am busy helping someone else..."Friend, can you help me...put on my paint shirt, cut this paper, open this lid..." Then we thank our friend for helping. The person that helps out always feels so special.
Overall, the problems that I deal with in preschool are not big. These are wonderful little people who are figuring out the world and I am just there to offer suggestions and guidance.