Discipline

What is your discipline strategy?
RELAX - no matter what happens relax. IF you are relax as an adult you will be able to take decision much better.

How do you relax in a tense situation of misbehavior ?
When we change our beliefs about the child - we will be able to relax. Belief of - the child is capable, we together can do it  "let me see" leads to RELAXED mind and the decisions are more intellectual than impulsive.
When we are relaxed we "respect" the child and we treat the child at same level. Read here about "RESPECT".
Read here more about respect
http://geniekids.com/pa/Respect-Fundamentals-of-Disciplining

When do you need to discipline?
Any act which leas to

• disturbing others
• harming the physical environment (tearing, breaking)
• hurting other
  
  • physically
  • emotionally
• Not following the codes to work together - these are formed in the beginning of the class that we all follow some codes to make working comfortable for all of us in the session. These are made with the consensus of the kids. Read here more
  

How do you discipline kids? What you do when two kids fight/ pinch/ push ?

Our belief: we do not know who , when , where started the fight so there is no point in punishing the one and not the other or punishing both !
They are fighting because thats' the choice available to them So we try to give them different choice - you can talk, write a note, move away if you are not liking and so on.
We take up these issues in circle time - read about circle time

Immediately separate them - gently. If any child is hurt - take care of the first aid. Then ask them to sort their problem. We make sure that they discuss and come back to us with what will they do next time or how would like to AMEND now.

we meet the child at different levels.

LEVEL FIRST- Understanding Child to discipline
Our Discipline Strategy
1 Prepare: When I order you to jump - you are at loos. But If I tell you that jumping activates your brain and helps in learning so we will jump for 20 times - chances are that your are willing to jump - PREPARE the child for any situation.
2 EMPOWER : When you tell them to walk in straight line - they do not why? when you tell them HOW they can walk in st line - they come up with their own solution.
3 Flow with nature - Flow with their nature - they need to jump - give them options to jump.
4 State pf mind - When they feel good about them they behave well - self esteem
5 Flexibility - Need to change the way I have been working

LEVEL SECOND - Co-operation strategy

1. Describe the problem - The paint is on the floor.
2. Give info - There is another class getting disturb with the noise.
3. Non Verbals - shhhhh
4. Offer choice -You can talk in the break time or when you go home.
   
5. Put in writing -We will keep quite during class time. We respect others and do not disturb them
   

LEVEL THIRD - Alternative to punishment
1 Consequence

1. Natural
2. Logical Consequence

• Upstate and prepare - If I disturb the class I will sit and observe them.
  
• Related - I will see how others are doing activity
  
• Follow it thru -
  

2 SHOW WAY

1. Express your feelings - When anybody hit any child -it hurts the other child and I get upset.
   
2. State expectations - I would like you to take care of each other.
   
3. Give Alternative

• Stop - We cannot hit anybody.
  
• Start - When you want to hot anybody you can cross your hands or you can tell that you are angry.
  

1. Give chance to Amend - How would you like to make that child feel happy - would you like to tell him, or make a card.
   
2. Work together to find ALTERNATIVE - Let us see what all we can do when we want to hit anybody - draw, write, express, jump and so on
   

read more
http://geniekids.com/pa/punishmentalternatives1

What do you do when one thing does not work?
When one thing does not work we move onto other. All kids are different and react differently. The basics of all discipline is to "respect" the child. And understand the child. Misbehaviour is just a symptom - we need to correct the root of the symptom not the behaviour.
Read more http://geniekids.com/pa/misehaviormisbeliefs


How do you handle complains?
At first Level we encourage kids to talk about them. If a child come complaining " she is hitting me"
Our response

• EMPOWER - Would you like to tell him what do  you want him to do (not hot you).
• EXPRESS - Would you like to tell him/ her how do yo feel when he/ she hits you.

At second level we observe both the kids - mostly it gets solved at their level. If require we lead both the kids to talk to each other.
At third level - we talk about "hitting" in circle time and form codes in the class "how do we work together" in the class.

Everybody agrees to use only “I” messages - start every sentence with “I”.
Which means you cannot verbally attack another person, complain another person’s behavior or judge or blame another person. So you cannot say, “That child is so stupid”. Instead you have to say, “I don’t like him” or “I will not work with him” etc.

What are codes
Codes are the guideline we follow to work together in the class.
We look at at the child – we do not see child any less or not capable. If we are making a particular rule/ code – we make sure they are made by the children in the session. Code in Geniekids are not made only by the faculty ALONE. When we treat equal – we respect. When we consider the child to be as respectful -  it is the relationship of at par.
Read few codes we follow.- see the attached file below