Little Stars Policy Page

Behavior Policies & Procedures
Behavior Guidance Procedures

At Little Stars of Bethlehem Preschool, training and discipline are blended with God’s love and concern. Discipline needs to be firm, consistent, and constructive. A child needs to know what is expected before he/she can obey. Guidelines reassure children that they are loved and there is concern for them.
Two behavior goals will be communicated to the children. These are:

        1. The love of Jesus motivates children to live as the Lord expects.
        2. Children show love through words and actions.

A positive environment will be fostered in the following manner:

        1. Children will be encouraged in their positive behaviors, negative and destructive behaviors will be minimized.
        2. All of the staff will be knowledgeable of three and four year old developmental stages, family background, special needs, interests and medications being given (if any) in dealing with each individual child.
        3. Children will be reminded of the appropriate behavior,
             and then helped to approach the problem situation with a new perspective or his/her attention will be diverted to a new activity.
        4. Staff will avoid unsafe activities to protect staff and children.
        5. When discipline is needed it will be administered immediately so that not only the child’s behavior is influenced, but more important the child’s attitude about himself/herself and about proper and improper behavior.

Behavior Consequences

        Our staff is committed to modeling Christian attitudes. The goal of discipline is to teach. Your child will be dealt with constructively at all times. A child will never be disciplined in such a way that is frightening or demeaning. The teachers use love, encouragement, and praise. Desirable behaviors areemphasized. Should behavior problems occur, positive guidance will be offered and behavior redirected.
Continual behavior problems will be brought to the attention of the parent. Increased staff guidance and time will need to be implemented if a child’s behavior is persistently unacceptable. The staff will observe, record, and report the behavior of the child. A plan will be developed to address the behavior and a consultation will be held with the child’s parents/guardians, other staff persons, and professionals when appropriate.
        No child will be separated from the group unless the staff has tried less intrusive methods of guiding the child’s behavior which have been ineffective and the child’s behavior threatens the well being of the child or other children in the center. A child who requires separation from the group will remain within an enclosed part of the classroom where the child can be continuously seen and heard by a program staff person. When separation from the group is used as a behavior guidance technique, the child’s return to the group will depend on the child’s stopping or bringing under control the misbehavior. The child will be returned to the group as soon as the behavior lessens or stops.
        All separations from the group must be noted on a daily log. The log will include the child’s name, staff person’s name, time, date, and information indicating what less intrusive methods were used to guide the child’s behavior and how the child’s behavior continued to threaten the well being of the child or other children in the center. If a child is separated from the group three or more times in a day or more than eight times in a week because of persistent unacceptable behavior, the child’s parent/guardian will be notified and asked to come for a consultation. Such notification will be indicated on the daily
log.

Prohibited Staff Action

All corporal punishment and humiliating techniques to control behavior are not allowed by any staff person. Corporal punishment includes rough handling, shoving, shaking,slapping, pinching, and spanking. Humiliating and emotional abuse includes name calling, shaming, derogatory remarks about the child, or using language that threatens or frightens the child. A child will not be mechanically restrained in a manner such as tying.