Polykids - Positive Guidance

Children’s potential is nurtured through effective and consistent guidance that promotes their self-esteem, self-worth, and mana. Teachers will provide a positive role model for all children which develops the child’s ability to develop skills of positive self-management.

Licensing criteria:          C10

National guidelines:      Te Whariki - Belonging, Goal 4: Children experience an environment where they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

Strategies for behaviour guidance:

• Re-direction of unacceptable behaviour is suitable within a group setting, at no time will a child be removed from the learning environment.
• Children will always be told why a behaviour is unacceptable in a way appropriate to their age and development.
• Teachers will always talk in terms of a “behaviour” being unacceptable. This practice identifies that the behaviour is the focus and not the child.
• Children will be given the opportunity to correct their own behaviour through verbal prompts.
• Teachers will help children resolve disputes over toys or activities, modelling appropriate language and behaviour.
• Extremely inappropriate behaviour, such as causing injury to others, will result in “removal from the activity. The child will be placed aside and supported by a staff member. We do not support the use of exclusion but rather focus on re-direction of a child’s behaviour.
• Parents will be notified of an occurrence of extremely unacceptable behaviour and have explained the steps and strategies that will be used by teachers to modify the child’s behaviour.
• Written observations will be used when appropriate, to identify behaviour and the antecedent/trigger.
• When the need arises, Teachers will discuss and work alongside parents to develop positive guidance plans. These plans will be discussed at team meetings this allows consistency of child management within the teaching team.
• The use of physical force or punishment will not be tolerated within our centre environment.