Rules vs. Guidelines
As early educators work to help children develop self-regulation, they need to identify socially acceptable behaviors as goals for them to achieve. Traditionally this has meant establishing a set of classroom rules for children to follow. However, research has shown that rules for young children tend not to be helpful because they:
- Are usually stated as negatives (e.g., don’t hit, no running, etc.), which can suggest to children that such behaviors are expected to occur (Wien, 2004)
- Tend to define the teacher’s role as one of technician/enforcer (Gartrell, 2012)
- Don’t provide information about what children should do (Gartrell, 2012; Readick & Chapman, 2000)
- Can result in labeling (e.g., good/bad children) and uneven application (i.e., being lenient with “good” children, stricter with “bad”) (Gartrell, 2012)
- Can lead to long-term problems with aggression (Gartrell, 2012)
While teachers need to set expectations for individual and group behavior, many experts recommend using a few broad guidelinesrather than many specific rules and punishmentsso as to construct a positive classroom dynamic and climate (Gartrell, 2012). Guidelines for preschoolers and children in the primary grades should frame expectations in positive terms, such as, “We are careful with our bodies,” or “We use words to solve problems.” Guidelines should also be framed as open-ended statements to allow children to infer more specific friendly behaviors (like sharing a toy) from the general statement, “We are friendly with others.” They should be displayed or posted in the classroom or care setting with pictures and words as visible reminders of desired behavior. Caregivers who work with infants and toddlers (who are too young to verbalize guidelines) should use gentle prompts and modeling to help children meet expectations.
Positively worded guidelines function as standardsdefining common goals that the community as well as individuals work together to achieve (Gartrell, 2012, p. 57). Finally, guidelines provide teachers and caregivers with opportunities to involve children in setting goals for behavior and problem solving. Preschoolers are generally able to participate in talking about and creating guidelines, and many teachers use the framework of a class meeting to do so.